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Ministry of Gates of Praise Ministries, Inc. Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2007/2008
| In-Depth Study of The Book of Revelation Chapter 18 By Rabbi Esther Boucher |
Verse 1 (Judgement)
After these things I saw another angel coming down
from heaven, having great authority, and the earth
was illuminated with his glory.
Having just been shown in chapter 17 the destruction of the
final manifestation of the Babylon anti-god religious system,
now a mighty angel comes to show John the ruination of the
Babylonian system's latter day metropolis, the commercial city
of the world. The great power and glory of the announcing
angel betokens the greatness of his proclamation.
Verse 2 (Judgement)
And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying,
“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has
become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every
foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated
bird!
This announcement speaks of a future event as already having
taken place. This was the method used in Isaiah 53 when the
prophet described the first advent of the Messiah as if already
accomplished. Thus he wrote 700 years before Christ. Here we
find the same basic language dealing with the fall of latter-day
Babylon. Babylon is destroyed by a sudden devastation by fire
at the time of the pouring out of the 7th bowl of wrath.
Verse 3
For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have
committed fornication with her, and the merchants of
the earth have become rich through the abundance of
her luxury.”
As in the case of the Great Harlot, the corruption of the system
which resides in this city has affected all nations. This city loves
Antichrist and Satan rather than the one true G-d. The
merchants are waxed rich speaks of the enormous commercial
enterprise which captivates this city. For all nations have drunk
of the wine. Wine affects the mind, the thinking processes, as
well as the emotions. Strong drink makes people desire what
they ought not to desire and it lulls to sleep many of their right
inclinations and cautions. It robs a person of his or her god-
ward inclinations for who has ever seen the drunken man who
both desired and was capable of Bible study and prayer? G-d's
word tells us that this city is ruining people around the globe.
This is the same system that pervades the Great Harlot False
Church.
Verse 4 (Judgement)
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come
out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and
lest you receive of her plagues.
Some of those who have turned to G-d have, as is evident from
the command remained in this city amid its evil system. The
incentive to obedience is that you be not partakers of her
plagues. The city is about to be judged. We learn in Cor. 6 that
G-d's will is that believers should not be equally yoked or joined
with unbelievers. Despite these and other commands professed
believers still today remain in churches shrouding their
disobedience in the claim that somehow they are doing good.
Verse 5 (Judgement)
For her sins have reached[b] to heaven, and God has
remembered her iniquities.
Here the word remembered (mnemonevo) means that G-d has
remembered them for judgement. This Babylonian-Antichrist
system has been in sin for so long that it seemed as if G-d had
forgotten it. The destruction of chapter 18 takes place at the
time of the 7th bowl near the end of the Tribulation.
Verse 6 (Judgement)
Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay
her double according to her works; in the cup which
she has mixed, mix double for her.
Shows us 3 doubles. G-d assures us by these words that despite
the delay, the eventual payment in judgement will more than
adequately repay her for her transgressions.
Verse 7
In the measure that she glorified herself and lived
luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment
and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen,
and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’
This wicked system has lived for a time in splendor with her
every whim gratified. Humanly speaking the collapse and doom
of this city could not be seen in the foreseeable future.
Verse 8 (Judgement)
Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death
and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly
burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who
judges her.
This constant calling of Babylon's judgement by the name plague
harmonizes perfectly with our finding that the city's final end
will culminate in the 7th bowl plague. The destruction will
come suddenly and its duration will be very brief-in one day. It
will be complete utter destruction and will take place by means
of fire.
Verse 9 (Remainder of chapter 18 now G-d's judgements)
“The kings of the earth who committed fornication
and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament
for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,
This city is destroyed with the outpouring of the 7th bowl which
occurs before the final end at Armageddon. Thus the wicked
rulers of the earth who have loved this city and its Antichrist
will have time to witness the fiery destruction that will engulf it.
Verse 10
standing at a distance for fear of her torment,
saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that
mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
The people of the world witness in terror and shock G-d's
sudden visitation upon this den of sin.
Verse 11-13
“And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn
over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore:
12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones
and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet,
every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of
ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood,
bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and
incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil,
fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and
chariots, and bodies and souls of men.
We are informed that the merchants of the earth will mourn at
the loss of this city, and then we are given a list of some of her
divers commodities. From this we see that Babylon has become
a world commercial center.
Verse 14
The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from
you, and all the things which are rich and splendid
have gone from you,[e] and you shall find them no
more at all.
The treasures of the wicked are gone. Sin deludes man into
thinking that by sin he can have treasure and joy for evermore.
Verse 15-16
The merchants of these things, who became rich by
her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment,
weeping and wailing, 16 and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that
great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and
scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones
and pearls!
The smoke and heat is so intense and the destruction so
complete that the mourners neither attempt to save the city nor
to salvage any of her treasures. Rather than be consumed they
prefer to weep from a distance.
Verse 17-19
For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’
Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and
as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18
and cried out when they saw the smoke of her
burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’ 19
“They threw dust on their heads and cried out,
weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that
great city, in which all who had ships on the sea
became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is
made desolate.’
These verses further accentuate to us the inordinate grief of
the shipmasters. Those fortunate enough to be out in the water
some distance from the city's harbors at the time of her doom
would see the flames and smoke for vast distances across the
waves.
Verse 20
“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles
and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
The sense of justice within the followers of G-d rejoices when
at last the unrepentant murderers and workers of sin come to
their rightful justice. 2 Pet. 2:4-14 tells us the time eventually
comes when those who hold to their love of sin must be judged.
Verse 21
Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great
millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus
with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown
down, and shall not be found anymore.
Picture a 300 pound stone being cast off a bridge into the sea.
It falls with increasing velocity, it strikes the water in a
tremendous splash, sinks and fades from sight as if gone and
forgotten at a trace forever. Many people are unaware of the
awesome methods of destruction that mortal man has created in
the last 20 years. They find it difficult to believe that a great
city...the most important city in this Tribulation Period, at a
population of millions will just suddenly disappear from the face
of the earth within one hour. Yet scientist tell us that if a
nuclear bomb were dropped about 100 miles off the shore of
California its impact would generate an 800 foot high tidal wave
that would not stop until it covered 1/3 of the U.S. Such a tidal
wave could conceivably kill as many as 40 million people.
Verse 22
The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and
trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No
craftsman of any craft shall be found in you
anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be
heard in you anymore.
Upon her demise all of those things associated with human
earthly joy will be gone.
Verse 23
The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore,
and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be
heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the
great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the
nations were deceived. It is made clear that Babylon
is the deceiver of the nations and G-d will smash it in
fury with fire from heaven.
Verse 24
And in her was found the blood of prophets and
saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”
Babylon will bring on its judgement by its own wickedness,
devoting itself completely to Satan and the Antichrist. G-d's
people will be slaughtered in this city in an attempt to
annihilate Christ and Christianity from the globe.
After these things I saw another angel coming down
from heaven, having great authority, and the earth
was illuminated with his glory.
Having just been shown in chapter 17 the destruction of the
final manifestation of the Babylon anti-god religious system,
now a mighty angel comes to show John the ruination of the
Babylonian system's latter day metropolis, the commercial city
of the world. The great power and glory of the announcing
angel betokens the greatness of his proclamation.
Verse 2 (Judgement)
And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying,
“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has
become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every
foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated
bird!
This announcement speaks of a future event as already having
taken place. This was the method used in Isaiah 53 when the
prophet described the first advent of the Messiah as if already
accomplished. Thus he wrote 700 years before Christ. Here we
find the same basic language dealing with the fall of latter-day
Babylon. Babylon is destroyed by a sudden devastation by fire
at the time of the pouring out of the 7th bowl of wrath.
Verse 3
For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have
committed fornication with her, and the merchants of
the earth have become rich through the abundance of
her luxury.”
As in the case of the Great Harlot, the corruption of the system
which resides in this city has affected all nations. This city loves
Antichrist and Satan rather than the one true G-d. The
merchants are waxed rich speaks of the enormous commercial
enterprise which captivates this city. For all nations have drunk
of the wine. Wine affects the mind, the thinking processes, as
well as the emotions. Strong drink makes people desire what
they ought not to desire and it lulls to sleep many of their right
inclinations and cautions. It robs a person of his or her god-
ward inclinations for who has ever seen the drunken man who
both desired and was capable of Bible study and prayer? G-d's
word tells us that this city is ruining people around the globe.
This is the same system that pervades the Great Harlot False
Church.
Verse 4 (Judgement)
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come
out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and
lest you receive of her plagues.
Some of those who have turned to G-d have, as is evident from
the command remained in this city amid its evil system. The
incentive to obedience is that you be not partakers of her
plagues. The city is about to be judged. We learn in Cor. 6 that
G-d's will is that believers should not be equally yoked or joined
with unbelievers. Despite these and other commands professed
believers still today remain in churches shrouding their
disobedience in the claim that somehow they are doing good.
Verse 5 (Judgement)
For her sins have reached[b] to heaven, and God has
remembered her iniquities.
Here the word remembered (mnemonevo) means that G-d has
remembered them for judgement. This Babylonian-Antichrist
system has been in sin for so long that it seemed as if G-d had
forgotten it. The destruction of chapter 18 takes place at the
time of the 7th bowl near the end of the Tribulation.
Verse 6 (Judgement)
Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay
her double according to her works; in the cup which
she has mixed, mix double for her.
Shows us 3 doubles. G-d assures us by these words that despite
the delay, the eventual payment in judgement will more than
adequately repay her for her transgressions.
Verse 7
In the measure that she glorified herself and lived
luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment
and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen,
and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’
This wicked system has lived for a time in splendor with her
every whim gratified. Humanly speaking the collapse and doom
of this city could not be seen in the foreseeable future.
Verse 8 (Judgement)
Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death
and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly
burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who
judges her.
This constant calling of Babylon's judgement by the name plague
harmonizes perfectly with our finding that the city's final end
will culminate in the 7th bowl plague. The destruction will
come suddenly and its duration will be very brief-in one day. It
will be complete utter destruction and will take place by means
of fire.
Verse 9 (Remainder of chapter 18 now G-d's judgements)
“The kings of the earth who committed fornication
and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament
for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,
This city is destroyed with the outpouring of the 7th bowl which
occurs before the final end at Armageddon. Thus the wicked
rulers of the earth who have loved this city and its Antichrist
will have time to witness the fiery destruction that will engulf it.
Verse 10
standing at a distance for fear of her torment,
saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that
mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
The people of the world witness in terror and shock G-d's
sudden visitation upon this den of sin.
Verse 11-13
“And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn
over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore:
12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones
and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet,
every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of
ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood,
bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and
incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil,
fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and
chariots, and bodies and souls of men.
We are informed that the merchants of the earth will mourn at
the loss of this city, and then we are given a list of some of her
divers commodities. From this we see that Babylon has become
a world commercial center.
Verse 14
The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from
you, and all the things which are rich and splendid
have gone from you,[e] and you shall find them no
more at all.
The treasures of the wicked are gone. Sin deludes man into
thinking that by sin he can have treasure and joy for evermore.
Verse 15-16
The merchants of these things, who became rich by
her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment,
weeping and wailing, 16 and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that
great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and
scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones
and pearls!
The smoke and heat is so intense and the destruction so
complete that the mourners neither attempt to save the city nor
to salvage any of her treasures. Rather than be consumed they
prefer to weep from a distance.
Verse 17-19
For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’
Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and
as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18
and cried out when they saw the smoke of her
burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’ 19
“They threw dust on their heads and cried out,
weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that
great city, in which all who had ships on the sea
became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is
made desolate.’
These verses further accentuate to us the inordinate grief of
the shipmasters. Those fortunate enough to be out in the water
some distance from the city's harbors at the time of her doom
would see the flames and smoke for vast distances across the
waves.
Verse 20
“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles
and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
The sense of justice within the followers of G-d rejoices when
at last the unrepentant murderers and workers of sin come to
their rightful justice. 2 Pet. 2:4-14 tells us the time eventually
comes when those who hold to their love of sin must be judged.
Verse 21
Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great
millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus
with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown
down, and shall not be found anymore.
Picture a 300 pound stone being cast off a bridge into the sea.
It falls with increasing velocity, it strikes the water in a
tremendous splash, sinks and fades from sight as if gone and
forgotten at a trace forever. Many people are unaware of the
awesome methods of destruction that mortal man has created in
the last 20 years. They find it difficult to believe that a great
city...the most important city in this Tribulation Period, at a
population of millions will just suddenly disappear from the face
of the earth within one hour. Yet scientist tell us that if a
nuclear bomb were dropped about 100 miles off the shore of
California its impact would generate an 800 foot high tidal wave
that would not stop until it covered 1/3 of the U.S. Such a tidal
wave could conceivably kill as many as 40 million people.
Verse 22
The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and
trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No
craftsman of any craft shall be found in you
anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be
heard in you anymore.
Upon her demise all of those things associated with human
earthly joy will be gone.
Verse 23
The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore,
and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be
heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the
great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the
nations were deceived. It is made clear that Babylon
is the deceiver of the nations and G-d will smash it in
fury with fire from heaven.
Verse 24
And in her was found the blood of prophets and
saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”
Babylon will bring on its judgement by its own wickedness,
devoting itself completely to Satan and the Antichrist. G-d's
people will be slaughtered in this city in an attempt to
annihilate Christ and Christianity from the globe.
