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Revelation 18

Commentary · verses 1-24

Some people referred to this chapter as "The Harlot's Obituary." However, this chapter covered an actual city that was different than the harlot from chapter 17. The harlot representing the false religion was destroyed at the midpoint of the Tribulation by the kings of the earth. This Babylon was a city that would fall at the end of the Tribulation by the hand of God.

1After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

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

Commentary · verse 1

John saw another angel come from heaven with great power after the destruction of the harlot which occurred at the midpoint of the Tribulation.

2And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird.

2And 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.

Commentary · verse 2

This angel proclaimed that Babylon had fallen.

3For by the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations are fallen; and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth waxed rich by the power of her wantonness.

3For 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.

Commentary · verse 3

This was a city that became the center of commerce (traffick) during the Tribulation. Also, Lucifer fell and became Satan because of much "traffick": Ezekiel 28. In Isaiah 14, where Lucifer's five "I wills" were presented, verse 22 spoke of Babylon being cut off.

4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: 5for her sins have reached even unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

4And 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.

5For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Commentary · verses 4-5

God's people will be called out of this idolatrous city, just like Sodom. Verse 5 sounded like Genesis 18:20-21 where God said the cry of Sodom's sins had reached up to heaven.

6Render unto her even as she rendered, and double unto her the double according to her works: in the cup which she mingled, mingle unto her double.

7How much soever she glorified herself, and waxed wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning.

6Reward 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.

7How 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.

Commentary · verses 6-7

Babylon was in pride. Notice, this Babylon claims to sit as a queen. The harlot sat drunkenly on a beast.

8Therefore in one day shall her plagues come, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judged her.

8Therefore 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.

Commentary · verse 8

This great city, like Sodom, will be "utterly burned with fire" (to be consumed by fire) in one day by God.

9And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived wantonly with her, shall weep and wail over her, when they look upon the smoke of her burning, 10standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

9And 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,

10Standing 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.

Commentary · verses 9-10

Another difference between the harlot and this seat of commerce: The kings of the earth burned the harlot with fire (Revelation 17:16), while the kings of the earth lamented over this Babylon's destruction by God. Again, the harlot from chapter 17 was a religion. Babylon in this chapter was valued for its commerce which was expounded upon here...

11And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no man buyeth their merchandise any more; 12merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet; and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble; 13and cinnamon, and spice, and incense, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep; and merchandise of horses and chariots and slaves; and souls of men.

14And the fruits which thy soul lusted after are gone from thee, and all things that were dainty and sumptuous are perished from thee, and men shall find them no more at all.

15The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning; 16saying, Woe, woe, the great city, she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stone and pearl!

17for in one hour so great riches is made desolate. And every shipmaster, and every one that saileth any whither, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood afar off, 18and cried out as they looked upon the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like the great city?

19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, wherein all that had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her.

11And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

12The 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,

13And 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.

14And 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.

15The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

16And 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!

17For 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,

18And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

19And 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.

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

Commentary · verses 11-20

Again, her destruction occurring in an hour ought to have proven that it was God who did this, not man.

21And a strong angel took up a stone as it were a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all.

21And 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.

Commentary · verse 21

The angel cast a millstone in the sea saying that Babylon will be cast down as the millstone. Again, the description was a sudden physical and violent destruction, not the destruction of the world religion as evidenced by the following description...

22And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more at all in thee; and the voice of a mill shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23and the light of a lamp 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 princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived.

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

22And 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;

23And 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.

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

Commentary · verses 22-24

In this great city of commerce was the blood of prophets, saints, and of all that were slain on the earth. Again, whether this was a spiritual allusion to Satan or whether it was a statement that love of the physical over the spiritual has led to the killing of believers, the earth's economic system will be completely destroyed with God's judgment of the great city of Babylon. Revelation 16-18 showed the systematic destruction of the earth by God which concluded the third and largest section of the Book of Revelation. The fourth and final section gave a chronological explanation of the events from the end of the Tribulation through eternity.

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