We come to the point that coincides with the seventh bowl judgment. The destruction of the world system headquartered in Babylon will be the last event before the glorious return of Christ. The destruction will be swift and sure. The apostate church, which Rebekyah taught us last week, has been destroyed. Now we see the political and commercial empire come down like Jericho’s walls. Let’s take a look and see the mighty hand of God as He sweeps it across the evil empire of the Antichrist and the world that has cursed His name.
Vs 1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.
This is an angel. Another means one of like-kind so we know that this is an angel and not the Lord. His splendor lights up the dark world which was plunged into darkness by the bowl judgments.
Vs 2 With a mighty voice he shouted: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird.
This judgment is on Babylon. As noted last week the Babylon was judged for its spiritual harlotry and now it is judged in the political and economic sense. The angel may have said ‘fallen’ twice to denote the two judgments. It is best to view this in chapter 18 as a city. The whole world will be under the Babylonian empire as that is the headquarters for the Antichrist and will be the greatest commercial empire the world has ever known. It will be the world capitol. We don’t know for sure if this city will be named Babylon proper or something else. Babylon means “the gate to God” and it is easy to see how the Antichrist who has set himself up as God would be so bold as to name the city that.
In the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:31-31), birds are mentioned as instruments of Satan. They came and ate the seed so that it could not be rooted and grown. These detestable birds picture the demonic activity that will devour the planting of the Word of God.
Vs 3 For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
During the tribulation as the Antichrist sets himself up as king and then god over this world, all of the wealth will generate around his city and it will be intoxicating to so many. He and his henchmen will live large at the expense of many. It will be pleasure seekers on steroids. Lavish luxuries will be brazenly displayed. Many will get rich feeding off of supplying that regime. In a troubled time they will throw themselves into capitalizing on the gains. The divide between rich and poor will be sharply divided. Can you imagine all of your income being reported to a world system and that world system controlling how you spend your money? Oh yes, they will feed off of the world’s population.
Vs 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
This second call is to the believers that are in Babylon. It is a warning to flee before the destruction of that city occurs. Reminds me of Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah. God has always called His people to live separate lives. To be in the world but not of the world.
vs 5 For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.
The sins of that city are a stench in the holy nostrils of God. Since they have refused the only payment for sin then He will remember her crimes and she will pay (double).
Vs 6 Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup.
The law of the harvest will come to fruition – you reap what you sow and Babylon will reap the double portion of judgment. She will drink her own poison. Double has the sense of fullness or completeness.
Vs 7 Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.’
Pride and greedy power will be met with torture and grief. She will mourn forever.
Vs 8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
The destruction will come fast and furious. One morning she will go about her sinful ways and before the day ends she will be no more. Utterly destroyed.
Vs 9 “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.
The first group of mourners are the kings of the earth. They have been bed-fellows with the Antichrist for their own gain and now they will be devastated. They will mourn not for sin and repentance but for the end of their piggy-back ride.
Vs 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: “Woe! Woe O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!”
They stand far off and cry. They who once were shoulder buddies now stand at a distance and mourn.
Vs 11 The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargos anymore –
The second group of mourners are the merchants who made their wealth from the hub of the world. The imported and exported to their hearts desire and all the while cashing in on the evil empire.
Vs 12 Cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth, every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble, Vs 13 Cargos of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and carriages, and bodies and souls of men.
Notice that these goods are items that the rich would have enjoyed. They surely delivered other goods as well, but who wants to buy linen when your house is on fire? The luxuries of the world will mean nothing in those days. They made their money on the backs of poor men and cared nothing for them and now they suffer and mourn.
Vs 14 “They will say, “The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.
No one buys when they are running for their lives. “As people become more enslaved to luxury, with more bills to pay, they find themselves unable to break loose from the “system.”” Warren Wiersbe.
Vs 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn Vs 16 And cry out: “Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! Vs 17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!” “Every sea captain and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. Vs 18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, “Was there ever a city like this great city?” Vs 19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: “Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!
Vs 20 Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.”
Rejoice that God is righteous and His judgment righteous. He vindicates His own. We are not to rejoice over the souls of men going to hell but rejoice that evil has been overcome.
Vs 21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.
This image shows the complete destruction of the city. As a large millstone will sink underwater never to float up so this destruction will be forever, never to rise again.
Vs 22 The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No workman of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again. Vs 23 The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world’s great men. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
Nothing normal will ever again take place in the city. No music, no work, no routines, no weddings, nothing. There was such a magic spell over men which is rooted in the occult, the dark evil world of demons. Man chose darkness rather than light. “Will never be” is a phrase that repeats and for good reason – God means it ‘will never be’ as far as Babylon is concerned.
Vs 24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth.”
The murder of Christians will be avenged. This will be testimony of the goodness of God – how He loves His own and how He will get those who have refused His grace and mercy. He has gone to unbelievable lengths to offer men salvation and they have refused and cursed Him in the process. So now they will get what they have asked for.
