The Book Of Revelation (Revelation 18)

In Revelation 16 the Lord made the most important announcement to mankind that will ever be made. That announcement is made when this seventh vial is poured out on the inhabitants of the earth and the Lord says, IT IS DONE! In other words the world as we know it to be will be destroyed by almighty God.

Look at Rev. 16:17-21 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

After the Lord has declared that all twenty-one judgments has taken placed on the inhabitants of the earth one of the angels come to John and says, Revelation 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.

Remember the same word after the church age is over and the rapture takes place in Revelation chapter four He tells John in Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Let me interpret this verse of scripture, one of the seven angels that poured out the seven vials “Come here, I want to show you why these seven vial judgement was poured out on the GREAT WHORE!!!

There has always been evil in the world from the time of Adam and Eve. But since the days of Babylon there has been an organized opposition of evil to oppose God. This organized religion has caused the blood shed of God’s people and now the Judgment of God is being poured out on these ungodly people.

The Bible tells us during the tribulation period the inhabitants on earth will experience suffering like the world has ever experienced before.

Due to 144,000 missionaries and the two witnesses many will come to know the Lord. But many of these will have their heads removed for the stand they take to serve the Lord. They were brutally killed.

We read about these in Revelation 6:9-10 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

God made a promise to these who have suffered during the tribulation, that the people who cause them to suffer would be punished.

In Revelation 17 and 18 the angel is showing John why God is sending judgement on these people.

The final judgment will be in Revelation 19 at the battle of Armageddon.

In Revelation 17 God describes this false teaching that has seduce many to follow after the great whore and now they are being punished for their:

1) False teachings in opposition to the Word of God

2) Their punishment of shedding the blood of those who would not take the mark of the beast.

This now leads us to Revelation chapter 18.

• In Revelation 17 we have already seen the destruction to be unleashed on religious Babylon in the beginning of the Great Tribulation period.

• In Revelation 18 the destruction of the commercial Babylon will take place but will not take place until the end of the Great Tribulation.

Some Bible scholars do not distinguish between the destruction of chapter 17 and that of chapter 18, but mold them altogether.

The following 4 reasons establish that they are not the same.

1. "After these things" (Rev 18:1), this expression indicates that the events described (in chapter 18), will not take place until after the events of chapter 17 have been fulfilled.

2. "I saw another angel coming down from heaven" Events of chapter 17 were introduced by "one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls" (Rev 17:1). The angel referred to (in chapter 18), is obviously not the same as the one who introduced the events of chapter 17 because this is angel is referred to as ANOTHER ANGEL.