Mystery, Babylon, Part Six

Revelation 18:21-24

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.

INTRODUCTION

A quick review of chapter eighteen.

• Revelation 18:1-8 – The death of an economic and political system: Babylon.

• Revelation 18:9-19 – The fall of Babylon is mourned by the kings and merchants of the earth, and the merchants of the seas.

THE EPILOGUE CONCERNING BABYLON

Revelation 18:21 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.

“And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea…”

This appears to be, yet another angel sent by God to deliver a message in this chapter, although it could be the same one. This “mighty angel” lifts a giant stone and throws it into the sea. The millstone is normally two stones: an upper and lower stone. It is used to crush a seed between the two stones in order to remove and separate the husk of the seed from the pulp. Millstones were common in the Old and New Testaments. A small millstone were typically about two feet in diameter and 6-8” wide.

What is the meaning of this action? The symbolism is that Babylon crushed the world with her hatred of all things of Christ and God. Babylon ground the followers of Jesus into dust. The action of the millstone being thrown into the sea would be that it would never be used again.

“Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.”

The Greek word for violence is defined as “an attack, precipitancy.” The angel is not just going to drop or casually pitch the milestone at the city of Babylon. The angel is going to attack the city with the stone.

The action of the millstone being thrown into the sea is likened to the destruction of Babylon. As the stone sinks out of sight, so Babylon will sink from power and memory.

Revelation 18:22 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;

“And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee”

In any large city, you will find all forms of music and theater. All of the forms of entertainment and amusement that were thought to bring joy under the Antichrists system, will cease to exist. All the orchestra’s, bands, singers and choirs will stop to perform in Babylon.

“…and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee”

All forms of merchandising will end. All trades would find no avenues to sell. Raw goods are not flowing into the city for them to transform into their crafts.

“…and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee”

The work of milling is monotonous and as such, those at a mill were normally found to be full of singing as they set about their task of turning grain into flour. That joy will be replaced with silence as the shipments of grains have stopped.

Revelation 18:23 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.

“And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee”

Because the merchants were no longer able to make and distribute their products, things as simple as candles were no longer found in the city.

A sure sign of desolation is the lack of light within businesses and houses. Darkness has taken the place where once there was gaiety and life.

“…and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee…”

In the Old and New Testament, the marriage was one of great joy and laughter as the groom’s procession would be led through the streets to the house of the bride.

“…for thy merchants were the great men of the earth…”

The merchants during the Tribulation were the prosperous, whose clientele would include the very rich, kings, and presidents. Merchants during the Tribulation will have clients around the world as commerce under Babylon knew no bounds. The meaning here is that the merchants have lost everything because of the destruction of Babylon.

“…for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived…”

Babylon might be considered as a house of cards. She plied the earth with her false doctrines, methods of business and false worship of the Antichrist and because the world was drunk with her teaching, the world was deceived and now pays the price.

Revelation 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

Through the Tribulation, God allowed the anti-god system to unfold and spread across the face of the earth. Now, judgment was fully turned to Babylon. This verse includes those slain from all over the face of the earth and not just in the city of Babylon. Her lust for the blood of the saints was given by her order and carried out by those loyal to Babylon and the Antichrist. She was not just a bystander. She was a persecutor and murderer of the children of God. She was guilty of spilling the blood of the saints, prophets and all that are righteous on the earth.

CONCLUSION

The voice of the bride and the bridegroom, vs 23

The parts of a Jewish wedding.

A betrothal period – the bride and groom exchange vows and then separate, about a year. They were considered married; however they did not live together or have sexual relations.

a. The bridegroom spent the year in preparing a place for his bride.

b. The bride spent the year on her personal preparations: wedding gown, lamps, etc.

c. Although the bride expected the groom about a year later, she did not know the day or the hour when the groom would return for her. It was the duty of the Father of the groom to give the approval for him to “go het his bride.”

d. Therefore the bride was always ready for that time to come. In case he would come at night, she kept her lamp ready…waiting for the sound of the shofar that would indicate that the groom and his party was coming for her.

John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

e. The groom, with much noise, fanfare, and passion, would return and fetch his bride and carrying her to the home he has prepared for her.

Now finally, they would consummate their marriage and live together as husband and wife, fully partaking of all the duties and privileges of the covenant of marriage.

Likewise, when Jesus, the Messiah, as the Bridegroom, left this earth to prepare an eternal place for us.

We do not know the day or the hour that the Messiah will return for His Bride, we know that there is no event left on the prophetic calendar that would hinder His soon appearing.

The bible tells us that we will know the “signs” of his return. However, just like the Jewish bride, we do not know the day or hour when He will break through the eastern sky for his bride.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

The Bride, believers in Jesus the Messiah should be living consecrated lives, keeping themselves pure and holy in preparation for the Groom’s return and partake of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb

When the Groom comes, there will be the blast of the trumpet announcing His return for His Bride.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.