Reflection on Revelation 18

Revelation 17 records John's vision of Babylon the Great described as a prostitute, dressed herself richly, surrounded herself with luxury, seduced the world's kings, moved around the world on the back of the beast with seven heads. When she is amusing herself with violence toward the people of God, her partner, the beast, along with 10 kings, will suddenly turn against her and destroy her. While we can’t be sure where or how this will happen, God's judgment certainly will fall as one evil institution turns on the other.

Chapter 18 records the downfall of Babylon as a direct act of God's judgment. John sees another angel with great authority coming down from heaven. The angel's splendor illuminates the earth. He shouts his announcement with mighty voice, "Fallen, Fallen is Babylon the Great!" Against his heavenly radiant splendor, his message is deeply serious. He predicts Babylon will "become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable birds." Image the formerly opulent city overrun with scavengers, rats, and all sorts of vermin. The unclean animals mentioned here, forbidden for human consumption, point to the spiritual uncleanness of the city. The deserted Babylon also becomes a home for demons. This is the reality portray of the worldly splendor as the facade of its fake beauty crumbles.

Babylon the Great as a prostitute has three major clients, all nations, the kings and the merchants. "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 angel's indictment applies to all three groups, those who give themselves to power, achievement, acquisition or any loyalty other than God. God does not condemns people simply because their involvement in politics or commerce. He requires all believers to enjoy His provisions with a grateful heart, to recognize and reject the pull of this world to glorify and indulge self while ignoring Him. But people, rich or poor, can fall prey to greed in gaining power and wealth. How easy it is to glorify and seek what current culture upholds as valuable! The more we pursue, the more we'll find out we can’t be satisfied by the worldly stuff. The consumers will be consumed at the end.

While the worldly trust in wealthy and self, the godly trust in Christ. The godly ones will be warned constantly to avoid the dangers of sharing in Babylon's sins and her judgment. John penned down the warning, "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." God's loving purpose is not punitive, but protective. God always wants His people to separate themselves from worldly practices, to be holy. In this context, God is warning His people to flee the city so not to be destroyed with it. It seems this is the last call to come out of it before it is too late. We need to take in the message which directs us to separate ourselves from worldly temptations and attractions that would imprison our minds and hearts. We need to be ready to leave the city or the world anytime. It is not the right kind of place to linger. "For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes." God never forgets. When the Bible uses the word "remember," it means to call something to mind for the purpose of acting on it. God does not forever hold back judgment to extend mercy. God is patient with His enemies, waiting for their sins to "pile up to heaven," but when He judges, He does it suddenly and thoroughly.

God will "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." Final judgments were reserved for God, the Judge of all. Babylon must drink a double dose of the suffering and terror she cruelly handed out to others. Her final double judgment is just payment for her unrepented narcissism, delusion, corruption of the world and brutality to God's people. She will get "as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boast, ‘I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.’" She thinks she reigns, but this is never the case. Extremely severe judgments come to her who steadfastly refuses to repent. "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."

How will the world respond when Babylon falls and burns? There are three groups of mourners. The first group is "the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury." They are "terrified at her torment," but want to "stand far off and cry." They are not sorry for Babylon, only sorry for their own loss of profit from this lucrative city lying in waste. Rather than woe to themselves, they mourn or woe over her. "Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power!" They do not repent, but lament, "in one hour your doom has come." Their doom is near too.

The second group of mourners is "the merchants of the earth." Their sorrow is not for Babylon, but only for themselves because no one buys their cargoes anymore. Relentless pursuit of worldly gain corrupts people, narrowing their focus only to selfish interest. They do not repent, they "stand far off, terrified at her torment." They mourn over her, "the fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.... Woe! Woe, O great city, ... In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin."

John shows us a kind of cargo invoice, listing 28 commodities these merchants traded with Babylon. This exotic array of luxury items represents high-end trade. The last but most disturbing item on the list is the trading of "bodies and souls of men" as slaves. Pursuit of only wealth and pleasure diminishes respect for human life created in the image of God. Sadly human trafficking continues today as people place money and power above even the most basic human dignity.

The third group of mourners is the shipmasters, seafarers and sailors. The seaman throw dust on their heads in a traditional act of mourning, stand far off, add their lament, "Was there ever a city like this great city?... Woe! Woe, O great city, ...In one hour she has been brought to ruin!" This group also cries out glorious reversal, "Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you." The prayers of the martyred crying beneath the altar mentioned in chapter 6 and the others calling for vindication elsewhere will be answered. God hears His people's cry. God's people do not take pleasure in destruction and painful loss, but celebrate when God's will is done on earth, as it is in heaven. Believers rejoice when God exercises righteous judgment which satisfies His pure and perfect justice.

In the final section of this chapter, a mighty angel throws a boulder the size of a millstone into the sea. "With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be find again." John enumerates good things God gave humanity in His grace, lost now because of sin. In judgment, all God-given pleasures of common daily life will vanish. The enjoyment God intended in music and productive work will cease. The light of ordinary lamps will darken as God, the ultimate source of light, will remove it. Joyful brides and bridegrooms will be found nowhere in Babylon as God takes away the joy He provided in wedding and marriage. God's good gifts will never again be celebrated in the city. Those who loved the created things more than the Creator forfeit the pleasure they sought. Those who cherish possessions, comfort, achievement and status more than God Himself forfeit His benefits.

The angel unpacks the reasons for Babylon's destruction. First the "important people" in control of the economy and empire of Babylon will lead the nations astray. Second, this city will be guilty of shedding the innocent blood of God's holy people. The judgment of those who harm God's people is certain, is confirmed again. The judgment of God against His enemies is a stark contrast to the bright hope and certain deliverance awaiting those who follow Christ. The believers rejoice in the righteous justice of God as it is meted out.