Revelation 18 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rev 18:1-8

1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendour. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:

‘“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!”
    She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
    a haunt for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
    the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
    and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.’

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

‘“Come out of her, my people,”
    so that you will not share in her sins,
    so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,
    and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Give back to her as she has given;
    pay her back double for what she has done.
    Pour her a double portion from her own cup.
7 Give her as much torment and grief
    as the glory and luxury she gave herself.
In her heart she boasts,
    “I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;
    I will never mourn.”
8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her:
    death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,
    for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

A. Find Out:

1. What was the next angel like? v.1
2. What had Babylon become? v.2
3. What had happened? v.3
4. What was then instructed and why? v.4,5
5. What is going to happen to her? v.6,7a
6. What had she thought and so what will happen? v.7b,8

B. Think:

1. What was the moral and spiritual state of Babylon?
2. What cry came to believers?
3. What had been Babylon’s attitude?

C. Comment:

      First a senior angel comes to declare the truth about the state of Babylon. Who or whatever Babylon is, it has become filled with powers of darkness, is corrupt and evil and has involved all the nations and national leaders in these same things. Twice the material prosperity that flourished in this environment (v.3c,7b) is mentioned, and such prosperity had bred a sense of superiority and invincibility. Such was the terrible state of this being.

      Then comes a cry to all believers to come out from it. It is going to be judged and if we are part of it and rely upon it, first it questions our own state of spiritual health, but second it means we will also suffer from the things that will happen to it.

      Finally comes the command to give to Babylon what she has given to others. She will be destroyed as she has destroyed others. She will find that she is not so mighty as she thinks, for she has to contend with Almighty God before whom she will appear and easy target for His judgement. Her pride will be brought low!

D. Application:

1. Demonic activity is behind all godless activity whether it comes in the form of blatant evil or humanistic materialism.
2. The judgement of God will fall on all who are part of this godless system regardless of whether it is with spiritual idolatry or with materialistic self-glorification.

Passage: Rev 18:9-24

9 ‘When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:

‘“Woe! Woe to you, great city,
    you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!”

11 ‘The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more – 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.

14 ‘They will say, “The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendour have vanished, never to be recovered.” 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn 16 and cry out:

‘“Woe! Woe to you, great city,
    dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
    and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!”

‘Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. 18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, “Was there ever a city like this great city?” 19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:

‘“Woe! Woe to you, great city,
    where all who had ships on the sea
    became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!”

20 ‘Rejoice over her, you heavens!
    Rejoice, you people of God!
    Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
    with the judgment she imposed on you.’

21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said:

‘With such violence
    the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
    never to be found again.
22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again.
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.
23 The light of a lamp
    will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world’s important people.
    By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
    of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.’

A. Find Out:

1. Who will first weep and why? v.9,10
2. Who will next weep and why? v.11-13
3. What do they see has happened? v.14-17a
4. Who next weeps and why? v.17b-19
5. What is said about the church and Babylon? v.20, 24
6. What is happening to Babylon and why? v.21-23

B. Think:

1. What characteristic of Babylon comes out in this passage that is being mourned over by the various groups when it is lost?
2. What had been the evil in that do you think?
3. What further evil had Babylon done?

C. Comment:

     The actual destruction doesn’t seem to come until verse 21 but the reactions to the destruction are anticipated in the prior verses. First the leaders of the world who had totally integrated with her mourned that the city of POWER (v.10) had fallen. Within her organisation there had obviously been great power for them, which will go!

     Then the business community will mourn over their loss of WEALTH at her downfall, for they had become rich in material things through her. Note in verse 13 that they had also traded in the bodies and souls of men. Such a business world (even as we see today) doesn’t only deal in goods, it requires the very lives of those who are trading. How many today have their entire waking hours taken up with their work, having become slaves to it.

     Then the transport and communications people of the world will grieve for they too had become rich because of the trading across the world. In each case there is a mourning for the loss of immense wealth generated (and subsequent power) from its activities. However its activities also include the attack on the church and killing of Christians who stand for righteousness.

D. Application:

1. Wealth & power are so often linked with sin. Beware!
2. Righteousness will be attacked by sinful practices. Beware!