Babylon Revelation 17:1 – 18:24
REVELATION (Chapter 17)
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
REVELATION (Chapter 18)
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.
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.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
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.
To this point in The Revelation God gave visions to John that brought Him to the very brink of the end of the Tribulation in chapter 15. In chapter 16 the inhabitants of the earth suffered the judgments of the seven last plagues. Before the return of Christ in chapter 19 the vision turns to a detailed look at Babylon, the center of religious and political corruption.
The Vision of the Woman and the Beast (Revelation 17:1-6
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
One of the seven angels having the seven vials commanded John to come near to him, that he might see yet another vision. We can find the vision the angel promised in chapters 17 and 18, its primary theme being the judgment of the evil woman, also called “the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.”
Introduction of the Woman
The woman depicted here is not an individual human woman but is the figurative embodiment of a religious organization. The angel referred to the woman of the vision as the “great whore” so that we may see her true character and understand her as God looks upon her rather than as the inhabitants of the earth view her. God reveals her to John as being evil and filled with ungodliness and “abominations.” She is corrupt in both nature and practice.
Some Bible students identify the woman with Rome and the Catholic church. We must be careful, however, in identifying the woman with any present-day religious organization or particular denomination as religious organizations have changed somewhat in the past and may change radically in the future – even the very near future. There is, however, some biblical evidence that suggests the religious woman will be a descendant of the world’s primary false religions and it seems that her great influence may result from an amalgamation of all world religions. Daniel foresaw continuation of the influence of the Roman kings until the coming of Christ in Daniel 2:44 as he prophesied, “And in the days of these kings [Roman] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom [Christ’s].” The woman will likely be a thorough mix of religious falsehoods, with contributions from such historical powers as the Babylonians, Medo-Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and eastern mysticism. Sorcery will surely also play a part. The “woman” will then likely include various modern religious persuasions as well as a revival of ancient pagan practices. The current ecumenical and hedonistic movements may contribute much to the development of the “woman” into the largest, broadest-reaching and most all-encompassing religious movement the world has ever seen.
This woman sits “upon many waters.” Revelation 17:15 interprets these “waters” as meaning the many people over whom the woman sways her widespread – in fact worldwide – and varied evil influences, and it is this depiction of the woman’s influence that supports reference to her as the world religion of the Tribulation Period. To all outward appearances she is beautiful, adorned in fine clothing and bedecked with the world’s most precious possessions while within she has always been and remains contemptuously evil. She will lure many into her bed of spiritual fornication and thus to their eternal demise.
The woman and “the kings of the earth” made league in this vision so that the world’s leaders are shown as having committed fornication with her. In the flesh fornication is an intimate physical union; this reference to spiritual fornication reveals that the truth is compromised for an intimate spiritual union, with lies and support lent to the woman so that she had great influence over the inhabitants of the earth. The “kings” made this league with false religion for their own material and political gain and of their own will, no doubt enticed by the woman’s outward beauty while failing to search her heart. Historically, governments have as often as not used religion to accomplish political or economic goals just as false religions have prostituted truth in the interests of achieving political influence, economic or material gain or the accomplishment of a social agenda. Both are evil and ultimately renounce the God of Heaven. Any such marriage between church and state has historically proven to be detrimental to the truth.
Because of the influence this woman sways the inhabitants of the earth are made “drunk” with the wine of her fornication. Her “wine” is her false teachings and the inhabitants of the earth – the “many waters – ” are intoxicated and filled with her false doctrines so that they can no longer think soberly in recognition of the truth.
The Scarlet-colored Beast
John’s physical body remained on the Isle of Patmos as he was carried “away in the spirit into the wilderness.” The key thought here is that of being “in the spirit.” The “wilderness” is probably not an actual wilderness but a place devoid of spirituality or the presence of God. What a heart-breaking place to be! While there John saw the woman sitting on a “scarlet coloured beast” carrying the woman as might a beast of burden bear a heavy load. His support of her is necessary both for her very survival as well as her worldwide influence. The beast is scarlet-colored, which is a beautiful color revealing the worldly riches and appeal of the beast. The beast is “full of names of blasphemy” revealing his true nature to reject and dishonor God, thus associating him directly with the cause and call of Satan.
The “seven heads and ten horns” help to both describe and identify this beast as being the political system of the beast of we recall from Revelation 13:1, the political system ruled by the man of sin. We will further consider the “seven heads and ten horns” when we take up an examination of Revelation 17:10 – 12.
The Description of the Woman
The woman wears “purple and scarlet colour,” the colors of wealth and majesty, and she is adorned with fine and expensive jewelry. Her apparel and her jewelry reveal that she holds a lofty position over man both politically and financially, and as a result she lavishly and self-indulgently appoints herself in the trappings of wealth, much of which is probably derived from some form of burdensome taxation of her subjects along with religiously-motivated gifts. Frequently in both ancient and modern times the elite of false religions have become monetarily affluent by emptying the pockets of devoted followers while subjecting the masses to live in poverty.
The woman holds “a golden cup in her hand” like a queen would hold in her hand a goblet filled with the finest of beverages, and she does so by her own informed choice. The “cup” contains something that is a pleasure to her. It is “full of abominations,” or all manner of things that are against God as well as the “filthiness of her fornication” or spiritual prostitution, referring to all of her false doctrines and practices. Everything the woman cherishes is in direct rebellion against God and is deceptive to the people.
The Name of the Woman
Just as a harlot in Bible times would by law wear a mark this woman bears a name on her forehead for all to see. Her name contains three designations. The first designation is “MYSTERY.” She is the ultimate result of a long line of iniquity or pattern of sin in the world. Paul wrote of this lineage in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 when he proclaimed, “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” Satan continues to work in drawing the unsaved population of the world into false religion; the woman is then the result of his earnest labors. The mystery of iniquity has so developed and been so perfected in her that the name can be clearly seen on her forehead.
“BABYLON THE GREAT” is the woman’s second designation. The first Babylon was Nimrod’s kingdom recorded in Genesis 10:8. Babylon was revived in its greatness under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar, as we see in Daniel 2:37, 38. The woman, then, is a rebirth or revitalization of that idolatrous kingdom. Many aspects of the world’s most popular and widely-practiced religions can trace their roots to the Babylonian religion.
The third designation is “THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” In much the same way that a mother gives body to her offspring so the woman is the mother of all false religions and practices that reject and dishonor God our Creator. Certainly this “woman” is then the mother of all harlots. Many religions and denominations have split time and again, giving birth to offspring which in many cases are harlots themselves. Thus the woman portrayed here became properly and correctly called in the Word of God “the mother of harlots” because of all of the false religions that are her progeny. Let us be reminded that God never uses his words flippantly and always chooses them wisely – Satan has always used this “woman” by some means or other and her evil has propagated through the years.
The Drunkenness of the Woman
False religion has always fought against and killed the people of God. The woman is “drunken,” or filled, “with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus,” as she continues in her efforts to destroy all that is godly. Every time a person loses their soul or every time a persecuted Christian is killed the woman’s drunkenness – her lack of sober thinking – is enhanced and she becomes more self-deluded than before. She fails to consider Matthew 23:35, Revelation 16:6 or Ephesians 6:10 and on and fails to understand that she will be held accountable for all the blood of righteous men and women who have been slain since Abel. John “wondered with great admiration.” A Greek transliteration of this passage is that he marveled in great amazement at perceiving this woman or at the very sight of her.
The woman is held accountable for the blood of two groups – “the saints” and the “martyrs of Jesus.” “The saints” may refer to those separated ones that have been killed, such as Old Testament prophets, and the “martyrs,” or witnesses of Jesus may be those who were martyrs among New Testament churches, both having suffered at the hand of false religion yet who remained steadfast in their testimony of Jesus. Give thought to Revelation 16:6; and 18:20, 24.
The Mystery of the Woman and the Beast (Revelation 17:7 – 18)
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
One of the seven angels having the seven vials spoke to John again as he had in Revelation 17:1. John had “marveled” wondered with great amazement at his understanding of the woman so that in Revelation 17:7 the angel questioned John before assuring him that an explanation of the vision of the woman and the beast would be forthcoming.
The Beast
The beast “which hath the seven heads and ten horns” should be associated with the beast of Revelation 13:3. The vision in chapter 13 appears to center on the man of sin, while the beast of chapter 17 appears to relate more to the political system of the man of sin and its relationship to the woman – the system of religion.
Like the beast that was wounded and was healed in Revelation 13:3, this beast is similarly described in Revelation 17:8 as “…was, and is not, and yet is.” This event of seemingly miraculous healing brings fame to the beast among those that dwell on the earth. Those whose names are “not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world,” meaning those who have rejected Christ by their own free will and whose vision is thus clouded shall wonder at the healing of the beast.
The book of life declares every man’s opportunity to partake of saving grace by faith and is thus established in the blood of Christ. Let’s recall from Revelation 3:5 and 22:19 that names may be blotted out because of unbelief. The book of life mentioned here does not refer to the book of all physical life but to the “book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” of Revelation 13:8, which is the finished product after every person has made his or her own free-will decision to accept or reject Christ. No name will ever be blotted from the Lamb’s book of life, the finished product. When we consider Revelation 21:27 we’ll take a closer look as the subject.
The Lamb’s book of life has been finished in the mind of God “from the foundation of the world.” God has always known who would be saved and who would reject His Son. God’s foreknowledge, however, is not causative and does not of itself determine any individual’s salvation. Therefore, these who choose to follow the beast are rejecting Christ by their own free will and their names are not to be found in the Lamb’s book of life.
Also found in Revelation 17:11 is the announcement that while the beast came out of the bottomless pit he will go into “perdition,” or final destruction, which probably refers to his final abode in the lake of fire as we’ll soon find in Revelation 19:20. The future abode of his followers is the same, as we can note from consideration of Revelation 14:11; 19:20 and 20:15.
Seven Heads, Mountains and Kings
The angel spoke to John of “the mind which hath wisdom,” meaning one who has spiritual discernment and is able to understand true wisdom, the Word of God as written of in 1 Corinthians 2:14. Similar statements are made in Revelation 13:9 and 18. The mind which has wisdom has the key to understanding the vision of the woman and the beast.
The woman, or false religion, sits in a place of “seven mountains.” We may associate the place of seven mountains as Rome and there is no difficulty in this writer’s mind identifying the woman pictured as sitting on seven mountains with Roman apostasy while proudly displaying on her forehead the names Mystery or Babylon the Great. No other city has ever been celebrated as has Rome for its situation on seven hills. Thus it could be argued that the political seat of the beast might be established in Rome, perhaps alongside or coupled with the religious seat of the woman. Some therefore associate Catholicism or a subsequent form of it with the woman, Rome and the beast. While on its surface that may seem a reasonable application and may, in fact, not be altogether mistaken, one must also always be careful to consider that Catholicism is as likely as any other denomination or religious system to be swallowed up by the woman and incorporated into her errant teachings.
The “seven mountains” however must also be recognized as seven thrones or powers, because Revelation 17:9, 10 associate the seven heads of the beast with the seven mountains, and these with the seven kings. They are linked in the text so that they refer to the same things; they do not appear as mere physical mountains. The times of the seven kings seems to be in succession because the angel spoke of five being fallen, one being in power in the present time of the revelation extending into modern times, and the other as yet come. The beast “that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven.”
Perhaps we can best harmonize these views by considering that literally the woman sits upon or presides over the seven hills of Rome so that figuratively she is seated upon, or ruling over, the political kingdoms of the world. The principles of the ancient empires live today in many religions and denominations as well as within the political kingdoms dominated or influenced by the woman.
The “seven heads” of the beast are seven kingdoms, including but not necessarily limited to their kings. The five that are fallen are: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and the so-called Holy Roman Empire of the pope. The sixth, which now is, is possibly the papacy that dominates no literal empire but holds spiritual sway over many “kingdoms” making it the head that is to be “wounded unto death.” Yet to come is the seventh, the restoration of the empire either under a pope or under a political dictator or, perhaps, under some man able to combine the two. Since it will constitute the healing of the wounded head the seventh king may in fact be the pope but could as easily be someone else. After a short time this king and kingdom will be supplanted by anti-Christ, who is the eighth king mentioned and whose kingdom is the eighth and last.
At the time of this writing (January 2018) a revival of admiration for the Catholic pope is evidence of an overall revival of the influence of the papacy but our thoughts must remain harmonious with Daniel 2:42-44, which teaches that the fourth kingdom of Daniel, or the Roman empire, continues through the time of Catholicism and the papacy until the return of Christ. Scripture is so far as this writer discerns silent about any changes that may yet occur within that “kingdom.”
Ten Horns
The primary ruling powers in the political system of the man of sin are represented in “the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast.” This political system has not yet been established nor will it be in its true and full form until the Tribulation, as the ten receive power for “one hour” with the beast. They in fact cannot have power until the beast is granted power during the Tribulation. Although this system does not yet exist it will may very well emerge as some version of the League of Nations including Europe and the United States as well as a descendant of current NATO and United Nations alliances. Regardless of the specific form adopted, the ten kings will unite in support of the beast to fulfill his evil bidding.
Revelation 17:14 reveals that the beast and the ten kings “shall make war with the Lamb” and all that is associated with Christ on the earth. The beast and the ten kings seek to destroy the Jews and to control the Middle East, as we can recall from our examination of Revelation 12:13-17. “…and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful” looks to the return of Christ at the Battle of Armageddon. The returning Lamb will destroy the beast and his army, as we will see when we consider Revelation 19:11-21. “They that are with him” are the armies of the returning Lamb. We will discuss this in more detail as we consider Revelation 19:14.
War With the Woman
Representing the ruling powers in the government of the beast, the ten horns will eventually grow jealous and “shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. **As a side note exemplary of how this might manifest, this writer has never consorted with a prostitute although I have met many who admit to having done so. In each case, apart from the self-loathing and regrets associated with such a union, is an underlying abhorrence and contempt for the woman who has cheapened herself and abandoned her virtue in such an enterprise as well as a profound detestation for the carnal partner involved.** This jealousy then symbolizes an age-old struggle between politics and religion. When the two unite and politics becomes confident of its control it resents the restrictions and taxation of religion and therefore seeks to change or destroy it. The ten kings will turn against the whore to destroy her, as will more fully be revealed in Revelation 18. The woman who was once amassed great wealth on account of her harlotry shall become “desolate” and she who could once afford to wear purple and scarlet will be stripped of her riches to be exposed for the empty shell she truly is. These kings will “eat her flesh” through division of the spoils of her riches and power and will “burn her with fire,” ultimately annihilating her from the face of the earth while seeking to destroy all traces of organized religion, deluding themselves that they have hidden their shame. Then only to the beast will they then pay homage.
That Great City
The angel explained that the woman is also the “great city” which reigns over “the kings of the earth” and who sits on the “seven mountains” of Revelation 17:9. The city is unlikely Babylon of the Mesopotamian valley because of the promise that it would remain desolate as described in Isaiah 13:19-22. Instead, Rome might most-appropriately be called Babylon as considered here, inasmuch as it is the chief seat of idolatry under the New Testament just as ancient Babylon was its counterpart under the Old Testament.
The Corruption of Babylon (Revelation 18:1-3)
REVELATION (Chapter 18)
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.
A Glorious Angel
An angel appeared with “great power” and “the earth was lightened with his glory,” which we might can compare to the glory of the Lamb in Revelation 6:16, 17and 21:23. While this angel is glorious, his glory is a reflection of the glory of Christ.
The Corruption of Babylon
The angel “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” to proclaim that the corruption and judgment of Babylon has come upon it and that it has fallen. Compare this proclamation to Revelation 2:5, where the church at Ephesus had “fallen.” This proclamation does not refer to the physical burning of the city of Babylon but to its moral apostasy. Babylon has fallen into deep moral decay and ungodliness, so this text speaks of an intensification of the city’s depravity.
The city of Babylon will by this time have lost any likeness of moral value to become the habitation of devils and demons working freely among its inhabitants. Every kind of “foul” or unclean “spirit” – not a demon spirit but spirit in the sense of character or attitude – is in it. It is a place that attracts and is the dwelling place of “unclean and hateful” birds who valuing nothing good and are demon-possessed prophets who flock to their resting place.
Babylon has fallen from being powerful, wealthy and a glorious place to being a place of base, despicable deeds. Even the ungodly ten kings despise it, as noted in Revelation 17:16. As religion decays into utter corruption it becomes a hazard to the well-being of politics. A study of the history of organized religion in general and Catholicism in particular during the Dark Ages reveals the truth of how this can easily happen.
The Corruption of Nations and Kings
The ways of Babylon have been evil as depicted by the term fornication, meaning spiritual adultery or idolatry. Kings and nations have joined with Babylon in its fornication. This accusation is also made in Revelation 17:2. In this text, however, the angel also accuses merchants of participating with it, as they depend on its religious heresy to support their money-making operations. A modern-day example of this can be seen in some of the popular holidays celebrated in the United States under the banner of Christianity, and most Bible students easily recognize the commercial corruption and greed associated with such holidays as Christmas and Easter. Then, in the interest of “political correctness,” there is a fast-moving push to remove the “Christ” from Christmas altogether, replacing His name with an “X” or reference to “the holiday season.” False religion and the commercial world have always been easily drawn together and always in opposition to Christ.
The Judgment of Babylon (Revelation 18:4 – 8)
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.
A Warning to Separate
The voice of which John writes is probably that of God but possibly of an angel speaking on His behalf, pleading with people to “come out,” to repent and remove themselves from any involvement with the evil woman, Babylon. If the reference were to saved people involved with Babylon, it would not be impossible. Sodom had righteous souls in it and God sent two messengers to warn Lot and his family to get out because judgment was coming; likewise there are believers involved in modern-day false religions. The church at Corinth was accused of being carnally minded and of having many serious problems; therefore, it should not surprise Bible students to find saved people wrapped up in ungodliness. This call, however, may not be a call specifically to saved people but a general call to anyone involved who will listen and repent and “come out of her.” God never sends judgment without first sending a warning to repent. Compare this passage with Genesis 19:12, 13 to read about Lot in Sodom, or with the preaching of Noah as recorded in Genesis 6. Read Isaiah 3:13 and 2 Peter 3:9 as well.
God Hath Remembered
It appears that an angel is again speaking and revealing that God is long-suffering, but has had His fill with the sins of Babylon and now will judge her. We can rest assured that Isaiah 3:13 is true and that no sin goes unnoticed or unpunished by God.
According to Her Works
According to the Mosaic Law, Babylon should receive twice what she has wrought in her works and in her cup of abominations as mentioned in verse 6, a principle carried over from Exodus 22:7. The angel accused Babylon of glorifying herself and living licentiously, rejecting God utterly and is filling herself with pride. God will suddenly judge her, as in one day, and her judgments will involve a complete destruction by fire. The burning “with fire” supports the idea that Babylon as mentioned here is a literal place to be purged, some going so far as to speculate it is Vatican City although there is no evidence that it might not be some other place altogether. We will investigate this more in the following section.
The Wailing of the Merchants (Revelation 18:9 – 19)
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.
The Wailing of Kings
The kings are those governmental leaders who both support her and received physical gain through their alliance with Babylon. These are probably not the “ten kings” or “ten horns” we can recall from Revelation 17:16, 17, as they were willing participants in her destruction while the “kings of the earth” mentioned here lament as they see their positions and influence rise in the smoke of Babylon’s destruction.
The Wailing of Merchants
The world’s merchants used religious Babylon as a medium for their merchandise and now weep over the loss of their financial profits as the cry, “alas, alas… for in one hour so great riches is come to nought.” They make this statement from a mind of shock and amazement at the swiftness with which Babylon’s destruction takes place.
The Wailing of Shipmasters
Shipmasters, or the owners of the means to transport goods to and from Babylon, weep over their loss of revenue. Babylon will be the world’s busiest destination for imports, and these shipmasters have been made rich “by reason of her costliness,” or wealth. This likely also refers to her purchasing power to buy merchandise of the merchants and shipmasters. Some suggest that Babylon, along with her other possessions and wealth, becomes a financial center not unlike the New York stock Exchange. These cut-throat profiteers cry out because no other city can afford them the profits and economic opportunities of Babylon. “Dust on their heads” is a figurative representation of the deepest mourning of the soul, as we see in Job 2:12.
God’s Vengeance on Babylon (Revelation 18:20 – 24)
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
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.
Rejoicing
The glorious angel of verse 1 commanded Heaven to “rejoice” over fallen Babylon and is also very specific to mention the “apostles and prophets.” These two groups represent God’s people from both the Old and New Testament eras who have served the Lord and have suffered persecution at the hands of false religion.
Like a Great Millstone
An angel took “a stone like a great millstone,” perhaps similar to one used in a gristmill, and cast it into the sea to symbolize the fall of Babylon. Like a large stone would sink quickly to the bottom of a body of water, so the destruction of Babylon would be sudden and complete. Like a large stone would make an enormous splash as it contacts the sea’s surface, so Babylon would be destroyed with great violence, and the ripples of that violence would spread in all directions. As a heavy stone sinking into deep water would soon be beyond sight, so Babylon will also be seen no more.
The Desolation of Babylon
Like Jerusalem was desolate after the Babylonians destroyed it and took most of its citizens captive, so the Scriptures portray Babylon as desolate and empty (see Jeremiah 4:7). The city of Babylon that was once alive and rich with commerce will be quiet. Things that would normally fill an active thriving city such as music, industry and construction, and the bride and the Bridegroom, will no longer be heard in Babylon. We can consider Jeremiah 50:9 – 13 for a comparison to the destruction of the older Babylon.
The Sins of Babylon
The glorious angel makes further accusations against Babylon concerning her sins so that she is found to be without excuse. The angel remembers two great sins as if to remove any chance of reprieve from her judgment.
She is guilty of “sorceries” and deceptions. Her religious nature is that of deception and she has deceived the world with her lies and idolatry. Her deceptions have disturbed all nations so that she is now recognized and well-known for her transgressions.
Just as she is well-known for her deceptions of the nations, so Babylon is also well-known for spilling “the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” and for her destruction of the people of God. This latter-day Babylon was not present through the years when Old Testament servants and prophets or New Testament servants or saints suffered at the hands of false religion. However, as the culmination of false religion, she shares the blame for all the past sins found in her way. The blood of all the people of God from both the Old Testament and the New Testament eras is on her hands. She is guilty and will not find pardon but will find judgment.
Summary (Revelation 17:1 – 18:24)
Some might accurately say that religious and political corruption began with Cain and his descendants as recorded in Genesis 4, and might also note Nimrod as a primary character in the history of organized false religion in consideration of Genesis 10:8. The Revelation presents Babylon as the culmination of the religious and political corruption that has persisted through the ages. Babylon also has the name “the great whore” because of its spiritual fornication. It will be filled with “abominations” and the filthiness of her “fornication.”
Babylon will be the seat of false religion supported by the man of sin and his kingdom, thus resulting in a marriage between corrupt religion and corrupt politics. In this writer’s opinion we need only look at the condition in which religion in general and politics worldwide find themselves to realize that the two are currently entangled and that a symbiotic relationship is quickly emerging. The political kingdom of the man of sin will manifest and his ten-king alliance will rise only to eventually grow weary of Babylon and its corruption, and they will work in concert to destroy Babylon with fire.
But there is hope! Jesus will at the proper time boldly and with all righteous authority step forth as Divine Victor and we, through Him, are victors as well! Take encouragement, my readers, in knowing that the Christ we follow is in all things King over all kings and Lord above all lords. We will begin to see Him in that role in our next article. Until then remain forever faithful –
Tom