With chapter 18 we continue to look at events that will take place right down at the end of time, the time in which you and I are living.
When you pick up your Bible, you'll find that invitation after invitation has been given by God. Remember that God gave a very definite invitation in the days of Noah. God also gave a very definite invitation to the Jewish people, He sent prophet after prophet with an invitation for the people to follow Him. In the time of the New Testament, God did the same thing, He gave one invitation after another.
In this chapter we will be looking at God's final invitation – there won't be any others after this – this is the final one. And with this chapter the door of mercy closes forever. The chapter opens with an angel that has a message that is so powerful it illuminates the earth.
Revelation 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."
This angel speaks with great authority, and what he has to say illuminates the earth. The message that this angel is speaking is what gives impetus to the third angels message of Revelation 14, it's what causes it to move across the earth with great power, and brings about what the scriptures refer to as the "loud cry" or the "latter rain".
So despite satanic efforts to shroud the earth in darkness, God now sets it ablaze with the glorious light of saving truth.
The third angel in Revelation 14 had this to say:
With a loud voice means it is being proclaimed across the whole earth. So this third angel is proclaiming a message across the earth, warning people not to receive the mark of the beast. And here the angel in chapter 18 adds emphasis to that message which is proclaimed across the earth.
So what we are looking at here is basically the last invitation that God is giving to mankind, there won't be another.
Revelation 18:2 "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."
This angel is proclaiming that Babylon has fallen. Notice there is a great difference between when she has fallen and when she is destroyed, because she can fall in the eyes of God, and yet not in the eyes of man. So when it says Babylon has fallen, it means she has fallen in the eyes of God, she is not following what He has said.
Revelation 18:3 "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."
So all the merchants of the world have become wealthy through what she has done. In other words, Babylon has been well received by the world, but she has fallen in the eyes of God. It says the nations have become drunk though the wine of her fornication, (false doctrines) and it's very difficult to reason with someone who is drunk.
What is Babylon and how has she made the world drunk with her wine? Well, remember that Babylon is made up of three things: Paganism, Catholicism and Protestantism. We have the dragon, which represents Paganism, we have the beast, which represents Catholicism, and we have the false prophet, which represents apostate Protestantism. These three things together, a mixture of the three, make up what scripture refers to as Babylon. And the inhabitants of the earth have become drunk through her wine, representing her teachings. An example is the belief in the immortality of the soul. Her teachings come straight from Paganism, and the Catholic church took these beliefs from Paganism and handed them down to Protestantism, and so today the whole world is full of the idea that man does not die, that he is immortal, that his soul simply goes off to another place after death, but that is not what the Bible teaches, there is no foundation for that belief in the word of God. Another example is the belief in the false Sabbath – Sunday sacredness – again this is not based on scripture, another is the trinity, baptism by sprinkling etc. these came directly from Paganism and they were passed onto Protestantism through the Catholic Church. And so these false beliefs and teachings, originating in Paganism, are what the scripture refers to as Babylon, meaning confusion, and this is how the whole world is made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Revelation 18:4 "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."
Notice that God is saying very clearly that He has His people in Babylon, which is why at this point the door of mercy is not closed. Today the door of mercy is not closed, today it's open, and anyone can come to God, and give Him their heart, and surrender their life to Him and commit their life to Him, and because the door of mercy is open they can and will receive mercy. But in this chapter we will see that the day is coming in which that door closes, forever, and when that door closes there will be no more opportunity to come to God. But right now God is calling His people to come out of Babylon, that's the invitation God is giving.
Almost till the very close of time, some or perhaps many of God's people have not heard the call to come out of mystical Babylon. Compare God's call to His people in ancient times to flee from literal Babylon. (see Isaiah 48:20; Jeremiah 50:8; 51:6, 45) As God's people formerly came out of literal Babylon in order that they might return to Jerusalem, so His people today are called out of mystical Babylon in order that they may be accounted worthy to enter the New Jerusalem. All who are truly His people will hear His voice and heed His call (Matthew 7:21-27; cf. John 10:4-5).
But things are good in Babylon. Those in Babylon have lived in luxury on the earth. When the Jewish people were carried off into exile in Babylon of old, they didn't have it rough there. Daniel was the prime minister of the country. Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego held high offices. They were treated well, they had nice homes, good jobs and things were good in Babylon. In fact it was so good there that after 70 years in Babylon, when God said the time had come to go back to Jerusalem, this is what happened:
So when Ezra told the Jews he was going to take back a group to Jerusalem to live there, not one of the tribe of Levi showed up, not one, they all had it so nice in Babylon they wanted to stay there. In fact Ezra had to go back and make another appeal before he got some of them to go back with him. Why didn't they want to go back to Jerusalem? Because things were not very nice back in Jerusalem, the city was in ruins, there were no jobs, things were not good there at all, it was rough and it was hard.
In the last days it's not going to be good for God's people. But it will be good in Babylon. And you have to make a decision, whether you are going to come out of Babylon and be on God's side, or whether you're going to go along with Babylon. Each of us has to make that decision. And so God says; Come out of her My people. And this is God's last call. There won't be another one. There won't be another time or place where God gives another invitation. It will be over.
Now notice what happens from this point on. Today the door of mercy is still open you can come to God, accept Him and follow Him. But from this point on in the chapter, the door closes.
Revelation 18:5 "For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."
The cup is full, and her sins have reached to heaven. When does this happen? When do her sins reach to heaven? It takes place when this happens:
When that decree is made, that those who do not have the mark of the beast and who do not worship his image should be killed.
"Speak" means to legislate.
"Cause" means to enforce.
So when mankind enact laws that force everyone to follow the beast and do what it says, that is when her sins have reached to heaven. And that is when the door of mercy closes, forever.
So the time has come for the door of mercy to close on Babylon who has taken a position in opposition to God.
All the way through the Bible you will find that Paganism has always been in opposition to God. God, in His mercy and kindness has pleaded with Catholicism for years to change. And because she would not change, out of that grew the Reformation. And great men, such as Knox, Calvin, Luther and Zwingli and all the other great Reformers, stood up and took the word of God and built their beliefs on it, and out of that the great Protestant movement was born. And when the pilgrims went over to the New World, as they were getting on the ship, their pastor Robinson stood there and urged them that when they got to the New World that they would follow the word of God, and he said to them; As you understand what the word of God teaches, walk in the light of it.
Unfortunately Protestantism did not continue to walk in the light that God gave them. And Protestants have given up what they originally believed and stood for. And today there is no conviction to follow what the word of God says. And so as a result, you now have those three powers uniting together into what the scripture calls Babylon. They unite on the worship of a day that God never sanctified, they hold beliefs that the scripture does not teach, they turn away from the Sabbath and refuse to follow what God's word says about it. And for those reasons her cup of iniquity is full, and so God says this to her:
Revelation 18:6 "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."
God says; Give back to her double for what she gave.
Literally "give her to the limit". The harlot, the apostate organization Babylon the great, is to be repaid in full for her evil deeds. In absolute justice, Heaven does not withhold any part of the payment due. The reward to be meted out to Babylon is described briefly in Revelation 17:16-17 and greater length in this chapter 18. Also compare Jeremiah 51:6.
Literally "according to her deeds." Her reward will be paid in kind. The punishment will fit the crime and be appropriate. Compare Isaiah 47:3; Jeremiah 50:15, 29; 51:24.
Revelation 18:7 "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."
The Bible teaches clearly that there is a period of time in which Babylon will sit as a queen, and it will be great and things will be wonderful, and the whole world will wander after her and follow what she says, so much so that it says they are drunk by the wine of her fornication.
So many things have glorified her and made her wanton. So many things have contributed to her pride and wantonness. Arrogant self-confidence has made her confident of the ultimate success of her plot to obliterate God's remnant people and to reign supreme over the earth. She is proud of her wealth, popularity and power. Compare Isaiah 47:6-10; Ezekiel 28:2, 4-5, 16.
Inordinate conceit has spawned utter confidence in her evil scheme to rule the world. The attempt to deceive others has resulted in absolute self-deception. Not only has she made others "drunk," she herself is in a state of intoxication.
I sit a queen - Note the present tense. The true church is represented in Scripture as a "chaste virgin," (2 Corinthians 11:2) Christ's bride. (Ephesians 5:23-32; cf. Revelation 12:1; 19:7-8) The great harlot impersonates Christ's bride before the inhabitants of earth over whom she claims dominion in His name. But she is a counterfeit "queen." (Isaiah 47:6-10) She is a harlot who has never had a legal husband, yet is able to boast of her conquests. Do not the "kings" and "great men" of the earth wait upon her? (Revelation 18:9, 23) Are they not captive to her will and dedicated instruments of her nefarious schemes?
It says she has lived luxuriously, she has not followed what God has said; therefore repay her double for what she has given. And the seven last plagues will be that double repayment.
At this point, probation for the human race will have closed.
When these words are pronounced, probation closes for mankind. And when probation closes, the things that Babylon has lived so luxuriously with, all come to an end.
Revelation 18:8 "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."
So God is going to pour out His full wrath on Babylon.
As we saw before, some people like to take the "one day" here and interpret it as a literal year; they also take the "one hour" of verse 10 and interpret that as 15 literal days. We can't be certain exactly how long this period will be, but we can be confident that it refers to a short period of time.
Revelation 18:9 "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,"
The inhabitants of the earth will see Babylon, and all that she stood for, crumbling. The ten kings, the beast and the false prophet all accepted her and followed her, but now everything she said is crumbling and falling down, and they stand back and weep.
They mourn for her, sob on account of her, in loud unrestrained wailing. Anticipating their own impending fate, the hapless "kings" and "merchants" of earth join in a dirge of death for haughty Babylon, now in torment upon her blazing funeral pyre. The dramatic effect of verses 9-20, which describe the doom of the great harlot is heightened by their exotic oriental literary form, poetic diffuseness highlighted by graphic imagery. The appeal of chapter 18 is primarily emotional but that appeal is reinforced by incisive logic: For those who respond to God's call to flee from the wrath to come (verse 4), there is still respite from her impending doom.
The symbolism of the chapter is drawn almost entirely from the Old Testament as a comparison of the many cross references cited makes evident. A careful study of these Old Testament parallels in connection with the historical incidents alluded to greatly clarify the highly symbolic imagery of this chapter. In Revelation 17:16 it is the kings of the earth (verse 12) who set Babylon a fire. They are pictured here mourning.
Revelation 18:10 "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."
Her judgment has come swiftly upon her. No doubt in the realization that recently they had collaborated with Babylon, (see verse 3) were involved in her "sins," and were accordingly destined to share in her "plagues." (verse 4) They realize that their own fate is inescapably bound up with hers. They had not heeded God's call to "come out of her" (verse 4) and must soon share her fate. Compare Ezekiel 27:33, 35.
They had expected to receive power permanently with their paramour mystical Babylon. She had assured them that she was enthroned a "queen" forever and that should they cast their lot with her, they too would enjoy endless dominion. Realizing too late the futility of such a scheme, they now give way to utter remorse.
So the ten kings that followed her now turn against her and make her desolate and naked. This means complete global financial collapse, that's what is pictured here.
Revelation 18:11 "And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:"
The merchants of the earth have had it good, things have gone well for them and they have lived luxuriously. But now all of a sudden it has all come crashing down and no one buys their merchandise any more.
Revelation 18:12 "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,"
All the things that man makes, sells and trades, all that ceases to be worth anything. All the gold and silver will be worth nothing, because it will no longer be able to buy anything.
Revelation 18:13-14 "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."
Complete global financial collapse has taken place, and none of it will be worth anything.
Revelation 18:15 "The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,"
Those who accepted her with open arms and praised her greatness are now going to stand back and mourn and weep because she has met her end.
Revelation 18:16 "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!"
All the merchandise is not worth a thing. And not only that, but world trade will come to an end. Today we live in a time when you can trade all over the world. You can go home, sit at your computer and you can buy anything from anywhere in the world. This all comes to an end.
Revelation 18:17 "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,"
This is describing world trade.
Revelation 18:18-19 "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 great controversy has come to an end. Babylon has fallen. It's over.
Revelation 18:20 "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her."
The desolation of Babylon brings victory and joy to all righteous beings throughout the universe. The anthem of victory over Babylon is recorded in Revelation 19:1-6 and the feast celebrating the deliverance of God's people is alluded to in verses 7-9. The inhabitants of heaven are first to rejoice in the triumph of Christ and His church.
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."
Compare Jeremiah's illustration of the fate of ancient Babylon (Jeremiah 51:63-64; Isaiah 13:19; Revelation 14:8).
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;"
A highly figurative description of the desolate state of Babylon. Compare Isaiah 24:8; Ezekiel 26:13.
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."
The sights and sounds of life are gone (Jeremiah 25:10). She has been punished for her deceptions, for the souls she has lured to destruction, and for all the pain, misery and suffering she has inflicted on the "prophets" and the "saints". Apart from Gods people all were deceived by her deceptions and followed her practices. Babylon secured the allegiance of the inhabitants of the whole earth.
Revelation 18:24 "And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth."
The Bible is telling us that time is short. You and I have time right now, but it's running out. When we reach the events described in this chapter, it's over, there's no more time, because the controversy has reached its end and God's kingdom has come into being.
You and I need to make absolutely sure that we're walking by faith, following God, obeying Him, that our will is surrendered to His will, and that we are following the word of God.