The Book of the REVELATION
CHAPTER
18
18:1 And after these things I saw
another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was
lightened with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice,
saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of
devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and
hateful bird. 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication
with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance
of her delicacies.
1. The Announcement of Commercial
Babylon
Vs 1 The
great angel w/ power and glory come down from heaven
Vs 2 The
angel announces “Babylon the great is fallen”. The stronghold of sin is
doomed. Note that demonism and evil spirits
have gathered in Babylon
Vs 3 The
world has toasted this city & committed adultery with the riches of this
world
4 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.
5 For her sins have reached unto
heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded
you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she
hath filled fill to her double. 7 How much she hath glorified herself, and
lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her
heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8
Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and
famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God
who judgeth her.
2. The Appeal Of Commercial
Babylon
Vs 4 There
is pleasure in sin for a season, but God will judge sin and note the warning to
God’s People (believers), to come out of Babylon and it’s systems
Vs 5 God
knows Babylon’s sin and He is ready to act.
Vs 6 Babylon
rewarded, double, for how she has treated others. The end is coming!!
Vs 7 The
pride and self confidence of the city “Glorify herself….I shall see no sorrow”
Babylon has enjoyed the good life.
There is pleasure in sin, but only for a season
Vs 8 Death,
Mourning, Famine and Fire are sent by God to judge her
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, 10 Standing afar off for the fear of her
torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in
one hour is thy judgment come. 11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and
mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 12 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
vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass,
and iron, and marble, 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
souls of men. 14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are
departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed
from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15 The
merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off
for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 And
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! 17 For
in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all
the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18 And
cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto
this great city! 19 And they cast dust on 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.
3. The Anguish of Commercial Babylon
a. The reactions
of those who grieve over Babylon
Vs
9-10 The kings who
prospered by the city shall bewail her and watch as their riches go up in
smoke. The kings shall cry and stand afar off for fear.
Note:
Their power and riches can’t stop the destruction of this city
Vs
11-16 The merchants shall
weep over this city, for they can not buy or sell in a
city
that has been destroyed. Their fine merchandise is gone. Their investments,
inventories
and fortunes have gone up in smoke. The merchants shall cry over her
and
stand afar off for fear
Vs 17-19 The mariners of the world have gathered to watch the destruction. The seas greatest harbor has been shut off. They cry, “What city is like unto this great city”. The worlds trade lies in ruins. The sailors weep for the city & stand afar off
20 Rejoice over
her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you
on her. 21 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. 22 And
the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be
heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be,
shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no
more at all in thee; 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; for
by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24 And in her was found the blood
of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
4.
The Acclaim of Commercial Babylon
a. The results over the cities destruction
Vs
20 The hallelujahs in heaven
The
angel tells heaven to rejoice as God has avenged you of this world
Vs
21 The holocaust on earth The angel casts the great millstone
into the sea
Note:
the suddenness, the violence and the completeness of this judgment
Vs
22 All of this world music and work will
be heard no more in Babylon
Vs
23 There will not even be a candle lit
again in Babylon
Vs
24 God has found the innocent blood of His
saints, in Babylon. Justice has been served as this great political and
commercial empire has been destroyed
The pride, presumption and perverseness (SIN) of Babylon has caused her to fall. The city was deliberately built to organize, control and extend the kingdom of the Beast. The policies of godlessness, iniquities and oppression have come before God. The judgment of this city is just and is executed by the Judge (God)
15
members of European Common Market (as of 2001)
1-France 4-England
7-Netherlands 10-Finland 12-Sweeden 14-Greece
2-Belgium 5-Italy 8-Luxemborg
11-Denmark 13-Ireland
15-Austria
3-Germany 6-Spain 9-Portugal