Babylon’s Fall
Revelation: He Reigns! • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Babylon’s Fall is Proclaimed by the Angel
Babylon’s Fall is Proclaimed by the Angel
First, an announcement of
The description of the angel having great authority and this bright glory points to the validity of his message, which could even be a theophany in light of 10:1. Even still, the text moves quickly from the angel and to his proclamation.
What was a passing comment earlier (14:8), fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, now becomes the thesis statement for the entire chapter. Part of Babylon's judgment borrows from Isa.13:21 and Isa. 34:11, 14. Her demonic reality is seen by the fact that her external trappings of beauty are removed and she becomes a haven’t for all types of demons and unclean things. Her demonic and unclean dwelling is a stark contrast with the new Jerusalem in Rev.21:27. Nothing unclean will ever enter into the new Jerusalem, nor will anyone doing anything detestable or false.
The judgment of Tyre (Isa 23:8, 23) seems to be the OT draw here. Tyre seduced rulers with her riches and crowned princes, but her judgment was coming. The judgment of Babylon comes in part because she's seduced the world to partake in her unrighteousness.
As this angel cries out with a loud voice, much like if I were to yell in the room right now, anyone who was dozing off, their attention would be arrested…they’d sit up and take notice. John’s vision in general, which is highlighted in a way by the angel here, is indeed meant to be a wake up call. Much like Paul who writes to the Ephesian church, “Awake, O sleeper” before encouraging them to walk wisely and redeem the time in these days of wickedness, the church should be wide awake to the temptations of Babylon. Behind the veil of indescribable pleasure and the luxury of wealth there is uncertainty, insecurity, and the dwelling place of demons.
The call to come out can easily be understood as a call to endure through faithful obedience, a common theme in Revelation. Many view Revelation to have near and then universal/far applications. If the near application is for believers to flee Rome because of her soon-coming destruction, breaking away from completely, then the call through the ages is for the church to constantly break from the world’s systems and all those who would set themselves up in opposition to God because judgment is coming.
An interesting but easily over-looked connection is the fact that the first Babylon attempted to reach up to heaven. Here, finally, her goal is accomplished as her sins are heaped high as heaven. Multiplied sin will call for multiplied judgment in the following verses.
As a reminder that God is just, He pays Babylon back as she has done to others. In fact, she receives a double portion of her own mixed cup. Remember that her cup was the persecution and defeat of God’s people.
Is God over-punishing Babylon? The answer is no. First, what God does is true and just. This fact was established in the previous chapters. Second, the Greek phrasing here is mean to represent a Hebrew expression that centers on giving back the equivalent (see Isa.40:2; Jer.16:18; Matt.23:15; 1 Tim.5:17).
The “same measure” argument from the previous verse is underscored here as Babylon is given like measure for the torment and mourning she caused.
Babylon’s false sense of self-security is exposed. While she has lived lavishly, confident in the fact that she is a queen and will never see mourning, her opulence will not stand.
The boast of Babylon is similar to Isaiah 47:7–9 “You said, “I shall be mistress forever,” so that you did not lay these things to heart or remember their end. Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children”: These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the great power of your enchantments.”
In a single day, the riches of Babylon will be burned up with fire. God will judge her, and His judgment will be swift and total.
Verses 4-8 remind us of the fact that while we live in this world, we cannot be of it. And sure, the temptation is to think of this in grand terms and whether or not we compromise our values with things like blatant sin…pursuing the world’s pleasures what it means to be successful according to the world’s standards. But, what about temptations to trust in the things of the world rather than the Sovereign Lord? What about when we trust a political party more than we trust the Christ who is in control? What about small compromises for the sake of the salary, promotion, and raise? What about the compromises we make in practices of righteousness, all for the sake of acceptance? When money…or acceptance…or renown on a stage or an athletic field…the job…the stuff…when they become the focus over an above God and His glory, we are not just living in the world, but of it as well. God is calling His people out of it, to a life of holiness, set apart for His glory and fame. Are we willing to come out of Babylon?
Babylon’s Fall is Painful for the World
Babylon’s Fall is Painful for the World
They mourn their lost lover.
They mourn their lost lover.
Babylon was a money-making mistress, and those who loved her lived in luxury. Now, standing far off and in fear, they mourn her fate. Still, it is too late for them to break from her destiny. The earlier call to come out of her was rejected.
They mourn their lost loot.
They mourn their lost loot.
These merchants mourn for they have lost their loot. The ESVSB says, “God quickly destroys all human wealth that is not used in obedience and devotion to Him.”
This list closely resembles the goods marketed by Tyre’ Phoenician merchants. The wickedness of Babylon has made even man himself, human souls, just another product to be bought and sold. This lengthy list shows just how much temptation, and how successful Babylon was, to seduce the world with her riches. It’s as if she has had her corrupt hand in every economic system and has used it to lure the world into her clutches.
They mourn their lost livelihood.
They mourn their lost livelihood.
The shipmasters and seafaring men call Babylon the great city (also in vs.10, 16), noting that no other city was like her. However, this city beyond compare is now laid to waste by the judgment of God. A similar comparison and lament was made for Tyre in Ezekiel 27:32 “In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you and lament over you: ‘Who is like Tyre, like one destroyed in the midst of the sea?”.
It was quite profitable to do business with the Great Prostitute. Notice her luxury items in verse 16 — purple…scarlet…gold…jewels…pearls. But, all of it is lost.
The sorrow expressed in these verses doesn’t seem to be godly sorrow that leads to repentance. Rather, they’ve lost the thing their heart truly loves…they’ve lost their treasures and the means to make them, they’ve lost their pleasure and the things of this world that they looked to for fulfillment and joy. It really should give us pause to stop and consider: what if I made a stand for holiness? What if I refused to walk in the ways of this world? What if I completely surrendered to a life bigger than myself, lived for the sake of a glory beyond my own? And, what if it cost me? Because it will. How did Jesus end the introduction to the S.O.T.M.? Matthew 5:10–12 ““Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” How would you respond? Would you embrace it with joy? Like the apostles arrested in Acts 5:41 “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.”, would we rejoice because we’d been found worthy of suffering for the sake of Christ? And listen, before you feel like I’m saying this from some lofty, “Oh, I would” pedestal, I’m not. I’m wrestling with this with you all because if it was all stripped away, I’m not sure how I would respond. I’m asking this for the sake of self as much as anyone. The reason it pains the people, the reason we see such lament and sadness here is because pursuit of anything other than Christ tends to turn us inward so that we solely focus on how this brings us joy and pleasure and fulfillment. And, it unseats Christ as the true treasure of our hearts. And, any time that treasure is taken, it collapses us. And, the only thing in this world that won’t collapse is Christ, because He can never be taken away. Romans 8:38–39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Babylon’s Fall is Pictured in Symbolism
Babylon’s Fall is Pictured in Symbolism
The downfall of Babylon calls for rejoicing, even though the earth mourns her losses. The basis for this call is Jeremiah 51:48 “Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, declares the Lord.” This passage calls for the heavens and the earth to rejoice of the downfall of Babylon, and where earth is understood as a reference to Israel, is referred to here, but earth is replaced by members of the church — saints, apostles, and prophets.
If Rev.6:10 asked the question, “How long?”, then Rev.18:20 gives the answer, “God has given judgment for you against her.”
This sign act by the angel is similar to when Jeremiah cast a stone and scroll into the Euphrates, showing ancient Babylon’s impending destruction (Jer.51:63-64). The fact that she will be found no more echoes the sentiment of Ezekiel 26:21 “I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again, declares the Lord God.””
There was a common Jewish belief that anything lost at sea was lost forever. So, those who were drowned would not be resurrected. The angel casts a stone into the sea, a symbolic representation of Babylon’s utter destruction. She will never rise again. This, too, remembers the judgment against Babylon in the OT where she will be uninhabitable and desolate forever. This imagery continues in through verse 23a.
God gives three reasons for the judgment of Babylon.
Your merchants were the great ones of the earth. This draws on OT prophecies against Tyre “whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth”. These merchants were only interested in their own glory and wealth, so God destroyed it. Their pride was evident in Ezek.28:2 where Tyre reckoned herself a “god.” Revelation promotes the worship and enjoyment of God as man’s chief end. Focusing on self and man as a whole commits the great sin of idolatry.
All nations were deceived by your sorcery. Sorcery is closely identified with both idolatry and immorality. There is an echo of chapter 17 and Babylon’s close association with Jezebel here, as she was judged for immorality and sorcery (2 Kgs.9:22).
In her was found the blood of…all who have been slain on earth. Jeremiah prophesies that “Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as…the slain of all the earth” (51:49).
Throughout chapters 16, 17, and 18, John has used Babylon, Tyre, Nineveh, unfaithful Israel, and Sodom as prophetic types for the judgment of Babylon the great. Surely this multi-national inclusion points to the fact that what is in mind here is the cycle of Babylon and the D.O.T.L until the end of history when God finally conquers evil altogether.
There is an intentional contrast between the lament of the lost and the song of the saints. While the world wails away at the waisting of the wicked Babylon, the saints sing praise because the righteousness of God has been revealed. It’s not just that Babylon “gets hers” in the end, but it’s the revelation of the righteous reign of God that calls forth praise. One commentator says, “God has defended the honor of His name by not leaving sin unpunished and by showing His people to have been in the right and the verdict rendered by the ungodly world against the saints to be wrong.” The rejoicing is not due to hate-filled revenge but God’s vindication. And in this is what truly divides the world: one group is absolutely willing to recognize who God is and live according to that truth, the other is absolutely unwilling to embrace Christ and His supremacy. The question for us to wrestle with is this: is Christ the all-consuming passion at the center of our lives? Seriously, wrestle with this question. Is Jesus the all-consuming passion in your life? Because, we live in a culture that over-emphasizes you and greatly minimizes Christ (if not seeks to abolish Him altogether). And understand, I’m not asking if you’re a fan of Jesus…if you think He’s an alright guy…and I’m not even asking if you believe in the factual events of His death and resurrection. What I’m asking is this: is He the all-consuming center of your life? Chances are, it’s a question we can all wrestle with deeply this morning.