Revelation 18
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It Has Fallen! (18:1-8)
Chapter 18 is fairly self-explanatory so we will quickly move through this chapter. The cry goes out that Babylon the Great has fallen. Though Rome had not yet fallen, its fall is spoken of as if it already happened because of the surety of the event (see notes on Revelation 14:8). All that is unholy and wicked will be part of the fall and desolation of Babylon the Great.
In verse 4 the people of God are called out to be separate from the people and the sins of the nation or they will face the same judgment. This call was made to the people of God in Isaiah 52:11 and Jeremiah 51:45, and is still God’s call to us today. 2 Corinthians 6:17, “Therefore Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” God will no longer tolerate the sins committed by the power of the Roman Empire (vs. 5). God has remembered its sins and it will now be repaid for its deeds (vs. 6). In the next set of verses we will see the economic destruction of Rome. The luxury and wealth of Rome would be removed as well. Not only would it be a political downfall, but the people would lose the wealth they had.
Woe, Woe, the Great City (18:9-20)
Most of chapter 18 is devoted to the description of the great wealth of Babylon the Great. No other city and no other nation could compare to the greatness and majesty of Rome and its empire in the first century. No other city or nation could fit this description in the first century than Rome. Notice that the people of the earth are not mourning the end of the empire in particular. They are wailing for the loss of the wealth and riches. No one thought that Rome could fall (Revelation 13:4; 17:8) and so its sudden demise surprises the whole world (18:19). With its fall, all of God’s people could rejoice for God had brought judgment upon the nation that was killing God’s people, persecuting them in such a way that is nearly unthinkable to us today. For more on the persecution of Rome, I would ask you to read Fox’s Book of Martyrs to see what they did to Christians. I would also encourage you to read the history of the Roman emperors to learn about how antagonist they were against Christianity. Emperor Diocletian was considered one of the worst persecutors against the saints. Judgment has now come against Rome.
Sunk Never To Rise Again (18:21-24)
Then we see a mighty angel throw a large millstone into the sea and says, “In this way, Babylon the great city will be thrown down violently never to be found again.” What does this mean? Jeremiah 51:51-54 has the same events depicted of Babylon. Notice verse 64, “Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more….” The power is gone from the empire and shall never return. There will not be a resurrected Roman Empire. God has put it down never to return again. All that is in Rome is now silenced (Revelation 18:22). Its demise has been clearly seen. Many premillennialists suggest that the Roman Empire must rise again and make war with Christians during the Tribulation. However, Revelation 18:21-24 is clear that the power of the Roman Empire is destroyed and will never rise again.
What we have seen in chapters 17 and 18 is the detailed imagery of the fall of Babylon the Great, which is the great harlot, the city of Rome. We have also seen that the empire will fall (the beast) as well as its rulers in the provinces and territories (the ten horns). The Christians were not to think that they would have to endure the emperors indefinitely. Rome may appear to be powerful, but it will fall because of its iniquities. Rome’s power and wealth will be stripped away and it will never rise again.
