CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 18
(Revised 2018)
Note: What follows is a description of Satan's consort that has had and is still having such devastating effect upon the minds and bodies of men and women worldwide. The physical Babylon which was destroyed and has never been re-built, was the physical precursor to this great Satanic spiritual reality, (in the opinion of the writers).
Many teachers state that the physical Babylon must be rebuilt prior to its destruction which they see as physical, as opposed to the spiritual effect started by Babylon under Nimrod and his mother and now worldwide, which is our contention.
This Satanic consort is the great anti-thesis to that required by God Almighty of His Created beings, and had Israel remained faithful to their divine task of evangelising for the one True God, the True consort of Jehovah God would have emerged in the faithful wife Israel.
However, as is now joyfully the case, Christ Jesus achieved the beginning of the same effect on the Calvary Cross, the completion of which is shown in the New Heaven and New Earth situation at the end of Revelation, (Chp. 21).
The dealings of God with this entity described as “Mystery Babylon” (Rev. 17:5), has many commentators giving many differing views, and ours that follows is maybe different again, but is worthy of consideration. It is notable that after Noah, Babylon quickly emerged as the prime City of the Biblical Prophetic area and description, and was following the ways of Satan (prince of the world Jn. 12:31, 14:30, 16:11 and Eph. 2:2).
The original name Babel, (Semitic = Bab-ili = “gate of the god”). This was Satan’s second starting point after Eden, for worldwide control of humans and his attempt to thwart all the efforts of God Almighty. See: Mystery Babylon:
In Dan. 2 is the description and interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the “image” (Dan. 2:31), the head of which Daniel showed was Nebuchadnezzar’s Kingdom. His, and all the described Kingdoms that followed are controlled by the god of this world Satan; and have left their mark on the world's systems, and the ones yet to be will do the same; all in the power and control of Satan.
This we contend is “Mystery Babylon”, and will be destroyed without trace (Dan. 2:35) by the “stone” (cut without hands, Christ Jesus, Dan. 2:34). The description of the destruction of this Satanic world system is just prior to Satan’s “binding”, for the duration of the “Kingdom of God on Earth” (in the Lord’s prayer), which is also known by many Christians as “the Millennial”.
Supporting the above thesis, is the fact of Anti-Christ's number (666); which in Greek gematria is "SSS", the Ancient Babylonian secret symbol of the "Old Mysteries" which are in part all the pagan anti-God religions and practices of Nimrod and Babylon origin.
This link with Anti-Christ seems conclusively to point to "Spiritual Babylon", see (Chapter 13:18).
A further point for this thinking, is that as per Chapter 2:13, the "seat of Satan", after his ejection from Heaven with his angels, is Pergamum, in modern day Turkey (Ancient Greece).
Had physical Babylon been in existence in that future day, Satan would undoubtedly have taken up residence there, as it was his capital of evil power, in opposition to Jerusalem and Jehovah Zebaoth!
Some might argue that Satan would rebuild Babylon from Pergamum, but he only has an extremely short time after his expulsion from Heaven, to his demise and binding (Rev. 20:1-3)! It is not without reason that his priests moved to Pergamum after the demise of Babylon pre. AD!
V.1 After these things I saw another angel come down from Heaven, having great power: and the Earth was lightened with his glory.
V.2 (a)And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, “(b)Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of demons, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
(a) Powerful messenger, and the message so joyful that the angel is bursting with power in his voice!
(b) See 14:8 and notes. Also, Isa. 21:9, 47:9-11 & Jer. 51:8. The physical Babylon became desolate approx. B.C. 539, after the Medes and the Persians ruled (Medo – Persian Empire). The angel's declaration concerns the great Satanic spiritual parallel, which has grown from the physical original, and has spread worldwide.
This concerns all mankind’s activities which are not under the auspices of God. Particularly; all trade, commerce, money making activity and anything related to world commerce where a hierarchy of favour and coercion for favour from men/women is involved. There is probably no area of human activity excluded from the curse of spiritual Babylon, except "prayer and worship in spirit and in truth", John 4:23-24.
We are all involved in the system at present, until it is brought to an end (see Rev. 14:8) and elsewhere, hence Paul's warning, (1Tim. 6:10); which shows that "love" of money, not possession of it is the evil to be avoided. The fact that we are all in the system at present, does not mean we should be involved in all its excesses. It does mean we should be ever mindful of the many pitfalls that are everywhere, and in faith navigate out of reach of the dangers; ever with our eyes in faith on Our Lord.
Such was the case with Peter the fisherman, who the Lord called from the boat to Him, walking on water. As soon as Peter took his eyes off Jesus he started to sink; such is the peril in Satan’s “Babylon world”.
The Almighty’s disfavour was shown through Christ's cleansing the Temple in Jerusalem with a whip, of money-changers and traders, (John 2:15) & (Psm. 69:9), which is a precursor of the great fall of “Babylon”!
V.3 (a)For all Nations have drunk of the wine of her fornication, and the kings of the Earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the Earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies”.
(a) The clear message is that kings, merchants and people, have “idolised”, Babylon in trade, favour, privilege etc., have grown rich in this idolatry (harlotry)! Their god therefore is riches, gain, and particularly power, instead of Jehovah Zebaoth!
V.4 (a)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.
(a) “Come out of her My people”; see Isa. 10:20-24; Rom.9:29; Jer. 31:31 & Jer. 50:8-9! There are some Bible Students who think that this exhortation to the “remnant” of Israel, refers to a supernatural removal of these people, in similar mode to the “Raptured Body” of Christians earlier. This however is not our view; and we are convinced that this request from God to the “remnant” Jews is referring to Jesus’ words in Matt. 24:15-22!
V.5 (a)For her sins have reached unto Heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
(a) “The woman; spiritual Babylon”, is about to receive the justice of God.
V.6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and punish her double according to her works: in the cup which she has filled, fill double for her punishment.
V.7 How much she has glorified herself, and lived luxuriously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she said in her heart, “(a)I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow”!
(a) “I sit a queen”; in Chp. 17:18, she is described as “The woman”, Isa. 47:8!
Interlinear translates the Greek “GUNE”, (Str. No. 1135), as “particularly a wife”. As the O.T. Israel was the “GUNE" (HEBREW "ISHSHAH") the unfaithful wife of Jehovah, (Hos. 1-2), so here “the woman”, “Babylon”, is the harlot of Satan (Isaiah 47:5, 7 & 8, and the whole Chapter. Also Jer. 44).
She is a queen only whilst Satan is the “Prince of the Power of the Air”, the god of this world, (2Cor. 4:4). Satan however is about to lose all power on Earth, (Chp. 20:1-3).
V.8 (a)Therefore shall her plagues come (b)in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God judging her.
(a) The fire judgement, see (Chp. 19:20) & (20:15).
(b) Isaiah 47:9.
V.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,
V.10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, "Alas, alas, that great City Babylon, that mighty city! For in (a)one hour is Thy judgement come"!
(a) When the time is reached (God’s timing is perfect), the judgement is extremely swift! (Isaiah 47:9 -15 etc.).
V.11 And the merchants of the Earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buys their merchandise any more.
V.12 (a)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 of vessels of ivory, and all manner of vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
V.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, men and women!
(a) The list of luxurious goods, leading finally to men! The bodies of people! (Comp. page 1907). (Isaiah 47).
V.14 (a)And the fruits that thy soul lusteth after are departed from thee, and all things that were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
(a) All merchants, traders, sellers, ship owners etc., that relied on the power of “the woman”, for their livelihood, mourn her demise with great sorrow. All of these people (many millions) would be marked and owned by the beast, if the marking has world-wide application as opposed to Israel only; which here is the case!
V.15 (a)The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand a far off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing.
(a) Isaiah 47:15.
V.16 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!
V.17 For in one hour so great riches is come to naught. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
V.18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, what City is like unto this great City!
V.19 And they cast dust onto 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 (a)one hour is she made desolate"!
(a) Jer.51, Isa.13, Zech.5 & Isa.47, etc.
V.20 (a)Rejoice over her, thou Heaven and you saints, apostles and prophets; for God has avenged you on her”.
(a) This long awaited sentence on “the woman”, much celebrated in Heaven, and clearly seen by the saints, Apostles and Prophets, at the time of its enactment! The statement “one hour”, clearly means very fast happening!
V.21 (a)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.
V.22 And the voice of harpers and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsmen, of whatever craft, shall be found anymore in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
V.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; (b)for by thy sorceries were all Nations deceived".
(a) The sentence of “Babylon; the woman”, detailed.
(b) Her great seductive powers, and Satan's power (sorceries), brought the Earth (Nations) to ruin, compared with the plan of Jehovah Zebaoth! She is the great attraction as the consort to Satan, but is not seen as such, as yet by the Nations of the world!
V.24 (a)And in her was found the blood of Prophets, and of saints, (b)and of all that were slain upon the Earth.
(a) All who stood against her/Satan; God’s Prophets, His saints were slain; (this clearly not physical Babylon, which gives credence to our view re. world-wide spiritual Babylon)!
(b) This in Interlinear reads, “and all of those having been slain”. I.e. all men and women who opposed “the woman”, throughout the Ages.
If you have questions or comments, please click here.
Subjectindex or