Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. “After these
things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great
authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory.
Chapter 17 records the close of the “Great
Tribulation,” an event that is future to this present time. The end
of our world system is viewed from a different perspective in Chapter
18 – This segment takes a look at the grief of those who will miss
that system and long for the luxuries it shares with those who embrace
it (verses 9 through 19). At the same time, the beginning of a new
way of life has its onset in this chapter, as we see “another
angel” come down from heaven.
Note again that God gives considerable authority
to those of His creation. The angel (messenger) is given “GREAT
authority;” and “GLORY” (honor,
splendor), to the extent that the whole earth is lit by him. Now,
this angel could be the Lord Himself, but he really is simply a
messenger, and God will indeed impart great authority and honor to
those who love Him. Remember that Jesus said “YOU
(who trust in Him) are the light of the world”
(Matthew 5:14).
Verse 2. “And 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.’”
This verse is reminiscent of Isaiah 21:9 – “Babylon
is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath
broken unto the ground.” The power behind the “graven
images” of that verse in Isaiah consists of the “demons”
and “unclean spirits” of this one.
Note that the events in these verses are in the future, and yet this
verse is in the past tense – All this is predetermined by God, who
does not live in space and time, but sees everything from the
perspective of eternity.
The voice of the angel is truly “mighty”
because he cries out on behalf of God. “Babylon”
is not only a place, but also a composite set of humanistic systems
which includes our religious thought, political ideas, economic
schemes, and godless attempts at social justice. This system has
attempted to exclude the true God from the beginning – If you embrace
such schemes, you can see in this verse what you are inviting into
your life. Most important, note that “Babylon”
is doomed, and so is everyone who embraces “her.”
Verse 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.”
Observe that “all”
the nations in the world, throughout history and in the present time,
have “drunk” of this “immorality.”
There is no such thing as a nation that pleases God, nor has there
ever been, and it is not going to happen. The same can be said for
our societies, theories of government, and yes, our attempts to form
religions. When David said, “You do not
desire sacrifice, or else I would give it” (Psalm 51:16), he
was speaking to God of our religious observances. He went on, “The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart –
These, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). God wants
our hearts; not our cleverness in building systems that purport to be
good, but are not.
Note that the “kings”
and their “nations” and the “merchants”
who are in them, acquire great wealth through the “harlot”
of these verses. Those who place material advantage first will often
acquire much, but the goods and money obtained will be lost, because
the power behind the systems of this world will be destroyed, “for
the Lord God who judges her is strong” (Revelation 18:8).
Place your trust in the Lord now, or otherwise, you will lose –
Everything!
Verse 4. “I 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;’”
“Come out of her.”
This is a message from the Holy Spirit to the people of God; to us who
love Him, both now and during the time of trouble that is to come. We
are to turn away from the demonic societies of this world. We are to
come out of selfishness, out of the covetousness, pride and deceit
that fills the self-centered humanism of this race of beings we call
“humanity.” Every sin brings a plague, and God wants to deliver us
from our sorrow.
Note that God is not commanding us to literally
come out of this world. He is not insisting that we all quit our
jobs, close our bank accounts and move to a desert island. Instead,
we are to quit trusting in humanity and in its place look to God. He
will lead you. His Holy Spirit is eminently qualified for the job,
and in receiving Christ as Your Savior, you are given the “ear”
needed in order to “hear” His Spirit.
“Come out of her” means to stop
looking to yourself and instead place your faith in the Lord.
Verse 5. “for her sins
have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her
iniquities.”
Those who refuse to place their faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ are led by the “harlot”
of these verses. They may not know it, but they are led by “her.”
Many theologians, philosophers and other scholars deny that “sin”
even exists, for they deny God, and in so doing, promote the “harlot”
of these verses. There are many wrongs done in this world, but as
David observed so long ago, all sin is against God (Psalm 51:4). Our
sin hurts Him personally, our rejection of Him is painful, and He
remembers.
There’s an old saying: “One
sin leads to another” and that’s the problem expressed in and
by these verses. Those in this world want to do it “My
Way,” as we heard in the old Frank Sinatra song. We have
wanted riches, long life, health, fame and more, and there is the fear
that trusting in the Lord will interfere with MY plans. Actually,
just as the Lord has given much to the angel in verse 1, He has in
mind “authority” and “glory”
for you, also. He loves you and intends to give you EVERYTHING, if
you simply TRUST in Him. He’s much better at your happiness than you
are, anyway.
Verse 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.”
There is a price for everything. Sin costs the
sinner, and it is costly to the one who is harmed by that sin. The
One who has been harmed most by your sins and mine is God Himself
(Psalm 51:4). He has a clear plan, a blueprint that would lead every
person who has ever lived on this planet to Christ. Our sins “muddy
the waters,” making it unclear to others just WHAT the truth really
is. God is not pleased with our sin and there is a “payback” for all
that is done.
If you seek personal gain at all cost, you might
succeed, but someone else may NOT succeed because you have stepped
over them in order to get where you are. Yes, God can use all things
for good, even the evils committed within humanity (Romans 8:28), but
our sins cause confusion - Much trouble in the world is blamed on God,
when it actually was caused by human greed. This “woman”
who represents humanity without Christ, will receive “double”
for sin and “she” will have no
remedy. However, God has provided a Way, and His Name is Jesus Christ
– HE (Jesus) received “DOUBLE” for our
sins, and the debt is paid when you trust in Him.
Verse 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.’”
The “harlot” that
we have been looking at in these verses, is a collective entity, a
“person” that consists of many people, and “she”
also represents the demonic system that is behind much of the trouble
on this earth. “She” regards herself
as a “queen” – “She” is obsessed with herself and regards herself highly. Note her
statement, “I am not a widow,”
indicating “her” denial that sorrow
will come to her. “She” continues, “I…
will never see mourning.”
You can see this attitude all over humanity, and
it is why sickness and death are such a shock to us when they come. “Positive
thinking” can be good and Paul the Apostle encourages us to do
just that in Philippians 4:8-9. But it can also become an obsessive
denial of reality, for all die and the humanistic systems of this
world will be no more. Acute and chronic problems in life are allowed
by God, in order that we might see our need to trust in Him, and death
shows us the utter finality of our need. We need to turn to Him now,
while we can!
Verse 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.”
If the fire is hot enough, it will destroy
everything on this earth. The only real exception is when God
intervenes as He did for Daniel’s three friends in Daniel Chapter 3.
King Nebuchadnezzar, who had ordered their execution by fire,
understood that a hotter fire will do a more thorough job, and so when
the “Hebrew children” were still alive, he ordered the guards to turn
up the heat. The effort failed and the men lived because God made it
so.
But when GOD turns up the heat, nothing, indeed
no one can withstand Him, for, as this verse correctly states, “The
Lord God who judges her (and you and me) is
strong.” The people on earth who have
rejected the Lord, as represented by the imagery of the “harlot”
in these verses, will experience plagues such as pestilence, mourning,
famine and destruction by fire, in a last effort that some may at last
turn to God because of their suffering and be rescued from sin.
Verse 9. “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,”
It has been thought by some that the suddenness
of the destruction of the “harlot” may
be explained by the phrase, “the smoke of her
burning.” That is, the great center of power on this earth
will be destroyed suddenly by a nuclear explosion. That may be true.
Unfortunately we would have to be there, in order to know for sure.
Certainly SOMETHING precipitates the sudden,
utter collapse of the world’s economic system, but then we have seen
historically that an economic depression can come in a moment and ruin
the world’s economy, as in the collapse of 1929. There were many rich
men in early 1929, who were jumping out of windows to their death in
1930. The loss of riches will cause most to “weep
and lament.” But we need infinitely more than money – We need
the Lord.
Verse 10. “standing 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.’”
There are at least two ways of looking at this
verse. The given in these verses is that the political, economic and
yes, the religious power in the world will be suddenly and utterly
destroyed at the end of the “Tribulation” period. It may be that a
thermonuclear exchange (or possibly merely an attack) will occur,
which might explain why the “kings of the
earth” are “standing at a distance.”
On the other hand, almost ALL people on earth
look to human authority and are afraid in relation to it. Most will
drive their cars slower when a police car is behind them. This “Babylon”
(God’s viewpoint of the power structures within humanity) has been in
utter control of the world, and when that power has collapsed for
whatever reason, people will be afraid because of its fall. Their
money will be worthless and they will not know what to do.
Verse 11. “And the
merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys
their cargoes any more—”
This verse speaks of economic collapse. If you
think about the economies of this planet, they are based on “value.”
A loaf of bread is considered to have value because it cost so many
dollars (or euros or whatever) to produce it. The wheat has to be
grown, packaging must be provided, and so on. Logic takes us to such
a conclusion, but it is actually an erroneous idea. Nothing on this
planet has any value at all, except that people decide it does.
A loaf of bread actually has no value at all,
except that we pretend it has a certain worth that varies from
day-to-day. This worldwide pretense makes the economic systems –
Work! If we don’t pretend that goods have a certain value, no one
would pay for them. All must pretend even to themselves that money
has value or no one would use it, except possibly as kindling that
will light fires to keep us warm. At the time of this verse the
pretense is over, for the economy is ruined – forever.
Verse 12. “cargoes 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,”
Just like that loaf of bread in the preceding
verse, the gold of this world actually has no value at all. It is
just pieces of rock with a low melting point that historically have
been easy for craftsmen to form into jewelry. When it melts, it
typically has a pretty yellow color that people like and so we
consider it valuable when it has been formed into clever shapes.
The same is true of silver, precious gems, the
pearls formed by oysters, and our linen and other cloths, along with
the dyes used on them – They only have value because we pretend they
do. Trees are pretty much everywhere, and the wood from them would be
free, except that most people don’t understand the process of securing
and fashioning it into homes and other structures. It’s the same with
ivory taken from the body of an elephant and the other materials of
this verse.
Verse 13. “and 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.”
An economic theory called “supply
and demand” is much of the source of what is called “value” in
this world. Commodities such as cinnamon and other spices have grown
wild since the beginning, but the relative inaccessibility of them has
caused value to be placed on the efforts expended in obtaining and
refining them for use. The less there is available of the product,
the more it costs at the store. The same is true for the other
spices, fragrances, liquors, oils and other products named in this
verse.
Actually, God owns all the cattle in the world,
along with everything else (Psalm 50:9-11). Slavery is certainly in a
category all by itself and the practice cannot be defended, though
many have tried to do so down through the centuries. Slavery is
actually widespread in the world at this time, as it always has been.
Children disappear in major and minor cities, often to reappear in a
“harem” or some such setting in another part of the world. It is
amazing that if something will turn a profit, someone will traffic in
it – The good news is that all of this will be over soon.
Verse 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.”
So much of what we call “luxurious,”
or “splendid,” or “valuable,” has no
lasting worth, and passes away all too quickly for those who love such
items. A lot of the supply of vanilla beans that form the basis of
vanilla flavoring comes from the island of Madagascar, off the east
coast of Africa. Recently, storms have wiped out a lot of the vanilla
bean fields in that place, making the cost of vanilla rise sharply.
Soon, products that we take for granted in our
“modern” world, considered “luxurious and
splendid” items, will
“have passed away from you and men will no longer find them.”
If those in affluent countries gave up buying and using these “luxurious
and splendid items,” many in the world who go to bed hungry
every night, could instead be fed every day. God is well aware that
some have too much and others have far too little.
Verse 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,”
This verse is similar to verse 10, where “kings
of the earth” will be “standing at a
distance because of the fear of her
(the “harlot’s”) torment”. In
this verse, of course, it’s the merchants themselves, the buyers and
sellers or raw and finished materials who will be knocked right out of
business by the economic cataclysm that is to come. The transporters
of these goods will also be “hit”, as we will see in verse 17.
They will “stand at a
distance” due to the fear induced in them by the devastating
events of these verses, and they will literally weep and mourn because
they won’t be able to make a profit anymore. It IS difficult to go
from a higher income to a lower income, and it is hard to lose
everything. Note that NOTHING you possess will go with you into
eternity, and many will weep and mourn at that time. As Jesus said, “lay
up” your “treasures in heaven”
(Matthew 6:19-20) for nothing on this earth will last.
Verse 16. “saying,
‘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;’”
In these verses, we are seeing – Ourselves – From
the perspective of God’s holiness and His love. He is painting an
unflattering portrait, but through this “voice
from heaven” (verse 4) and the writing of John the Apostle, we
are being allowed to see both the desires and the problem of
humanity. We want to be well thought of; to appear successful and be
admired by others. We have fallen into concerns about ourselves and
our appearance, when we should have a heart for God, filled with His
love.
God’s holiness will not allow us to continue in
our deception, in which we even fool ourselves that we are something
we’re not. We would be “clothed in fine
linen” of the soul, adorned in the “purple
and scarlet” of royalty, covered with precious gems. And yet,
our deception is ugly, as is our preoccupation with self. The Lord is
telling it as it is, and He has set us free in Jesus Christ to become
innocent, pure and beautiful in His sight. We only need to look away
from obsessively regarding ourselves and trust in Him, who will fill
us with His love.
Verse 17. “‘for 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,”
In this verse, we see those who transport the
goods and services of this world – They will be ASTONISHED when the
economy of this world is destroyed. What is the REAL value of wealth,
of money, by the way? Actually – Nothing! It’s literally not worth
the paper it’s printed on. How can we compare “the
riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:27) which has
infinite value, to the “wealth” of
this world? – There is no comparison at all! Eternity will be
beautiful for those who view it. The building stones, the paving
materials will be composed of precious gems and fine gold (Revelation
21:18 & context).
But all the goods ever transported or seen are
irrelevant when you compare them to the time when we will see the face
of the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb of God (Revelation 21:22 &
context). Do you want lasting value? Then look to the Lord, who has
everything you ever thought about and more, including that which is
priceless like true love, joy, and peace. Most of all, you can have
Him who died for you and me, the source of all that is wholesome and
good – Forever!
Verse 18. “and were
crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is
like the great city?’”
It is so hard to lose – Everything! And yet,
this “city,” which is a parable, a
representation of all that is in this world, everything that we look
to for sustenance; is going to end! The economy of this world will
collapse – For good! All political systems, all forms of government
will be no more. The various religions we look to for comfort will be
gone, but for us who love the Lord, they will be replaced by
something, Someone – Infinitely Better!
“What city is like the
great city?” they will call out. And the answer is: There is
another “city” called the “holy
city,” the “New Jerusalem,”
which we will glimpse in Revelation 21:1 and context. That “city”
is more than a place; it is also a parable of the people of God. We
see “her” in Revelation 21:9-10, where
it is also called “The bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
To become a part of that better city, give up trusting in this world
and place your faith in the Lamb, the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Verse 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!’”
Here is a great reason in these verses why you
should fully, head-over-heels, place your trust in the Lord Jesus
Christ – Yes, He is worthy of your trust, and yes, He loves you
without limit, even to the extent that if you were the only sinner in
the whole world, He would have died just for you! But there is this
also, and it is based in logic, the kind of logic that a thinking
person will appreciate:
You want good things to happen! We all do. Even
more, we want LASTING good things and the good feelings that come from
them. From that perspective, take note of these verses. Nothing of
this world will last. All the “riches” of this place will be gone,
within a space of just “one hour.”
But “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today and forever!” (Hebrews 13:8). He intends to give ALL to
you, including Himself, and what He gives can NEVER be “laid
waste.” A short term investment is never as good as the one
that will last; therefore TRUST in the Lord!
Verse 20. “Rejoice over
her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God
has pronounced judgment for you against her.”
It’s easier to understand this verse when you
consider the direct audience of the time it was written. The Jewish
Christians of this time (likely 95 AD), were under terrible
persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ. Domitian was the Caesar
and he was the first Caesar to DEMAND worship as a “god” while he was
still alive. The Romans were strongly turning against Christians, and
the Jews hated these “Followers of the Way” or “Nazarenes,” as the
early Christians were called. Those persecuted Christians REJOICED
(as we should) at this glimpse of God’s ultimate victory over sin.
This verse also has a different quality because
it reveals something of the character and purposes of God. At the
time of this verse, which is still future to us, all in the world will
have had ample opportunity to receive Him as Savior and Lord. When
God pronounces final judgment on a being, it is because they utterly
and finally have chosen to remain selfish and refuse all redemption.
The “her” of these verses is a group
of people that has deliberately chosen to bring harm to others, and “she”
would continue to do so for all eternity, if allowed. We will rejoice
at the judgment of God because “her”
selfishness will be eliminated from this world. His judgment is our
rescue from sin.
Verse
21. “Then 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.’”
God uses rich
imagery, telling us 1) the way He sees us and 2) what He wants. Men
placed a huge stone over the rich man’s tomb which was given to Jesus,
expecting that, as a dead Man, He would remain inside and not bother
them any more. But they “found the stone
rolled away from the tomb” (Luke 24:1). Nothing of this earth
or anywhere else will ever contain the Lord, except for that brief
time in the tomb when it was decreed by the Father.
Not so for the
enemy or his people. At the time appointed in future history, those
who refuse faith in God will be like a “great
millstone” … “thrown down”
suddenly and with great “violence.”
After that time this “Babylon…
will not be found any longer.” When
God acts at the end of history, it will all be over. The “sea”
into which “Babylon”
is thrown, may refer to people as in Revelation 17:15, but it is not
necessary to draw that conclusion for an understanding of this verse.
The point is the suddenness with which our earthly systems (“Babylon”)
will end.
Verse
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;”
It’s interesting
that in the Book of Genesis, it was the line of Cain that was the
first to develop technology, such as the building of cities (Genesis
4:17), creating tents and the domesticating of livestock (Genesis
4:20). They invented musical instruments (4:21), worked metals for
the first time (4:22), endorsed polygamy (4:23) and established rules
for vengeance (4:23-24).
There is nothing
wrong per se with such activities (except for polygamy and vengeance),
and technology has brought much good to the world. It has also
allowed much evil. It isn’t scientific advancement that is the
problem, but the difficulty with humanity has been in the heart.
Instead of seeking God in what is accomplished, the “harlot”
or “Babylon”
of these verses has proudly defied Him by doing it all in “her”
own strength.
Verse
23. “and 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.”
Much has been
given to mankind. The technology to produce a light bulb was God’s
gift. “Light” in Scripture often
refers to understanding, and He has allowed much understanding in this
world. Marriage is His invention and He has encouraged it as the
method of entry into this world, weaving the prospect of joy into
every phase of the family. But every gift carries with it the
potential for selfish use, if the recipient of that gift is themselves
self-seeking.
Such has been the
case with all humanity. God has given much and we have mostly refused
His love. The “Babylon”
of these verses represents the power structure of this planet, and all
too often that power has been used to promote self and harm others.
We will see in the next verse, the GROUND for God’s destruction of
this world order: As a race, humans are “sorcerers” in His sight,
deceiving themselves that somehow “good” has been done. But do you
detect the sadness in this verse? - He loves us all and is slow to
cast the sinner from His sight.
Verse
24. “And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of
all who have been slain on the earth.”
God has been
sending His people to others in humanity, telling them of His
concerns, since the beginning of time. “Prophets”
are those who have been revealing to us God’s heart and love for
mankind. “Watch out,” they have been telling us, “You are headed down
the wrong road – The Bridge is out! Destruction will come!” And for
centuries, God’s prophets have been murdered by those who do not wish
to hear (Hebrews 11:32-38). “Saints”
are simply those who have placed their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ
and are willing to let others know they love Him. “Saints”
are ordinary people, like those in Rome of 2000 years ago (Romans
1:7).
Subconsciously,
unbelievers know the truth. That’s what Paul said in Romans 1:18 - “They
suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” “God
has shown (the truth) to them”
(Romans 1:19), and therefore, “they are
without excuse” (Romans 1:20). James said, “Whoever
shall keep the whole law and yet stumble in one point, he is GUILTY OF
ALL” (James 2:10). To refuse to love the Lord (Deuteronomy
6:5) is to “stumble,” making the
unfaithful guilty of “the blood of prophets
and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.”
Unbelief is murder in the sight of God.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
P.O. Box 92131
Long Beach, CA
90809-2131 USA
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
