Book of Revelation Commentary
By: Tom Lowe Date: 7/13/17
Topic # IV: VISIONS OF JUDGMENT AGAINST ROME (12:1-19:21)
Subtopic C: THE FALL OF BABYLON, THE HARLOT (17:1-19:10)
Lesson: IV.C.3?The fall of Babylon the great proclaimed and mourned
(Revelation 18:1-24)
The announcement of her fall
1And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.3For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 6Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 7How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Consequences of her fall for the world
9And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, 10Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 12The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 14And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. 20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
The finality of her doom
21And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 22And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Introduction
In the great judgment scene of Revelation 16:20, the final overthrow of “Babylon the great” was briefly mentioned; and both Revelation 17 and Revelation 18 are a restating of that same event, Revelation 17 being consigned to the revelation of “Babylon’s” identity, as indicated by the brief tie-in by another reference to her destruction in Revelation 17:17. Next, comes Revelation 18 with a particular close-up of conditions in Babylon on the eve of her final overthrow during the last judgment. One of the big expressions in this chapter is “one hour,” that being the period of the ten kings (Revelation 17:12) who "burnt" the whore and ate her, not realizing in doing so that they also destroyed themselves. These are the mysteries cleared up in chapter 18. Thus it will be seen that the principal events here are what takes place against Apostate Christianity during the period of the ten kings and the eighth beast with whom they are surely identified and to whom they gave their mind and authority.
Thus, both Revelation 17 and Revelation 18 are successive “close-ups” of the great judgment of Revelation 16:20. At the end of these (Revelation 18:21), the final judgment is again symbolized by the hurling of the mighty boulder into the sea, making both of these chapters another recapitulation ending in exactly the same place as the previous sections have ended; namely, in the final judgment of the last day. In our interpretation, the events of chapter 18 occur in the future from and not in our own times, because they belong to the period of the ten kings and the eighth beast which apparently have not yet been fully manifested upon earth. Still, there have been enough "partial" fulfillments to leave an element of uncertainty. Here is an outline of the chapter:
A CLOSE-UP OF BABYLON'S JUDGMENT
1. The announcement of her fall (Revelation 18:1-8).
2. Consequences of her fall for the world (Revelation 18:9-20).
3. The finality of her doom (Revelation 18:21-24).
Commentary
1And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
“And after these things”
“These things” refers to everything that happened in the previous chapter.
“I saw another angel come down from heaven”
This “angel” is different from the last one that appeared, but that does not mean that another vision is being introduced. He is on a mission to give John a new message from God. It is not unusual in this book to find different communications entrusted to different angels. Compare Revelation 14:6, Revelation 14:8-9, Revelation 14:15, Revelation 14:17-18.
“Having great power”
That is, he was one of the higher rank or order of angels. “Having great authority” is how some have rendered this clause. This together with the glorious appearance of the angel emphasizes the eternal truth of what would be revealed. Whether he has “great power” or “great authority,” he is doing the LORD’s business, for he will announce Rome’s utter ruin.
“And the earth was lightened with his glory”
The angel possessed a glory so powerful that his presence lit-up the world or some part of it, which is how these heavenly beings are usually represented. This would, of course, add greatly to the magnificence of the scene. On another occasion the Apostle Luke reported: “And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened” (Luke 2:9). It is likely that the angel appeared in the air at a little distance above them, and that from him the rays of the glory of the Lord shone all around them, similar to how the rays of light are projected from the sun.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
“And he cried mightily with a strong voice”
Which shows not only the forcefulness and passion of the ministers of the word, who will make known that which follows, but the greatness and importance of the message. The angel will speak in a loud voice for the sake of the whole church in general, so that everyone may know what they must bear; and for the sake of those of the Lord's people in particular, that will be in Babylon at this time. The warning he gives may have to do with that deep sleep and spirit of slumber that Babylon itself will be in, which, in spite of this loud cry, will remain oblivious to its ruin until it comes upon her, as was the case of old Babylon. Jeremiah 51:39, gives us a brief description of how Babylon was captured: “‘When they become heated up, I will serve them their banquet And make them drunk, that they may become jubilant And may sleep a perpetual sleep And not wake up,’ declares the LORD.’” It was on the night of a feast day, while their hearts were heated with wine and partying that Babylon was taken; see Daniel 5:1-3. This feast was held in honor of the goddess Sheshach, (or perhaps of Bel), who is mentioned (Jeremiah 51:41) as being taken with her worshippers. On the night the city was taken, many had retired to rest, and never awoke; slain in their beds, they slept a perpetual sleep.
“saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen” the whole world is not designed by Babylon, for it is distinguished from all nations in the following verse; nor Babylon in Chaldea, which was fallen long before John saw this vision, but Rome Papal; See Gill on Revelation 14:8 so the woman is called in Revelation 17:5 who sits on seven mountains, and is that great city, the city of Rome, that reigns over the kings of the earth, Revelation 18:9 this is said to be fallen, because, in a very little time after this declaration, it will fall; for as yet it was not destroyed, since after this the Lord's people are called upon to come out of her, and are bid to reward her double; and it is declared, that her plagues, should come in one day, and she should be burnt with fire; and an angel after this throws a millstone into the sea, saying, that so should Babylon be thrown down, Revelation 18:4 and it is repeated to denote the certainty and utter destruction of her: and which is more fully expressed by what follows,
“and is become the habitation of devils”
as old Babylon was of satyrs, Isaiah 13:21 demons, which appeared in a hairy form, like goats, and the word is rendered devils in Leviticus 17:7 and the inhabitants of Rome now are no other; the pope and his cardinals, the priests, Jesuits, monks, and friars, are the spirits of devils, and their doctrines the doctrines of devils; see Revelation 16:14
“and the hold of every foul spirit”
devils are frequently called unclean spirits, and these appear in desert and desolate places, Matthew 12:43 where they are either of choice, or rather are obliged to it; and so the word translated "hold" signifies a prison, or place of confinement; and such as are comparable to unclean spirits now haunt and abound in Rome, and its territories; see Revelation 16:13
“and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird”
Such, as vultures, kites, owls, &c. which generally reside in desolate and uninhabited places; the Alexandrian copy, the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, add, "and the hold", or "seat of every unclean and hateful beast"; and so the desolation of old Babylon is described by wild beasts and doleful creatures dwelling in it, Isaiah 13:21. Some consider all this as a reason of the destruction of Babylon or Rome, because it now is the residence of persons comparable to devils, foul spirits, hateful birds, and beasts of prey; but this account rather describes its state and case in which it will be after its ruin, being never more to be inhabited by men, in allusion to old Babylon, Isaiah 13:19.
"The Babylon of Revelation 18 is identical with the Babylon of Revelation 17 ... the theme of great Babylon's downfall is continued."
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
“For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication”
This is given as a reason why this utter ruin had come upon her. She had enticed and corrupted the nations of the earth, leading them to drift apart and separate from God, and into pollution and sin. (See the notes on Revelation 9:20-21; 14:8.)
“And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her”
Spiritual adultery, that is, she has been the means of seducing them away from God and leading them into sinful practices.
“And the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies”
The word rendered “abundance,” usually means “power,” but here it might denote influence, though it may also mean number, quantity, wealth. The word rendered “delicacies” occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means rudeness, insolence, pride; and hence “revel, riot, luxury.” It may be rendered here as “luxury,” or “self-indulgence”; and the reference is to luxuries which are commonly found in a great playful, thoughtless, and grand city. This type of city, of course, gives rise to a large population and many tourists (Las Vegas is that kind of city), and furnishes employment for many citizens; some of whom will become wealthy. Babylon?or papal Rome?is represented here under the image of such a luxurious city; and of course, when she falls, those who have been dependent on her, and who have been enriched by her, have justification for mourning and crying. It is not necessary to expect to find a literal fulfillment of this, for it is emblematic and symbolical?the image of a great, rich, splendid, proud and luxurious city having been employed to denote anti-Christian power. All that is said in this chapter occurs after its fall. The general idea is that she was doomed to utter desolation, and that all that were connected with her, far and near, would be involved in her ruin.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
“And I heard another voice from heaven”
Either of another, or of the same angel, or rather of God, or Christ Himself, since the persons addressed are called his people.
“saying, come out of her, my people”
By “My people” is meant either:
1. “His elect ones,” who prior to this had not been called by that title, but are called that now, for the simple reason that God had chosen them for His people. They were His people by virtue of the covenant of grace, and were given to Christ as His people, and were redeemed by Him, though, they were in an unconverted state until this call.
2. They had been secretly called by the grace of God, but had not made a public profession of the Gospel, nor stand in open testimony against the Romish idolatry. But, just as the Lord had a righteous Lot in Sodom, and saints where Satan's seat was, Rome Pagan, so will He have a people in Rome Papal, at the time when its destruction draws near.
1. These will be called out in a spiritual sense, to quit the communion of the church, to forsake its idolatries, and not touch the unclean thing, separate themselves from her, and bear a testimony against her doctrines and worship.
2. These will be called out in a literal sense, locally; they shall be bid to come out of her, as Lot was ordered to go out of Sodom before its burning, and the people of the Jews out of Babylon before the taking of it (Jeremiah 50:8) to which reference is made here; and as the Christians were called out of Jerusalem before the destruction of it. This shows the remarkable knowledge the Lord has of His people, regardless of where they happen to be, and the gracious care He takes of them, so that they will not perish with others; and that it is His will they should be a separate people from the rest of the world.
This call of His sufficiently justifies the Protestants in their separation from the Church of Rome, and every separation from any apostate church.
“that ye be not partakers of her sins”
That is, by conniving with them, or committing the same sins; and all who do such are “partakers of her sins,” and have fellowship with these unfruitful works of darkness that are in the communion of that church. And those that dwell at Rome are in great danger of becoming part of that church, and cannot entirely avoid it. That includes even those who only go to that church out of curiosity, and stay in it for only a short time.
“and that ye receive not of her plagues”
Or punishments; the seven last plagues, which belong to her, the vials of which will be poured out upon one or other of the antichristian states, and the fifth particularly will fall upon Rome, the seat of the beast, and is what is referred to here.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
“For her sins have reached unto heaven”
In Jeremiah 51:9, speaking of Babylon, it says, “For her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.” The meaning is not that the sins of this mystical Babylon were like a mass or pile so high that it reached to heaven, but that it had become so prominent that it attracted the attention of God. Compare Genesis 4:10, “The voice of thy brother‘s blood crieth unto me from the ground”; and Genesis 18:20, “And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous.”
“And God hath remembered her iniquities”
He had seemed to forget “her iniquities,” or not to notice them, but now He acted as if they had come to His recollection; that is, for purposes of punishment. They had been, sort of, overlooked. Babylon had been permitted to carry on its purposes, and to practice its abominations, unchecked, as if God did not see it. Now the time had come when all that it had done was to be remembered, and when the long-suspended judgment was to fall upon her.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
“Reward her even as she rewarded you”
This is spoken to the people of God, who were called out of Babylon previous to this; and their leaders are the seven angels with the seven last plagues of the wrath of God, and the same can be said of the ten kings that will burn the whore with fire; these are called upon to take vengeance, by means of retaliation, for what she had done to them. This may be an allusion to what is said of old Babylon, in Jeremiah 1:15?“I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the LORD. “Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah”?but this must not be thought of as something she will have done to them personally, but rather to their predecessors in the faith of Christ in former ages; that just as she had hated them, and made war with them, so now they should hate her, and make war with her. And just as she had stripped them naked, and took away from them all their worldly goods, so now they should strip her naked and take away her harlot's attire and her gold, silver, and precious stones. And they should make her and her territories desolate; and just as she has burned to death many of the precious saints, in England, and elsewhere, so now they shall utterly burn her to death; and as she has shed the blood of the righteous, and drank it, and been drunk with it, they shall give her blood to drink; and as she hath killed multitudes with the sword, so now shall they kill her and her children. This is not contrary to the doctrine of Christ and His apostles, and the spirit of Christianity?“You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth” (Matthew 5:38). This will not be private, but public revenge, inflicted by Christian princes and magistrates, who are ministers of God, and revengers to execute wrath on them that do evil.
“and double unto her double according to her works”
The meaning is not to inflict upon her a punishment doubly greater than her sins, for this would be contrary to the justice of God; nor does God punish men in this life more than their iniquities deserve; nor can any worldly punishment be doubly greater than sin, which deserves eternal death. She will be punished with death at a time set by God, and therefore she will not have her full punishment now, and it will definitely be much less than her sins required. Her punishment will be according to her works, her wicked works, and therefore it will not exceed the wickedness of her sins: but the sense is that if it was possible to be done, they should punish her with a severity which is double to that she had used against them. Her sins deserved a severer treatment than even they had had from her; the phrase signifies utter destruction, a punishment which was suitable and sufficient. Isaiah 40:2 suggests that they should not spare her, nor pity her, but punish her with the greatest severity imaginable, since it would not be possible to exceed her due deserts, or what her works required?“Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins” (Isaiah 40:2).
“in the cup which he hath filled, fill to her double”
Not in the cup of her abominations, her errors, idolatries, and wickedness; but in the cup of afflictions and trouble, which she poured out on the people of God; give her a double portion of that: the sense is the same as before.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
“How much she hath glorified herself”
The harlot appears proud and haughty; exalting herself above all emperors, kings, and princes, above all kingdoms and states, and also above all churches that assume arrogant titles, and even blasphemous names. John describes a beast that appeared in his vision which could be the “poster child for pride. “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy” (Revelation 13:1).
“and lived deliciously”
That is, in a very lavish manner, as the popes, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests have done; some being clothed in purple and scarlet, and in gold and silver, and all living upon the fat of the land, and in falsification and drunkenness, in sexual immorality and impiety.
“so much torment and sorrow give her”
Nothing could torment and afflict her more than pulling down her pride, which goes before a fall; stripping her of her fine clothes and rich apparel; taking away her substantial benefits, which will cut her to the heart; and severely burning her, which will be very excruciating.
“for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen”
Or, a lady ruler of kingdoms, as in Isaiah 47:5{1] to which the reference is; having a temporal power and authority over the kings of the earth, and a spiritual jurisdiction over all churches, apostate ones, being the mother of harlots; and her "sitting" as such, since it well agrees with the whore on many waters, and the woman on the scarlet colored beast and seven mountains, who are all the same, and is very suitable to antichrist, who pretends to sit in Peter's chair, and does sit in the temple of God, as if he was God. So it is expressive of her empire and government over nations and churches, and of the continuance of it.
“and am no widow”
And never shall be; she flatters herself (see Isaiah 47:8{2]). Were she the true spouse of Christ, as she boasts, she certainly would be no widow, for Christ is an everlasting and never dying husband. But she is the whore of the kings of the earth, and though she imagines she will never be a widow, that is, deprived of people and power (Lamentations 1:1{3]), because she now sits on many waters, people, multitudes, and nations and tongues; yet before long, like old Babylon, she will have no men in her, but will be inhabited by devils, foul spirits, and hateful birds.
“and shall see no sorrow”
Because of the loss of children, power, and authority (Isaiah 47:8{2]); but she will be mistaken about this also, for her children will be killed by death. Jezebel was threatened with the death of her children in Revelation 2:23?“Jezebel, I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.”
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
“Therefore shall her plagues come in one day”
“Therefore,” as a consequence of her pride, arrogance, and extravagance, and of the calamities that she has brought upon others, God will send Plagues to cause her suffering and distress, as He had done to Pharaoh.
“Shall her plagues come in one day?” They shall come in a time when she is living in comfort, luxury, and security; and they shall come at the same time; so that all these terrible judgments shall seem to be poured upon her at once. Remember, we are approaching the time when the earth will be destroyed, but we don’t know when. How long will God delay His wrath? The Prophet Isaiah says it happened before?“For my own name's sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely” (Isaiah 48:9).
“Death, and mourning, and famine”
“Death” (war) is deadly evil, and was called an evil in Isaiah 45:7; “I make peace, and create evil”; that is, war. War is a sad evil that hacks its way through a forest of men, in a minute of time, from the mouth of a murdering plane, killing tank, and barking rifles and causes thousands to exhale their breath without so much as “Lord, have mercy upon us.”
“And mourning,” for the loss of friends.
“And famine,” one of the usual consequences of war, in sieges especially. {See Trapp on "Revelation 6:5"}
“For strong is the Lord God who judgeth her”
That is, God has ample power to bring all these calamities upon her. He has determined that she must be destroyed, and therefore it is unavoidable; He that has settled upon it, and foretold it, and has condemned her to it, is the Lord God Almighty; and he is able to execute the sentence He has determined and proclaim, and it is impossible for her to escape. God, in this place may be Christ the mighty God, the Judge of the quick and dead (Jeremiah 50:34{4]).
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
The Spirit of God having in the first part of the chapter described the certainty and severity of those judgments which would come upon mystical Babylon, He next declares what weeping and bitter expressions of grief her downfall would cause to her devotees and admirers, to her friends and followers; more particularly he acquaints us with three sorts of persons that shall grieve over Babylon’s destruction; kings, merchants, and seamen. The former we have here before us in this verse; “The kings of the earth,” who have held fast to the whore, committed spiritual fornication with her, and delighted themselves in her carnal and pompous idol-worship. When they see the smoke from her burning, and understand the certainty of her destruction, they shall stand far off, like persons astonished, and like persons afraid, amazed at the dreadfulness of the judgment, and afraid to come near. They shall be involved in it; and the words of their funeral song are set down in verse 10?“Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come!” It is as if they had said, ‘In spite of all Babylon's grandeur, which we so admired and magnified, and which she herself put so much trust and confidence in, to our astonishment we have seen her judgment come upon her in one hour; a great and “mighty city” destroyed, a gay and splendid church, politically founded, powerfully strengthened, all of a sudden broken in pieces, and brought to desolation: Alas, alas! that great city Babylon!’
“Standing afar off for the fear of her torment”
That is, for fear that they themselves should share in it, since they have partook of her sins; either they will not have the capacity to help her, or they will be disheartened, and will be in awe and dread of God’s righteous judgments:
“saying, alas! alas! that great city Babylon, that mighty city!
It will aggravate their sorrow, when they reflect upon the former grandeur, magnificence, power, and authority, of the city and Holy See of Rome, so often called in this book the great city.
“The kings of the world shall be gathered to “that great city” of Rome; and the holy blessed God will cast upon them fire and hail, and great hail stones, (compare Revelation 16:21), and they shall perish from the world, except those kings that do not come there.'
“For in one hour is thy judgment come.” “The hour of her judgment”; the time of her punishment is fixed by God; but the sense is, that her “judgment” came upon her suddenly; this is the judgment of the great whore, which the angel proposed to show to John (Revelation 17:1).
What do we learn from this? That when God begins to enter into judgment with His church’s enemies, the strongest arm of flesh cannot prevail, and kings with their armies will flee and be embarrassed, the stoutest hearts will be afraid and terrified, not daring to approach the presence of an angry God: the kings of the earth shall stand far off for fear of being caught-up in her torment.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
The second sort of persons who passionately lament and bitterly regret Babylon’s downfall and destruction are the “merchants” who traded in and with Babylon.
Some Bible scholars think that here we have an allusion to the merchants and merchandise of Tyre spoken of in Ezekiel 17. As Tyre was the market of the earth for temporal things, so was Babylon for spiritual things, making merchandise even of the souls of men, persuading people that they could purchase the redemption of souls out of purgatory by masses.
Please note that Pagan Rome, though she did buy and sell slaves, she did not bargain for souls: but Papal Rome deals with both slaves and souls. She sells the souls of men, by selling her ecclesiastical benefices{5], and cures of souls. And I pray to God that this piece of spiritual merchandise were only found among them, and nowhere else.
Observe next, the Holy Ghost is pleased to itemize several sorts of commodities, and the kinds of merchandise, which Babylon bought and sold, namely, gold, silver, precious stones, fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all things for adornment and enjoyment. The pride and sensuality of Rome prompted her to buy up all sorts of commodities, and took all that the countries around her could bring in; partly to gratify her pride, and partly to serve her idolatry.
Observe further, what a bitter expression of grief is uttered here; but for what? Not for their sins, their luxury, or idolatry, but for the loss of their marketplace and merchandise only. Observe in these Babylonians, the spirit and temperament of all natural men, and they do not weep for sin, but for suffering. They have plenty of tears for any earthly cross, and they refuse to be comforted, except for their sins, which are not their cross, but their curse, their plague, even the greatest of all plagues, because spiritually, they can speak of these with dry eyes and unaffected hearts.
Observe lastly, how these merchants here, as the kings before, stand afar off for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing; pitying and consoling one another, for they are greatly affected and profoundly afflicted to see the ruin of that community that sustained them, but not able to help one another.
Consider how fruitless and helpless the wickeds’ friendship is to one another in the day of Christ’s visitation; they stand afar off for fear of suffering, but cannot give comfort and aid to each other?they do not come near to help Babylon or them.
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
“The merchandise of gold, and silver”
Of course, these constitute an important article of commerce in a great city.
“And precious stones”
Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, etc. These have always been important articles of traffic in the world, and, of course, most of the traffic in them would find its way to great commercial cities.
“And of pearls”
These, too, have always been valuable articles of commerce, particularly in early times. They were among the articles that contributed to the luxury of Rome in the age of the Antonines: “precious stones, among which the pearl claimed the first rank after the diamond.”
“And fine linen”
This was also a valuable article of commerce. It was obtained chiefly from Egypt. The Prophet Isaiah wrote, “Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded” (Isaiah 19:9). Linen of great fineness and delicacy was woven in Egypt, for the priests’ dresses, for mummy-cloths, and for corsets. Solomon imported “linen yarn” from his Egyptian neighbors (1 Kings 10:28), and the Phoenicians a linen fabric for their sails' (Ezekiel 27:7). “Linen,” among the ancients, was an article of luxury, for it was worn chiefly by the rich (Exodus 28:42; Leviticus 6:10; Luke 16:19).
“And purple”
Cloth of this color was a valuable article of commerce, because it was worn by rich men and princes. “There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day” (Luke 16:19). The Jews in general dressed well; their common apparel were fine linen and silk (Ezekiel 16:10). And as for the Pharisees, they loved to go in long robes, and to make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, which were fringes of blue, joined unto them; and which may figuratively express the fine outside show of holiness and righteousness, they made;
“And silk”
Silk was a very valuable article of commerce, since it was costly, and could be worn only by the rich. It was said, “A pound of Silk, was esteemed not inferior in value to a pound of gold.”
“And scarlet”
The Apostle John, while in exile on the Island of Patmos was given a vision of the end times, and later he wrote: “and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast” (Revelation 17:3). The “scarlet” color is expressive of the imperial dignity, power and authority it received from the dragon; and also of this beast's cruelty and tyranny, and of its shedding the blood of the saints. Moreover, just as purple and scarlet are the colors of garments worn by the pope, and cardinals, the woman in the next verse is said to be “arrayed in purple and scarlet color,” and even the very beast on which she rode was covered with scarlet.
“And all thyine{6] wood”
- The word used here occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It denotes an evergreen African tree, from which statues and costly vessels were made
“And all manner vessels of ivory”
Everything that is made of ivory. Ivory, or the tusk of the elephant, has always been among the precious articles of commerce.
“And all manner vessels of most precious wood”
Furniture of costly wood?cedar, the citron tree, lignum-vitae, etc.
“And of brass, and iron, and marble”
Brass or copper would, of course, be a valuable article of commerce. The same would be the case with iron; and also marble, for building, for statuary, etc., would likewise be.
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
“And cinnamon”
Cinnamon is the aromatic bark of the Laurus Cinnamomam, which grows in Arabia, India, and especially in the island of Ceylon. It was formerly, as it is now, a valuable article in the Oriental trade.
“And odours”
Aromatics employed in religious worship, and for making perfumes. One historian mentions, among the articles of commerce and luxury, in the age of the Antonines, “a variety of aromatics that were consumed in religious worship and the pomp of funerals.” It is unnecessary to say that the use of such odors has been always common at Rome.
“And ointments”
Unguents are a soft greasy or viscous substance used as an ointment or for lubrication?such as spikenard, etc. These were in common use among the ancients (See Matthew 14:3, 7).
“And frankincense”
“Frankincense” was an aromatic used in sacrificial offerings; and it was one of the treasures the Three Wisemen gave Jesus once they found Him. The incident has been memorialized in Scripture?“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented to him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11). It is unnecessary to say that incense has always been used in public worship in Rome, and that it has been, therefore, a valuable article of commerce there.
“And wine”
An article of commerce and luxury in all ages.
“And oil”
That is, “olive oil.” This, in ancient times, and in Oriental countries particularly, was an important article of commerce.
“And fine flour”
The word here means the best and finest kind of flour.
“And wheat”
Wheat is ground to a fine powder to make wheat flour, and wheat flour is the main ingredient of bread.
“And beasts, and sheep, and horses”
Also important articles of merchandise.
“And chariots”
The word used here (chariots) means, a carriage with four wheels, or a carriage drawn by mules. It was a traveling carriage; an article of luxury.
“And slaves”
The traffic in slaves was as common in ancient times, as it is now. We know that this traffic was carried on to a large extent in ancient Rome, the city which John probably had in view when he wrote this description. It has been reported that many Romans possessed, not for use, but for the sake of arrogance and egotism, ten, and even twenty thousand slaves. It should be said here, however, that although this refers evidently to traffic in slaves, it is not necessary to suppose that it would be literally characteristic of papal Rome. All this is symbolical, designed to exhibit the papacy under the image of a great city, with what was customary in such a city, or with what most naturally presented itself to the imagination of John as found in such a city; and it is no more necessary to suppose that the papacy would be engaged in the traffic of slaves, than in the traffic of cinnamon, or fine flour, or sheep and horses.
The Greek here is s?µa´t?? so¯mato¯n- “of bodies.” Prof. Stuart renders it “grooms,” and supposes that it refers to a particular kind of slaves who were employed in taking care of horses and carriages. The word properly denotes body - an animal body - whether of the human body, living or dead, or the body of a beast; and then the external man - the person, the individual. In later usage, it comes to denote a slave (see Robinson, Lexicon), and in this sense it is used here.
“And souls of men”
The word rendered “souls,” though commonly denoting the “soul” is also employed to denote the living thing?the animal?in which the soul or vital principle resides; and therefore may denote a woman or a man. Under this form it is used to denote a “servant” or “slave,” and in a generic sense, denotes slaves in general. In slavery both body and soul are purchased; both are supposed, so far as he can avail himself of them, to become the property of the master. The buying and selling of slaves was big business in ancient Rome.
14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
“And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee”
These are the desirable fruits which were in season at that time; and that probably means “apples,” for they are picked in autumn; but it may refer to all types of fruit, since Italy abounds with many kinds. Something is going to happen to Italy’s fruit trees; for it says in the last clause “thou shalt find them no more at all.” And this means that fruit and/or trees will be destroyed; and it seems to point at the time of year when Babylon's destruction will occur: but, in the mystical sense, these fruits may signify universal dominion over nations and churches, the obedience of kings and princes, riches, honors, and pleasures of all sorts; things greatly affected by the Papacy, and of which a large harvest was expected, but now all will be at an end.
“and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee”
All that was pleasant to the taste, and pleasing to the sights, that was excellent and desirable, are no longer available.
“and thou shalt find them no more at all”
What is described is absolute destruction; during the Reformation these desirable things were taken from her in several nations, but in some places she has recovered them; the Papists, will have these things in their hands again before Rome's utter destruction, but after that they will have them “no more at all.”
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
“The merchants of these things”
The “merchants” were mentioned before (18:11), for they have traded in “these things” (18:12, 13) for themselves and for Rome.
“which were made rich by her”
See notes on Revelation 18:3.
“shall stand afar off for fear of her torment”
As the kings of the earth had done before (Revelation 18:10), after coming to the conclusion that they had been partners in her crimes, and consequently might fear they would share in her punishment. And it may be, they will outwardly deny they are now of her religion, and will externally embrace the reformed (Protestant) religion; though they will be inwardly weeping and wailing over the destruction of Rome, and the loss of their merchandise and personal things.
“weeping and wailing”
They will not cry for lost faith, but for lost profits. These events are not after the end; they are before it. There is something almost pathetic about these laments. In every case, the lament is not for Rome, but for them.
This is virtually the same lament that is mentioned in verses 9 and 10, because of their loss of unlawful privileges at the expense of the people. The fear of her torment implies that the sight of such a burning will give them a feeling of horror. Just in case the reader gets lost in all this array of symbolic judgments, I shall again state that it is a symbolical picture of the political and religious revolution that came upon the old wicked institution of Rome, after the work of the Reformation broke up the great conspiracy.
16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
“And saying, Alas, alas that great city”
See notes on Revelation 18:10.
“That was clothed in fine linen”
In the previous description (Revelation 18:12-13), these are mentioned as articles of trade; here the city, under the image of a female, is represented as clothed in the most rich and frivolous of these articles.
“And purple, and scarlet”
See the notes on Revelation 17:3-4. Compare Revelation 18:12 of this chapter.
“And decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls”
See the notes on Revelation 17:4.
All these “things” will become worthless on the day of the Lord’s wrath. And we do not need to envy wicked men all their success and riches; it is their portion, all they are ever going to have. “The whole Turkish empire is nothing else,” saith Luther, “a crust cast to the dogs, by God the great householder. I have no stronger argument (said the same Luther) against the pope’s kingdom, than this, that he suffered nothing. Surely there is more coming, there will be bitterness in the end, no doubt.” If Luther were alive today he would say the same about the nations of the Middle East.
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
“For in one hour”
In a very brief period?so brief, that it seemed to them to last just “one hour.” In the prediction found in Revelation 18:8, it is said that it would be “in one day” (see the notes on that place); here it is said that, to the on-lookers, it seemed to be only an “hour.” There is no inconsistency, therefore, between the two statements.
“So great riches is come to nought”
That is, all the accumulated wealth of this great and rich a city. This should have been united with Revelation 18:16, since it is a part of the lamentation of the merchants, and the lamentation of the mariners commences in the other part of the verse.
“So great riches is come to nought” suggests (1), the cities are not only defeated, they are in effect deserted, a wilderness, and depressing to look upon; (2), the wealth of the cities has been taken by victorious soldiers. It is said that in the treasury of Pope John XXII were found by his heirs two hundred and fifty tons of gold. And of Boniface VIII it is recorded that he was able to show more money than all the kings in Christendom.
“And every ship-master”
This introduces the lamentation of the mariners, who would, of course, be deeply interested in the destruction of a city with which they had been accustomed to trade, and by carrying merchandise to those who lived there they had become rich. The word “ship-master” means, a “governor”; then a governor of a ship (captain)?the “steersman” or “pilot.” When applied to the city of Rome the meaning becomes; Cardinal, patriarch, archbishop (with no real authority.
“And all the company in ships”
There is a minor disagreement about how this clause should be rendered; one group renders it “coasters.” There is here, however, an important difference in the reading of the text. The time-honored text is, “all the company in ships,” which is also our wording here. There is however one more accepted rendering “he who sails to a place”; that is, he who sails from one place to another along the coast, or who does not venture out far to sea; and thus the phrase would denote a secondary class of sea-captains or officers?those less venturesome, or experienced, or bold than others. There can be little doubt that this is the correct reading; and hence the class of seamen here referred to is “coasters.” Such seamen would naturally be employed where there was a great and luxurious maritime city, and would have a deep interest in its fall. Note: Both translations are acceptable.
“And sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off”
“And sailors”?Common seamen.
“And as many as trade by sea”?In any kind of craft, whether employed in a near or a remote trade.
“Stood afar off”? like the kings and merchants before, for fear of sharing in the condemnation and punishment of Babylon; knowing full well that they deserved it, having been associates with her in her crimes. See notes on Revelation 18:10.
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
“And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning”
See Gill on Revelation 18:9.
“They saw” means to use the eyes to look: the act of seeing without giving any thought to the object seen.
“Smoke”—some interpreters put “place” for “smoke,” implying they were focused on the smoke and not on the thing burning.
“saying, what city is like unto this great city?”
That is, can any city be as magnificent and majestic as this was in the past, and now its population is sorrow, desolation, and ruin; and was any city like it for power and authority, for pride and luxury, for idolatry and superstition, blasphemy and impenitence.
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
“And they cast dust on their heads”
A common sign of lamentation and mourning among the Orientals. We are told in Ezekiel 27:30 that certain seafaring men raised their voice and cried bitterly on account of Tyre; they sprinkled dust on their heads and rolled in ashes. This was a gesture used in mourning when persons were in afflicted and distressed circumstances, denoting disorder, confusion, and debasement. “Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same and sprinkled dust on their heads” (Joshua 7:6).
“and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, alas, alas! that great city”
They did it once before according to Revelation 18:10, but it is different now because the city is in flames.
“wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea”
It is not only the merchants of the earth that were “made rich,” as in Revelation 18:3, but the governors of religious facilities?the cardinals, archbishops, and bishops,?these accumulated great wealth, and acquired the best property for their use and to support their abbeys and monasteries. But not all churchmen were wealthy, for some of them had very little, and a few starved?one in particular was called the starveling cardinal. Others were made a professor at a petty university, where they received a small stipend.
“by reason of her costliness”
The word rendered “costliness” means “preciousness; their magnificent, costly merchandise; or costly things, such as pardons, indulgences, absolution, saying Mass, and praying souls out of purgatory, all of which are costly, and this is the method by which these traders have been enriched. Now the remembrance of these things, of which they will be deprived, will affect and grieve them, as well as the suddenness of Rome's ruin. There is an adage that says “The luxury of a great city enriches many individuals, however much it may impoverish itself.”
“for in one hour is she made desolate”
When her judgment comes, she is made desolate in one hour or so it seemed to them, and her riches come to nothing (See the notes on Revelation 18:10, 17). And they cast dust on their heads
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
“Rejoice over her”
That is, “Rejoice over” her ruin. There is a strong contrast between this language and what precedes it. Kings, merchants, and seamen, who had been tolerated, sustained, and had their corrupt passions sanctioned by her, or who had been enriched by trading with her, would have occasion to mourn. But that is not the case with those who had been persecuted by her?not the church of the redeemed, not heaven itself. The great oppressor of the church, and the corrupter of the world, was now destroyed; the great hindrance to the spread of the gospel was now removed, and all the holy ones in heaven and on earth would have occasion to rejoice. This is not the language of vengeance, but the language of exultation and rejoicing in view of the fact that the cause of truth might now spread, without hindrance, throughout the earth.
“Thou heaven”
To be precise, the inhabitants of “heaven.” The meaning here is, that the dwellers in heaven?the holy angels and the redeemed?had good reason to rejoice over the downfall of the great enemy of the church.
“And ye holy apostles”
A number of professors render this, “Ye saints, and apostles,” and prophets.” In the common Greek text, it is the same as our version, “holy apostles and prophets.” In the text of a well-known Christian writer, the word “and” is inserted between the word “holy” and “apostles.” This is, without a doubt, the true reading. The meaning, then, is that the “saints” in heaven are called on to rejoice over the fall of the mystical Babylon.
“Apostles” is the name given the twelve who were chosen by the Savior to be His witnesses on earth. The word is commonly limited to the twelve, but, in a larger sense, it is applied to other distinguished teachers and preachers of the gospel. See the notes on Acts 14:14. There is no impropriety, however, in supposing that the apostles are referred to here as such, since they would have occasion to rejoice that the great obstacle to the reign of the Redeemer was now taken away, and that that cause in which they had suffered and died was now to be triumphant.
“And prophets”
Prophets of the Old Testament and distinguished teachers of the New would have reason to rejoice in the prospect of the final triumph of the true religion.
Prophecy, literally speaking, is “forth-telling;” It consists of revealing the mind of the Lord. Predictive prophecy is only one kind of prophecy. With the completion of the canon of Scripture prophecy passed away—“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part” (1 Corinthians 13:8, 9). Predictive prophecy has ceased and the teacher has taken the place of the prophet; that is the significant change evidenced in 2 Peter 2:1. The message of the prophet was a direct revelation of the mind of God for the occasion; the message of the teacher is gathered from the completed revelation contained in the Scriptures.
“For God hath avenged you on her”
God has taken vengeance on her for her treatment of you. That is, since she had persecuted the church as such, they all might be regarded as interested in it and affected by it. All the redeemed, therefore, in earth and in heaven, are interested in whatever tends to retard or to promote the cause of truth. All have occasion to mourn when the enemies of the truth triumph; to rejoice when they fall.
21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
“And a mighty angel”
Not Christ, nor one of the ministering spirits, but some mighty angel, perhaps the same one that came from Heaven in Revelation 18:1.
“took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea”
Just as Jeremiah took a “millstone” and bound it to his book after he had read it, and cast it into the river Euphrates, as a sign and token of the destruction of old Babylon ( Jeremiah 51:63). The millstone will in falling have not only an accelerated force from the law of gravitation, but that force will be greatly increased by the projectile force impressed upon it by the power of the destroying angel.
“saying, thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down”
This is expressive of the utter destruction of Rome, and of the violence, force, and power with which it will be destroyed, and of the suddenness and swiftness of its destruction, and of the impossibility of recovering its state and condition.
“and shall be found no more at all”
This is true of ancient Babylon; we are not certain even of the place where it stood. It is also true of Jerusalem; her government, significance, and influence are gone. It is not true of Rome pagan; nor, as yet, of Rome papal: the latter still exists, and the former is most intimately blended with it; for in her religions service Rome papal has retained her language, and she has dedicated many of her heathen temples to saints real or reputed, and incorporated many of her superstitions and absurdities in a professedly Christian service. It is true also that many idols are now restored under the names of Christian saints!
”This verse shows that this prophecy is regarded as still to be fulfilled.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
“And the voice of harpers”
Those who play on the harp were usually accompanied with singing. The idea, in this verse and the following, is substantially the same as in the previous parts of the chapter that the mystical Babylon?papal Rome?would be brought to utter desolation. This thought is presented here in another form, and the idea is that all which constituted festivity, joy, and amusement, and all that indicated thrift and prosperity, would disappear. Of course, in a great and “fun” city, there would be all kinds of music; and when it is said that this would be heard there no more it is a most striking image of utter desolation.
“And musicians”
Musicians in general; but perhaps here singers are singled out from those who played on instruments.
“And of pipers”
Those who played on pipes or flutes (See 1 Corinthians 14:7; Matthew 11:17).
These instruments were usually made of reeds, and probably had a resemblance to a flageolet{7].
“And trumpeters”
Trumpets were common instruments of music, employed on festival occasions, in war, and in worship. Only the principal instruments of music are mentioned here, as representatives of the rest. The general idea is that the sound of music, as an indication of festivity and joy, would cease.
“Shall be heard no more at all in thee”
It would become utterly and permanently desolate.
“And no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be”
That is, skilled workers of all kinds would cease to ply their trades there. The word translated “craftsman” here would include all carpenters and mechanics, all who were engaged in any kind of trade or craft. The meaning here is that all these would disappear, an image, of course, of utter decay.
“shall be found any more in thee”
The scene is reminiscent of a city experiencing the loss of a war, plague, famine, or the wrath of God, which is what happened here. All hope has gone the way of this cities wealth and prosperity and peace and inhabitants.
“And the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee”
This clause may refer not so much to the rattle of the mill as to the voice of singing, which usually accompanied grinding. The sound of a mill is cheerful, and indicates prosperity; its ceasing is an image of decline.
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
“And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee”
Candles will no longer be available, either for common use, or at feasts, or at marriages; anything done at night, required candies, lamps, or torches; this shows that Babylon, or Rome, shall be deprived of everything, even the least thing that is comfortable in life (see Jeremiah 25:10). This will be a just punishment for her, because of her abuse of this blessing of life; so where wax candles in great numbers have been burning in the daytime, there will not be so much as a single candle to give light at night; and where candles have been lit for the dead, there will not be one for the use of the living.
“and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee”
There will be no marrying, or giving in marriage; no procreation of children, or propagation of posterity, in this place; which denotes the utter annihilation of the inhabitants of it; the phrases are taken from Jeremiah 7:34 and Jeremiah 25:10 and this will be in righteous retaliation for the prohibition of marriage; which God has instituted, and is honorable (1 Timothy 4:2). The reasons of Babylon's destruction follow.
“for thy merchants were the great men of the earth”
This is an allusion to the merchants of Tyre who are said to be princes (Isaiah 23:8), for by trading and dealing in the wares and merchandise of Rome, persons from poor families, and of very low circumstances of life, have grown exceedingly rich, and have equaled the princes of the earth in acquiring riches. And on the other hand, the princes and great men of the earth have become Rome's merchants, and have thought it a high honor to acquire a cardinal's hat. The pope creates his cardinals by these words, “Be ye brethren to us, and princes of the world.” They consider themselves the king’s companions.
“for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived”
“Thy sorceries means her false doctrines, traditions, idolatry, superstition, and will worship, with which, she has bewitched, allured, and deceived the nations of the empire, and their kings (See Revelation 18:3); and this sounds very much like Jezebel in the Old Testament.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
“And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints”
This was mentioned before, in Revelation 18:20. It is another reason for her destruction, besides her luxury and idolatry, namely, her shedding the blood of the “saints,” with which she is said to be drunk, and therefore blood is now given her to drink (Revelation 17:6), for she will now be found guilty of slaying the witnesses?the prophets and saints?that have been observing and issuing warnings from the beginning of the apostasy. The persecution of Christians by rulers or people, civil or ecclesiastical, even if in compliance with human laws, is never overlooked or forgotten by Jehovah. It is an aggravated sin, which in due time he will surely punish.
“and of all that were slain upon the earth” (The Ethiopic version adds, “for the name of Christ.)
It is not only the blood of those that have been slain in the city of Rome, but the blood of all those that have been slain throughout the empire; they were slain by her orders, or with her consent, and she planned it, and encouraged it, and therefore, she will be rightly charged with it all (see Matthew 23:31).
Is this mere exaggeration? No! If the religious wars that served to advance the harlot's plans are remembered, the figure appears appropriate enough. Furthermore, the murder of one is, in principle, the murder of all. There is no single literal city on earth that could do so much destruction, not even Rome. It is the spirit of lawlessness and apostasy from the truth, spectacularly represented in the harlot; it is that whole religious apparatus moving throughout history and responsible for wholesale deaths all over the world. Also, there is something else in it.
Jesus told Jerusalem that in their murder of the Messiah all of the blood shed from Abel until that very day would come upon her. In exactly that same way, the system that murdered the Christians, the true spiritual body of Christ, was chargeable with all the blood ever shed on earth. The two cases are exactly parallel.
This concludes the awful picture of the final judgment in this sequence.
Special Notes and Scripture
[1} “Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms” (Isaiah 47:5).Babylon can scarcely have borne this title in Isaiah's time, or at any earlier period, unless it were a very remote one. She had been secondary to Assyria for at least six hundred years when Isaiah wrote, and under Sennacherib was ruled by viceroys of his appointment. But Isaiah's prophetic foresight enables him to realize the later period of Babylon's prosperity and glory under Nabopolassar and Nebuchadnezzar, when she became the inheritress of the greatness of Assyria, and exercised rule over a large portion of Western Asia. Nebuchadnezzar was, no doubt, as he is called by both Ezekiel (Ezekiel 26:7) and Daniel (Daniel 2:37), a "king of kings;" and Babylon was then an empress-state, exercising authority over many minor kingdoms. It is clear that, both in the earlier and the later chapters, the prophet realizes this condition of things.
[2} “Now then, listen, you lover of pleasure, lounging in your security and saying to yourself, I am, and there is none besides me. I will never be a widow or suffer the loss of children” (Isaiah 47:8). These words are sometimes used by the eternal and unchangeable Jehovah of Himself, and indeed they suit no one but Him; and it is the height of insolence and blasphemy in a creature to use them of itself; they fitly express that sovereignty, supremacy, infallibility, and even deity, which mystical Babylon assumes and ascribes to herself.
[3} “How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave” (Lamentations 1:1).
[4} “Yet their Redeemer is strong; the LORD Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause so that he may bring rest to their land, but unrest to those who live in Babylon” (Jeremiah 50:34). Their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is His name ... And seeing His name is the Lord of hosts or armies, and He has all the armies of heaven and earth at his command; and especially since He is Jehovah, the everlasting and unchangeable I AM; He must be strong and mighty, yea, the Almighty, and so able to redeem His Israel, as the Messiah was, who is intended here.
[5} benefices?A permanent Church appointment, typically that of a rector or vicar, for which property and income are provided in respect of pastoral duties.
[6} Thyine wood is mentioned only in Revelation 18:12 among the articles which would cease to be purchased when Babylon fell. It was called citrus, citron wood, by the Romans. It was of the cone-bearing order of trees, and of the cypress tribe of this order. The name of this wood is derived from the Greek word thuein, meaning "to sacrifice," and it was called this because it was burnt in sacrifices, on account of its fragrance. The wood of this tree was considered very valuable, and was used for making articles of furniture by the Greeks and Romans. Like the cedars of Lebanon, it is disappearing from the forests of Palestine.
[7} flageolet?a small end-blown flute with four finger holes infront and two in the rear.
