Revelation 18

Summary

 

Revelation 18 depicts the fall and judgment of Babylon, symbolizing a powerful and corrupt system that opposes God. The chapter emphasizes the call for God's people to separate themselves from this system, the mourning of earthly powers over its demise, and the ultimate rejoicing in heaven over the vindication of God's justice. The fall of Babylon is a precursor to the final establishment of God's righteous kingdom.

 

1. The Announcement of Babylon's Fall (Revelation 18:1-3): An angel comes down from heaven, declaring the fall of Babylon the Great. The city has become a dwelling place for demons, unclean spirits, and every unclean bird. The nations have drunk of the wine of her passion for immorality and false worship.
2. The Call to God's People (Revelation 18:4-8): Another voice from heaven calls God's people to come out of Babylon, so they do not partake in her sins and receive of her plagues. The sins of Babylon have reached heaven, and God is ready to repay her. The judgment includes death, mourning, famine, and burning with fire.
3. The Lamentation of Earthly Powers (Revelation 18:9-20): The kings, merchants, and shipmasters of the earth mourn the fall of Babylon. They lament the loss of their profitable trade with the city and witness its destruction. The fall of Babylon is portrayed as swift and total.
4. Rejoicing in Heaven (Revelation 18:21-24): A mighty angel casts a great millstone into the sea, symbolizing the finality and irreversibility of Babylon's destruction. The voice of harpists, musicians, and craftsmen is silenced in Babylon, and the city will never be found again. The blood of prophets, saints, and all those slain on the earth is avenged through the judgment on Babylon.

 

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