seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 18:1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’[a]
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“‘Come out of her, my people,’[b]
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
7 Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;[c]
I will never mourn.’
8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back double for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
7 Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;[c]
I will never mourn.’
8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
9 “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’
you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’
11 “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore— 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.
14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn 16 and cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’
“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. 18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ 19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’
20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.”
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.”
21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said:
“With such violence
the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
never to be found again.
22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
will never be heard in you again.
No worker of any trade
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.
23 The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world’s important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
never to be found again.
22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
will never be heard in you again.
No worker of any trade
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.
23 The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world’s important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
a. Revelation 18:2 Isaiah 21:9
b. Revelation 18:4 Jer. 51:45
c. Revelation 18:7 See Isaiah 47:7,8.
This city of Babylon does not exist yet. Even if there is a city named Babylon located in a place that makes sense.... it's not this Babylon.
This city of Babylon is standing after a couple of earthquakes that shook the land so terribly it leveled mountains and then it raised the sea floor so land formed. That strong 10+ earthquake should level any city and stop any commerce long before this part of the scriptures. This is a new city.... something the survivors have scraped together and started over with.
I think this is a vision of the wipe out of cities like New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Panama City..... all the huge cities.... that have been taxing and taking for all eternity in order to be a city and offer "help" to the citizens. I don't see the city offering anything to the humans in this chapter.... right?
A splendid angel did this deed. No doubt this new Babylon was called splendid by the inhabitants. I bet anywhere that offered shelter would appear to be splendid.... but then verse 1 says an Angel lit the city with his splendor. They didn't even have electricity.... they might have found some matches and candles.... but no one was pumping gas through a pipeline... or watching the power grid... the landscape has been destroyed..... even if we are at full wind power by that time.... the windmills will have been shaken to bits by the earthquakes. Even if we are on solar power in that city.... the sun has long since been dimmed in the first few chapters of this book. A splendid angel.... was so beautiful... so bright... he lit up the room when he walked in.... it says here as he flew over them he lit up the city...... this angel was bright! That got everyone's attention.
This story continues by listing the sort of people affected by the demise of this new Babylon. Merchants, transportation, logistics, and workers in the fields and the factories. They will all mourn yesterday... because their lives have been destroyed with the demise of the city. There is no one to buy, sell, or trade.... even if there is a 666 on the forehead or the hand..... there will be no market.... let alone toilet paper..... God made the air explode.... the toilet paper went up like a torch in this city of Babylon.... all the people were affected.
This is from the easy English site.
This is the third part of the song and it describes the ruin of Babylon.
A strong angel took a huge stone. Then, he threw it into the sea. The stone sank quickly in the water with a great splash. It had gone below the surface and nobody will see it again.
With such force, God will destroy Babylon. It was a great city but in a moment, its end will come. Nobody will ever see that city again.
The passage describes some effects of the end of Babylon. All that people enjoyed has gone. There is no music. There is only silence in the streets of the city.
The sounds of the skilled workers have stopped. They have all gone. There is no sound from the mills. They do not produce flour. There is no more food in the city. Normal life will not be possible. There is no light in the houses. All is in darkness. There will be no happy events like weddings. Nothing will remain.
The merchants had been great because of their wealth. They had lived in luxury. This is one reason for the ruin of the city.
All the nations had believed the lies of Babylon. They all followed Babylon’s evil ways. This is a second reason for the ruin of the city.
Here is the main reason for the ruin of Babylon. Babylon was guilty of the deaths of many of God’s people. People all over the world died because they did not worship the beast. Babylon fought against God. So, God punished Babylon severely.
I got this chart from the blueletterbible.org site.| Religious Babylon (Rev. 17) | Commercial Babylon (Rev. 18) |
|---|---|
| 1. Mystery Babylon | 1. Great Babylon; Babylon the Great |
| 2. Symbol: a harlot woman | 2. Symbol: a great city |
| 3. Identified with Rome (inland) | 3. Identified with a port city |
| 4. Woman, whore, and mother | 4. Habitation, great city, market place |
| 5. Guilty: religious abominations | 5. Guilty: greed, self-indulgence |
| 6. Destroyed by a political power that previously supported her | 6. Destroyed by a sudden act of God. |
All the people who have sported the mark.... well by the time the seamen notice the smoke.... are already toast. Sodom was a practice run IMHO.... God knew He was going to have to deal with ignorant humans.
Try this.... take a rock and throw it into the Bay..... watch it disappear..... watch the water rise up and then subside.... wake and then grow back smooth again.... where's the rock.... gone like Babylon.
All the splendor of Babylon.... was obliterated by an angel full of splendor.
