Revelation Chapter 18 Verse-by-Verse Commentary
Revelation 18:1
After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, the earth was lit up by his splendor.
Since we were introduced to the beasts (in chapter 13), John has told us of six different angels that have all been described as "another angel". We see that this angel is the sixth (another) angel but it is not an ordinary angel as we are told that he has great authority and splendor. This is a picture of what is to come as we are told that, in the new heaven and earth, God will be the source of light and there will not be any darkness. You know that you are getting close to that time when an angel provides light (illuminates) to the earth. It is also a fact that God's glory will first be manifested upon the earth in his judgement which is what we are going to see here.
Revelation 18:2
He cried out in a strong voice, "She has fallen! She has fallen! Bavel the Great! She has become a home for demons, a prison for every unclean spirit, a prison for every unclean, hated bird.
This angel brings to light the fact that the false religious system is coming to an end.
Revelation 18:3
"For all the nations have drunk of the wine of God's fury caused by her whoring - yes, the kings of the earth went whoring with her, and from her unrestrained love of luxury the world's businessmen have grown rich."
This system of idolatry has come to an end and we see that the political and business leaders of the earth had all played their part in this system.
Revelation 18:4 & 5
Then I heard another voice out of heaven say: "My people, come out of her! so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not be infected by her plagues, for her sins are a sticky mass piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.
Once again, God calls his people to redemption and pleads with them to come out of this idolatry. They are also reminded that, if they do not repent, they will take part in the wrath that is coming.
Revelation 18:6 & 7
"Render to her as she rendered to others! Pay her back double for what she has done! Use the cup in which she has brewed to brew her a double-sized drink! "Give her as much torment and sorrow as the glory and luxury she gave herself! For in her heart she says, 'I sit a queen - I am not a widow, I will never see sorrow.'
We see that the judgment will be double for all of her actions. She calls herself a queen and, in Jewish tradition, Shabbat is referred to as the queen and is related to the kingdom (king). Here, this beast boasts that she is a queen that is not under the authority of a king and that her reign will never end.
Revelation 18:8
"Therefore, her plagues will come in a single day - death, sorrow and famine; and she will be burned with fire, because ADONAI, God, her Judge, is mighty"
The system will continue until God intervenes and personally judges it and those who are a part of it. We see that, when the judgement comes, it will happen very quickly.
Revelation 18:9 & 10
The kings of the earth who went whoring with her and shared her luxury will sob and wail over her when they see the smoke as she burns. Standing at a distance, for fear of her torment, they will say, "Oh no! The great city! Bavel, the mighty city! In a single hour your judgment has come!"
We see that the earthly leaders that participated in this system will mourn at the sight of its end. We see that these leaders stand at a distance because of the fear that they feel at the sight of this judgement. This is the same type of reaction that Israel had at Mount Sinai when God was calling them to a new relationship with him (see Exodus 19).
Revelation 18:11-13
The world's businessmen weep and mourn over her, because no one is buying their merchandise any more - stocks of gold and silver, gems and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, all rare woods, all ivory goods, all kinds of things made of scented wood, brass, iron and marble; cinnamon, cardamom, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, flour, grain, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots - and bodies - and people's souls.
Those that benefited from this system will "weep and mourn" because there is no one to continue to give them money. In this passage, we are given a long list of things that had been bought and sold. This is to show us that, in this system, everything is sold for a price. We see it today in that the leaders of this financial system will denounce things (such as alcohol, drugs, selling women, etc.) and at the same time take part in the selling of them for a profit. These businessmen thought that their party would never end but the end came swiftly and, in the end, all of these things cannot be taken with you.
Revelation 18:14
The fruits you lusted for with all your heart have gone! All the luxury and flashiness have been destroyed, never to return!
All of the material things that this system has provided will be destroyed.
Revelation 18:15
The sellers of these things, who got rich from her, will stand at a distance, for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,
When the judgment starts on the system, the politicians and the business leaders will abandon them like rats leaving a sinking ship. They will grieve from afar meaning they will try to distance themselves from the system and say they were not a part of it because they do not want to be caught up in the judgment.
Revelation 18:16 & 17a
and saying, "Oh no! The great city used to wear fine linen, purple and scarlet! She glittered with gold, precious stones and pearls! Such great wealth - in a single hour, ruined!"
Once again, we are told that this judgement will be very sudden and very quick.
Revelation 18:17b & 18
All the ship masters, passengers, sailors and everyone making his living from the sea stood at a distance and cried out when they saw the smoke as she burned, "What city was like the great city?"
We see that all who took part in this system distance themselves because of their fear at the sight of this judgement. They do not repent and mourn about their sin but instead they mourn over the collapse of this system that they were a part of.
Revelation 18:19
And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, saying, "Oh no! The great city! The abundance of her wealth made all the ship owners rich! In a single hour she is ruined!"
Throwing dust on your head was a symbol of mourning at this time much like the wearing of the color black is for us today. Those that benefited from this system will be mourning in their hearts that it has come to an end because they got rich from the system. Even today, many will compromise their faith for the love of money and go along to prosper in this world.
Revelation 18:20
Rejoice over her, heaven! Rejoice, people of God, emissaries and prophets! For in judging her, God has vindicated you.
While those who were a part of this system mourn, we will rejoice at God's righteous judgment. Do you face trials and persecutions as a Christian today? If so, then, you can take comfort in this verse and the fact that God will judge those who treat you badly.
Revelation 18:21
Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a great millstone, and hurled it into the sea, saying, "With violence like this will the great city Bavel be hurled down, never to be found again!
A millstone is a stone two to three feet in diameter and about a foot thick (it would weigh quite a bit). When thrown into the sea, it would sink rapidly to the bottom. God uses this picture to tell of the rapid judgment on this system. This picture of using a millstone for judgment was also used by Jesus to describe how bad it was to cause a little child to sin (see Luke 17:2).
Revelation 18:22
"The sound of harpists and musicians, flute-players and trumpeters will never again be heard in you. No worker of any trade will ever again be found in you, the sound of a mill will never again be heard in you,
In the Bible, music is associated with joy and, here, we see that there will no longer be any joy associated with this system of religious idolatry. The fact that there will no longer be any workers or mills grinding flour for bread speaks of the fact that there will no longer be any activity or life in this empire.
Revelation 18:23
the light of a lamp will never again shine in you, the voice of bridegroom and bride will never again be heard in you. "For your businessmen were the most powerful on earth, all the nations were deceived by your magic spell.
The spell of wealth can be a very strong force and, as we see here, the world's great men were led astray by the pursuit of money. Where there used to be celebrations and parties, there is now only darkness.
Revelation 18:24
"In her was found the blood of prophets and of God's people, indeed, of all who have ever been slaughtered on earth!"
Greed and the pursuit of money have been the root of all kinds of evil. When combined with a "religion", the evil results in the persecution of God's people. It will come to an end after this system has ran its course and Yeshua returns in judgment.