Babylon The Great Is Fallen
Notes
Transcript
As we stated last week, Chapters 17 and 18 go together. In Chapter 17 we were able to see the rise of the world systems: religious, political, and economical. Later on in the Chapter, we saw that the political leader Antichrist, is going to turn on the religious leader and destroy the religious system that has been put in place.
16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
Though the religious system is destroyed, it was the combination of both the world religious system and the world political system that brought about a booming economic system for this great empire. Here in Chapter 18, we are going to see the fall of that economic system as the world begins to crumble under the weight of God’s wrath.
1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!
3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”
This next vision comes from another angel. John is back on earth and sees this angel coming down from heaven. This was an angel of great authority, meaning that when this angel left heaven, he was endowed with authority from on high. He has been given liberty to move and act upon the authority of God Almighty. In laymen’s terms, he is an ambassador of God. This angel was so full of the glory of God that it tells us the earth was illuminated with his glory.
As John watches this angel, he hears the most amazing news, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen...”
This angel has come to herald the victory of God against the evil of this world. God has destroyed Babylon, and this is such a great event, that a mighty angel from heaven comes down to speak this over the earth.
We have not got to Chapter 19 yet, but we know that when Jesus comes, He will wage war against the evil in this world. He will conquer that evil, including the demonic forces that have been released during the tribulation period, and He will cast those evil forces back to hell from whence they came.
So it would seem as if God has gathered all of these evil creatures into one place, here in this great city. It says that Babylon has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!
Notice the terminology here: dwelling place… this means they call this place home; a prison…this means that they are captives; a cage…this means that they are being held. All of these evil creatures are not here by choice, but rather because God has brought them here and refuses to let them leave.
The angel then describes just how vile this Babylonian empire was. He says that all the nations, all the kings, and all the merchants have dabbled in her debauchery. They fornicated against God and in the process have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.
Their time of luxury has come to an end. Babylon the great is fallen!
It is also helpful to know that this destruction of Babylon seems to be the result of the seventh bowl of God’s wrath that was poured out upon the earth:
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.
19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.
The final judgment of God against this world of woe is to bring to utter destruction the Antichrist’s empire of evil. In doing so, the stage is set for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords to come establish His own throne.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
Though the Church is already with Christ, God is still completing His work of salvation in many souls during this time. This next angel sends out a rallying cry to all of those who have yet to align themselves with this evil empire, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.”
One final warning is issued to those who would align themselves with God.
6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.
7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’
8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
This angel now seems to be speaking to God instead of John. His cry to the Almighty is to render to her just as she rendered to you. Repay her works with Your wrath. Pour out on her double what she is owed.
She glorified herself and lived luxuriously… repay her with torment and sorrow.
She sat prideful upon her throne… bring this throne to ruin.
Bring the fullness of Your wrath against her and let it come in one day - death and mourning and famine.
9 “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,
10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
11 “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore:
12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;
13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men.
14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.
15 The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
17 For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance
18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’
19 “They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’
20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
Once the wrath of God falls on the Antichrist, all of those who served him will see what they have done. Notice that the kings who served underneath Antichrist are standing at a distance for fear of her torment. It tells that the merchants will stand at a distance for fear of her torment (vs. 15). It tells us that every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many who trade on the sea, stood at a distance (vs. 17).
They wanted to enjoy the luxuries of being in alignment with the Antichrist, but once the hammer of God’s wrath fell, they wanted no part of that. Can I tell you that you don’t get to have it both ways. To choose the world is to choose wrath of God. To choose God is to choose the wrath of the world. Either way, you are going to suffer. The question is, at which hand do you want to suffer from?
It tells us that all of these people were weeping and wailing and crying out, and they all had the same thing to say, “For in one hour...”
The kings said “For in one hour your judgment has come.” (vs. 10)
The merchants said, “For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.” (vs. 17)
The shipmasters said, “For in one hour she is made desolate.” (vs. 19)
Jesus said it best:
36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
These people, all of them, put their trust in this globally dominating empire. It had power, influence, goods, money, luxury… you name it, it had it. And in just one hour, it all amounted to big pile of nothing. Every bit of what it was could not save it from the wrath of Almighty God.
But those who chose God and suffered greatly in this world, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!” The victory belonged to those who were in Christ. This has, and always will be, the truth of the Gospel.
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.
22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore.
23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”
Another mighty angel appears and finishes out this message of destruction against Babylon. He took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea. A millstone was used to grind grain. It was roughly 4-5 feet in diameter and a foot thick. This massive millstone, though it was large and heavy, disappeared in an instant when it hit the water. “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.”
Once the hammer falls, great shall be the fall of it. This city will be utterly destroyed. The destruction will be so great that all forms of normal daily activities will cease:
The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard - there will be no music.
No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you - There will be no working.
The sound of millstone shall not be heard in you - There will be no food preparation.
The light of a lamp shall not shine in you - The city will be abandoned.
The voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard - There will be no more falling in love.
The death and destruction brought against this empire will be as great, if not greater than the destruction they brought against the people of God: And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.
