CHAPTER 18
V.1
After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power: and the earth was lightened with his glory.
(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 the 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 man’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 14:8) and elsewhere, hence Paul's warning, (1Tim. 6:10.)
The Almighty’s disfavour was shown when Christ cleansed 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 and gain, 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. (See Chp. 14:14-16 and notes.)
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,” 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, (2 Cor. 4:4.) Satan however is about to lose all power on earth, (Chp. 20:1-3.)
(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, 11,15 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, and men.
(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!
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 one hour is she made desolate!"
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!
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 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 recognised, 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, prophets, saints were slain.
(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.
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