Babylon Is Fallen Part 2

Introduction:

I. Judgment Pronounced (vs. 1-3)

Revelation 18:1–3 AV

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

A. Characteristics of the Messenger (vs. 1)

He has Great Dominion

He has Great Delight

He has Great Distinction

B. The Components of the Message (vs. 2-3)

The Fall will be Great (vs. vs. 2)

Revelation 18:2 AV

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.

The judgment that was predicted in 14:8, will now be carried out.

The fall will be a more far reaching fall that even was predicted by the prophet Isaiah.

As we said last time, it is believed that this judgment will take place at the time of the seventh bowl judgment.

Remember the succession of the judgments that we have looked during the time of the tribulation.

There was the scroll that Jesus Christ took from the hand of the Father because the text says in chapter 5 that He alone was worthy to open the scroll and look at the contents of the scroll.

Picture of Scroll

Because remember that the scroll was sealed and that was an ancient legal practice to ensure that only the persons authorized to open the scroll would, in fact, open it.

And remember, we told you that there were two requirements to be able to open the scroll.

First, you have to have the authority to open the scroll.

Second, you had to have the power to be able to enact what the scroll said.

Jesus Christ possess both of those things.

So, remember that he began to pull back the scroll one seal at a time beginning in Chapter 6.

These were the first of the Tribulation judgment called the seal judgments and there are seven of them.

When Jesus the seventh seal at the beginning at chapter 8, we said to you that the judgment that was viewed in this seal were so horrific that the Scripture says that there was a silence in heaven for half an hour.

The reason for that is because as Christ unrolled the seventh seal, it unleashed the seven trumpet judgment.

The second string of judgments during the time of the Tribulation.

And as the angels began to blow those trumpets one by one and unleashing the judgment of God on the earth (and as we have seen really Babylon was the target), each one was a little worse.

When the seventh angel blows his trumpet in Chapter 11:15-19, this unleashes the seven bowl judgment that we see start to be poured out beginning in Chapter 16.

Remember that we said to you that these bowl judgments are rapid fire, one right after the other.

We believe that when the seventh and final bowl is poured out, that is the time that we are now seeing Babylon fall.

Revelation 16:17–19 AV

And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

The fall will be so great that the angel speaks of the fall twice.

So we know that the fall will be great but what is the reason for such a great fall?

2. The Fortress will be Grotesque

Revelation 18:2 AV

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.

The angel uses some very descriptive terms to speak about the reason for such judgment on this religious and commercial city.

The angel says that Babylon has become the dwelling of demons (devils and foul spirit both refer to demons).

Revelation 12–22: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Judgment Pronounced

It was in the vicinity of Babylon that 200 million formerly bound demons were released at the sounding of the sixth trumpet (9:13–16). They, along with the demons released from the abyss at the sounding of the fifth trumpet (9:1–11), those cast from heaven with Satan (12:4, 9), and those previously on earth, will be confined in Babylon. God will, so to speak, gather all the rotten eggs into one basket before disposing of them.

The text also tells us that it will be the home of every unclean bird; again, referring to demons.

I want you to get this picture.

You have all these demons in this city and we do not know the incalculable million or trillions that it will be.

We have some numbers, but some of the numbers are relative because we do not know the original number of the created angels.

So, the 1/3 that will be driven out of heaven with Satan is a relative number since we do not know the number of the original creation of angels.

We do not know how many million that will be released from the abyss.

But with all of this, the text says that these demons will be hovering over the city like a carrion bird, a vulture waiting for the destruction so that they can feed on the carcasses of the destroyed.

That is picture of this middle eastern city that the Scripture gives to us.

Picture of the map of Babylon

There will be a lot of Prophetic things that take place in the area of what we now know as Baghdad in Iraq.

These carrion demons will hover over Babylon just waiting for its destruction.

But there is another reason for this deserving judgment.

3. The Filthiness will be Global (vs. 3)

Revelation 18:3 AV

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.

Revelation 12–22: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Judgment Pronounced

Babylon’s destruction will also come because all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality. Antichrist’s evil religious and commercial empire will spread its hellish influence to all the nations of the world. Having drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality (cf. 14:8; 17:2), the people of the world will fall into a religious and materialistic stupor. The all-encompassing terms all the nations, the kings of the earth, and the merchants of the earth reveal that Babylon will seduce the entire world. The unregenerate people of the world will lust for Babylon, passionately desiring to commit acts of spiritual immorality with her. Likewise, the merchants of the earth will have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality. In the beginning, the world will cash in on Babylon’s financial prosperity.

Having thrown off any semblance of self-control or self-restraint, sinners will indulge in a wild materialistic orgy. Like those in ancient Babylon, they will be partying when their city is destroyed (cf. Dan. 5:1–30).

II. Judgment Avoided (vs. 4-5)

Revelation 18:4–5 AV

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. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Having thrown off any semblance of self-control or self-restraint, sinners will indulge in a wild materialistic orgy. Like those in ancient Babylon, they will be partying when their city is destroyed (cf. ).

There is another voice that is being heard from heaven.

“ἄλλος” indicates for us that this is a different voice but of the same kind.

So this is another angel proclaiming a message to God’s people.

A Command Proclaimed (vs. 4)

Revelation 18:4 AV

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.

Revelation 12–22: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Judgment Avoided

“Come out of her, my people,” is a call for God’s people to disentangle themselves from the world system. It may also be an evangelistic call to God’s elect to come to faith in Christ and come out of Satan’s kingdom (cf. Col. 1:13). In both cases, the message is to abandon the system.

Throughout the terrifying judgments of the Tribulation, God will save people. The result of the gospel preaching by the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, the two witnesses, and an angel flying in midheaven will be the greatest harvest of souls the world has ever known (cf. 7:9)

Revelation 7:9 AV

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Revelation 12–22: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Judgment Avoided

Many of these believers will be martyred for their faith in Christ when they refuse to take the mark of the beast (13:15–16). The survivors will face powerful temptations to participate in the system. Family and friends will no doubt pressure them to save themselves by accepting the mark of the beast. The need to obtain the basic necessities of life will also pressure them to conform to the system (cf. 13:17).

Believers in the present day need to also fight the temptation to be caught up in the world system.

Romans 12:2 AV

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2 Corinthians 6:14–17 AV

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

James 1:27 AV

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

He sharply rebukes those who got caught up in the world.

James 4:4 AV

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1 John 2:15 AV

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Revelation 12–22: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Judgment Avoided

The biblical truth that believers are not to be involved in the world system will take on new urgency as Babylon faces imminent destruction. The angel’s message to the believers still in that city is the same one that the angels brought to Lot (Gen. 19:12–13): Get out before you are caught up in God’s judgment of that wicked place.

b. A Combination Prohibited (vs. 4)

“…that ye be not partakers of her sins...”

Revelation 12–22: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Judgment Avoided

The materialistic, pleasure-mad, demon-infested city of Babylon will exert an almost irresistible influence on believers to participate in her sins. Like Joseph (Gen. 39:7–12; cf. 1 Cor. 10:14; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22) they must flee to avoid succumbing to “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2:16).

1 Corinthians 10:14 AV

Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

1 Timothy 6:11 AV

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

2 Timothy 2:22 AV

Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

C. A Curse to Pass (vs. 4)

“…and that ye receive not of her plagues”

The only way that the believers of this time will be able to avoid the plagues of Babylon is to get out of Babylon.

The only way that you, today, will avoid the plagues of Babylon is to get out of Babylon.

The only way that our children will avoid the plagues of Babylon, is to make sure that we do not send them to Babylon.

D. A Condition Packed (vs. 5)

“For her sins have reached unto heaven...”

Revelation 12–22: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Judgment Avoided

Piled is from kollaō, which literally means “to glue together,” or “to join.”

Picture of the Tower of Babel

Revelation 12–22: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Judgment Avoided

Babylon’s sins will pile up like a new Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:3–4), but unlike the ancient tower, her sins will reach as high as heaven.

E. A Concept Preserved (vs. 5)

“…and God hath remembered her iniquities”

Revelation 12–22: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Judgment Avoided

He will take note of them as He did that earlier monument to man’s sinful, arrogant, prideful rebellion at Babel. The blessed truth is that God says of believers, “I will not remember your sins.… I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Isa. 43:25; Jer. 31:34). But for defiant, unrepentant Babylon there will be no forgiveness, only judgment.

III. Judgment Defined (vs. 6-8)

Having thrown off any semblance of self-control or self-restraint, sinners will indulge in a wild materialistic orgy. Like those in ancient Babylon, they will be partying when their city is destroyed (cf. ).

Having thrown off any semblance of self-control or self-restraint, sinners will indulge in a wild materialistic orgy. Like those in ancient Babylon, they will be partying when their city is destroyed (cf. ).

Having thrown off any semblance of self-control or self-restraint, sinners will indulge in a wild materialistic orgy. Like those in ancient Babylon, they will be partying when their city is destroyed (cf. ).