The Book of
Revelation 18
24 verses≈ 6 minBSB
Images are artistic interpretations.
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Where we are
- 1–3Seven churchesChrist among His lampstands
- 4–11Seals & trumpetsThe Lamb opens the scroll
- 12–16The great conflictThe dragon, the beasts, the bowls
- 17–20The King comesBabylon falls; the Lamb winsChapter 18
- 21–22All things newA new heaven and a new earth
Babylon Is Fallen
After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. And he cried out in a mighty voice:
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
She has become a lair for demons
and a haunt for every unclean spirit,
every unclean bird,
and every detestable beast.
All the nations have drunk the wine
of the passion of her immorality.
The kings of the earth were immoral with her,
and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy
from the extravagance of her luxury.”
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Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.
Revelation 18:4
For her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.
Give back to her as she has done to others;
pay her back double for what she has done;
mix her a double portion in her own cup.
As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury,
give her the same measure of torment and grief.
In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen;
I am not a widow and will never see grief.’
Therefore her plagues will come in one day—
death and grief and famine—
and she will be consumed by fire,
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
Reflect
Come out of her
The voice from heaven calls, “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins.” God calls His people, right where they live, to stop loving what the proud city loves: its pride, its greed and its idols. Is there a habit, a love of comfort or a way of thinking you sense God gently calling you to come out of? What would one small step look like this week?
Lament over Babylon
Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.
The kings of the earth
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out:
“Woe, woe to the great city,
the mighty city of Babylon!
For in a single hour
your judgment has come.”
The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand at a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn,
The merchants
saying:
“Woe, woe to the great city,
clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!”
The sailors
Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance
and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim.
Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out:
“Woe, woe to the great city,
where all who had ships on the sea
were enriched by her wealth!
For in a single hour
she has been destroyed.”
Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced for you His judgment against her.
Revelation 18:20
Question
Quick question
Three groups mourn the city, and all three do the same thing.
Where do the kings, the merchants and the sailors stand as they mourn?
The Doom of Babylon
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying:
“With such violence
the great city of Babylon will be cast down,
never to be seen again.
0:12
Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain
The angel
And the sound of harpists and musicians,
of flute players and trumpeters,
will never ring out in you again.
Nor will any craftsmen of any trade
be found in you again,
nor the sound of a millstone
be heard in you again.
The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again.
For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.”
And there was found in her the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who had been slain on the earth.
Pray
Treasure that lasts
Babylon’s music, work and light fall silent, and “all your luxury and splendor have vanished.” Thank God that every wrong will be judged and no one who suffered unjustly is forgotten. Ask Him to loosen your grip on anything that can vanish in a single hour, and to make Him your treasure. And pray for people anywhere who are bought and sold today, that God would set them free.
You’ve experienced
Revelation 18
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A verse to carry with you
Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.
Revelation 18:4
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