The Last Days
​Revelation 18:3-24

 Lesson 68- Babylon Is Fallen

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​Lesson 68 | 06/14/26 ​
Revelation 18:3-24 | Babylon Is Fallen

Chapters 17 and 18 have given us great insight into the seductions of the enemy and its method by which she lures and deceives people away from God’s decree of Eternal Life with Him. But it is God’s grace and mercy that draws us to Himself and sets us free from this bondage of darkness. God is calling every one of us to Him, to be with Him in and live with Him in holiness forever. Last week we spoke about the dwelling that God has for all of us, the οἰκητήριον, 2 Cor 5:1-4. Then notice the admonition Paul has to the Church in 2 Corinthians 6:11-18.
 Chapter 17 focused on the spiritual and religious aspects of Babylon, while chapter 18 focuses on the physical manifestations of spiritual Babylon through the economical and political trading with men, the in-dealings, ἐμπορία with mankind. And it is because of the iniquity of her trading with mankind that Babylon will be judged and destroyed. Lets begin by reading Revelation 18:1-10.
Revelation 18:3)
The whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one, the lure of Baylon, as she sits upon the waters, 1 John 5:18-21.

• The nations, the kings of the earth, and the merchants of the earth are intertwined and mingled with this great harlot.
  • Later, we will see the lament of these three groups of people, Rev 18:9, 11, 17-18.
• The nations are drunk. As Jeremiah 51 says, deranged from the cup in the Lord’s Hand, Jeremiah 51:7
  • They are drinking in the wrath of God to be judged. Storing up wrath in the Day of Wrath, Rom 2:1-11.
  • Earth-dwellers will be judged and repaid according to their works and how they judged others
    • Judge- κρίνω- to assume censorial power over. To examine, control, and regulate between right and wrong.
• The merchants of the earth- οἱ ἔμποροι- those who trade
  • ἐμπορία- in dealings... intermingling... merging
    • this has been Satan’s tactic since the beginning, Ezekiel 28:5, 16, 18.
    • Ezekiel 27 describes the abundance of Tyre and chapter 28 describes her king... the spirit behind Tyre, the anointed cherub who fell, Satan, Ezek 27:1-3, 12-13, 17-36; 28:1-19.
      • Tyre and the king of Tyre, namely Satan, is judged for the iniquity, ἀδίκημα, of her trading. The unrighteous and unjust actions of her inner dealings with mankind, Rev 18:5.

Revelation 18:4)
This third angel cries, “Come out of her My people.”

• A plea to mankind, to the Jew first then the nations, to not be intermingled with the world and the system of darkness.
• This cry comes at the middle of the Tribulation week, Rev 14:8-11, a deep admonition to not take the mark of the beast and be lured into her midst.
  • There is judgement coming on the harlot and all who fornicate with her, Rev 2:20-23.
  • The bowls of plagues are directed toward Babylon and all who inhabit themselves within her, Rev 16.
    • All who have made Babylon their κατοικητήριον and left their proper domain.

Revelation 18:5)
God has remembered and is taking vengeance on Babylon for all her unrighteous and unjust actions toward His people, Rev 16:4-7, 19.

• Verses 6 and 7 is the verdict of the measure of judgement...

Revelation 18:6-7)
Render- ἀποδίδωμι- to repay, to pay back according to your work, Romans 2:6; Rev 22:12-13.

• The angel seems to be speaking to Jesus who is the Righteous Judge saying, render just as she rendered “to You.”
  • An action against God’s people is an action against God Himself, Acts 9:4; Matt 25:40.
• Repay her double according to her works, Galatians 6:7-10; Luke 6:37-38.
  • Pride and glory of Babylon

She lived luxuriously...

• στρηνιάω- to live care free, self-confident, undisturbed by God, pride in your own strength

she says in her heart... I sit as queen and am no widow

• This woman has no husband, she is a harlot. This is her boast, that she is not a lonely, forsaken widow, but is surrounded by her admirers lusting after her
  • She is untouchable, unhurtable, above it all... even the judgement of God,
  • suffers no loss, self-sufficient, Isaiah 47:8-15.

 
In this last section, there is some repetition where we see three groups of earth-dwellers lamenting for the great harlot.

• The kings of the earth = those ruling this 7th Kingdom of Darkness
• The merchants of the earth = the false religious leaders swaying the hearts of men
• The shipmasters of the seas = the peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues

Revelation 18:9-10) The lament of the kings

• The kings are living luxuriously,
  • care free and undisturbed by God in their own strength with the harlot
• Why are the kings weeping? In Rev 17:16 they destroyed the harlot
  • There is no reason, no loyalty in the kingdom of darkness. Each is of his own pride and selfishness

Revelation 18:11-16) The lament of the merchants

• Verse 13- There most prized possession in trading is the bodies and souls of men
• Verse 14- the fruit of the lusts of the soul
  • ὀπώρα- the abundance of life... The pride of life
  • We are living in the age of abundance right now

Revelation 18:17-19) The lament of the shipmasters

• It was the sea that overtook Tyre in its Judgement, Ezek 26:3-4; 27:25-27
  • But yet the shipmasters are weeping over her destruction. Same double mind of the kings

Revelation 18:20) Rejoice!

• The saints rejoice in heaven because this is Righteous Vengeance on our enemies, Rev 11:15; 12:12
  • An answer to the prayers of the Tribulation Martyrs, Rev 6:9-11

 
Revelation 18:21-24) The Final Judgment of Babylon

• The millstone- grinding the grain to make bread for food
  • Source of provision in themselves
    • This is their just due
• This is the Judgement on Babylon the great for her sorceries, seduction, deception and for the blood of the saints
  • Sorceries- φαρμακεία- drugs... in an evil sense- poison, deception, poisoning the mind, deceiving all the nations
• But along with the physical judgement, there is also spiritual judgement.

• This is the death and destruction of the gods and all who have chosen to dwell with them, Psalm 82:6-8; Deut 32:39-43.

This sets up chapter 19 and the return of King Jesus and His Everlasting Kingdom of Righteousness on the earth

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