EIGHT CHAPTERS
EXPLAINING THE SPIRITUAL BATTLES, PEOPLE,
AND EVENTS OF THE GREAT
TRIBULATION TO THE RETURN OF
KING JESUS TO RULE THIS
EARTH:
PART VIII: BABYLON THE
GREAT, THE ANTICHRIST’S CAPITAL CITY,
WILL BE JUDGED BECAUSE
OF ITS PRIDE, GREED,
AND HATRED TOWARD
YAHWEH’S TRUTH AND HIS PEOPLE
Revelation 18:1 –
19:5
As taught by Dave
Lindstrom
I. From the courts of heaven, an
authoritative angel is sent to explain Yahweh’s reasons for
Babylon the Great’s final judgment (Revelation 18:1-8).
A. After seeing the future destruction
of the Antichrist’s false religion in Revelation 17:16 as well as
the future start of the Antichrist’s capital city’s internal
collapse of power in Revelation 17:12-18, the Apostle John is now
shown the future annihilation of the city itself (Rev. 18:1-3).
1. He is given this information by an
angel who has been heavenly authorized, is so bright that it
lightens the earth, and who speaks with a mighty voice (verses 1,
2a).
2. The angel pronounces judgment on
the city of Babylon the Great which was similar to Old Testament
prophecies found in Isaiah 21:9 and Isaiah 13:20-22. Just like the
Babylon of the Old Testament which worshipped foreign idols and
demons was destroyed in 539 B.C. so will the future capital city
of the Antichrist be destroyed (verse 2).
3. Babylon the Great has led the
nations into sexual immorality with its false religion (Rev.
13:11-18, Rev. 17:1-8), has led the kings of the earth into
immorality with her (Rev. 16:12-16,
Rev. 17:12-14), and has led the
merchants of the earth into its greedy ways (verse 3).
B. Another voice from heaven calls
Yahweh’s people out of the Antichrist’s capital city before its
final judgment and exposes the city’s prideful heart (Rev.
18:4-8).
1. We know that the angels found in
Revelation 14:8-11 had a similar message as this earlier in the
Great Tribulation (last 3 ½ years of Daniel’s 70th
week). Also, other Old Testament passages found in Isaiah 48:20,
52:11; Jeremiah 50:8, 51:6-45 and Zechariah 2:6-7 have similar
messages of Yahweh calling out His people for their protection
(verse 4).
2. The sins of Babylon the Great are
heaped high as heaven (Jeremiah 51:9) and the transgressions are
now remembered (instead of delayed because of mercy) by judgment
(Psalm 25:7, 137:7). Sins of blatant greed, deceit, and
non-repentance many times demanded double payment in the Old
Testament (Exodus 22:4-9, Isaiah 40:2, Jeremiah 16:18) (verses 5, 6).
3. Babylon the Great glorified
herself instead of Yahweh, lived in luxury, and had an overall
prideful and arrogant attitude and so will be judged to the full
by Yahweh. The plagues of the trumpet and bowl judgments will be
released during the Great Tribulation to fulfill this (verses 7, 8;
Isaiah 47:7-11, Revelation
8:6-19:21).
THOUGHT: Are we
allowing ourselves as Christians to be captured by the same attitudes
or sins as Babylon the Great? Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 with the
insights that you have been given in
Revelation 18:1-8.
II. The kings of the earth, the
merchants of the earth, and those whose trade is from the sea mourn
or lament the loss of Babylon the Great. They are at places away
from the city but see it burning up with large amounts of smoke
(Revelation 18:9-19).
A. A “lament” is a style of
writing which complains or mourns the loss of something. It can be
a poem, a song, or dirge and its main goal is to express emotion as
well as information. The Old Testament contains many writings of
lament including many of the Psalms and the book of Lamentations.
This section of Rev. 18:9-19 has many similarities to the lament
for Tyre found in Ezekiel 27:1 – 28:19.
B. The kings of the earth include the
ten kings which gave their authority to the Antichrist (Rev. 17:12)
as well as the kings from the east that were summoned by demonic
spirits for the great battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16:12-16). They
partnered with the capital city’s false religion of the Antichrist
and made each of them rich because it demanded a mark allowing
buying and selling of goods
(Rev. 13:11-18). Evidently, the
capital city was the base of operations for all of this (verses 9,
10; Ezekiel 27:35).
C. The merchants of the earth were
able to sell and trade the most high-priced goods in the capital city
of Babylon the Great. These included precious metals and stones
(gold, silver, jewels, and pearls), high- priced cloth (fine linen,
purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth), high-priced artistic and
building supplies (scented wood, ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron,
and marble), spices and perfumes (cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh,
frankincense), food items (wine, oil, fine flour, wheat), and finally
farm goods and services (cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and human
slaves). Evidently, luxury at any cost (even increasing human
slavery) will be the norm for the time of the Great Tribulation
(verses 11-17a; Ezekiel 27:27, 36).
D. The traders from the sea grew rich
by their trade with the capital city and seem the most grieved out of
the bunch by mourning with dust on their head (verse 17b; Ezekiel
27:29).
THOUGHT: Meditate on
Christ’s beatitudes found in Matthew 5:2-11 in light of the things
and people of Babylon the Great in Revelation 18:9-19.
III. The saints, apostles, and prophets
in heaven are urged to rejoice over Yahweh’s perfect justice being
fulfilled and the knowledge that this will quickly bring restoration
and Christ’s return to this earth (Revelation 18:20 – 19:5).
A. This is the only place in the book
of Revelation where the word “apostles” is used except Rev.
21:14. Saints seem to include believers in Yahweh in the Old, New,
and Tribulation time periods (Rev. 11:18, 14:12), apostles usually
are those sent by Jesus to start the church (Luke 11:49; Eph. 2:20; 2
Peter 3:2), and prophets could include Old, New, and Tribulation
time period spokespeople for Yahweh (Luke 8:19; Romans 12:6; Ephesians
3:5). Each group is encouraged to rejoice over Yahweh’s true
justice that has been delayed up until now (verse 20; Rom. 12:19;
Rev. 6:10, 11).
B. The third and last mighty angel of
Revelation (Rev. 5:2, 10:1, 2) throws a large (thousands of pounds,
Mark 9:42) millstone into the sea. This symbolized Babylon the
Greats final destruction never to rise to power again (similar to
Jer. 51:63, 64). No music, productive activity, or regular life will
ever come from her again because they deceived nations through
demonic activity (magic potions) and killed Yahweh’s servants
(verses 21-24).
C. The Hallelu-Yah chorus is heard in
heaven! The only place in the New Testament where the Old
Testament Hebrew word Hallelu-Yah (Praise Yahweh) is used is in
Revelation 19:1-6. It is used extensively in Psalm 113-118 and
146-150. The only other occurrence of the great multitude is found
in Revelation 7:9 which according to the pre-wrath rapture view are
the raptured New Testament saints in heaven along with the redeemed
believers of all time! The great multitude cries out Hallelu-Yah
twice and the 24 elders (angels) and the 4 living creatures
surrounding Yahweh’s throne cry out Amen! (so be it!)
Hallelu-Yah! (Rev. 19:1-5).
