Revelation 18, Ruin of Babylon

Babylon represents the a city, a kingdom, a world system opposed to God.

Revelation 18: 1-3, Babylon's destruction announced

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.  With a mighty voice he shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird.  For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries." 

The world system, now fallen, is described as a place of evil – of evil spirits, greed and excess.

Revelation 18: 4-8, Babylon's destruction announced

Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. 

Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup.  Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, `I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.'  Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. 

The people of God are called to leave the world system and are reminded that that system will fall (or is falling.) 

Revelation 18: 9-10, People lament the end of the great earth city

"When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.  Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: "`Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!' 

The kings and those who benefited from her excess are terrified in her passing.

Revelation 18: 11-17a, Babylon's destruction announced

"The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more--  cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men.  

"They will say, `The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.' The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn and cry out: "`Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!  In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!' 

Babylon is the center of commerce.  She is described as a city of wealth, luxury, prosperity. (Our modern capitalistic society should understand it well.) The End of Babylon brings an end to the wealth of traders and merchants and they, like the kings, grieve over their loss of profit and luxury.

Revelation 18: 17b-19, Babylon's destruction announced

"Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off.  When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, `Was there ever a city like this great city?'  They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: "`Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth!

In one hour she has been brought to ruin! 

Here Babylon is described from the view of those at sea, the merchants and ships who benefited.

Is Babylon really a city?  In one moment she is a city (like Rome or New York City) and in another moment she is the empire (such as the Roman empire) represented by the city.

Revelation 18: 20 – 24, Babylon's end is sudden

Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.'" 

Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: "With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.  The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No workman of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again.  The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world's great men. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.  In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth."

The fall of Babylon is quick and dramatic.  And complete.

For further thought: Who would John's readers have identified with Babylon?  Would the identification be different today?