1. Today we learn about the fall of Babylon. Before we do lets review a few points from the last couple of weeks. In chapter 17 we saw that the woman was both a harlot and a city. She was the apostate church which had forsaken her true husband, Jesus. And just as the true church ultimately reveals itself as the New Jerusalem, so does the false church reveal itself as Babylon, the false Jerusalem. We saw that the beast once was, is not and will come again. A world unity of mind occurred at Babylon and was stopped by God. Yet it will happen again at the end times. We also saw how the beast had seven heads which represent . These represent antichristian empires - Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia and Greece in the past as well as Rome at the time which John wrote what he saw. And a seventh at the end from which the beast will emerge as the head of a eighth unified kingdom. We saw how the beast, the antichristian world power will hate and destroy the woman the false church. And yet she will remain as the false city. Her teachings and beliefs are blended into the antichristian power’s rule.
2. Today we see the destruction of the woman as the city of Babylon. This means also the destruction of the antichristian world powers of which Babylon is the center.
3. Before we look at the passage and how it describes the fall of Babylon, let us first take a look at Babylon itself/
4. Babylon is described as the center of the antichristian kingdom from a royal and legislative point of view. In her heart she says "I sit a queen." The laws that rule the nations, all peoples on the earth are issued forth from Babylon. We are not told if a person would be the head of the world power, but if there was such a person, he or she would dwell in Babylon. It is in Babylon that the ten kings meet to plan their attack upon the Lamb. Babylon is the throne of the antichrist.
5. Babylon is also described as the heart and center of all trade and commerce. It is the home of industry and art. Without Babylon all industry and commerce would be gone. She sells articles of every kind - gold and silver, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet. Both necessities and luxuries. It controls a slave trade - as its merchants deals in the bodies and souls of men. It controls crafts, fines arts and music.
6. Babylon is a rich and wicked city
Rev 18:3 For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew.
It represents the best of human effort and ingenuity. Peace, wealth and security. All for the joy and comfort of man.
7. Let us look at the text and consider the downfall of this mighty city and power. The prediction of her fall can be broken into three parts.
* vs. 2-3 is a simple and plain prediction of her fall
* vs. 4-20 - is a figurative prediction showing the circumstance of her fall
* vs. 21-24 - confirms her fall by a sign or wonder
Each of these begins with the words or actions of an angel.
8. The angel in verse one is described as having great authority and being illuminated by his splendour. He is thoroughly provided with greatness of power and the light of glory is a sign of that power to all who see him.
9. Let us look at the first part of the prediction - vs. 2&3. In verse 2 we have the simple prediction of her fall. "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!" This announcement is similar to that which was made in Rev. 14:8. In each case they proclaim the fall of the city as an accomplished fact even though it actually happens in the future. The certainty of her fall is indicated by use of the perfect verb tense. And the repetition of the word fallen also indicates its certainty
10. This prediction describes the greatness of her fall. It will be the seat and home for demons, of wild beasts, of cursed souls. The 1599 Geneva Bible says it is become "habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
11. This prediction also gives the reason for her fall. Her wicked is mentioned in verse 3 which we have already read.
12. The second part of the prediction is verses 4-20. This part shows the circumstances of her fall. The things that take place. This is broken into two sections:
* vs. 5-8 talk about the circumstances that occur before her fall
* vs. 9-20 talk about the circumstances after her fall
13. At the beginning of this section, another voice is heard from heaven. This voice is directed to "my people" or the saints. They are told to do two things:
a. In vs. 4 they are told to "come out of her" or to depart from Babylon. This could mean both a spiritual separation or a actual physical separation. It probably means both since vs. 4 gives two reasons for this separation
* "so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;"
* they are to come out of her so that they will not be contaminated by her sin and also so that they will not receive the punishment that belongs to these sins
I know we have already talked about the rapture when the harvest was gathered in chapter 14, but we need to remember that Rev. does not always flow in a straight progression of time.
b. The second thing the saints are told to do is found in verses 6 and 7. They are to execute the judgement of God
Rev 18:6-7 Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In verses 5-7 we are also told of the things that Babylon did that led to her fall, that are to motivate the saints to execute judgement upon her. A judgement they will share with God.
Rev 18:5 for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes
i. One of her sins has followed another to such an extent that they are piled upon one another so that they become a great heap that reaches up to heaven. So great are her sins. They are to pay her back for the grief and wickedness they have inflicted upon the saints. This is not a call for vengeance but for vindication. She persecuted the saints and now she will reap her just rewards.
ii. Their judgement will also be executed upon her pride.
Rev 18:7 - she gave herself glory and luxury. In her heart she boasts, 'I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.'
She boasted that she was the queen. She exalted herself above God. She was self-sufficient and presumptuous. She though that nothing could touch her or take away her position. That she would never mourn
iii. And their role in carrying out judgement is based on the sentence imposed on them by God.
Rev 18:8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
God's judgement will be in one day - perhaps not literally but it shall come shortly and in an instant and it will be complete.
14. Remember that the prediction comes in three parts. vs. 2-3 is a simple and plain prediction of her fall and vs. 4-20 - is a figurative prediction showing the circumstance of her fall. We have looked at the circumstances before her fall.
15. Now we see the circumstances after her fall in vs. 9-20. This includes the lamenting of the wicked in vs. 9-19 and the rejoicing of the godly in vs. 20.
* in vs. 9-10 we read that the kings and the mighty men of the earth will lament
* in vs. 11-16 is the lament of the merchants who trade by land
* in vs. 16-19, the wiling of those who trade by sea
16. Their lamenting is not so much out of a love for Babylon but because of what they w ill loose as a result of her fall.
17. The kings will no longer share in her luxury. They morn the suddenness of her fall - in one hour, your doom has come.
18. The merchants will loose their wealth as well as those who provided ships for trade.
19. In contrast to all this there will be great rejoicing in heaven:
Rev 18:20 Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.
The antichristian political structure will be gone along with the materialism on which it was based.
20. The third part of the prediction is then presented. Verses 21-24 confirms her fall by a sign or wonder.
21. We symbolically see her destruction when a mighty angel picks up a large millstone and threw it into the sea. The destruction will be final and complete.
Rev 18:22 The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No workman of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again.
Isaiah also describes the destruction of Babylon in a similar manner.
Isa 13:19-22 Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians' pride, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flocks there. But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about. Hyenas will howl in her strongholds, jackals in her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand, and her days will not be prolonged.
23. All the glory of this world, that is the glory of man, that we have spent all of history building up will be destroyed in a flash as it were. In a short hour, the efforts of all mankind to establish his greatness, the pride which led mankind to reject God and to build up our own kingdoms will disappear. Billions upon billions of man-hours of human effort obliterated by one hour of effort by God.
24. God is God and His name will be vindicated. He will destroy all evil.
25. And at the end of our passage we read what some say is like the report of an inquiry which investigated what happened. But I like to think of it as what would be written on the imaginary grave of Babylon. It acknowledges her sinister accomplishment and indicts her in shame.
Rev. 18: 23b-24 Your merchants were the world's great men. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray. In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth."
