Commercial Babylon Destroyed

Revelation 18

In the last few sermons we have been primarily focusing on the Mystery Babylon, which is the false religious woman who rides the beast or the Antichrist's false government in the last day.

Babylon is the most mentioned city in the Bible other than Jerusalem.

There are 404 verses in Revelation, 42 are about Babylon (1 out of 10).

We have seen in chapter 17 verse 16 that the beast hates the false church and tums against her.

Now, we will learn that there not only was a religious Babylon, but there was also a commercial Babylon as well.

The commercial side of Babylon is dearly loved by the leaders of the world in the tribulation times.

Chapter 17 deals with the destruction of the Religious Babylon, and chapter 18 deals with the destruction of the commercial side of Satan's seat.

The destruction of chapter 17 takes place at the middle of the tribulation.

As we move to chapter 18, we are now to the end of the tribulation, and the wealth of the false Babylonish religious system, which was destroyed seems to be found amongst the powerful merchants of the world.

While I believe the Mystery Babylon of chapter 17 is the pagan religion with roots being traced back to the days of Nimrod, the Babylon here referenced is to the commercial center of power in the last days, which many believe will literally be the ancient city of Babylon re-built.

There is some great debate over this.

The ancient city of Babylon is located in modern day Iraq.

It certainly doesn't take much of an imagination to consider Satan using someone like Saddam Hussein and others to fulfill his purposes.

While some believe the reference to Babylon in this chapter to be a reference to Rome.

many believe that the reference of Babylon is a symbolic reference to Rome.

But I believe that there are good reasons to believe that the “Babylon” described here is the literal city of Babylon on the Euphrates in Iraq.

One reason is because Because Isaiah 13-14 refer to Babylon being destroyed in the day of the Lord.

Isaiah 13:19 KJV

19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, Shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

Over 300 references in the Bible refer to Babylon, all but a few are a literal city.

There is no real evidence to say that all of Revelations references should be symbolic, then.

In 1971, $30 million was given by an Iraqi to rebuild Babylon.

Saddam Hussein in his time spent over $1 billion on the endeavor.

The gate that leading to the city of Babylon was built in the late 1990’s is “The gate of Ishtar” (dating back to the ancient days of Nimrod).

In June of 1990, Diane Sawyer and Sam Donaldson reported from Babylon that Saddam Hussein was envisioning himself as a modem day Nebuchadnezzar.

He even had a coin minted with his face on one side and Nebuchadnezzar's face on the other side.

The days of Saddam Hussein are gone, but it is not inconceivable that another will rise.

But whether it is literal Babylon, or a figurative one, the truth remains, the commercial Babylon will be destroyed.

In Revelation 17 we saw the woman representing a false, world religion that rises on the back of the Antichrist and seduces the nations.

This is often thought of as the One World Religion pushed by Rome.

Babylon was the place where false religion started, with the occult practices and worship of the stars, etc.

But, it will be a world dominating religion.

But in Chapter 17 it is destroyed.

Now in chapter 18 we see the commercial part of Babylon (Political and economic system) judged:

I. The Prelude of Judgment

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.

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.

Another angel comes from heaven to make a pronouncement Rev. 18:1

1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

A. Babylon Is Fallen Because of Sin

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.

Because of demonic activity — Magicians and astrologers were common in Babylon when Daniel was held there in captivity - Every foul spirit is in Babylon.

Men in this time are deceived by sorcery — End of Rev. 18:23

Revelation 18:23 KJV

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.

The occult will be prevalent.

B. Babylon Is Fallen Because of Depravity

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.

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.

All nations are now tied to the economic beast—the one world government and the one-world banking system will now be complete.

Babylon will be the pride of the earth.

Babylon will be rewarded double for the way she persecuted God's people.

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.

There is a warning to the remnant in verse 4.

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.

Here the few Jewish believers who somehow had survived to this point are warned to get out of Babylon.

How they are in the Antichrist's capital city without the mark of the beast is hard to comprehend.

It is reminiscent of the warning given in Jeremiah 51 to the Jews.

Prophetic of this time...

Jeremiah 51:49–50 KJV

49 As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, So at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth. 50 Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: Remember the Lord afar off, And let Jerusalem come into your mind.

God did not want his children to support the Antichrist's system, and He did not want them to suffer judgment.

II. The Peril of the Judged

Verses 8-19

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.

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.

Notice two key things about this Judgment: It is ...

A. A Rapid Judgment

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.

The entire city and the world's economic infrastructure will be destroyed instantly.

B. A Complete Judgment

The kings of the earth

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,

The merchants

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!

This city is the headquarters for all commerce.

It is not hard to comprehend a new global stock market being instituted.

I personally believe the powerful financiers of the world are already planning such a market.

The mariners

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.

The Persian Gulf will be quickly emptied; in one hour she is made desolate.

III. The Product of Judgment

What will come about because of this judgment?

A. Rejoicing in Heaven

20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, And ye holy apostles and prophets; For God hath avenged you on her.

The saints who died at the command of the Beast are now avenged

24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, And of all that were slain upon the earth.

Perhaps we will sing one of our monthly songs “I’m On the Winning Side.”

B. Removal of Antichrist’s System

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.

The millstone is a picture of immediate judgment.

Why?

24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, And of all that were slain upon the earth.

Conclusion

Revelation 19:1–6 KJV

1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

There is rejoicing in heaven over the destruction of commercial Babylon, the Antichrist's empire.

In chapter 17 the powerful kings of the world turn against the harlot, the false church.

But in chapter 18, God judges the entire false system of Satan.

In some way we are all involved in the “Global Market” today whether we like it or not!

But those who derive a feeling of trust and power from such involvement will be greatly disappointed!