Babylon Is Fallen

 1After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory.2And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.3"For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality."4I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;5for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.


Verse 1___Another angel comes from the throne room of God. We recognize that the work done on earth starts in heaven. All the earth was illumined with His glory. He has an announcement.

Verse 2___Babylon is fallen!___ It probably isn't neceassary to review but I will mention once again that the historical Babylon had been gone for many centuries. Read this article: The Fall of Babylon.

It did happen just as Isaiah said it was going to happen centuries before.

Verse 3___Rome was responsible in part for the wickedness of other nations. She encouraged others to become wicked.

The same thing was said about Nineveh__Nauhm 3:4

  4All because of the many harlotries of the harlot,
         The charming one, the mistress of sorceries,
         Who sells nations by her harlotries
         And families by her sorceries.

We are told that the “Merchants of the earth” are involved. All those nations that trade with the Harlot and those who are “friends of Rome” will get theirs.

Verses 4-5___ This was the very cry that God used to call His people out of Babylon (Jeremiah 50:8; 51:6,9,45 and Isaiah 52:11). Those who were living in Babylon were beginning to take part in the Babylonian culture. As in ancient Babylon, Rome was corrupting the people of God.

Verses 6-23____________

6"Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her.7"To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.'8"For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong Lament for Babylon9"And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning,10standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'11"And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more--12cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble,13and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives.14"The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them.15"The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,16saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls;

 17for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!' And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance,18and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What city is like the great city?'19"And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!'20"Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her."

 21Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer.

 22"And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer;

 23and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.

 24"And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth."

Verses 6-23__here we are told why it is bad to be ungodly. One way or the other, one will reap what they sow, that is___he/she may reap what they sow as far as quality but very often they reap more that they sow as far as quantity.

Verse 7__The more she struts around, the more her pain.

I sit a queen and am no widow, and shall in no wise see mourning.

The proverb says: Keep your words few and sweet because you may have to eat them. Wasn't that good advice? These words are from Isaiah 47:8ff; Zephaniah 2:15. Assyria and Tyre thought they were big stuff and Babylon thought there was no match for her. But__tombs hold a lot of nations. Isaiah's picture of the king of Babylon going to the underworld to be greeted by other fallen nations makes for sober reading (Isaiah 14:3-23).

Verse 8___Because of her arrogance, her destruction will be complete. One moment glory, and the next, the stench of death.

Verses 9-10__ Many lived well because of the Queen of Whores. Now their living is gone.

Verse 11___This is more of the same. The “Merchants” made money and now their living is gone. They have lost their meal ticket.

Verses 12-14___

This verse is a real problem for those who wish to make “Babylon” something other than Rome. She is sitting on nations, ruling the kings of the earth in John's day, persecuting Christians and trades in a remarkable manner. Notice all the things mentioned in 12-14. This can be nothing else but Rome.

Verses 15-20

This entire sections reminds us of Ezekiel 27-28. This is why the Harlot is so popular. She made everyone around her rich. Alliances with her was money in the bank.

Verse 19__ We have already discussed her end. When using the term “one hour”__John means quickly and completely.

Verse 20___The fall of Rome is reason to rejoice in heaven. I am sure the persecuted saints wanted her dead thus God has judged your judgment on her.

Verses 21-23___There will be no revived Roman Empire. God forbids it.

She is dead forever. A great millstone was tied to her neck and thrown into the sea.

Verses 23-24______ The reason for this punishment, she killed the saints and the prophets.

by Lane Rogers