The Announcement of Babylon's Fall
Study note
A glorious angel illuminates the earth and announces that Babylon the great has fallen, becoming a haunt of demons and unclean spirits. Her sins of immorality and luxury have corrupted all nations. A voice from heaven urgently calls God's people to come out of her to avoid sharing in her sins and plagues. Her destruction will come swiftly in a single day, because the Lord who judges her is mighty.
1 After this I saw another angel descend from heaven. He held great authority, and the earth was flooded with his brilliant glory. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 He shouted with a powerful voice, "She has fallen! Babylon the great has fallen! She has become a hideout for demons, a den for every foul spirit, and a cage for every disgusting and hateful bird." And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 "Every nation drank the wine of her sinful ways. The kings of the earth committed sin with her. The world's merchants got rich off her outrageous luxury." For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say, "Come out of her, my people! Do not take part in her sins, or you will share in her punishments." And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 "Her sins have stacked up as high as heaven, and God has kept track of every crime." For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 "Pay her back for what she has done. Give her double for her deeds. Mix a double portion in the cup she mixed for others." Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 "Give her the same amount of suffering and sadness as the glory and luxury she piled up for herself. She kept telling herself, 'I sit here as a queen. I am not a widow. I will never know sorrow.'" How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8 "Because of this, all her disasters will crash down in a single day -- death, grief, and famine. She will be completely burned with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is mighty." Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
The Lament of Kings, Merchants, and Sailors
Study note
Three groups lament Babylon's destruction. The kings who shared her luxury weep at the smoke of her burning. The merchants mourn because no one buys their goods anymore, listing a catalogue of luxury items ending chillingly with 'bodies and souls of people.' The sailors and sea traders grieve over the loss of the city that made them rich. Each group stands at a distance, stunned that such great wealth was destroyed in a single hour.
9 The kings of the earth who shared in her sin and luxury will cry and wail over her when they see the smoke from her burning. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Terrified of her suffering, they will stand far off and say, "How terrible! How terrible for you, great city of Babylon, mighty city! Your judgment came crashing down in just one hour." Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because nobody buys their goods anymore -- And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12 their gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet fabric, all kinds of fragrant wood, ivory items, objects made from expensive wood, bronze, iron, and marble, The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 cinnamon, spice, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and even the bodies and souls of human beings. And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14 "Everything you loved and wanted so badly is gone. All your riches and fancy things have disappeared. You will never find them again." And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
15 The merchants who got rich selling these things will stand far off, terrified of her suffering. They will weep and mourn, The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 crying out, "How terrible! How terrible for the great city! She used to be dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and covered with gold, precious stones, and pearls!" And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 "All that staggering wealth was wiped out in a single hour!" Every ship captain, every passenger, every sailor, and everyone who earns a living from the sea stood far off. For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 They watched the smoke rise from her ruins and cried out, "Was there ever a city like this one?" And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 They threw dust on their heads and sobbed, "How terrible! How terrible for the great city! Everyone who had ships on the sea got rich because of her. And in just one hour, she was wiped out!" And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
Heaven Rejoices and Babylon Is Silenced
Study note
In contrast to earthly mourning, heaven is called to rejoice because God has judged Babylon for how she treated the apostles and prophets. A mighty angel throws a great millstone into the sea, symbolizing Babylon's permanent destruction. Music, craftsmanship, light, and the joy of marriage will never be found in her again. Her sorcery deceived all nations, and in her was found the blood of prophets, saints, and all who were slain on earth.
20 "But heaven, celebrate! Celebrate, apostles, prophets, and holy people of God! God has judged her for everything she did to you." Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
21 Then a powerful angel picked up a boulder the size of a millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "This is how violently the great city Babylon will be thrown down. It will never be found again." And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
22 "The music of harpists, singers, flute players, and trumpet players will never be heard in you again. No craftsman will ever work there again. The grinding of grain will never be heard in you again." And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23 "The glow of a lamp will never shine in you again. The happy voices of a bride and groom will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the most powerful people on earth. You used your witchcraft to trick every nation." And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24 In her streets was found the blood of prophets and of God's people -- and the blood of everyone who was ever killed on the earth. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.