Rev 18:1-3 | 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 18:1-3

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 Verse 2. And he cried mightily. Literally, "he cried with a strong great voice." See Rev 10:3.

Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen. Rev 14:8. The proclamation here is substantially the same as in that place, and no doubt the same thing is referred to.

And is become the habitation of devils. Of demons--in allusion to the common opinion that the demons inhabited abandoned cities, old ruins, and deserts. Mt 12:43-45. The language here is taken from the description of Babylon in Isa 13:20-22; and for a full illustration of the meaning, Isa 13:20, seq.

And the hold of every foul spirit--φυλακη. A watch-post, station, haunt of such spirits. That is, they, as it were, kept guard there; were stationed there; haunted the place.

And a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. That is, they would resort there, and abide there as in a cage. The word translated "cage" is the same which is rendered "hold"--φυλακη. In Isa 13:21, it is said, "and owls shall dwell there;" and in Isa 14:23, it is said that it would be a "possession for the bittern." The idea is that of utter desolation; and the meaning here is, that spiritual Babylon--Papal Rome (Rev 14:8) will be reduced to a state of utter desolation resembling that of the real Babylon. It is not necessary to suppose this of the city of Rome itself--for that is not the object of the representation. It is the Papacy, represented under the image of the city, and having its seat there. That is to be destroyed as utterly as was Babylon of old; that will become as odious, and loathsome, and detestable as the literal Babylon, the abode of monsters is.

(b) "Babylon the Great" Rev 14:8, Isa 13:19, 21:9, Jer 51:8 (c) "the habitation of devils" Rev 17:2, Isa 34:11,14, Jer 50:39, 51:37 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"