Revelation Chapter 18

Fifth Divine Punishment

Revelation 18:1-24. The Downfall of the World’s Political and Economic System.

In chapter 17 we read of the downfall of the World’s Religious System under the sway of the False Prophet and the Anti-Christ and now the Beast’s political and economic system faces the same fate under the judgment of the Lamb of God.

Verses 1 to 2 – States after these things (in chapter 17) John sees another Angel coming down from Heaven with great power, and the earth sees the glory of God upon him. This mighty angelic being pronounces that Babylon the great is fallen, that she has become the habitation of demonic devils and every foul spirit including being likened unto a cage holding every unclean and hateful bird. The picture language is fitting as this is the first of three reasons why she is being judged so greatly having set herself up as Babylon the Great upon earth.

Verses 3 to 8 – The second reason for her judgment is recorded in the third verse, for all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. The kings (being the rulers) of the earth have committed fornication with her instead of worshipping God and living by His Laws. They have simply made their own as they have rebelled against the Creator and have worshipped the creature (man) who was made in the image of God. The merchants and financial traders have become rich through her corrupt systems and greed has been the goal of many! Self-indulgence at the cost of the labourers has now seen the final fulfilment of the warning in the letter of James chapter 1:10-11 and chapter 5:1-6 especially.
Verse 3 shows us this Babylon system is truly the capital of godless materialism and greed.
Verse 4 is a final warning from God – ‘Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her sins.’ Even now the Lord wants to try and save, this is their last chance for God wants none to perish but freewill comes with a heavy price in disbelieving and rebelling against the Judge and Lord of all.
Verses 5 to 7 give us the third reason for her judgment and speak of how this great city is so full of ungodly arrogance and iniquity which God so hates. cf. Psalm 1:4-6 and Psalm 5:5. Pride truly comes before the fall. This city yet to be revealed will be the centre of opulence and worldly glory. Her sins and iniquities have come before God who now brings judgment in a day – verse 8. Plagues, famine and death. Fire is the means of cleansing and so what has been will be again just as with Sodom and Gomorrah as destructive fire from above will fall. There is nothing new under the sun except for eternity to come.

Verses 9 to 11 – Shows us the lament of the grace despisers and their worldliness who followed this end times Babylonian system. They shall weep and wail as they look upon the smoke of her burning, albeit standing afar off and making comment! The Lord God Almighty has decreed Babylon will trade no more!

Verses 12 to 14 – Give a description of the wealth of Babylon and all that she traded in and owned. This description is similar to that in Esther 1:5-7 where the opulence of the king’s palace in Shushan, the capital of Persia is described. Position and wealth truly corrupts, the mind and the heart deceives and the flesh rules.

Verses 15 to 19 – These verses record further weeping and wailing from those who put their trust in the systems of this world as we read of their despair on this earth. But in …

Verses 20 to 24 – We read of delight in Heaven. God has now avenged His apostles, prophets and saints
throughout history for their suffering and those slain on the earth – verses 20 and 24. The great men of the earth prospered only for a season because of their sorceries which deceived so many among the nations. We read that there will be no more light, no more employment or merriment, dancing or bridegroom or bride in the city of Babylon. God will always have the last word because He reigns and rules, always has and always will. To God be the glory great things He has done, now and throughout the ages and forever more. Amen.

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