This chapter takes us back a bit in time before the harlot that we saw in Revelation 17 is destroyed by the ten horns. The reason we know this is because this is what we read in the middle of the chapter.

• Revelation 18:8
  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.
• It also says in the next verses after that:
• Revelation 18:9-10
  9 “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, 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.’
• This is the judgment of Babylon which we also saw in Revelation 17.
• But what is taking place in this chapter is that it is giving a bit more detail into the events leading up to the judgment of Babylon.
• And then it is also giving more detail about the judgment of Babylon itself.

The amount of verses that scripture gives to describing the fall of Babylon just shows us how significant Babylon is in the sight of God.

• It will be the most prominent power at the end of time.
• God’s people need to know that it will come to an end even though it may seem like it will continue on for another 1,000 years just like the dark ages.
• And it shows that Babylon is a greater threat than many of us believe. It is more dangerous and deceptive than we can imagine. Babylon is the great enemy of God and of humanity.

So let’s jump back to the beginning of Revelation 18.

Revelation 18:1
After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.

We see an angel come down from heaven with great authority. And the result is that the earth is illuminated with his glory.

The Angel with Great Authority

Who is this angel? He seems rather important because when he comes down he impacts the whole earth. We’ve seen a similar angel in Revelation before.

• Revelation 10:1
  I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
• A mighty angel sounds pretty similar to an angel with great authority. And we identified this angel in Revelation 10 to be Jesus.
• Yes, Jesus can be, and has been, called an angel before.
• Remember the word angel just means messenger.
• In Revelation 14, we see angels flying in the midst of heaven depicting human agencies aided by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel to the whole world.
• This time, the whole world is being lightened with the glory of God and it has to be a heavenly being because back in Revelation 18:1 we are told that he is coming down from heaven.

Another similarity between Revelation 10 and Revelation 18 is that this angel has the face that is like the sun. And in Revelation 18 the whole earth is illuminated with the glory of God.

The Whole Earth Illuminated

What does it mean when the whole earth is illuminated with the glory of God?

• What is God’s glory? It is His character.
• There will finally be a full revelation of God’s character to the whole world. And God’s character is found in scripture.
• So every part of the globe, every person, will have the gospel preached to them in full glory.
• Everyone will have an opportunity to make their choices in regards to their own salvation.
• Habakkuk 2:14
  For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
• There will be another flood, not by literal water. It will be a flood of the knowledge of God.
• Everyone will have the understanding of the knowledge of God’s glory.
• How? Because God’s people will be preaching everywhere as persecution arises. They will be running. But everywhere they run to, they will be sharing the good news of God’s character through the word and by the lives that they live.

But in order to fill the whole world with God’s glory, we need that authority and power from God that comes from heaven. What is that power?

• Acts 1:8
  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
• The power that God desires to give us before we can be witnesses for Him and to preach His word, is we need the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Before 3,000 were baptized on the day of Pentecost, the disciples and those in the upper room received the Holy Spirit. And we see this throughout the book of Acts.
• Peter, when he stood up to preach, foretold what would take place in the future.
  • Acts 2:16-18
    16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
• That didn’t take place 2000 years ago. Peter is talking about the future. How do we know?
  • Acts 2:19-20
    19 I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
• Remember the sun being turned into darkness and the moon becoming blood?
  • That was in Revelation 6, the sixth seal. That was just before the second coming of Jesus.
• So there will be another monumental outpouring of the Holy Spirit but in a greater measure, at the end of time.
• In Acts 2, 3000 were baptized. But at the end of time, the whole world will be filled with the glory of God.
• We need even more of the Holy Spirit than those that were in the upper room received.
• Before we can be preachers of any significance, we need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel gives some interesting detail that pulls together other parts of Revelation together concerning the event that we are currently looking at.

• Ezekiel 43:2
  And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory.
• We see the earth shining with the glory of God.
• However, we see that the glory of God of Israel came from the way of the east.
• Where have we seen the east in Revelation?
• Revelation 7:2
  Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God…
  • An angel comes from the east with the seal of God.
• So this situation in Revelation 18 is a parallel to what we have seen in Revelation 7.
• The time of the sealing is when the Holy Spirit is poured out to lighten the whole earth with God’s glory.

Revelation 18:2
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!

Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen

• This is a repeat of the second angel’s message in Revelation 14:8.
• You can see here that there are 2 falls to Babylon.
• Remember the first fall took place back in 1844. That was a moral fall.
• The second fall will be at the end of time just before the seven last plagues are poured out on the earth.
• The three angel’s messages are preached to the whole earth.
• The whole earth is lighted with the glory of God.
• The first angel’s message about fearing God and giving glory to Him is pushed to the ends of the earth.

What is the reason that Babylon has fallen?

• It has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison for every foul spirit.
• It sounds like demons have taken total control of Babylon and the events surrounding it. People have been totally influenced by demonic thoughts. Like the days of Noah, every thought is just evil continually.
• It sounds like the three unclean spirits that come out of the mouth of the dragon, beast and false prophet.
• Probation is about to close on this kingdom and the earth.

The next verse gives more detail about its fall.

Revelation 18:3
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.”

It is the second angel’s message continued.

• All nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
• The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.
• The union of church and state – two things that God cannot bless.

The merchants of the earth became rich through the abundance of her luxury.

• That’s economy. We see this in relation to the mark of the beast – no buying and selling. Many will receive the mark of the beast because they fear not having enough money.
• At the end of time, many people’s decisions are going to be based on how much money they earn or how much they have.

Revelation 18:4
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.

God makes a call to those that are in Babylon to come out of her.

• That means that probation has not closed yet. If probation had closed, that call would be useless as no one would heed it.
• There are still many in the fallen churches of Babylon. And they are called to come out. They have to separate themselves from her. They can’t be saved in that position. Their association with Babylon will cause them to be lost.
• The text says – lest you share in her sins and receive her plagues.
• Their only safety is found in coming out.

Lest you receive her plagues.

• This also shows that the plagues have not fallen yet. Probation is not closed yet.

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

What does it mean that her sins have reached to heaven?

• She has come to a point where God’s mercy can no longer work for her. Her cup of iniquity is now filled to the full.
• We have seen this in the past.
• Genesis 15:16
  But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
  • The Amorites were spared at that time because God said the iniquity of that kingdom was not yet complete. They still had a chance to repent.

God has remembered her iniquities.

• What a comforting thought to know that God does not allow sin to simply pass by unnoticed. God says that vengeance is His and He will repay.
• Hebrews 10:16-17
  16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
• What is it that causes God to not remember our sins and our iniquities?
  • If we experience that new covenant experience of the law being written in our hearts and minds.
• The problem with Babylon is that they have totally gone against the law of God. The MOB is in direct contrast to God’s law. That is why their sin has reached to heaven. Not only did they forget it but they caused the whole world to forget it as well.

Revelation 18:6-8
6 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. 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.’ 8 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.

Babylon will receive double punishment for what she has done – making the whole world drink of the wine of her fornication.

• It is one thing to sin and it affects yourself only.
• But when we sin and cause others to follow in our sins, we bear our own actions and also the sins of others.
• This is the reason for that double punishment.

She says in her heart that she sits as a queen will be no widow.

• She has a boast that the reign of church and state will last forever. That no one will be able to overcome her.
• But she will be mistaken. The plagues will come in one day.
• Total destruction.

Now we move on and the chapter takes a shift. We see the three main supporters of Babylon mourning for her.

• The kings.
• The merchants.
• The shipmasters.

Here’s the first group:

Revelation 18:9-10
9 “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, 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.’

It’s interesting that the kings of the earth weep and lament for her.

• In chapter 17, the kings of the earth are represented by the ten horns. And they are the ones that make her desolate. They are the ones that run on her and destroy her.
• But now we see this odd picture that they are crying for her.
• Why are they crying for her? We’re not really given any indication. But if I were a king, the reason I would be crying is that my power has been taken away. My rulership.

Now the next group.

Revelation 18:11-17
11 “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. 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, and you shall find them no more at all. 15 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! 17 For in one hour such great riches came to nothing…’

The merchants of the earth are crying and wailing for her. Why?

• Their economy has disappeared. It was Babylon that made them rich.
• There is listed a long list of all the different merchandise that enriched them. And that avenue of their livelihood has been dried up.
• What a long list of merchandise. It starts with gold and ends with the bodies and souls of men.

And the third group.

Revelation 18:17-19
… 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.’

The last group is the shipmasters – those who travelled and lived by sea.

• They also have been enriched by its support of spiritual Babylon. But now their wealth has disappeared because of her destruction.

So the kings of the earth.

• Political power.

And then the merchants and shipmasters of the earth.

• People that have to do with buying and selling.

These are the two factors that will play into the mark of the beast.

• Could it be that the reason why many people will be swept away with the mark of the beast is because they are given power or wealth?
• This is why they are all weeping. The power and wealth have been removed.

And there is one thing in common that we see throughout the description given here.

• And in one hour she is made desolate. Just like we saw in Revelation 17 that there was one hour, the last day events will be short.

But while these wicked people are weeping, what else is taking place?

Revelation 18:20
“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”

There are two groups:

• One that is weeping.
• One that is rejoicing.

Why is there rejoicing?

• The main cause of persecution has finally been removed.
• The prayers of the saints that were crying out from under the altar in Revelation 6 has finally been answered. God has avenged His people!

Revelation 18:21
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.

We are given similar imagery in Matthew.

• Matthew 18:6-7
  6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
• Babylon offended the little ones by causing the world to commit fornication with them. They led them into sin. So they will be cast into the midst of the sea.

Revelation 18:22-23
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. 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.

There will be no more music. No more craftsman, no more light, no more of the voice of the bridegroom and the bride.

• The word of God will no longer shine upon them.
• Probation has surely been closed.

By your sorcery all the nations were deceived.

• They deceived the world by spiritualism connected with false miracles.
• This is also related to making them drink of the wine of fornication – false doctrines.

All their hope will come to nothing!

Revelation 18:24
And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”

She is guilty of the blood of the prophets and the saints and all that were slain.

• This includes all the deaths beginning from the first death (Abel) to the end.
• If you look into who killed who throughout all ages, anyone who kills God’s people, in some way they have the mind of Babylon. It is the spirit of Satan or the synagogue of Satan.
• 1 John 2:18
  Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
• 1 John 3:12
  not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
• The spirit of antichrist has existed since the beginning.

So we see at the beginning the Holy Spirit in the form of the latter rain being poured out like in the days of the Pentecost in Acts 2.

• The whole earth is lightened with the glory of God.

Then we have the fall of Babylon.

And then the whole earth is mourning the fall of Babylon whilst the saints are rejoicing.