Deeper Commentary
CHAPTER 18
18:1
After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having
great authority; and the earth was lit with his glory- Perhaps
representing the Lord Jesus. The scene of the land lightened with glory
recalls Ez. 43:2, a prophecy of how the Kingdom could have been
established at the return from exile. The essence of that prophecy will be
fulfilled at the Lord's return, although it seems not the details. The
visions of Revelation are not chronological; here we revert to how the
destruction of Babylon spoken of in chapter 17 comes about, and the
implications for believers. John indeed sees "another angel", but this is
not to say that the Angel represents someone different to what Angels
represented.
18:2 And
he cried with a mighty voice, saying: Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the great,
and has become a habitation of demons, a refuge of every unclean spirit,
and a refuge of every unclean and hateful bird- The Babylon section in
Revelation is full of allusion to the Old Testament. "Babylon" can be
understood as referring to Judaism, to Israel, to the oppressors of God's
people under the Roman Empire, and to a latter day Babylon which is the
capital of the beast system, and which I suggest refers to radical Islam
dominating the earth / land promised to Abraham. The commentary seeks to
bring out these various applications. Babylon has not yet "fallen" because
those within her are urged to come out from within her (:4); her fall is
announced in order that she might repent, according to Jer. 51:8: "Babylon
is suddenly fallen and destroyed: wail for her; take her balm for her
pain, if so be she may be healed". But from God's perspective, she had
already fallen. The later call to quit Babylon (:4) is made because she
refuses this amazingly gracious invitation to repent: "We would have
healed Babylon, but she is not healed: [therefore] forsake her" (Jer.
51:9).
Earlier the
cup was to be given to her but not diluted (Rev. 14:10); now it is to be
double filled (:6). This increase in the judgments upon Babylon is because
she repeatedly ignored repeated offers of healing and forgiveness. A tenth
part of the city falls first (Rev. 11:13) before Babylon completely falls
(18:4). She is given the chance of repentance, but instead goes into
denial about her loss and real status. This is the idea behind her
insistence that she has not been widowed, and is a queen- when she has
fallen from power.
There is the
assumption by many that all the O.T. prophecies about ‘Babylon’ were
fulfilled in the overrunning of Babylon by the Medes. However, there are
many details of those prophecies which didn’t have a total fulfilment. It
could be argued from this that there must be a literal rebuilding of
Babylon and the complete fulfilment of the judgment prophecies against
her. However, there are plenty of connections between Babylon and
Jerusalem (see on 16:19), and this is the "great city" which shall be
judged, where also our Lord was crucified.
The Old
Testament judgments upon Babylon were that she would become inhabited by
wild, unclean animals: "Therefore the wild animals of the desert with the
wolves shall dwell there, and the ostriches shall dwell therein... a
dwelling place for jackals" (Jer. 50:39; 51:37). These animals were
thought to be connected with unclean spirits and demons. Because Babylon
had become a cage and "hold" [AV] or prison for demons and unclean spirits
and birds, so she would be punished by being inhabited by wild animals
thought to be demon possessed. The Greek terms translated "refuge" in NEV
carry the ideas of a prison and cage. Babylon will not let its people out
once they are in; and that is what has happened in many cities overrun by
the jihadists. A similar idea is used of how the latter day antiChrist,
Gog, the chief prince, will be a "guard" [s.w. "prison"] to a group of ten
nations who seek to attack and desolate Israel (Ez. 38:7). This is just
what Babylon does.
18:3- see on
Rev. 17:18.
For by the
wine of the anger of her fornication all the nations are fallen-
The "anger"
in view is surely the anger of the judgment wrath of God against her
"fornication". The "all nations" are the kings of the earth / land
associated with the Babylon confederacy have already at this point begun
to drink of that cup which was given to Babylon earlier. Their identity
with her (for "he that is joined to a harlot is one flesh" with her) means
that Babylon's "fall" is their fall.
Note that
being given a cup of wine to drink is a double symbol- of condemnation and
also "the cup of blessing". Hence at the breaking of bread we are to
review the two possible outcomes of our being given that cup- blessing or
condemnation.
For the kings of the earth had committed fornication with her, and the
merchants of the earth grew rich by the power of her greed- The "all
nations" are here defined as the kings of the earth / land promised to
Abraham. Not every nation on planet earth will be part of 'Babylon'. They
grew rich by her prostitution [for Babylon is a whore] presumably in that
wealth was given to her for her services, and her greed and love of
opulence means that the commercial sector within the earth / land becomes
rich. We are therefore to imagine this latter day entity as being
immensely wealthy. Such a situation would probably require the financial
collapse of the West and some Middle Eastern Islamic entity becoming
fantastically wealthy as a result.
The first
century applications would refer to the extreme wealth of the Jewish
system based in Jerusalem. The Pharisees "were covetous" (Lk. 16:14), as
Babylon was greedy. And Rome likewise. It would have seemed that Rome was
invincible, economically and politically unshakeable, admired by the whole
world. And yet it was to be brought down by Divine judgment.
18:4 And
I heard another voice from heaven, saying: Come out of her My people-
A final appeal to those living within the territory of this latter day
entity. According to previous teaching in Revelation, this group would
likely be Israeli Christians, Jews who have turned to Christ in the very
last days. They would be under great pressure from the Islamic state
governing them to convert to Islam, and they are being urged not to. "Come
out" would therefore refer to a spiritual separation, as geographically
they would have no place to run to. However it could be that those who
respond to this call to "come out" will have a miraculous way of literal
exit opened to them, perhaps by the Lord snatching away those who in their
hearts say "Yes" to this invitation. This would be the moment of 1 Thess.
4, where those who are alive at the Lord's coming are literally snatched
away to meet Him at His coming.
The first
century application would be to the Christians fleeing out of the
surrounded Jerusalem, in accordance with the Lord's command to flee to the
mountains (Mt. 24:16). This would further suggest that the "Babylon" in
view here in Jerusalem. See on 16:19.
Lest you take part in her sins, and partake of her plagues- Here
"sins" is put for 'judgment for sins'. Sin is its own judgment. We cannot
sin and psychologically assume that in the future, somehow that sin will
not be judged. Sin is its judgment right now. Lot's witness completed, he
was told to leave Sodom "lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city"
(Gen. 19:15- alluded to here in Rev. 18:4). Babylon is directly equated
with Sodom in Is. 13:19 and Jer. 50:40. Babylon geographically and
culturally represents the jihadist neighbours of Israel in our last days-
and therefore it is not surprising that related neighbouring nations like
Edom, Moab and Ammon are also paralleled with Sodom (Jer. 49:18; Zeph.
2:9). This continues a long-standing Biblical theme that the curses on
apostate Israel are the same as those on her enemies- thus Sodom is
representative of both Jews and the beast coalition. Jerusalem is the city
which is spiritually called Sodom (11:8). The language of Sodom is clearly
applied to Jerusalem in the Old Testament (Dt. 29:23; 32:32; Is. 1:10;
3:9; Jer. 23:14). Latter day Babylon is to be punished as Sodom (Is.
13:19; Jer. 50:40). And so we can understand why at this point in
Revelation, the judgment of Babylon is framed in terms of Sodom, because
Babylon is to be enthroned in Jerusalem (see on 16:19). And will meet a
similar destruction.
|
Babylon (in Rev.) |
Sodom |
|
"I will
shew unto you the judgment of the great whore" (Babylon); 17:2 |
Cp. God
showing Abraham the judgment of Sodom. |
|
The beast
supporting Babylon "was and is not and shall ascend"; 17:8 |
Sodom and
surrounding cities were strong, then overrun by Abraham, then
revived. |
|
"Her sins
have reached unto Heaven, God has remembered her iniquities"; 18:5 |
"The cry
of Sodom... is great because their sin is very grievous ...the cry
of it is come unto me" (Gen. 18:20,21) |
|
"She has
glorified herself, and lived deliciously";18:7 |
"Pride...
fullness of bread" (Ez. 16:49) |
|
"Utterly
burned with fire"; 18:8 |
'Sodom' =
'burning'. |
|
"Her
plagues... death... and famine"; 18:8 |
"He
overthrew all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew
upon the ground" (cp. "famine"; Gen. 19:25). |
|
"The great
city... great Babylon"; 16:19 |
The city
of Sodom. |
|
"There
fell upon men a great hail out of heaven" (16:21)
|
"The Lord
rained upon Sodom... brimstone and fire from the Lord out of
heaven" (Gen. 19:24). |
|
"They
shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear
of her torment” (18:9,10) |
Abraham
standing far away and seeing the smoke of Sodom’s burning
indicates that the surrounding kings did likewise (Gen. 19:28). |
|
Merchants
suffered through Babylon’s fall (18:11-19) |
Sodom was
a trading centre (Lk. 17:28) |
|
" ...a
great millstone cast into the sea ...thus with violence shall...
Babylon.. be found no more at all" (18:21) |
Sodom now
appears to be submerged in the Dead Sea, to be found no more. |
|
"Her smoke
rose up" (19:3) |
"Sodom...
the land of the plain... the smoke of the country went up” (19:28) |
As the Jews
were called to leave literal Babylon (Zech. 2:6,7) and Lot was called out
of Sodom, so Jews and true believers will be encouraged to come out from
Babylon of the last days. The prosperity of Sodom and Babylon made God's
people disinclined to leave them. And the opulence of Babylon, and the way
she is as a cage (see on :2), will make it all the more difficult for the
latter day believers to come out of the Babylon system.
And so the
apostate amongst God's people will share in Babylon's judgment. And for
all of us, if we are not separate from this world now, we will not be
separated from them when the judgments fall. Those who don't come out from
Babylon will share her judgments. There are strong parallels between
Babylon and Jerusalem; and they are deeper than simply because the beast /
Babylon will capture Jerusalem and enthrone themselves there. Jerusalem is
judged as Babylon because in spiritual essence, they were no different.
Zion lost her children and also her husband whilst still a young woman
(Is. 49:21; 54:6), just as Babylon would (Is. 47:9). Each street of
Jerusalem was named after an idol, just as was the case in Babylon (Jer.
11:13)- and thus Jerusalem shared Babylon’s judgment. Apostate Israel were
always treated like the surrounding Gentile world in the time of their
judgments (Jer. 4:7). Israel worshipped the Babylonian gods, and so they
were sent along with Bel their idol to Babylon, where their hearts were.
And so they were “Condemned with the world...”. Likewise in the ‘judgment
day’ of AD70, the ‘rejected’ Jews were sent back into Egypt as slaves.
Their condemnation was expressed in terms of an undoing of the redemption
from the world which they once experienced.
18:5 For
her sins have reached even to heaven, and God has remembered her
iniquities- The language of the Amalekites, the tower of Babel and
Sodom. All these are used as historical foretastes of the last days, and
they all involve who are now the Islamic peoples of the Middle East.
Jerusalem will become the capital of the beast within the earth / land.
Perhaps they will seek to build some mosque complex there, the abomination
that brings desolation to the temple mount, just as the tower of Babel was
built. But like the Amalekites, who were also dwellers in the earth / land
promised to Abraham, this gross iniquity will reach a measure beyond which
God will dramatically intervene. They were allowed to dwell in the earth /
land until a point when their sin was "full" and then God would drive them
out of the land and let Israel dwell there again once their tribulation
ended (Gen. 15:16).
18:6 Give to her even as she gave, and repay her double according to
her deeds. In the cup in which she mixed, mix for her a double portion-
This appears a stronger judgment than for historical Babylon: "As she has
done, do unto her" (Jer. 50:15). This is to be doubled. Earlier the cup
was to be given to her but not diluted (14:10); now it is to be double
filled. This increase in the judgments upon Babylon is because she
repeatedly ignored repeated offers of healing and forgiveness. As noted on
17:4, the cup of fornication Babylon drunk and offered to others was in
fact the cup of her condemnation. She was quite literally drinking
condemnation to herself, just as the rejected within the household do (1
Cor. 11:29). If we enquire to whom this command is addressed, we return to
the address to "My people" of :4, who are asked to not only come out of
Babylon, but to participate in judging her. The prophecies about the fall
of Babylon in Jer. 50 and 51 repeatedly state that it is a revived,
repentant Judah which shall judge Babylon. This has yet to be fulfilled,
as they were disobedient to God's intended program for them at the time of
the restoration.
And yet as
explained on 17:16, the destruction of Babylon is at the hands of her ten
kings.
It would
appear from this that there must be two stages in Babylon's judgment: -
1) The jihadist armies attacking her in Jerusalem. They are themselves
largely destroyed whilst doing this.
2) The saints and Jews complete the judgment, possibly directing
some of the repentant Islamist peoples, giving some of the spoils to them.
18:7 As
she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of
torment and mourning, since in her heart she says: I sit as a queen, I am
no widow, and mourning I shall never see- The image of "luxury"
continues the allusions to Sodom in :5 and :9. This all suggests that the
latter day Babylon will achieve a striking level of opulence. It's
debatable whether Israel's Islamic neighbours have reached such a state at
the present time.
The chief
sin of all pagan empires consists in their assertion that their power and
their authority derive exclusively from themselves, that they are their
own masters, recognizing no superior law. Old Testament prophecies about
the sudden destruction of literal Babylon are the basis for the words of
Revelation about latter day Babylon. Yet they were never literally
fulfilled to completion. They will come finally true in the judgments upon
the Babylon system of the beast. Consider:
|
“You who are given to pleasures, that dwells carelessly, that says in
your heart, I am, and none else beside me: I shall not sit a
widow, neither shall I know the loss of children” (Is. 47:8) |
“How much
she has glorified herself, and lived deliciously… for she has said
in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no
sorrow” (Rev. 18:7). |
|
“But these
two things shall come to you in a moment in one day, the loss of
children, and widowhood” (Is. 47:9) |
“Therefore
shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning” (Rev. 18:8) |
|
“Let now
the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators,
stand up” (Is. 47:13) |
“For by
your sorceries…” (Rev. 18:23) |
Therefore we
conclude that the Babylon of Revelation is presented as the reincarnation
of the Babylon of Jeremiah and Isaiah, literal Babylon, which awaits her
full punishment. This conclusion is strengthened once it is appreciated
how the harlot Babylon of Rev. 17, loud, gaudy, decked with jewellery and
painted face, is replete with reference to Semiramis, the goddess / mother
of Nimrod, and one of the patron gods of literal Babylon.
Her refusal
to accept she is a widow speaks of someone in denial. The dragon is cast
down from 'heaven' by direct Divine intervention in chapter 12, and yet
goes into the wilderness to furiously persecute the woman. It seems there
will be direct judgment from God against Babylon, in order to appeal for
her to repent, in the spirit of "take balm for her pain, if so be she may
be healed" (Jer. 51:8). Truly God does not willingly afflict, but in
judgment remembers mercy, and His ultimate aim of achieving His glory.
Thus a tenth part of the city falls first (11:13) before Babylon
completely falls (18:4). She is given the chance of repentance, but
instead goes into denial about her loss and real status. This is the idea
behind her insistence that she has not been widowed, and is a queen- when
she has fallen from power.
18:8
Therefore in one day shall her plagues come, death and mourning and
famine- The Philistines, clearly typical of Israel's present Arab
neighbours, will also die from severe famine in the last days (Is. 14:30).
This may well be due to the weaponry used to inflict this upon
Israel being used by the Islamists against themselves. Babylon's famine
coming "in one day" would suggest something along these lines - how else
can a famine be suddenly created in a day? Famine coming in a day also
speaks of modern 'just in time' supply networks and transport, which once
interrupted can bring an area to food bankruptcy very suddenly. Earlier
than our own age, this would have been impossible. But we can also
understand this strange language of famine in a day by proposing that the
meaning of time is collapsed around the Lord's return. This would enable
all the latter day prophecies to come true, but not in real time as we
know it. Babylon is to be punished with famine in one day; yet famine is a
process (Rev. 18:8). In one day her judgments come, and yet also in one
hour (18:10). Surely the lesson is that time is compressed. The events
around Christ's return were prefigured by those at the time of Joshua's
conquest of the land. Some of the records of his campaigns require a huge
amount to have been achieved by his soldiers within around 36 hours. The
comment that so much was achieved "at one time" (Josh. 10:42) may hint at
a compression of time to enable it. "The sun stood still" may well be
intended to teach that the meaning of time was collapsed by God, rather
than that the sun literally stood still (Josh. 10:12,13). And the sun
standing still over Gibeon is mentioned in Is. 28:21 as typical of the
time when Yahweh will do "His strange work, and bring to pass his act, his
strange act" in the last days. The same may be true when the shadow went
back for Hezekiah. The movement of the planets need not have been altered;
the meaning of time was simply suspended. Rev. 8:12, also speaking of the
last days, says that “the day shone not for a third part of it, and the
night likewise”. Could this mean that one day and one night last only two
thirds of their usual length, whilst the judgments of the fourth Angel are
poured out upon the land? I would suggest that the Lord had in mind the
suspension of time when he asked that "the hour might pass from him" in
Gethsemane (Mk. 14:35); rather than asking to escape the cross in this
request, he was perhaps asking for it all to happen in only a moment of
real time.
And she
shall be completely burned with fire. For strong is the Lord God who
judges her- This is
the judgment for whores. Babylon is literal Jerusalem where she is
enthroned (see on 16:19). The punishment by fire in Jerusalem would then
make good sense of the Lord's idea that Gehenna- the always burning fire
near Jerusalem- is to be used to destroy all God's enemies of all ages.
They will share in the condemnation of the world they so loved in their
lives. The burning was Sodom's judgment; and we have seen on :4 that
Babylon is Sodom is Jerusalem.
18:9 And
the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived wantonly with
her, shall weep and wail over her, when they look upon the smoke of her
burning- Alluding to Abraham watching the smoke of Sodom's burning
(see on :5 and :7). These kings of the land are those who also played a
part in her judgment, who hated the whore (see on 17:16). But their hearts
are still with her, lamenting with the grief of those who wistfully keep
thinking of what could have been. But as noted on :10, the reference may
not be to the actual "kings", the horns of the beast; but to the
commercial leaders of the surrounding world who are associated with the
princes of the earth (:23).
Is. 34
describes the judgments of "all nations" around Israel, notably "upon
Idumea", in language which is clearly alluded to in the later prophecies
of Babylon's doom in Revelation (Is. 34:9,10 = Rev. 14:11; 17:16; 18:9;
v.11=Is. 14:23). Indeed, all God's prophecies against Israel's enemies
have marked points of contact with each other. Thus the prophecies against
Tyre in Is. 23 are shot through with links with those against Babylon in
Revelation; and "as at the report (prophecy) concerning Egypt, so shall
they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre"(Is. 23:5). Is. 14:3 says that
Babylon treated Israel like the Egyptians did; they too gave them
"sorrow... fear, and... hard bondage wherein (Israel) wast made to serve”.
Because of these similarities in how they treated and will treat God's
people, their judgments will be similar. Yet a number of these nations,
notably Egypt and Tyre, are described as being judged and destroyed by
Babylon (e.g. Ez. 26:7). However, there is good reason to think that
Babylon's own judgment will be at the hands of nations like these, who
come under her umbrella during their invasion of Israel. The resolution of
this apparent contradiction lies in the prophecies concerning the Islamist
powers destroying each other in the final conflict, thus fulfilling all
these prophecies concerning their judging of each other.
18:10 Standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying: Woe, woe,
the great city! Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour does your
judgment come- Their deep grief stands in contradistinction from the
Heavenly rejoicing at Babylon's fall (:20). They are her sympathizers and
are not brought to repentance by her fall. They fear that her torment
shall come upon them. They retreat from her, just as the animals and birds
scuttle away from under the falling tree of Babylon. They praise Babylon's
strength and glory after she has fallen. They are not themselves in
Babylon, but have benefitted from her through commerce, as the rest of the
chapter makes clear. They would therefore refer to the commercial leaders
of the 'sea' around the 'earth'; the Gentile nations who became enriched
by Babylon's wealth and demand for delicacies. Surely Western commercial
leaders are within this group. They are stunned by how quickly the whole
system fell apart, in one hour. Her "torment" however has been going on
throughout the three and a half years of the tribulation; for the two
witnesses tormented those who dwelt in the land (11:10 s.w.), leading to
such rejoicing when they are killed at the end of the tribulation. That
torment was a foretaste of the final torment of condemnation spoken of so
often (14:10; 20:10 etc.). Again we can perceive that the torment was in
order to give Babylon and the beast a chance of repentance by showing them
ahead of time what Divine judgment would look like for them unless they
repented.
The
destruction of the city is a sudden thing. The phrase “in one hour” occurs
three times in Rev. 18. This destruction is like that of Sodom and
Gomorrah- in a moment, by Divine intervention through fire, sulphur etc.
This is not how Rome came to an end, indeed Rome as a city did not really
come to an end; and literal Babylon was not physically destroyed “in one
hour” in 536 BC. The predicted fall of Babylon must therefore be in our
last days, referring to the destruction in a moment of the city which has
become the capital of the beast- Jerusalem.
18:11
Standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying: Woe, woe, the great
city! Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour does your judgment come-
See on :10. Their fear of sharing in her torment is a major theme.
The apostate
religious system called "Babylon" in Revelation is evidently presented in
the language of Solomon - at the time his kingdom was apparently
flourishing:
1 Kings
Revelation
10:14
13:17,18
10:23
18:11,12,15
11:1,2
17:1,2
10:22
18:17,19
10:23
18:3,17
10:21,22
18:12
10:11
18:12
10:22
18:12
10:10,25
18:13
10:23
18:3,9
10:28
18:12
9:22
18:13
11:1,5 (Solomon influenced
2:20 cp. 1 Kings 16:31
by Zidonian idolatry)
2 Chron. 9:15 (666)
13:18
This serves
to cement the connection between Babylon and Jerusalem, especially the
Jerusalem temple. In the first century, it was Judaism which was the great
satan / adversary and devil / false accuser of the Christians. The
temptation was always to give in to the Judaist campaign and return to
Judaism. Paul, Peter and John are full of this theme in their letters. But
here that system is described in the worst possible terms.
18:12
Merchandise of gold and silver and precious stone and pearls and fine
linen and purple and silk and scarlet and all kinds of scented wood, and
every vessel of ivory and every vessel made of most precious wood and of
brass and iron and marble- These are the materials associated with
Solomon's kingdom and temple, and the materials of the tabernacle and
temple cult. We see too a reference to how the High Priest Caiaphas was
dressed, also with "purple" (Lk. 16:19), likewise in vain appearance. It
was the religious clothing of Israel in Ez. 16:10. Throughout these
descriptions we see allusions to the Jewish high priesthood. The whole
verse clearly alludes to the glory of Tyre in Ez. 27. These various layers
of allusion serve to build up the overall picture- an appearance of
Judaistic religiosity which is thoroughly carnal and pagan. Judaism was
indeed the first century Babylon; see on :11.
The latter
day Babylon will therefore seek to quickly build a kingdom and worship
system which apes that of Israel and the temple cult- hence the gross
blasphemy and abomination on the temple mount which calls for desolation.
18:13 And
cinnamon and spice and incense and ointment and frankincense and wine and
oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep and horses and chariots
and slaves and the souls of men- As noted on :12, all these things are
associated with Solomon's temple and Kingdom, and the materials of the
tabernacle and temple cult. It would have been a great comfort to those
under pressure from the Jewish satan in the first century to see God's
perspective on that evil system. The latter day application is to an
Islamist paradise, more exotic than the citadels of the Gulf states,
established in Jerusalem, with distinct religious overtones. And all to be
destroyed even quicker than it was established.
Slaves in
the first century were seen as mere bodies owned by their masters or
mistresses. Hence Rev. 18:13 describes slaves as somata, bodies.
They were seen as both the economic and sexual property of those who owned
them. It seems Paul had this in mind when he spoke of how we have one
master, Christ, and our bodies are indeed not our own- but they are His,
to be used according to His wishes. For many slaves, this would’ve meant
running the risk of death or flogging. And yet despite this radical
demand, Christianity spread rapidly amongst the huge slave population of
the first century world.
18:14 And
the fruits which your soul lusted after are gone from you, and all things
that were dainty and sumptuous are lost to you, never to be found again!
- The prophecy has multiple applications; to Jerusalem of the first
century; to Rome; and to the restored Babylon of the last days. The
reference is to Israel lusting after the fruits of Egypt, and Adam and Eve
lusting for the forbidden fruit in Eden. Their sin will be enshrined and
manifested in this final system of evil and lust as never before- all
under the guise of the strictest possible interpretation of Islam. Just as
Judaism did the same in Jerusalem in the first century, under the front of
careful obedience to the Law of Moses.
18:15 The
merchants of these things who were made rich by her shall stand far away,
for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning- This category are
not consumed in her judgments; they have come out of her in response to
flee Babylon lest they partake in "her torment", just as Lot's wife
did; and yet they are equally on her side, with her in spirit, just as
materialistic, as Lot's wife was. Or, as suggested on :10, these merchants
are those outside of the earth / land, the likes of Western European
businessmen, who became wealthy by serving the huge demand for luxury
goods which arises from the dominance of the beast. Perhaps the words of
lament are as it were put in their mouths, so we realize the nature of
Babylon's existence. In fact in Revelation we know little about the
apocalyptic Babylon until we read the laments over her after she is
destroyed. They are clearly not believers nor are they fully repentant;
for their weeping over her fall contrasts with Heaven's rejoicing at it
(:20).
We need to
note that the same word for "made rich" is used in the opening letters for
how there are some in the church of the last days who are likewise "made
rich" and thereby turn away from Christ (3:17). Even true Christians will
be caught up in the attraction of making quick bucks for the sake of a
nominal acceptance of the beast system.
18:16 - see
on Rev. 17:18.
Saying: Woe,
woe, the great city! She that was dressed in fine linen and purple and
scarlet and decked with gold and precious stone and pearl!-
"Fine linen"
would be very relevant to the application of 'Babylon' to apostate Judaism
in the first century, with the precious stones referring to the High
Priestly breastplate. The items in which Babylon trades are therefore
presented in terms of the opulence of Solomon's Israelitish Kingdom.
Appearance of spirituality can be deeply obnoxious to God; Isaiah had
predicted that He saw Jerusalem as Sodom, the virgin of Israel as a whore
(Is. 1:9). And that language is definitely used here. An appearance
of spirituality is no guarantee of acceptance with God; it may actually be
obnoxious to Him.
The image of
fine linen and wealth recalls to our minds images of wealthy sheikhs
walking around Islamic citadels in the Gulf states. But the entity briefly
created by Babylon in Jerusalem will outstrip them all. The white linen of
jihadist religious leaders is an image mixed here with that of obscene
wealth, and a pretension to the Jewish high priesthood. The precious
stones, scarlet etc. are all associated with the tabernacle system. This
is also a false system of worship. The picture exactly fits Islamist
supremacy. We note the revival of gold and precious stones as effective
currency in the areas now under the control of Islamic fundamentalists in
the area around Israel.
And yet
pearls refer to the true believers (21:21). The believers are dressed in
white linen, symbolizing righteousness (19:8). The suggestion therefore is
that Babylon is quasi-religious and appears highly moral, when actually it
is morally delinquent. This is exactly what we see in Jihadist Islamism.
There is clear reference to the Jewish priesthood, and the description
also connects with the white clothing of Islamic religious leaders. But
they are a fake kingdom of God, their leaders are fake saints, and their
leader is the anti-Christ.
18:17 For
in an hour so many great riches are laid waste. And every shipmaster and
everyone that sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their
living at sea, stood far away- Despite having seen direct Divine
intervention, throughout the three and a half years of "torment" upon the
earth dwellers from the miracles of the two witnesses (11:9,10), and now
Babylon's final destruction, these commercial people are so materialistic
that they do not repent. All they can think about is how much they have
lost, and how tragic it is that such material wealth is now "laid waste".
This is the power of materialism. It has destroyed so much faith in so
many people, and we are to therefore be the more aware of its insidious
power.
18:18 And
cried out as they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying: What city
is like the great city?- They are connected with faithful Abraham
observing Sodom's burning; but although the great city is no more, they
speak in the present tense as though it is still existing. This is a
reflection of their grief at how much has been lost, both to them and in
general terms. This is how stubbornly materialistic they are.
18:19 And they cast dust on their heads and cried, weeping and
mourning, saying: Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all that had their
ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her expense! For in one hour
she is made desolate- This casting of dust on the head is sometimes
(as with the Ninevites), but not always, associated with repentance. It
may be significant that there is no apparent record of the destruction of
these merchants. Are we to hope that they repented? Perhaps the idea is
that they have the possibility to do so. As noted earlier, their observing
of the smoke of Babylon's judgment connects them with faithful Abraham,
watching the judgment of Sodom. The vagueness as to whether this refers to
repentance or not is perhaps because this is yet unknown- for these people
have freewill, and shall make their own decision regarding repentance
after Babylon's judgment. But their weeping contrasts with the rejoicing
of the believers (:20). Their particular weeping for their now redundant
fleets of ships speaks of how their economies were tied in to servicing
Babylon with luxury goods; and now that was suddenly, in an hour, no more.
Their whole economic structure was useless. And despite all the evidence
of Divine involvement and all the evidence of His visible involvement in
this earth again, they could only see the immediate and the material, what
was right before their eyes. And tragically that is how the majority of
people are today.
18:20- see
on Jn. 7:24.
Rejoice over
her, you heaven, and you saints, and you apostles, and you prophets. For
God has judged your judgment on her- All the surrounding nations did to Israel shall be done to them. This
explains the links between the seals [the judgments on Israel at the hands
of their neighbours in the last days] and the trumpets and vials, which
speak of similar judgments coming upon Israel's enemies within the land /
earth promised to Abraham. The saints may be Israel (Dan. 7:25); the
prophets would be the two witnesses of chapter 11. The "heaven" would
refer to the Heavenly, Angelic representatives of those who were killed
and tormented by the beast during her three and a half year domination of
the earth / land; for John had seen them in his visions of the heavenly
throne room, and now he sees them rejoicing. What the beast did during his
brief domination is now done to him. So the saints and Christians in view
are particularly those who endured that.
We can consider the AV here to be correct: "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her". "On [ek] her" is the same Greek phrase as in :4, "come out of [ek] her". The idea could therefore be that the watching faithful rejoice that God has avenged those who came out of her [Babylon]. "For God has avenged you who came out of her" would be a fair translation. "Rejoice over her" could simply mean that those in 'heaven' stand epi or simply above Babylon, watching things play out. This implies that some will in fact ome out of Babylon, and this accounts for all the statements to the effect that although the time for judgment has truly come, there are still repeated efforts to elicit repentance even after the time of opportunity has closed. And some respond. The rejoicing in Heaven can then more comfortably connect with the Lord's teaching throughout Lk. 15, where rejoicing in Heaven is associated with repentance. Their joy is therefore not simply at judgment of Babylon, but that some had come out of her. And this would explain why the rejoicing 'heavens' address specifically those who came out of Babylon: "For God has avenged you who came out of her". Continually, we see that God is a Saviour and like His Son, takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but rejoices to save His people, however small a minority they may be.
18:21 And a strong angel took up a stone, as it were a great millstone,
and cast it into the sea, saying: Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon,
the great city, be cast down, and shall never be found again-
Jeremiah's prophecies about Babylon had been cast into the Euphrates tied
to a stone (Jer. 51:63). But this is the fate of Babylon. There is a
parallel between the word of prophecy, and Babylon; so sure is it of
fulfilment.
The same
judgment is for those who make little ones stumble (Mt. 18:6). Such
behaviour is the same as Babylon's obvious apostasy. The Lord taught that
the believer who makes his brother stumble should have a millstone hung
around his neck and be cast into the sea (Lk. 17:2). This is exactly
Babylon's judgment (Rev. 18:21). The unloving in the ecclesia will be
treated like the unloving world whose spirit they share. The rejected will
weep and gnash their teeth (Mt. 25:30)- and be sent back into the
Babylon-world, where they are also weeping and angry (Rev. 18:15,19). As
the tree of Babylon will be cut down, so will the rejected be (Dan.
4:14,23 = Mt. 7:19). As Babylon is burnt with fire (Rev. 18:8), and indeed
the whole 'world' too (2 Pet. 3:10), so will the rejected be (Mt. 13:40
etc.). It seems the rejected saints will share the judgements of Satan,
the beast, the antiChrist. Thus Babylon has a millstone tied around her
neck and she is thrown into the sea (Rev. 18:21), just as the judgement of
the rejected saints is described (Mt. 18:6). They will be ground to powder
by the stone of Christ (Mt. 21:44), just as he will fall on the nations of
the Babylon confederacy and grind them to powder (Dan. 2:34). The Lord
will appoint his unwatchful servant a place of condemnation "with the
unbelievers" (Lk. 12:46). This is understandable once we appreciate the
idea that there are only two Kingdoms, God's and Satan's. The unworthy
were effectively in Satan's Kingdom, therefore they will suffer the
judgement that is prepared for it. Therefore we must separate from
Babylon, Satan's Kingdom, or else we will receive her judgements (Rev.
18:4). Likewise the condemnation of the apostate in Israel is very often
described in the language of the judgements on the surrounding kingdoms
(e.g. Joel 1:5,10-12 = Is. 16:10; Ez. 16:37-39 = Rev. 17:16; Jer. 16:9 =
Rev. 18:23; Jer. 49:4 = Jer. 31:22; Jer. 51:27 = Joel 1:4; 2:1; Jer. 50:13
= 19:8). The cup of judgement that Israel will drink will be given to the
Arab nations who have afflicted her (Is. 51:23). This is all the principle
of Rev. 18:6; as the latter day Babylon does to natural and spiritual
Israel, so it will be done to her. Apostate Israel are often described as
if they are their neighbours- they share the same judgements, because they
have effectively sold their birthright. Israel "sat... as the Arabian in
the wilderness" (Jer. 3:2). Judah would be punished along with Egypt, Moab
and Ammon, the circumcised with the uncircumcised (Jer. 9:25,26). Thus
Rom. 9:8 describes faithless Israel as "the children of the flesh", with
allusion to Arab Ishmael; and Gal. 4:23 likewise. The early chapters of
Romans reason that both Jew and Gentile receive the same judgment, because
both have sinned. The judgements on the nations are all described in
similar language, whatever time or place they were in. Thus Babylon’s
judgement in Rev. 18 is based on the judgement of Egypt as recorded in Ez.
32:4-10, and Egypt's judgement of Ez. 29:4 is that of Gog in Ez. 38:4. The
whole description of Egypt's judgments in Ez. 29 is also full of links
with those in store for Israel. They will cry unto Yahweh in their
affliction (Is. 19:20), just as Israel did when Egypt persecuted them (Ex.
2:23; 14:10). There are so many examples of this. Surely the point is that
fundamentally, all the nations of the world, in whatever time and place,
are all fundamentally the same Kingdom of Satan, and will suffer the same
destruction by the Kingdom of God. Likewise the Kingdom of God to which we
belong is not limited by time or geography.
When God
described Nineveh as a “great city”, the very fact of its size elicited a
desire to spare it. And of course we meet the same phrase in Revelation,
where a condemned Babylon is described as a “great city”. This was not God
gleefully preparing to destroy a huge city. He surely had Nineveh in mind
when He inspired those words. This was, and will be, a God whose very
heart is touched by the tragedy of sinners having to be punished, and who
is open to a change of purpose if they will repent. Thus the latter day
appeal to “Come out of her!”, whether we understand ‘Babylon’ as false
religion, the Moslem world, the world of sinners or whoever, is rooted in
God’s spirit of passionate love towards Nineveh. As Jonah “cried” against
Nineveh, so God ‘cries’ against Babylon (Rev. 18:2). We who make that
appeal in these last days should be reflecting here on earth the mind of
God in Heaven; not merely pronouncing doom and gloom against ‘Babylon’,
but warning them of God’s stated intentions towards them with a heart
that bleeds for them and seeks their repentance.
The writer
of Psalm 137, sitting angry and frustrated by a Babylonian riverside, with
his guitar hanging on a willow branch, being jeered (“tormented” Ps. 137:3
RVmg.) by the victorious Babylonian soldiers who had led him away
captive… he felt so angry with them. Especially when they tried to
make him sing one of the temple songs (“sing us one of the songs of
Zion”). And, as a bitter man does, his mind went from one hurt to another.
He remembered how when Babylon had invaded, the Edomites hadn’t helped
their Hebrew brethren (Obadiah 11,12). They had egged on the Babylonian
soldiers in ripping down the temple, shouting [in a chorus?] “Raze it,
raze it, even to the foundation”. And so in anger and bitterness this Jew
prays with tears, as he remembered Zion, “O daughter of Babylon… happy
shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be
that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock” (:8,9 RV). God
read those angry words as a prayer, and in some sense they will have their
fulfilment. For these words are picked up in Rev. 18:8,21 and
applied to what will finally happen to Babylon. Her spiritual children
will be dashed against the rock of Christ, the stone of Daniel 2:44, at
His return. He will dash in pieces the Babylon-led people that oppose Him.
18:22 And
the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute players and trumpeters shall
never be heard again in you, and no craftsman of whatever craft shall ever
be found again in you, and the voice of a mill shall never be heard again
in you- An allusion to Solomon's temple, confirming the religious
nature of 'Babylon'. This fits the first century application to Judaism,
and to a latter day application to Jihadist Islam, which claims to be the
true Judaism. Craftsmen and creative people of all sorts will have been
brought to Babylon, enthroned in Jerusalem, both to build it and continue
servicing it. Mills were operated by slaves; those Jews and Christians
being abused by this latter day Egypt / Babylon. But that shall be no
more.
18:23 The
light of a lamp shall never shine again in you, and the voice of the
bridegroom and of the bride shall never be heard again in you- The Old
Testament basis for this is not simply the judgments upon Babylon, but
also those upon Jerusalem at the hand of Babylon (Jer. 7:34; 16:9). For
latter day Babylon shall be built in Jerusalem; see on 16:19. So it is
appropriate also that what Babylon did to Jerusalem shall be done to her.
This all suggests that Babylon shall desolate and judge Jerusalem in the
latter days and then in turn be judged for doing so. Jerusalem will fall
to her enemies, as Zech. 14 and the Lord's Olivet Prophecy clearly
require.
The contrast is with how the Lord Himself will be the eternal light of
Jerusalem, the city of God (22:5; Is. 60:19,20). A new Jerusalem shall
come down from God out of Heaven to replace the burnt ruins of the Babylon
system there.
For your merchants were the princes of the earth; and with your sorcery
were all the nations deceived- All the princes of the earth / land
were influenced by her wine, making them drunk with a fanaticism against
Israel and true Christians. This radical jihadist propaganda was accepted
by the merchants because it made them wealthy by serving the demands of
Babylon. We can therefore see the West accepting her sorcery to some
extent, for purely economic motives. Although the ten horns / kings of the
land are to be destroyed, they are here associated with the "merchants",
those not within Babylon itself, but serving her.
18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of
all that have been slain upon the earth- No one religious system is
guilty for the blood of every martyr over time. The more sensible
reference is to the blood of the believers slain in the earth / land
promised to Abraham, during the latter day tribulation. "The nations" in
view are those within the earth / land of Babylon's dominion: "At the
noise of the taking of Babylon the earth trembles, and the cry is heard
among the nations" (Jer. 50:46). The nations in view are those of the
earth / land. The deaths of all Jews and true Christians in the earth /
land during the tribulation is the direct responsibility of the Babylon
system.
The reference is also to Judaism and Jerusalem, in whom was found the
blood of the faithful (Jer. 2:34). In the first century context, it is
Jerusalem-based Judaism which is in view. But in the last days, it is
Babylon-Jerusalem, in that the whore of Babylon and her beast makes its
blasphemous capital in Jerusalem.
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