Revelation Chapter 18

Revelation Chapter 18

For context, here is a study of Revelation 17 => http://sidnash.org/docs/Rev17.html

Revelation 18:1-3 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.{similar to Rev14:8 } 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{similar to Rev17:2}, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance{Or, power} of her delicacies.

"Babylon the great", we learned from chapter 17 must be papal Rome, "the great whore"( Rev17:1 ) => http://sidnash.org/docs/Rev17.html

For an overview of the "Babylon of Revelation", see => http://sidnash.org/docs/RevBabylon.html

Similar language from the the 2nd angels' message of Rev14 and from Rev17:

- Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
- Revelation 17:2 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.

As we will see, in vs.4, this is not the literal destruction of Babylon because the angel calls God's people out in order that they will not receive the plagues poured out upon Babylon. So, rather than literal destruction, this must be a moral fall.

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.

Here we see God calling His people out of the confusion of false Christianity and into his people "which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."( Rev12:17 ) "The fact that God’s people are called out so as not to be partakers of her sins, shows that it is not till a certain time that people become guilty by being connected with Babylon..."(DaR)

Regarding "another voice from heaven", "We now have five celestial messengers expressly mentioned as engaged in this last religious reformation. These are the first, second, and third angels of Rev14:6-12; fourth, the angel of verse one of this chapter; and fifth, the agency indicated by the “voice” of verse 4, now before us." "He comes, as it were, nearer to the earth, with a message more pointed and direct; and he has “great power,” and the earth is “lightened with his glory.” No such description of a message from heaven to man is elsewhere to be found in all the Bible. This is the last... it comes with surpassing glory and unwonted power. It is an awful hour when a world’s destiny is to be decided...`"(DaR)

Jeremiah 51:6-45 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of Jehovah's vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence... 45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of Jehovah.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Revelation 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Revelation 16:19 ... great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

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.

Psalm 137:8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

Revelation 18:7-8 How much she{Babylon} 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{if prophetic time, this is one literal year}, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

Revelation 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore{Babylon/papacy}, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

Revelation 18:9-11 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her[Babylon], 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[(literally or figuratively) If prophetic time, this would be 15 literal days] is thy judgment come. 11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for there is no one left to buy their merchandise.

Regarding "in one hour", could this be applicable? => Isaiah 34:8 "For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion." Could the "in one hour" of Rev18:10 be "the year of recompences" of Is34:8? I'm not sure...
Regarding "the merchants of the earth", could this be the "elite" of the world today? Uriah Smith, in his book, "Daniel and the Revelation", offers this understanding: "They who but a short time before had issued a decree that the saints of God should neither buy nor sell( Rev13:11-18 ), now find themselves put under the same restriction by a far more effectual process"(DaR). "... for no man buyeth their merchandise any more."

Revelation 18:12-14 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.

Regarding the "slaves, and souls of men", may pertain more particularly to the spiritual domain, and have reference to slavery of conscience by the creeds of Babylon, which in some cases is more oppressive than physical bondage.
Regarding "the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed", this could be a rebuke of gluttony.

Revelation 18:15-19 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{Babylon}, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17 For in one hour{if prophetic time, this is 15 literal days} 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!{Babylon/papacy/Vatican 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{if prophetic time, this is 15 literal days} is she made desolate.

It isn't hard to imagine the cause of this universal voice of mourning, lamentation, and woe, when we consider the seven last plagues of Rev16. Imagine the plague of sores preying upon men, the rivers turned to blood, the sea like the blood of a dead man, the sun scorching men with fire, their traffic gone, and their silver and gold unable to deliver them, and we need not wonder at their exclamations of distress, nor that shipmasters and sailors join in the general wail.(DaR)

Revelation 18:20-21 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her"(Babylon). 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.

God's people will rejoice over great Babylon's destruction because it puts an end to her tyranny against humanity. Like a great millstone, Babylon sinks to rise no more. It is described thus in Rev17 =>
- "And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore{Babylon/papacy}, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will..."( Rev17:16-17 )

Revelation 18:22-24 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[that great city Babylon(vs21)] was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

Regarding verse 24 => "Her sorceries constitute her leading crime; and sorcery is a practice which is involved in the Spiritualism of to-day. “And in her was found the blood” of “all that were slain upon the earth.” From this it is evident that ever since the introduction of a false religion into the world, Babylon has existed. In her has been found, all along, opposition to the work of God, and persecution of his people." (Uriah Smith, DaR)

For an overview of "Babylon in Revelation" => http://sidnash.org/docs/RevBabylon.html

This is likely at about the same time that satan goes to jail for 1000 years so he can no-longer tempt "the nations". See => http://sidnash.org/MK/BelovedVSHolyCity.html

Desiring to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah ( Deut8:3; Matt4:4 )

-Sid Nash: 03/15/2025. Latest version: http://sidnash.org/docs/Rev18.html