New Testament Commentary - Revelation 18

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 18 The saints are called out of Babylon lest they partake of her sins—She falls and is lamented by her supporters.
1 AND after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was ^alightened with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, ^aBabylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the ^bhold of every foul spirit, and a ^ccage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her ^afornication, and the kings of the earth have committed ^bfornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the ^cabundance of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ^aCome ^bout of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her ^csins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her ^asins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 6 ^aReward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived ^adeliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8 Therefore shall her ^aplagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly ^bburned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who ^cjudgeth her. 9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall ^abewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the ^bsmoke of her burning, 10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and ^aslaves, and souls of men.
14 And the fruits that thy soul ^alusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee^a, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!	14^a all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee These are the excesses merely had for the excess lusts after them and in pride and lust sought after and not of any real need or use for the sustance of man. They are the 'pleasures' beyond real human needs for which the world has suffered, they being sought even over and above the value of mankind to the actual depriving of the poor what those excesses did cost which could have been put to better use in serving mankind. It is the choice of butter and the excesses, with the excesses draining the resources of the earth which could have been and should have been for the more humanitarian uses of all of mankind, taking them out of poverty and need.
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19 And they cast ^adust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. 21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city ^aBabylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the ^avoice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy ^bsorceries were all nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the ^ablood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.