18:4-8The people of Babylon had lived in luxury and pleasure. The city boasted, “I am queen on my throne.... I have no reason to mourn.” The powerful, wealthy people of this world are susceptible to this same attitude. A person who is financially comfortable often feels invulnerable, secure, and in control, feeling no need for God or anyone else. This kind of attitude defies God, and his judgment against it is harsh. We are told to avoid Babylon's sins. If you are financially secure, don’t become complacent and deluded by the myth of self-sufficiency. Use your resources to help others and advance God's Kingdom.
Life Application Study BibleRevelationChapter 18
Revelation 18
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 2195, 2196, 2197, 2198
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
18Revelation 18
The Fall of Babylon
1After all this I saw another angel come down from heaven with great authority, andthe earth grew bright with his splendor. #He gave a mighty shout:“Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen!She has become a home for demons.every martyr who has fallen before her sword has only servedto strengthen the faith of the church. Persecution is by no meansa thing of the past. Christians in many parts of the world knowthat faith in Christ amounts to a death sentence. Believers wholive in places free of such persecution must nat forget to prayfor their brothers and sisters in Christ in those difficult partsof the world.17:8 In chapter 12 we met the dragon (Satan). In chapter 13 wesaw the beast from the sea and the power he received from Satan.In chapters 14-16 we see God's great judgments. In this chapter,a scarlet beast similar to the beast and the dragon appears as anally of the great prostitute. The beast was alive, died, and thencame back to life. The beast’s resurrection symbolizes the persis-tence of evil. This resurgence of evil power will convince manyto join forces with the beast, but those who choose the side ofevil condemn themselves to the devil's fate—eternal torment.
craving the power and prestige that position, wealth, andconnections offer? If so, you are an easy target for Satan’s greatdeception. Worldly power is Satan’s trap; the desire for it can turnus away from God. Worship only God and make it your strongestdesire to serve him.17:16!na dramatic turn of events, the prostitute’s allies turnon her and destroy her. This is how evil operates. Destructiveby its very nature, it discards its own adherents when they ceaseto serve its purposes. An unholy alliance is an uneasy alliancebecause each partner puts its own interests first.47:17 No matter what happens, we must trust that God is stillin charge, that God overrules all the plans and intrigues of theevil one, and that God’s plans will happen just as he says. Godeven uses people opposed to him as tools to execute his will.Atthough he allows evil to permeate this present world, the newearth will never know sin.18:1ff This chapter shows the complete destruction of Babylon,John’s metaphorical name for the evil world power and all itrepresents. Everything that tries to block God’s purposes willcome to a violent end. For more information on how the bookof Revelation uses the name Baby/on, see the note on 14:8.48:2,
3Merchants in the Roman Empire grew rich by exploitinghe sinful pleasures of their society. Many businesspeople todaydo the same thing. Businesses and governments are often basedon greed, money, and power. Many bright individuals are tempted‘0 take advantage of an evil system to enrich themselves. Chris-tians are warned to stay free from the lure of money, status, andhe good life. We are to live according to the values Christ exem-plified: service, giving, self-sacrifice, obedience, and truth.
She is a hideout for every foul spirit,a hideout for every foul vultureand every foul and dreadful animal.*3 For all the nations have fallen*because of the wine of her passionate immorality.The kings of the worldhave committed adultery with her.Because of her desires for extravagant luxury,the merchants of the world have grown rich.”
4Then I heard another voice calling from heaven,“Come away from her, my people.Do not take part in her sins,or you will be punished with her.
5For her sins are piled as high as heaven,and God remembers her evil deeds.
6Do to her as she has done to others.Double her penalty* for all her evil deeds.She brewed a cup of terror for others,so brew twice as much* for her.
7She glorified herself and lived in luxury,so match it now with torment and sorrow.She boasted in her heart,‘Tam queen on my throne.I am no helpless widow,and I have no reason to mourn.’
8Therefore, these plagues will overtake her in a single day-death and mourning and famine.She will be completely consumed by fire,for the LORD God who judges her is mighty.”
9And the kings of the world who committed adultery with her and enjoyed her great luxury will mourn for her as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains.
10Theywill stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will cry out,“How terrible, how terrible for you,O Babylon, you great city!Ina single momentGod’s judgment came on you.”
11The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her, for there is no one left to buy their goods. 12She bought great quantities of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet cloth; things made of fragrant thyine wood, ivory goods, and objects made of expensive wood; and bronze, iron, and marble. 13She also bought cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and bodies—that is, human slaves.
14“The fancy things you loved so muchare gone,” they cry.“All your luxuries and splendorare gone forever,never to be yours again.”
15The merchants who became wealthy by selling her these things will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will weep and cry out,
16“How terrible, how terrible for that great city!She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens,decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls!
17Ina single momentall the wealth of the city is gone!”And all the captains of the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crewswill stand at a distance.
18They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say,“Where is there another city as great as this?” 1?And they will weep and throw dust on theirheads to show their grief. And they will cry out,“How terrible, how terrible for that great city!The shipowners became wealthyby transporting her great wealth on the seas.Ina single moment it is all gone.”
20Rejoice over her fate, O heavenand people of God and apostles and prophets!For at last God has judged herfor your sakes.
21Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a huge millstone. He threw it intothe ocean and shouted,“Just like this, the great city Babylonwill be thrown down with violenceand will never be found again.
22The sound of harps, singers, flutes, and trumpetswill never be heard in you again.No craftsmen and no tradeswill ever be found in you again.The sound of the millwill never be heard in you again.
23The light of a lampwill never shine in you again.The happy voices of brides and groomswill never be heard in you again.For your merchants were the greatest in the world,and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.
24In your* streets flowed the blood of the prophets and of God’s holy peopleand the blood of people slaughtered all over the world.”
Textual footnotes
- on 3:5.
- 17:9-11 Here John is referring to Rome, the city famous for
- its seven hills. Many say that this city also symbolized ail evil
- in the world—-any person, religion, group, government, or struc-
- ture that opposed Christ. Whatever view is taken of the seven
- hills and seven kings, this section indicates the climax of Satan's
- struggle against God. Evil's power is limited, and its destruction
- is on the horizon.
- emergence of the ten kings, we must see John’s theme of worldly
- power and its ultimate ineffectiveness against God and his people.
- Their authority only lasts “for one brief moment,” symbolizing its
- brevity and ultimate destruction. As Christians, have we become
- infatuated with the worldly power of movie stars, sports celebri-
- ties, political coalitions, and world economic forces? Are you
- 18:2 Some manuscripts condense the last two lines to read a hideout for every foul and dreadful vulture.
- 18:3 Some manuscripts read have drunk.
- 18:6a Or Give her an equal penalty.
- 18:6b Or brew just as much.
- 18:24 Greek her.
Life Application Notes 5 notes
18:9,10Those who are tied to the world’s system will lose everything when it collapses. What they have worked for a lifetime to build up will be destroyed in one hour. Those who work only for material rewards will have nothing when they die or when their Possessions are destroyed. What can we take with us to the new earth? Our faith, our Christian character, and our relationships with other believers. These are more important than any amount of money, power, or pleasure.
18:9-19Those who are in control of various parts of the economic system will mourn at Babylon’s fall. The political leaders will mourn because they were the overseers of Babylon’s wealth and were in a position to enrich themselves greatly. The merchants will mourn because Babylon, the greatest customer for their goods, will be gone. The sea captains will no longer have anywhere to bring their goods because the merchants will have nowhere to sell then. The fall of the evil wortd system affects all who enjoyed and depended on it. No one will remain unaffected by Babylon’s fall.
18:11-14The voice from heaven (18:4) continued to prophesy against the greedy merchants. “The fancy things you loved” and the “luxuries and splendor” were gone. This list of merchandise illustrates the extreme materialism of this society. Few of these goods were necessities—most are luxuries. Even people had become commodities—sold as slaves to Babylon. The desire for nonessential luxuries had driven these merchants. Yet, how many of these luxuries listed are in your home? Most people will find that they own almost everything on this list. We are people who truly live in great luxury. We, too, are in danger of being absorbed in possessions and pleasure. Make sure that your desires lead you in the right direction. Put boundaries on them. Don’t go after everything you see. Keep your desires on serving God and building his Kingdom by helping others.
18:11-19God's people should not live for money, because money will be worthless in eternity. And they should keep on guard constantly against greed, a sin that is always ready to take over their lives. God wants us to work and to provide for our families, and he commands the proper use of money. But when the'desire for money fills our fives, it becomes a false god. Don't be enslaved by the desire for wealth.
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Study feature · page 2197
HOW CAN A PERSON KEEP AWAY FROM THE EVIL SYSTEM? Here are some suggestions:
1. People must always be more important than products. 2. Keep away from pride in your own programs, plans, and successes. 3. Remember that God’s will and Word must never be compromised.
. People must always be considered above the making of money. . Do what is right, no matter what the cost. . Be involved in businesses that provide worthwhile products or services— not just things that feed the world’s desires.