Rev 18:1, 3-4, 6 | Barnes | STEP | CHAPTER XVIII ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER THIS chapter may be regarded as a still further explanatory episode, (comp. Anal. to chap. xvii.,) designed to show the effect of pouring out the seventh vial ( ) on the formidable Antichristian power so often referred to. The description in this chapter is that of a rich merchant-city reduced to desolation, and is but carrying out the general idea under a different form. The chapter comprises the following points:-- (1.) Another angel is seen descending from heaven, having great power, and making proclamation that Babylon the great is fallen, and is become utterly desolate, . (2.) A warning voice is heard from heaven, calling on the people of God to come out of her, and to be partakers neither of her sins nor her plagues. Her torment and sorrow would be proportionate to her pride and luxury; and her plagues would come upon her suddenly-- death, and mourning, and famine, and consumption by fire, . (3.) Lamentation over her fall--by those especially who had been connected with her; who had been corrupted by her; who had been profited by her, . (a) By kings, . They had lived deliciously with her, and they would lament her. (b) by merchants, . They had trafficked with her, but now that traffic was to cease, and no man would buy of her. Their business so far as she was concerned, was at an end. All that she had accumulated was now to be destroyed; all her gathered riches were to be consumed; all the traffic in those things by which she had been enriched was to be ended; and the city that was more than all others enriched by these things, as if clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, was to be destroyed for ever. (c) By ship-masters and seamen, . They had been made rich by this traffic, but now all was ended; the smoke of her burning is seen to ascend, and they stand afar off and weep. (4.) Rejoicing over her fall, . Heaven is called upon to rejoice, and the holy apostles and prophets, for their blood is avenged, and persecution ceases in the earth. (5.) The final destruction of the city, . A mighty angel takes up a stone and casts it into the sea as an emblem of the destruction that is to come upon it. The voice of harpers, and musicians, and pipers would be heard no more in it; and no craftsmen would be there, and the sound of the millstone would be heard no more, and the light of a candle would shine no more there, and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride would be heard no more. Verse 1. And after these things . After the vision referred to in the previous chapter. I saw another angel come down from heaven . Different from the one that had last appeared, and therefore coming to make a new communication to him. It is not unusual in this book that different communications should be entrusted to different angels. Compare . Having great power . That is, he was one of the higher rank or order of angels. And the earth was lightened with his glory . The usual representation respecting the heavenly beings. Compare . This would, of course, add greatly to the magnificence of the scene. (a) "glory"

Revelation of John 18:1

CHAPTER XVIII ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER

THIS chapter may be regarded as a still further explanatory episode, (comp. Anal. to chap. xvii.,) designed to show the effect of pouring out the seventh vial (Rev 16:17-21) on the formidable Antichristian power so often referred to. The description in this chapter is that of a rich merchant-city reduced to desolation, and is but carrying out the general idea under a different form. The chapter comprises the following points:--

(1.) Another angel is seen descending from heaven, having great power, and making proclamation that Babylon the great is fallen, and is become utterly desolate, Rev 18:1-3.

(2.) A warning voice is heard from heaven, calling on the people of God to come out of her, and to be partakers neither of her sins nor her plagues. Her torment and sorrow would be proportionate to her pride and luxury; and her plagues would come upon her suddenly-- death, and mourning, and famine, and consumption by fire, Rev 18:4-8.

(3.) Lamentation over her fall--by those especially who had been connected with her; who had been corrupted by her; who had been profited by her, Rev 18:9-19.

(a) By kings, Rev 18:9,10. They had lived deliciously with her, and they would lament her.

(b) by merchants, Rev 18:11-17. They had trafficked with her, but now that traffic was to cease, and no man would buy of her. Their business so far as she was concerned, was at an end. All that she had accumulated was now to be destroyed; all her gathered riches were to be consumed; all the traffic in those things by which she had been enriched was to be ended; and the city that was more than all others enriched by these things, as if clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, was to be destroyed for ever.

They had been made rich by this traffic, but now all was ended; the smoke of her burning is seen to ascend, and they stand afar off and weep.

(4.) Rejoicing over her fall, Rev 18:20. Heaven is called upon to rejoice, and the holy apostles and prophets, for their blood is avenged, and persecution ceases in the earth.

(5.) The final destruction of the city, Rev 18:21-24. A mighty angel takes up a stone and casts it into the sea as an emblem of the destruction that is to come upon it. The voice of harpers, and musicians, and pipers would be heard no more in it; and no craftsmen would be there, and the sound of the millstone would be heard no more, and the light of a candle would shine no more there, and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride would be heard no more.

Verse 1. And after these things. After the vision referred to in the previous chapter.

I saw another angel come down from heaven. Different from the one that had last appeared, and therefore coming to make a new communication to him. It is not unusual in this book that different communications should be entrusted to different angels. Compare Rev 14:6,8-9,15,17-18.

Having great power. That is, he was one of the higher rank or order of angels.

And the earth was lightened with his glory. The usual representation respecting the heavenly beings. Compare Ex 24:16, Mt 17:2, Lk 2:9 Acts 9:3. This would, of course, add greatly to the magnificence of the scene.

(a) "glory" Eze 43:2

Revelation of John 18:3-4

Verse 3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Rev 14:8. This is given as a reason why this utter ruin had come upon her. She had beguiled and corrupted the nations of the earth, leading them into estrangement from God, and into pollution and sin. Rev 9:20-21.

And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. Spiritual adultery; that is, she has been the means of seducing them from God and leading them into sinful practices.

And the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. The word tendered "abundance" here, means commonly power. It might here denote influence, though it may also mean number, vanity, wealth. Compare Rev 3:8, where the same word is used. The word rendered delicacies--στρηνους--occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly means rudeness, insolence, pride; and hence revel, riot, luxury. It may be rendered here properly luxury, or proud voluptuousness; and the reference is to such luxuries as are found commonly in a great, a gay, and a splendid city. These, of course, give rise to much traffic, and furnish employment to many merchants and sailors, who thus procure a livelihood, or become wealthy as the result of such traffic. Babylon--or Papal Rome--is here represented under the image of such a luxurious city; and of course, when she fails, they who have thus been dependent on her, and who have been enriched by her, have occasion for mourning and lamentation. It is not necessary to expect to find a literal fulfilment of this, for it is emblematic and symbolical. The image of a great, rich, splendid, proud, and luxurious city having been employed to denote that Antichristian power, all that is said in this chapter follows, of course, on its fall. The general idea is, that she was doomed to utter desolation, and that all who were connected with her, far and near, would be involved in her ruin.

(d) "drunk of the wine" Isa 47:15 (e) "merchants" Rev 18:11,15 (1) "abundance" "power" Verse 4. And I heard another voice from heaven. He does not say whether this was the voice of an angel, but the idea seems rather to be that it is the voice of God.

Come out of her, my people. The reasons for this, as immediately stated, are two:

(a) that they might not participate in her sins; and

(b) that they might not be involved in the ruin that would come upon her. The language seems to be derived from such passages in the Old Testament as the following: Isa 48:20, "Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing." Jer 51:6, "Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul; be not cut off in her iniquity." Jer 51:45, "My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord." Compare Jer 1:8.

That ye be not partakers of her sins. For the meaning of this expression, 1Timm 5:22. It is implied here that by remaining in Babylon they would lend their sanction to its sins by their presence, and would, in all probability, become contaminated by the influence around them. This is an universal truth in regard to iniquity, and hence it is the duty of those who would be pure to come out from the world, and to separate themselves from all the associations of evil.

And that ye receive not of her plagues. Of the punishment that was to come upon her--as they must certainly do if they remained in her. The judgment of God that was to come upon the guilty city would make no discrimination among those who were found there; and if they would escape these woes, they must make their escape from her. As applicable to Papal Rome, in view of her impending ruin, this means

(a) that there might be found in her some who were the true people of God;

(b) that it was their duty to separate wholly from her--a command that will not only justify the Reformation, but which would have made a longer continuance in communion with the Papacy, when her wickedness was fully seen, an act of guilt before God;

(d) that if they remain, they must expect to be involved in the calamities that will come upon her. There never was any duty plainer than that of withdrawing from Papal Rome; there never has been any act attended with more happy consequences than that by which the Protestant world separated itself for ever from the sins and the plagues of the Papacy.

(f) "Come out of her" Isa 48:20, 52:11, Jer 50:8, 51:6,45, 2Cor 6:17

Revelation of John 18:6

Verse 6. Reward her even as she rewarded you. It is not said to whom this command is addressed, but it would seem to be to those who had been persecuted and wronged. Applied to mystical Babylon--Papal Rome --it would seem to be a call on the nations that had been so long under her sway, and among whom, from time to time, so much blood had been shed by her, to arise now in their might, and to inflict deserved vengeance. Rev 17:16-17.

And double unto her double according to her works. That is, bring upon her double the amount of calamity which she has brought upon others; take ample vengeance upon her. Compare, for similar language, Isa 40:2, "She hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins." Isa 61:7, "For your shame ye shall have double."

In the cup which she hath filled. To bring wrath on others. Barnes on "Re 14:8".

Fill to her double. Let her drink abundantly of the wine of the wrath of God--double that which she has dealt out to others. That is, either let the quantity administered to her be doubled, or let the ingredients in the cup be doubled in intensity.

(i) "Reward her" Ps 137:8, Jer 50:15,29