The Revelation Of Jesus Christ – Chapter 18
I. Things Which Thou Hast Seen – Rev 1
II. Things Which Are – The Church Age – Rev 2-3
III. Things Which Are To Come – Rev 4-22
A. The Throne Of God – Rev 4
B. The Seven Seals Book – Rev 5
C. The First Six Seals Are Opened – Rev 6
D. The Sealing Of The Saved – Rev 7
E. The Lamb Opens The Seventh Seal – The First Four Trumpets Sound – Rev 8
F. Sounding of the Fifth and Sixth Trumpets – Rev 9
G. The Little Book – Rev 10
H. The Measuring Rod – The Two Witnesses – The Seventh Trumpet Sounds – Rev 11
I. The Woman and the Dragon – Rev 12
J. The Beasts – The Unholy Trinity – Rev 13
K. The Lamb on Mount Zion – Rev 14
L. The 7 Vials Of God’s Wrath – Rev 15-16
M. God’s Judgment On The Great Harlot – Rev 17
N. God’s Judgment On Babylon – Rev 18
Rev 18:1-3 (NASB) “After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality."
(1) John sees – v. 1
(a) after the previous things
(b) another angel
-coming down from heaven
-having great authority
-illuminating the earth with his glory
-crying out with a mighty voice saying – v. 2
"Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
She has become a dwelling place of demons
and a prison of every unclean spirit,
and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.”
"For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion
of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed
acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have
become rich by the wealth of her sensuality." – v. 3
Babylon is to become the habitation of demons and every foul spirit and a cage to every hateful and unclean bird
Rev 18:4-8 (NASB) “I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities."Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.' "For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.”
(2) John hears – v. 4
(a) another voice from heaven saying
"Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. – v. 5 – 2 Cor 6:14-17
2 Co 6:14-17 “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.”
"Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed,
mix twice as much for her.” – v. 6 – Gal 6:7
Gal 6:7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”
"To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning;
for she says in her heart, 'I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.'” – v. 7
"For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire;
for the Lord God who judges her is strong.” – v. 8
The Lord judges her in one day. That implies suddenness. It also reveals just how powerful God is. In one day he can bring an end to her. In one day pestilence comes. In one day mourning comes. In one day famine falls.
I hope you understand this because the fact is in one day God can change everything. Tonight on the way home from Church you could have a accident. Your mate could die. You could be paralyzed. You could be bankrupted. In but one moment your life could change completely. Everything can change that suddenly.
What a change. In verse 7 Babylon is living it up, bragging it up, and thumbing her nose at God. In verse 8 Babylon is brought to judgment.
Rev 18:9-10 (NASB) "And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'
(3) The kings of the earth – v. 9
(a) who committed acts of immorality with the Babylon
(b) who lived sensuously with Babylon
-will weep over her
-will lament over her
*when they see the smoke of her burning
Standing at a distance – v. 10
Because of the fear of her torment
Saying
'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city!
For in one hour your judgment has come.'
Rev 18:11-13 "And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more--cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives.”
(4) The merchants of the earth – v. 11
-will weep over her
- will mourn over her
*because no one buys their cargoes any more – v. 12-13
Cargoes of – gold – silver – precious stones – pearls – fine linen – purple – silk – scarlet – every kind of citron wood – every article of ivory – every article made from very costly wood, bronze, iron and marble – cinnamon – spice – incense – perfume – frankincense – wine – olive oil – fine flour – wheat – cattle – sheep – horses – chariots – slaves – human lives
Then a list of twenty-eight items or categories of merchandise that comprised the merchants' cargoes: gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives. These items were common commodities in the ancient world and were the source of immense financial gain. They are only representative of the great wealth of Antichrist's future commercial empire.
John Phillips writes:
What a catalog of opulence! What a vivid picture of a great, commercial city, trafficking in every luxury the heart could desire. This is the world's great Vanity Fair. It offers articles of adornment and display, beautiful things to grace the mansions of the world's millionaires. It deals in exotic spices and perfumes, in delicacies for the table, in provisions for banquets, in slaves, and in the souls of men. And Babylon imported all these things... Babylon's demand for this world's goods was insatiable; ever it clamored for more and more! (Exploring Revelation, rev. ed. [Chicago: Moody, 1987; reprint, Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux, 1991], 225)
Rev 18:14 (NASB) "The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them.”
*Judgment on the merchants – v. 14
"The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you
and men will no longer find them.”
Rev 18:15-17 (NASB) "The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!'
*The merchants of the earth – v. 15
(a) who became rich from her
(b) will stand at a distance
-because of the fear of her torment
-because of the fear of her weeping
-because of the fear of her mourning
Saying: - v. 16-17
'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!'
Rev 18:17-19 (NASB) “And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance, and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What city is like the great city? And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!'
(5) Every shipmaster, passenger, sailor, all who made their living by the sea – v. 17
(a) stood at a distance
(b) were crying v. 18
-as they saw the smoke of her burning
-saying:
'What city is like the great city?'
(c) threw dust on their heads – v. 19
(d) were crying out
(e) were weeping
(f) were mourning
-saying:
Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!'
Rev 18:20 (NASB) "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her."
(6) heaven, saints, apostles, prophets – v. 20
(a) are to rejoice over her
-because God has pronounced judgment against her
Rev 18:21 (NASB) “Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer.”
(7) a strong angel – v. 21
(a) took up a stone
-like a great millstone
-threw it into the sea
Rev 18:22-23 (NASB) "And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.”
(b) said – v. 22-23
"So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer.”
"And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer;
and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.
*Final statement about Babylon v. 24
"And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth."
