01.18. CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 18.
Revelation 18:1-2. “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power [authority]; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, ‘Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils [demons], and the hold [ward] of every foul spirit, and a cage [ward] of every unclean and hateful bird.’” The time of this vision of the mighty angel is the beginning of the last three and a half years of Antichrist’s reign, when Satan and his angels having been cast out of the heavenlies, and Antichrist having become the incarnation of the evil one, setting himself up as God in the temple of God, will claim the homage and worship of the world. At this time what course will that false ecclesiastical system take which hitherto has professed to be the Church of God and the associate of His Christ? Will she be true to her original profession? or will she take a position totally the reverse? This vision supplies the answer. She will become the harlot associate of the beast, and instead of being what she had hitherto professed to be— “the habitation of God through the Spirit”—will “become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” The birds of the air, or spirits of wickedness, will no longer merely lodge in the branches of the great mustard tree, but the whole system will become their habitation and home. This is the great apostasy, this is Babylon’s ignominious fall.
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 [power] of her delicacies [luxury].’”
Spiritual fornication is the combination of that which is Divine, heavenly, spiritual, and holy, with that which is Satanic, earthly, carnal and false. That which has led on to this solemn issue has been an unholy alliance with the world, for the friendship of this world is enmity with God, the outward form of religion having been assumed as a cloak of covetousness, places of dignity and authority employed for the acquisition of wealth, and the souls of men made merchandise of.
Revelation 18:4-5. “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. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.’”
It would appear that up to this period some even of God’s people had lingered in the communion of this corrupt system—such is the fascination of outward pomp in matters of religion—but now the command for separation is imperative. Happy they who, through Scriptural intelligence of mystic Babylon’s real character and final fall, even now shun all association and joint participation with her. When her iniquities have reached their full height, vengeance will be executed, and former iniquities will not be forgotten.
Revelation 18:6-8. “‘Reward her [render to her] even as she rewarded [rendered to] you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled [mixed] fill [mix] to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously [luxuriously], 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.” Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is Jehovah God who judgeth her.”’
After that the Lord Jesus has come and received His people to Himself, all that which hitherto has borne the character of Christianity, and professed to be a part of the Church of Christ on the earth, but destitute of spiritual life, reality, and power, will still continue in outward form and manifestation.
Every mere system, of whatever name or denomination, uniting in one, will then constitute that outwardly prosperous and universal ecclesiastical system symbolised by Babylon the Great. Year by year increasing in influence and splendour, she will at length attain the zenith of popularity and power; but at the very time when she will appear to have reached entire security, sudden overthrow will come upon her through the ten kings, and that destruction will be full and final, for from that hour nothing of a similar character will be known on the earth, and according to the measure of Babylon’s pomp and arrogance will be her degradation and her ruin.
Revelation 18:9-10. ‘“And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously [luxuriously] with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, 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,”’” The overthrow of mystic Babylon will be by the combined action of the ten kings composing the empire of the beast. The other kings of the earth will lament over the ruin they were unable to avert. So intimate will be the connection of the corrupt system and the reigning powers that her sudden destruction will be a shock to thrones and states.
Revelation 18:11-19. “‘And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 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; and cinnamon, and odours [incense], and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves [bodies], and souls of men. 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. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, “Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked [gilded] with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 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, and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, “What city is like unto this great city!” 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.”’”
Such will be the outward pomp and splendour of mystic Babylon, so costly her vestments, so elaborate her ritual, so grand her buildings, so gorgeous her palaces, so vast the number of those employed and enriched by her, that her sudden ruin will affect the interests of the entire mercantile world; the shock will be felt on every exchange throughout the civilised earth.
Revelation 18:20. “‘Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.’” The response to this call will be found in chap. 19:1-4, where the innumerable multitude who come out of the great tribulation, together with the saints of the former dispensation, and the church of the first-born, all unite in giving God the glory for the judgment executed.
Revelation 18:21-23. “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. 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 [at all] in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; and the light of a candle [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 great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.’” When mystic Babylon falls, it will not be reformation nor reconstruction: her ruin will be complete; from henceforth nothing of a like character will have any existence. The instructions given by Jeremiah to Seraiah the prince, recorded in Jeremiah 51:63-64, are somewhat similar. There the stone was bound to the book of the prophecy, and cast into the Euphrates, to signify the fulfilment of the word on literal Babylon; here the angel casts the great stone into the sea, expressive of mystic Babylon’s violent and utter overthrow. No longer will the refinements of musical art be employed in her ritual, nor artistic skill be pressed into her service; no candle or lamp will shine on her altars, nor ceremonies be performed at them; her fascinations will have passed away forever.
Revelation 18:24. “‘And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.’” To the principle of religious intolerance, exemplified fully in mystic Babylon, is attributed the persecutions for conscience sake which have for ages stained the world with blood, beginning with righteous Abel, the first martyr. For in this case he who worshipped God in the simplicity of faith was slain by the inventor and originator of will-worship.