Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it is better for him if a heavy millstone is hung around his neck and he is thrown into the sea. - Mark 9:42
This morning we will wrap-up our discussion of Babylon. Though he’d mentioned “Babylon the great” a couple of times earlier in Revelation, John did not elaborate on it or explain it in detail until chapters 17 & 18. He began his emphasis on Babylon by depicting her as a prostitute riding on a scarlet beast. John urged God’s people to come out of her before it was too late. He also talked about the calamitous fall of Babylon. In the passage we will look at today, John will describe various reactions to the demise of Babylon.
Just as a reminder... I am of the opinion that the prostitute - called “the mother of all prostitutes” - represents Jerusalem, or apostate Israel, who has grossly and continuously been unfaithful to God throughout history. Her daughters, by extension, are all of the other worldly and adulterous religions that chase after other “lovers”. The beast pictures the Satanic kingdom of the Antichrist - a revived manifestation of the Roman Empire - which is the culmination of earthly political power and strength. When considered together, Babylon is the entire order or system of corrupt man - both spiritual and secular. God will judge it all.
I believe that Babylon will crumble over a period of time as the bowl judgments are being poured out, finally collapsing completely following the crushing defeat of the Antichrist and his allies at the Battle of Armageddon. The enemies of God who remain on the earth will react to the fall of Babylon in the days that follow, after the Great Tribulation has come to an end.
I. WOE OF THE KINGS (Revelation 18:9-10)
The surviving kings of the earth mourned and wept over the symbolic ruins of Babylon. They had formerly committed sinful and immoral acts with her and lived lavishly at her side, but not anymore. They sorrowfully watched the smoke rise as she burned. Still, they observed from a distance fearing that they might suffer the same fate. They cried, “Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.”
Rather than repenting in the wake of God’s judgment upon Babylon, the remaining world leaders and political powers lamented her fall. Remarkably, they still refused to give reverence to the LORD. Instead of turning to Him they groaned and wailed, “Woe!” They were deeply saddened to see the sinful city and all that she stood for destroyed. They obviously loved the darkness more than the light (John 3:19).
II. WOE OF THE MERCHANTS (Revelation 18:11-17a)
The merchants of the earth also mourned and wept over fallen Babylon. The economy was in complete disarray and no one bought their products. The once vibrant market for precious metals and gems, expensive fabrics, quality building materials, fine spices and oils, grain and livestock, and even the slave labor had dissolved. These merchants had previously become rich selling such material things to satisfy the extravagant indulgences of Babylon, but not anymore. Their wealth was gone in an instant, worthless in the wake of Babylon’s grave misfortune and utter degradation.
These merchants, who represent the wealthy elites, the businessmen, and the upper class, also mourned and wept over Babylon. Like their political cohorts, they too grieved from a distance concerned that God’s judgment might likewise fall on them. They cried, “Woe, woe!” as they recalled how the extravagant and beautiful city had suddenly been laid to waste. Their sorrow was not only for Babylon, but also selfishly for themselves…
III. WOE OF THE MARINERS (Revelation 18:17b-19)
Even the mariners mourned and wept for Babylon. The ship captains, sailors, passengers, and all who earned a living by the sea (even fishermen) were heartbroken. Like the others, they observed the smoke of Babylon’s burning from a distance. They threw dust on their heads and cried, “Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich from her prosperity, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’
These mariners were the working class, the common people, who also made a living by serving the demands of Babylon. How would they survive now? Who would pay them for their products and services? Everything they had worked for and saved was lost. How would they be able to start over again?
The kings, the merchants, and the mariners collectively represent the full gamut of society. Their 3-fold “woe” symbolizes the perfection and fullness of God’s judgment. Literally everyone sobbed because Babylon had fallen - both the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, the famous and the obscure, and so on.... Those who are of the world will naturally mourn when she finally faces her long-overdue judgment..
IV. JOY OF THE HEAVENS (Revelation 18:20-24)
While the world bemoaned the fall of Babylon and the collapse of sinful man, those in Heaven were told to rejoice. The saints, the apostles, and the prophets were called to joyfully celebrate because God’s judgment had come. They had long been praying for God’s vengeance against their enemies. Earlier in Revelation the martyrs (6:9-11), the Tribulation saints (8:3-5), and a voice from Heaven (16:4-8) each pleaded with God to bring judgment upon His adversaries.
Then John saw a strong angel pick up a large stone, like a millstone, and cast it into the sea. As the stone sunk into the watery depths, the angel compared it to Babylon. The kingdom of man, led at the end by the Antichrist, would likewise be violently thrown down and disappear forever. There would be no more joyful music, crafting, or milling. Young couples would no longer be given in marriage. Her lamps would be extinguished and darkness would persist. The wealth and power of her merchants would be eternally lost.
Babylon would fall because she had deceived the nations and led them astray by her witchcraft. She had belittled, persecuted and murdered the saints and prophets of God. She had perpetrated violence against all of the inhabitants of earth. Influenced by corruption and a Satanic worldview, she enticed all of mankind to sin and harshly punished those who resisted.
CONCLUSION
You can tell a lot about someone by the way they react to things. Some people are more heartbroken by the deaths of criminals, murders, liars, thieves, and cheaters than they are their victims. They grieve over the unrighteous and the wicked because they themselves are of the same kind - unrighteous and wicked.
When God judges the world, and the way of man is brought down, there will be 2 distinct reactions. Sinners who oppose and hate God will mourn and weep to see Babylon in shambles, but the children of God will rejoice because His divine justice has finally prevailed. Which of these responses will you have?
This morning we will wrap-up our discussion of Babylon. Though he’d mentioned “Babylon the great” a couple of times earlier in Revelation, John did not elaborate on it or explain it in detail until chapters 17 & 18. He began his emphasis on Babylon by depicting her as a prostitute riding on a scarlet beast. John urged God’s people to come out of her before it was too late. He also talked about the calamitous fall of Babylon. In the passage we will look at today, John will describe various reactions to the demise of Babylon.
Just as a reminder... I am of the opinion that the prostitute - called “the mother of all prostitutes” - represents Jerusalem, or apostate Israel, who has grossly and continuously been unfaithful to God throughout history. Her daughters, by extension, are all of the other worldly and adulterous religions that chase after other “lovers”. The beast pictures the Satanic kingdom of the Antichrist - a revived manifestation of the Roman Empire - which is the culmination of earthly political power and strength. When considered together, Babylon is the entire order or system of corrupt man - both spiritual and secular. God will judge it all.
I believe that Babylon will crumble over a period of time as the bowl judgments are being poured out, finally collapsing completely following the crushing defeat of the Antichrist and his allies at the Battle of Armageddon. The enemies of God who remain on the earth will react to the fall of Babylon in the days that follow, after the Great Tribulation has come to an end.
I. WOE OF THE KINGS (Revelation 18:9-10)
The surviving kings of the earth mourned and wept over the symbolic ruins of Babylon. They had formerly committed sinful and immoral acts with her and lived lavishly at her side, but not anymore. They sorrowfully watched the smoke rise as she burned. Still, they observed from a distance fearing that they might suffer the same fate. They cried, “Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.”
Rather than repenting in the wake of God’s judgment upon Babylon, the remaining world leaders and political powers lamented her fall. Remarkably, they still refused to give reverence to the LORD. Instead of turning to Him they groaned and wailed, “Woe!” They were deeply saddened to see the sinful city and all that she stood for destroyed. They obviously loved the darkness more than the light (John 3:19).
II. WOE OF THE MERCHANTS (Revelation 18:11-17a)
The merchants of the earth also mourned and wept over fallen Babylon. The economy was in complete disarray and no one bought their products. The once vibrant market for precious metals and gems, expensive fabrics, quality building materials, fine spices and oils, grain and livestock, and even the slave labor had dissolved. These merchants had previously become rich selling such material things to satisfy the extravagant indulgences of Babylon, but not anymore. Their wealth was gone in an instant, worthless in the wake of Babylon’s grave misfortune and utter degradation.
These merchants, who represent the wealthy elites, the businessmen, and the upper class, also mourned and wept over Babylon. Like their political cohorts, they too grieved from a distance concerned that God’s judgment might likewise fall on them. They cried, “Woe, woe!” as they recalled how the extravagant and beautiful city had suddenly been laid to waste. Their sorrow was not only for Babylon, but also selfishly for themselves…
III. WOE OF THE MARINERS (Revelation 18:17b-19)
Even the mariners mourned and wept for Babylon. The ship captains, sailors, passengers, and all who earned a living by the sea (even fishermen) were heartbroken. Like the others, they observed the smoke of Babylon’s burning from a distance. They threw dust on their heads and cried, “Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich from her prosperity, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’
These mariners were the working class, the common people, who also made a living by serving the demands of Babylon. How would they survive now? Who would pay them for their products and services? Everything they had worked for and saved was lost. How would they be able to start over again?
The kings, the merchants, and the mariners collectively represent the full gamut of society. Their 3-fold “woe” symbolizes the perfection and fullness of God’s judgment. Literally everyone sobbed because Babylon had fallen - both the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, the famous and the obscure, and so on.... Those who are of the world will naturally mourn when she finally faces her long-overdue judgment..
IV. JOY OF THE HEAVENS (Revelation 18:20-24)
While the world bemoaned the fall of Babylon and the collapse of sinful man, those in Heaven were told to rejoice. The saints, the apostles, and the prophets were called to joyfully celebrate because God’s judgment had come. They had long been praying for God’s vengeance against their enemies. Earlier in Revelation the martyrs (6:9-11), the Tribulation saints (8:3-5), and a voice from Heaven (16:4-8) each pleaded with God to bring judgment upon His adversaries.
Then John saw a strong angel pick up a large stone, like a millstone, and cast it into the sea. As the stone sunk into the watery depths, the angel compared it to Babylon. The kingdom of man, led at the end by the Antichrist, would likewise be violently thrown down and disappear forever. There would be no more joyful music, crafting, or milling. Young couples would no longer be given in marriage. Her lamps would be extinguished and darkness would persist. The wealth and power of her merchants would be eternally lost.
Babylon would fall because she had deceived the nations and led them astray by her witchcraft. She had belittled, persecuted and murdered the saints and prophets of God. She had perpetrated violence against all of the inhabitants of earth. Influenced by corruption and a Satanic worldview, she enticed all of mankind to sin and harshly punished those who resisted.
CONCLUSION
You can tell a lot about someone by the way they react to things. Some people are more heartbroken by the deaths of criminals, murders, liars, thieves, and cheaters than they are their victims. They grieve over the unrighteous and the wicked because they themselves are of the same kind - unrighteous and wicked.
When God judges the world, and the way of man is brought down, there will be 2 distinct reactions. Sinners who oppose and hate God will mourn and weep to see Babylon in shambles, but the children of God will rejoice because His divine justice has finally prevailed. Which of these responses will you have?