Revelation 18:1-19

The Fall of Babylon

18:1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice,

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!

She has become a dwelling place for demons,

a haunt for every unclean spirit,

a haunt for every unclean bird,

a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.

3 For all nations have drunk[a]

the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,

and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her,

and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

“Come out of her, my people,

lest you take part in her sins,

lest you share in her plagues;

5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven,

and God has remembered her iniquities.

6 Pay her back as she herself has paid back others,

and repay her double for her deeds;

mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.

7 As she glorified herself and lived in luxury,

so give her a like measure of torment and mourning,

since in her heart she says,

‘I sit as a queen,

I am no widow,

and mourning I shall never see.’

8 For this reason her plagues will come in a single day,

death and mourning and famine,

and she will be burned up with fire;

for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”

9 And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

“Alas! Alas! You great city,

you mighty city, Babylon!

For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.[b]

14 “The fruit for which your soul longed

has gone from you,

and all your delicacies and your splendors

are lost to you,

never to be found again!”

15 The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,

16 “Alas, alas, for the great city

that was clothed in fine linen,

in purple and scarlet,

adorned with gold,

with jewels, and with pearls!

17 For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.”

And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,

“What city was like the great city?”

19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,

“Alas, alas, for the great city

where all who had ships at sea

grew rich by her wealth!

For in a single hour she has been laid waste.

Revelation 18-1-19

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Summary

After the vision of judgment in chapter 17, John now sees another angel coming down from heaven with great authority, and the earth is illuminated with his glory (v. 1). The angel proclaims with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!” (v. 2). Babylon, representing the corrupt world system opposed to God, has become a dwelling place for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit. Her immorality and pride have led to her downfall, and her sins are heaped up to heaven (vv. 3–5).

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

A heavenly voice calls God’s people to separate themselves from her: “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues” (v. 4). Babylon’s judgment is described as swift and sure: “her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire” (v. 8).

The kings of the earth, merchants, and shipmasters—all those who prospered from her wealth—stand far off, weeping and mourning at her destruction (vv. 9–19). They cry out, “Alas! Alas!… For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste!” (v. 16–17). The fall of Babylon reveals the fleeting nature of worldly glory and the futility of relying on riches or power apart from God.

Who is God

God is the sovereign Judge who brings down every corrupt power that opposes Him. He is holy and just, remembering Babylon’s sins and repaying her double for what she has done (v. 5–6). His judgment is not arbitrary or delayed—when the appointed time comes, Babylon’s fall is sudden and irreversible (v. 8).

He is also the Redeemer who calls His people out of Babylon (v. 4). God’s justice is accompanied by mercy, as He warns His people not to share in her sins or judgment. Even as He executes final justice, God shows His faithfulness by separating His people from destruction.

What is our Guilt

Our guilt is revealed in how easily we are attracted to Babylon’s glory. Like the kings and merchants in this passage, we admire wealth, luxury, and power, believing they provide security and identity. We may not openly bow to idols, but our hearts can crave success, comfort, and social approval more than Christ.

We are also guilty of staying too close to Babylon. Rather than living distinctly as God’s people, we compromise our faith to blend in with the world. We think we can enjoy Babylon’s pleasures without sharing in her plagues. But God warns us—“Come out of her, my people” (v. 4). Our divided loyalty shows that we underestimate both God’s holiness and the certainty of His justice.

How does Grace Shine

Grace shines in God’s call to His people to come out of Babylon (v. 4). Before judgment falls, God graciously warns and preserves those who belong to Him. His people are not abandoned to destruction but are called to holiness and safety in Him.

Grace also shines in the exposure of Babylon’s emptiness. The merchants and kings mourn because their source of power is destroyed in “a single hour” (v. 10, 17). This reveals that worldly glory is temporary, but God’s kingdom is eternal. By tearing down what we might idolize, God shows us that only in Christ is there true security.

Ultimately, grace shines in the Lamb who has already borne judgment for His people. For those in Christ, Babylon’s fall is not our doom but our deliverance. The kingdoms of this world will pass away, but the kingdom of God will never end.

Prayer

Sovereign and righteous God,

We praise You as the Judge who brings down every false power and as the Redeemer who calls Your people out of darkness. Your justice is holy, and Your mercy is steadfast.

Forgive us for loving Babylon’s wealth and comfort more than Your kingdom. Forgive us for staying too close to sin, thinking we can belong to both this world and to Christ.

Thank You that in Jesus, we are rescued from judgment and given a lasting hope. Help us to live as citizens of Your kingdom, holding loosely to this world and clinging tightly to the Lamb. Strengthen us to endure faithfully as we await the day when Babylon falls forever and Christ reigns in glory.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.