Babylon

In chapter 18, we continue on with the description of Babylon and her judgment. In chapter 17 we were shown the reason for her judgment and in this chapter we will see her judged. 


¹ After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. ² With a mighty voice he shouted:

   “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’^[a]
   She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
   a haunt for every unclean bird,
   a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
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.”




At the beginning of this chapter we see an angel descending from heaven. John describes him as having authority and that the earth was illuminated by his splendor. Since John has not described any of the other angels in this way, we can guess that this is a special angel of high rank and what he has to say will be extremely important. In a loud voice he declares Babylon's destruction, similar to the destruction of the original Babylon in Isaiah.
⁹ Look, here comes a man in a chariot
   with a team of horses.
And he gives back the answer:
   ‘Babylon has fallen, has fallen!
All the images of its gods
   lie shattered on the ground!" Isaiah 21:9
The angel then gives the reason for her destruction, and describes her wickedness.

Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment

 ⁴ Then I heard another voice from heaven say:   “‘Come out of her, my people,’^[b]
   so that you will not share in her sins,
   so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
⁵ for her sins are piled up to heaven,
   and God has remembered her crimes.
⁶ Give back to her as she has given;
   pay her back double for what she has done.
   Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
⁷ Give her as much torment and grief
   as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
   ‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;^[c]
   I will never mourn.’
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.


Then a voice calls out from heaven, we can assume that this is Jesus since He refers to "my people". He calls for any that are his people to leave Babylon before the judgment comes down on  Babylon. The first reason the godly must flee is so they won't be tempted to participate in Babylon's evils, and the second reason is so they do not experience her judgments. Jesus then states the reason for Babylon's destruction, she is so evil that her sins are piled up to heaven, indicating the degree to which she has sinned. Then Jesus asks God to punish Babylon double for what she has done. To give her the same punishment as the amount of luxury that she gave herself. Babylon, being the center of the Beast's kingdom thought that she would never be defeated. Because of her pride she will be completely destroyed.

Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

 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. ¹⁰ Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:   “‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
   you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’
 ¹¹ “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore— 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; ¹³ cargoes 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 human beings sold as slaves.
 ¹⁴ “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 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 ¹⁶ and cry out:
   “‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
   dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
   and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
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. ¹⁸ When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ ¹⁹ They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:
   “‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
   where all who had ships on the sea
   became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’
 ²⁰ “Rejoice over her, you heavens!
   Rejoice, you people of God!
   Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
   with the judgment she imposed on you.”


Now we see the reaction of the world when they see the destruction of Babylon. The kings of the world will mourn her, because they see that this great city has been destroyed and know that their destruction will soon follow. The merchants of the earth will mourn because Babylon was a great center of commerce. They will be crying for the wealth that they will lose as a result of her destruction. The list of trade goods is an example of goods from every kind of store. All those that make their living by industry, especially those that earn their living by the sea will mourn for Babylon.
Now the voice that called down the destruction of Babylon continues, there is a call for heaven, saints, apostles and prophets to rejoice because God has brought down judgment on Babylon.

The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

 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.
²² The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
   will never be heard in you again.
No worker of any trade
   will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
   will never be heard in you again.
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 important people.
   By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
²⁴ In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
   of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”


Then we see an angel throw a boulder into the sea and exclaim that just like the violence of the boulder crashing into the sea will Babylon be destroyed. Then he describes the fact that it will be so utterly destroyed that it will never be inhabited again. The reason for her destruction is because she led the world astray and slaughtered God's people.