And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
21. a mighty angel ] Lit., one strong angel.
cast it into the sea &c.] Jer 51:63-64.
with violence ] Lit., with a rush or dash. R. V. “with a mighty fall.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And a mighty angel – See the notes on Rev 18:1. This seems, however, to have been a different angel from the one mentioned in Rev 18:1, though, like that, he is described as having great power.
Took up a stone like a great millstone – On the structure of mills among the ancients see the notes on Mat 24:41.
And cast it into the sea – As an emblem of the utter ruin of the city; an indication that the city would be as completely destroyed as that stone was covered by the waters.
Saying, Thus with violence – With force, as the stone was thrown into the sea. The idea is, that it would not be by a gentle and natural decline, but by the application of foreign power. This accords with all the representations in this book, that violence will be employed to overthrow the papal power. See Rev 17:16-17. The origin of this image is probably Jer 51:63-64; And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates; and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring on her.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Rev 18:21-24
A mighty angel took up a stone.
A great millstone
Observe here–
1. Babylons utter destruction represented by the type and sign of a millstone cast into the sea: like a millstone she had ground and oppressed the Church of God; and now, like a millstone thrown into the sea, she sinks into the pit of destruction. Almighty God, by this symbol, signified to St. John that Babylons ruin should be violent, irrecoverable, and irreparable; she falls never to rise more. The casting of a stone into the sea was anciently the emblem of everlasting forgetfulness.
2. The amplification of Babylons ruin particularised in several instances.
(1) That nothing should ever more be found in her that belonged to pleasure or delight; no voice of harpers, musicians, or trumpeters.
(2) Nothing which belonged to profit or trading, no artificers and craftsmen.
(3) Nothing belonging to food, no noise of a millstone for grinding corn and making provision for bread.
(4) Nothing to relieve against the darkness and terror of the night, as the light of a candle.
(5) No means for the propagation of mankind by marriage–the voice of the bride and the bridegroom shall be heard no more. All which expressions do imply extreme destruction and utter desolation, intimating that Babylon shall be a place utterly abandoned and forsaken.
3. A threefold cause assigned for all this, to wit–
(1) Damnable covetousness: her merchants were the great ones of the earth. Her sinful way of merchandising, by dealing in spiritual commodities, seems here to be pointed at; her making merchandise of the souls of men, as we have it (verse 13).
(2) Her bewitching idolatry, called here sorceries, whereby she enticed people to join with her in her superstitious worship.
(3) Her cruelty and bloodshed; in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
But how can the blood shed by others be laid to her charge?
1. Because the doctrines which caused their blood to be shed were with her.
2. Because her jurisdiction gave commission to slay the saints which were slain in other kingdoms.
3. Because by the influence of her example at home much blood had been shed abroad. God will charge upon others, as he did upon Babylon, not only the sin which they have acted, but all the sins which they have been necessary unto. (W. Burkitt, M. A.)
Moral evil symbolised
I. A symbolisation of its nature. If you want to see sin, or moral evil, in all its hideous aspects, in all its infernal operations, in all its damning consequences, study the great city of Babylon. The great city Babylon is in every unrenewed soul.
II. A symbolisation of its overthrow. The moral evil of the world is to be destroyed; it is not to exist for ever.
1. It is to be overthrown by superhuman agency. A mighty angel; a messenger from heaven. Was not Christ a mighty Messenger sent from heaven for this purpose? Yes, He came to destroy the works of the devil. It has been said that good alone can overcome evil. True, but it must be good in a supernatural form, and in this form the gospel brings us the good.
2. It is to be overthrown in such a way as never to appear again. Babylon is thrown like a great millstone into the sea. As Pharaoh sank like lead in the mighty waters, and rose no more to life, so shall moral evil, like a mighty millstone, fall into the fathomless abysses of eternal ruin. (Homilist.)
.
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 21. Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down] This action is finely and forcibly expressed by the original words: . The millstone will in falling have not only an accelerated force from the law of gravitation, but that force will be greatly increased by the projectile force impressed upon it by the power of the destroying angel.
Shall be found no more at all.] In her government, consequence, or influence. This is true of ancient Babylon; we are not certain even of the place where it stood. It is also true of Jerusalem; her government, consequence, and influence are gone. It is not true of Rome pagan; nor, as yet, of Rome papal: the latter still exists, and the former is most intimately blended with it; for in her religions service Rome papal has retained her language, and many of her heathen temples has she dedicated to saints real or reputed, and incorporated many of her superstitions and absurdities in a professedly Christian service. It is true also that many idols are now restored under the names of Christian saints!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea; for a sign or symbol of the irreparable ruin of Rome, signified by that great millstone which had ground to powder so many of Gods holy ones. By this sign God shows his prophet:
1. That Rome shall be ruined.
2. That it shall be done with violence.
3. That it shall be a total, utter ruin, from whence it shall never recover.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. aGreek, “one.”
millstoneCompare thejudgment on the Egyptian hosts at the Red Sea, Exo 15:5;Exo 15:10; Neh 9:11,and the foretold doom of Babylon, the world power, Jer 51:63;Jer 51:64.
with violenceGreek,“with impetus.” This verse shows that this prophecy isregarded as still to be fulfilled.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And a mighty angel,…. Not Christ, nor one of the ministering spirits, but some man or set of men, perhaps the same with him in Re 18:1
took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea; just as Jeremiah took a stone and bound it to his book after he had read it, and cast it into the river Euphrates, as a sign and token of the destruction of old Babylon, Jer 51:63
saying, thus with violence shall that great city be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all; which is expressive of the utter destruction of Rome, and of the violence, force, and power with which it will be destroyed, and of the suddenness and swiftness of its destruction, and of the irrecoverableness of its state and condition.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A strong angel ( ). Here = a, just an indefinite article, not “one” as a numeral.
Took up (). First aorist active indicative of .
As it were a great millstone ( ). Late adjective, in inscriptions, here only in N.T., made of millstone (, Matt 18:6; Rev 18:22), while (Lu 17:2) means belonging to a mill. This is not a small millstone turned by women (Mt 24:41), but one requiring an ass to turn it (Mr 9:42), and so “a great” one.
Cast (). Second aorist active of , to hurl.
With a mighty fall (). Instrumental case (manner) of , a rush, old word from , to rush (Mt 8:32), here only in N.T.
Shall be cast down (). Future (first) passive of , the same verb (), effective punctiliar future. Like a boulder hurled into the sea.
Shall be found no more at all ( ). Double negative with first aorist passive subjunctive of . See 9:6 for with the active voice of . Already the old Babylon was a desert waste (Strabo, XVI. 1073).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
A mighty angel [ ] . Lit., “one strong angel.” A great millstone. See on Mt 18:6.
With violence [] . Lit. with an impulse or rush. Only here in the New Testament.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And a mighty angel took up a stone,” (kai eren eis angelos ischuros lithon) “And one strong angel lifted a stone,” a huge rock, a foundation-like stone; the strong angel ‘was perhaps Michael’s band of defensive ministering spirits, both to defend God’s people and property and administer judgment, even in battle, Dan 12:1; Rev 12:7; Rev 10:1.
2) “Like a great millstone,” (hos mulinon megan) “As or like a great millstone,” in appearance and size, Jer 51:63-64. Much as Pharaoh and his armies sank, as a stone, to the bottom of the Red Sea, Exo 15:5-6.
3) “And cast it into the sea saying,” (kai ebalen eis ten thalassan legon) “And tossed it (threw it down) into the sea saying,” declaring as he threw it, focusing attention upon the waves of the sea, where it would instantly be lost to view, Jer 51:25-26.
4) “Thus with violence,” (houtos hormemati) “Just like this, with a rush, splash, or violence,” in force with a physical display of visible, literal drama in judgment.
5) “Shall that great city Babylon be thrown down,” (blethesetai Babulon he megale polis) “Shall the great Metropolis Babylon be cast down,” to ruin, desolation, to rise no more at all; Mat 18:6; Thus is described God’s retribution upon the Babylonish and Romanish religious corruption and idolatry of the final Gentile Empire of the antichrist, Dan 5:30-31.
6) “And shall be found no more at all,” (kai ou me heurethe eti) “And shall by no means be found (to exist) at all,” so deep shall she sink into Divine judgment, Rev 12:8; Rev 16:20; Like a huge lead-stone cast into the sea, Neh 9:11; Exo 15:10.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Strauss Comments
SECTION 60
Text Rev. 18:21-24
21 And a strong angel took up a stone as it were a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all. 22 And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more at all in thee; and the voice of a mill shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23 and the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bride-groom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee; for thy merchants were the princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.
Initial Questions Rev. 18:21-24
1.
What did the great millstone cast into the sea symbolize Rev. 18:21?
2.
Is the joy and happiness gone from the city according to Rev. 18:22?
3.
Why will there be no more craftsmen Rev. 18:22?
4.
Why will there be no more grinding of the grain Rev. 18:22?
5.
What social, family and individual issues might be raised by the fact that there shall be no light from the lamps Rev. 18:23? What about the source of oil necessary for the lamps?
6.
Is is possible that there were no more young left after the destruction in view of second clause of Rev. 18:23?
7.
Can a nation or a society be responsible for crimes which were engineered and executed by their leaders Rev. 18:24?
Rev. 18:21
John next saw that one strong angel lifted a stone like a great millstone, and threw (it not in text) into the sea, saying, thus with a violent impulse Babylon the great city shall be thrown down, and by no means shall be found any longer. The imagery speaks of the final destruction of the eternal city.
Rev. 18:22
The places of entertainment are destroyed. This entertainment might have occurred in the great religious Temples which were the sanctuaries of the immoral mystery religions. The musical instruments which were used in the services of the pagan religions are no longer heard in the great city. There are no crafts-men whatsoever. If there is no market for a given product, then men will not learn the craft. International economy has collapsed, therefore it would be utter folly to continue to make products which will not be purchased. There is no grain produced and no one to buy (or who could buy it); therefore, the sound of a mill shall be no means be heard in you any longer.
Rev. 18:23
The great city is in ruin! Her places of entertainment, Temples, homes, and public buildings have gone up in smoke. Men no longer go out in the night to hide in the flickering shadows of half-lighted buildings in order to commit their immoral acts. No one can be found who is still arrogant because of the luxury of the great harlot. Darkness has captured the city which spawned malignant darkness. The light of a lamp by no means shall shine in you any longer.—–The young men and women have left, or were killed in the great judgment, because the voice of the bridegroom and bride shall by no means be heard in you any longer; because your merchants were (san imperfect tensetheir merchants used to be the great ones of the earth, but this is no longer true) the great ones of the earth, because by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. Most men are easily deceived, particularly when they labor under the delusion that wealth, luxury, and physical force are adequate to provide for security. Some men have no commitment about anything; they just want to be on the winning side. Contemporary man has observed the rise and fall of some very powerful men. Whenever power is not tempered by Christian morality, it will inevitably destroy its possessor.
Rev. 18:24
In the great city, which was bred and nurtured by evil, the great heavenly voice charges her with another barbarian activity butchery. (See Dill, Roman Society, p. 242 now in paperback excellent, standard work!) It was a common thing for the socially elite of Rome to butcher Christians in order to celebrate a Roman holiday.
Discussion Questions
Chapter Rev. 18:1-24
1.
What was the angels message in Rev. 18:4?
2.
Discuss the Holiness and Righteousness of God in view of the persistent problems of evil Rev. 18:6.
3.
Does Rev. 18:6 imply that God demands more punishment than is deserved?
4.
What was the attitude of the great harlot in Rev. 18:7?
5.
Discuss the relationship of Gods purpose and human achievement Rev. 18:7.
6.
How long does it take God to bring destruction upon the great harlot Rev. 18:8?
7.
What groups of people are mentioned in Rev. 18:9?
8.
What were the cargoes of the ships? Discuss the items as status symbols Rev. 18:12-13.
9.
What does Rev. 18:13 tell us about the value of a man in first century Roman culture?
10.
What does the goals of a person tell us about that person Rev. 18:14?
11.
What has happened to turn the priceless cargoes into worthless trash Rev. 18:15?
12.
What are some of the implications of the relationship of luxury and spirituality Rev. 18:19?
13.
What has happened to the lights, the craftsmen, brides and grooms, the mills, the places of entertainment in the great city Rev. 18:22 ff?
14.
What barbarian activity is implied in Rev. 18:24?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
THE IRREMEDIABLE OVERTHROW OF BABYLON SYMBOLICALLY DECLARED.
(21) And a mighty angel . . .The taking up of the stone and casting it into the waters is a symbol drawn from Jeremiah (Jeremiah 51). Jeremiah enjoined Seraiah to bind the prophetic roll to a great stone, and cast them together into the Euphrates. The meaning of the act was explainedThus shall Babylon sink and shall not rise, &c. (Jer. 51:63-64). The great dead mass, sinking helplessly by the law of its own weight, signified a fall past recovery. So Pharaoh and his host sank like lead in the mighty waters. It is the doom Christ foreshadowed as awaiting those who caused His children to fall (Mat. 18:6). The mighty angel, strong to lift the ponderous stone, throws it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence (or, with a bound) shall Babylon, the great city, be thrown, and shall not be found any more. At one bound, without a single resting-stage in its downward career, without chance or power of recovery, the vast world-city would fall. She who sat as a queen upon many waters, sinks as a stone in the mighty waters. She will not be found any more. The words any more, or no more, are repeated in these verses no less than six times, like a funeral knell over the departed greatness which is described.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
d. Mournful picture of the silence by day, and the darkness by night, within the city home, Rev 18:21-24 .
And In the present paragraph there is not a verb in the future tense, except one, shall be thrown down. This is future, because it is a quotation from Jer 51:63-64, where a similar throwing of a stone into the sea illustrates the downfall of ancient Babylon. All the other verbs of the passage are in the (aorist) past tense.
No more at all This solemn expression of perpetual ruin is seven times uttered in this paragraph; the symbol number of absolute divine completeness.
‘And a strong angel took up a stone, as it were a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, “Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon the great city be cast down and shall be found no more at all”.’
This is a further interesting example of how quickly the scene can move forwards and then backwards. We have seen the great city destroyed, now we see an angel forecasting its future destruction. We might have expected this to come earlier but John is not so much concerned with chronology as in painting each picture fully. The picture of the great stone crashing into the water symbolises the speed of Babylon’s destruction.
Compare with this scene how in Jer 51:60-63 Jeremiah wrote about all the evil that would come on Babylon, and then gave it to Seraiah who was taken captive to Babylon with Zedekiah the king, and told him that when he had read it he should ‘bind a stone to it and cast it into the middle of the Euphrates, and you shall say, “Thus shall Babylon sink and shall not rise again because of the evil that I will bring on her”.’
So Babylon the Great is destroyed, none shall ever rise like her again. The earth is freed from her idolatry, uncleanness and occult practises. No great city will ever again dominate an empire. But only because the scarlet beast from the abyss has destroyed her in order to replace her with his own monotheistic religion inspired by Satan. The end will not be long.
Thus the building of a city (Gen 4:17) and of the tower of Babel (Genesis 11) has been reversed, and as in the Garden of Eden we come back to a face to face confrontation between God and Satan with man caught in the middle.
The punishment completed:
v. 21. and a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all.
v. 22. And the voice of harpers and musicians and of pipers and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
v. 23. and the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in the e; for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
v. 24. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Here the seer pictures inevitable doom, total and terrible desolation: And there lifted up one mighty angel a stone like a millstone, and threw it into the sea, saying, Thus with force shall be thrown down Babylon, the great city, and shall no more be found; and the voice of harpists and minstrels and flutists and trumpeters no more shall be heard in thee, and all craftsmen of every craft shall no more be found in thee, and the sound of the millstone shall no more be heard in thee, and the light of a lamp shall no more shine in thee, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall no more be heard in thee, because thy merchants were the magnates of the earth, because by thy incantations were deceived all nations, and in her was found the blood of prophets and saints and of all those that had been slain on the earth. That is the sentence of doom, given in the form of a rhythmic song, and introduced by a symbolic action resembling that of Jer 51:63-64. The judgment of the great city, of spiritual Babylon, the kingdom of Anti-Christ, is sealed; the blow given her by the Reformation was so strong as to lay her low forever. No matter what efforts the papacy makes to regain her former absolute reign in the world, all such attempts are bound to result in failure. The glory which she formerly held is departed from her forever. The sins of spiritual adultery, of idolatry, and of the magic spells with which Rome managed to seduce the mighty ones of the earth, the blood which she has shed during the thousand years and more which she has been in existence, call down upon her the curse of the Lord, His eternal damnation.
Summary
The fall and destruction of the kingdom of Anti-Christ is here described in full, together with the wailing complaint of rulers and merchants and shipmasters that grew rich in the traffic in her goods and luxuries, while there is rejoicing in heaven over the vindication of the martyrs and prophets and apostles.
Rev 18:21-24. A mighty angel took up a stone, &c. Farther to confirm the sudden fall and irrecoverable destruction of Rome, an emblem is given, similar to that in Jer 51:63-64. A mighty angel casteth a milstone into the sea, Rev 18:21 declaring, that with the same violence this great city shall be cast down, and shall never rise again. Her utter desolation is farther described, Rev 18:22-23 in phrases similar to those of the ancient prophets (Isa 24:8. Jer 7:34; Jer 16:9; Jer 25:10. Eze 26:13.). There shall be no more musicians for the entertainment of the rich and great; no more tradesmen or artificers, to furnish the conveniences of life; no more servants or slaves, to grind the mill, or to supply the necessaries of life: nay, there shall be no more lights, no more bridal songs; the city shall never be peopled again by new marriages, but shall remain depopulated for ever. For which utter desolation, there are assigned these reasons, (Rev 18:23-24.)her pride and luxury; her superstition and idolatry; her tyranny and cruelty. Her punishment shall be as severe and exemplary as if she had been guilty of all the persecutions that ever were upon the account of religion; for by her conduct she had approved, imitated, and surpassed them all. But Rome has never yet been depopulated and desolated in this manner: she was taken indeed and plundered by Alaric king of the Visigoths in the year 410, by Genseric king of the Vandals in the year 455, by Totilas king of the Ostrogoths in the year 546, and by others since: but yet she is still standing and flourishing, and is honoured by many nations as the metropolis of the Christian world; she still resounds with singers and musicians; she still excels in arts which serve to pomp and luxury; she still abounds with candles and lamps, and torches, burning even by day as well as night; and consequently this prophesy has not yet been, but remains yet to be fulfilled. Before we conclude our comment on this chapter, we cannot but take notice of the remarkable force and beauty of the words rendered, Thus with violence shall, &c. be thrown down, Rev 18:21. The original signifies literally, shall be hurled away with violence; intimating, that if it fell by its own weight, its fall would not be rapid enough.
Inferences and REFLECTIONS.From the particular detail which is here given us, of the various commodities in which Babylon traded with its merchants, we may surely take an incidental occasion to reflect upon the rich bounty of divine Providence to the children of men, in giving them such a variety of good things, which tend not only to their necessary support, but their ornament and delight. To whatever pernicious purposes vanity and luxury may abuse the silver and the gold, the gems and the pearls, the fine linen, and silk, the purple and scarlet, the ivory and marble, the cinnamon and the myrrh, as well as the more important blessings of wheat and oil, of kine, and sheep, and horses, all are the gifts of God; and, if wisely and properly used, may justly excite our thankfulness to him; and it is on ourselves, and not on him, that we are to charge it, if what should have been for our welfare, becomes a trap, and our treasures be turned into idols. Nor is the wise disposition of Providence to be disregarded, in causing many of these things to be the peculiar producers of different countries, denying to some what he has given to the rest, that so traffic and commerce may be encouraged, and, by its society and intercourse extended among different nations, and provision made for that spread of divine knowledge, which had, in many instances, been almost impossible, if human industry, quickened by necessity, and the prospect of gain, had not invented those arts of navigation, to which Great Britain, above all other nations, is so much indebted, and without which, indeed, our beautiful and fruitful island had been a desert, inaccessible to men.
But, though this oblique reflection may profitably be made, the great object to which we are directed by this chapter, is the certain and final ruin of Babylon, which, how highly soever exalted, how superbly soever adorned, how luxuriously soever regaled, shall fall, shall fall as a milstone cast into the sea. Strong is the Lord God who judgeth her; and it is impossible she can withstand the force of his omnipotent arm. Long has she, in a metaphorical sense, been the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird; and God will make her so in another, even in a literal sense, when he shall appear to remember and punish those iniquities, which have reached unto heaven; among which, various and detestable as they have been, shedding the blood of the prophets and the saints must be reckoned as most enormous. Let no triumph of the antichristian powers, for the present, shake our faith in these most certain and indubitable prophesies; and let that charge never be forgotten, “Come forth from her, O my people, and be separate.” Blessed be God, that a separation has been begun, that it has been so long supported, and that so many attempts to bring back God’s Israel into captivity have been defeated. May the boundaries of the Reformation be extended! may the purity of the reformed churches be more and more advanced, and all remainders of superstition, persecution, and imposition, be taken away. And, to conclude all, let those who are now living deliciously, and glorifying themselves in the forgetfulness of God, abusing the various gifts of his bounty to his dishonour, and saying in their hearts, that they shall see no sorrow, remember how suddenly their state may be changed; how quickly they may sink into the depths of misery, proportionable to the height of their abused prosperity; and experience a torment and sorrow, which will be doubly bitter in the remembrance of their former condition. Let such, therefore, in whatever rank of life they are, according to the words of Daniel to the most illustrious king of Babylon, (Dan 4:27.) Break off their sins by righteousness, and their iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor, if it may be a lengthening out of their tranquillity; and give glory to God, before all their cheerful light be exchanged for darkness, and all the harmony of their music for weeping and wailing, groaning and lamentation for ever.
Rev 18:21-24 . Finally, a mighty angel in representing the impending sudden destruction of the great city, by casting a great stone into the sea, not only in his speech explaining this symbolical act, describes, by individual vivid features, the transformation into desolate silence of the pleasure and magnificence that have hitherto prevailed, but also points definitely to the guilt of the city as the ground of the judgment.
. On in the indefinite sense, cf. Rev 8:13 . The might of the angel is especially emphasized, because this is demanded for his action. [4003]
. By the comparison . . , the greatness of the stone is illustrated. [4004] The meaning of the act [4005] is described well by Andr., since he holds to the literal interpretation of the angel: , , , , . [4006] Here it is likewise remarkable that Andr. does not see that he is led to substitute for the expression , which is unusual as a designation of a millstone, that which is ordinarily employed, and how he correctly paraphrases the [4007] by .
Concerning with aor. subj., Rev 18:21 sqq., [4008] see Winer, p. 471.
The description, Rev 18:22 sqq., which refers not only to objects of pleasure and luxury, but also to daily wants and natural relations of life, has the model of Eze 26:13 , Jer 25:10 , [4009] as its foundation; the of the city (Rev 18:16 ; Rev 18:19 ; Rev 17:16 ) [4010] is illustrated in a concrete way.
. . The exhaustive conclusion of the category, of which several individual examples are mentioned. [4011] , . . . Very suitably, the discourse of the angel concludes with a definite presentation of the guilt of the city. This, however, is stated in a threefold way from Rev 18:1 on: [4012] first, the unprecedented luxury in which the city had indulged, because of its wealth; [4013] then the licentiousness into which she had led astray all nations and kings, as she brought all the world thither to her service and to acknowledge her as the divine queen; [4014] finally, her bloody hostility to the saints. [4015] All three points [4016] the angel emphasizes, sealing, as it were, his announcement of judgment with this establishment of guilt; the first, in the words , [4017] “because thy merchants were the great men of the earth,” i.e., because they who brought thee the objects of thy luxurious life found in thy wealth and extravagance a source of their own wealth, which made them the great men of the earth; [4018] the second, in the words , . . ., which cannot be understood as a foundation of what immediately precedes, [4019] but are co-ordinate with the first expression , . . ., since here the same object is described as in Rev 17:2 ; Rev 17:4 , and the seductive sorcery [4020] is in fact nothing else than the intoxicating wine of the harlot. The most important third point of the guilt is finally emphasized with especial force, Rev 18:24 , by the change in the form of the discourse. Not in an apostrophe to the city, but in a judgment of firm objectivity, it is here finally established that in the city the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all those slain upon earth (for Christ’s sake), “was found.” In an exquisite manner the indicates how the blood, which has been shed “upon the earth,” was reckoned “to the city.” The city is the capital of the entire empire, hating and murdering believers; as a matter of fact also, in the Neronian universal persecution, it took the lead of its empire.
In violation of the context, Ew. ii. understands the . . ., . . . , of those not Christians.
[4003] Cf. Rev 5:2 , 18.
[4004] Cf. Rev 11:1 , Rev 8:8 .
[4005] Cf. Jer 51:63 sqq.
[4006] [“Just as, he says, the millstone sinks by its impulse into the sea, so also the destruction of this Babylon shall be all at once, so that not a trace of it shall be preserved for posterity.”]
[4007] Cf. Mat 8:32 with its parallels.
[4008] Also Rev 18:7 .
[4009] Cf. Jer 7:34 , Jer 14:9 , Jer 33:11 .
[4010] Cf. Jer 7:34 .
[4011] Cf. Rev 18:14 ; Rev 18:17 .
[4012] Cf. ch. 17.
[4013] Rev 18:3 ; Rev 18:7 ; Rev 18:11 sqq.
[4014] Cf. Rev 18:3 ; Rev 18:6 sq., 9, Rev 17:2 .
[4015] Cf. Rev 17:6 .
[4016] Cf. Ewald.
[4017] Cf. Isa 23:8 .
[4018] Cf. Rev 6:15 . So Ewald, De Wette, Hengstenb., etc. Eichh. improperly regards the . as the predicate, as he besides regards “the merchandise” as a figurative designation for “fornication.”
[4019] Against Hengstenb.
[4020] refers to the love-potions of the harlot. Cf. Isa 47:9 ; Isa 47:11 sqq. Ewald, De Wette.
(21) And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. (22) And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found anymore in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; (23) And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. (24) And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
The figure of a great millstone cast into the sea, is only to show the eternal and unalterable nature of the whore’s destruction. She is sunk to rise no more. Neither shall the voice of bride groom or bride, or a single blessing be found anymore within her walls forever!
21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
Ver. 21. And a mighty angel ] For further assurance a sign is added, and an allusion made toJer 51:63Jer 51:63 . And here it is easy to observe a notable gradation, an angel, a strong angel, taketh a stone, and a great stone, even a millstone, which he letteth not barely fall, but casteth, and with impetuous force thrusteth into the bottom of the sea, whence it cannot be buoyed up. Thus is set forth to the eye also the irreparable ruin of Rome.
21 23 .] Symbolic proclamation by an angel of Babylon’s ruin . And one (or a ) strong angel took up a stone great as a millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a rush shall be thrown down Babylon the great city, and shall never be found any more. And the sound of harpers and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters shall never be heard in thee any more, and every artisan of every art shall never be found in thee any more, and the sound of the millstone (see Jer 25:10 , Heb. and E. V., not LXX, where the denunciation regards Jerusalem, and is to be performed by the King of Babylon) shall never be heard in thee any more, and the light of a lamp shall never shine in (or upon ) thee any more (still from Jer. l. c.), and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride shall never be heard in thee any more: because thy merchants were the great men of the earth, because in thy sorcery (on the form (= – ) see reff.) all the nations were deceived (see Isa 47:9-12 ). And in her (the angel drops the address to the fallen city, and speaks out this last great cause of her overthrow as a fact respecting her) the blood of prophets and of saints was found and of all who have been slain on the earth (i. e. naturally, of all slain for Christ’s sake and His word. Compare the declaration of our Lord respecting Jerusalem, Mat 23:35 ).
Rev 18:21-24 : a rhythmic song of doom, introduced by a symbolic action partly imitated from Jer 51:63-64 .
Rev 18:21 . Rome’s fall will be irrevocable and sudden and violent, as a powerful angel shows dramatically by seizing a huge boulder and flinging it into the sea. Cf. the analogous description of Babylon’s collapse in Sib. Or. ver. 158, 163, 174. The reiterated emphasis on Roman luxury is notable. Later literature, as Friedlnder observes (Rev 3:9-17 ), tended to a conventional exaggeration of the luxurious civilisation under the Empire; judged by modern standards, at any rate, it was not particularly extravagant. This denunciation of wealth and ease, however, is apposite in a source which reflects the age of Nero, since it was under Nero, rather than under Vespasian or Domitian, that Roman luxury during the first century of our era reached its zenith. The oracle breathes the scorn felt by simple provincials for the capital’s wanton splendour, and indeed for the sins of a pleasure-loving civilisation. But it is religious poetry, not a prose transcript of the contemporary commercial situation. Cf. Dill’s Roman Society , pp. 32 f., 66 f.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev 18:21-24
21Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. 22And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; 23and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. 24And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.”
Rev 18:21 “Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea” This is an allusion to Jer 51:63-64. It is a strong passage showing that Babylon will never, never rise again. As a matter of fact, in Rev 18:21-24, there are six double negatives, “certainly not,” “not under any circumstances,” and “never, no, never.”
“and will not be found any longer” This shows total, permanent destruction (cf. Eze 26:21).
Rev 18:22-23 These were the sounds of everyday life in the Ancient Near East. God’s judgment brings an end to this godless society (cf. Isa 24:8; Jer 7:34; Jer 25:10; Eze 26:13).
Rev 18:23 “all the nations were deceived by your sorcery” This is an allusion to Nah 3:4. Notice that in Rev 18:23-24 there are listed three reasons for the fall of the great city.
1. pride and wealth ( cf. Isa 23:8)
2. idolatry and sorcery (cf. Lev 19:26; Lev 19:33; Deu 18:9-12)
3. persecution of the people of God (cf. Rev 16:6; Rev 17:6).
Rev 18:24 This is an allusion to Jer 51:49.
like = as it were.
into. App-104.
violence = furious rush. Greek. hormema. Only here. Revised Version reads “mighty fall”. Compare Act 14:5 (assault. Greek. horme).
that. = the.
no more at all. Six times here. App-105.
at all. Compare Jer 51:64. Eze 26:21.
21-23.] Symbolic proclamation by an angel of Babylons ruin. And one (or a) strong angel took up a stone great as a millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a rush shall be thrown down Babylon the great city, and shall never be found any more. And the sound of harpers and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters shall never be heard in thee any more, and every artisan of every art shall never be found in thee any more, and the sound of the millstone (see Jer 25:10, Heb. and E. V., not LXX, where the denunciation regards Jerusalem, and is to be performed by the King of Babylon) shall never be heard in thee any more, and the light of a lamp shall never shine in (or upon) thee any more (still from Jer. l. c.), and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride shall never be heard in thee any more: because thy merchants were the great men of the earth, because in thy sorcery (on the form (= -) see reff.) all the nations were deceived (see Isa 47:9-12). And in her (the angel drops the address to the fallen city, and speaks out this last great cause of her overthrow as a fact respecting her) the blood of prophets and of saints was found and of all who have been slain on the earth (i. e. naturally, of all slain for Christs sake and His word. Compare the declaration of our Lord respecting Jerusalem, Mat 23:35).
We have no difficulty in knowing to what city this great Babylon refers, for the Church of Rome, in the plenitude of its wisdom, has taken the title to itself in attempting to claim that Peter was the first bishop of Rome. They quote the text, The church that is in Babylon saluteth thee that church, they say, being the church in Rome. Therefore, Rome is Babylon. Beside, the whole of the eighteenth chapter gives such a description as can only apply to her, and she must, and shall, come to her end.
Rev 18:21-24. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsmen of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee, And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Rev 18:21-24
(6) SUDDEN AND COMPLETE END SYMBOLIZED
(Rev 18:21-24)
Cast it into the sea.–John next sees an angel cast a large stone into the sea. A similar act was performed to indicate the fall of ancient Babylon. (Jer 51:63-64.) The sinking of the stone represents the sudden and complete fall of the apostate church; not by a slow decline, but because of a violent force against it.
Shall be heard no more.–Music which is the natural sign of joy will cease; no one in the city will have anything to produce gladness. All kinds of crafts will have no chance to operate, and machinery will cease to be heard. Lights will go out and social events will no longer occur
All the nations deceived.–The reason for such desolation and ruin will be that false religion has deceived the nation with sorceries–all kinds of tricks, impositions, and false claims to divine power. Another reason is that in bloody persecutions this spiritual Babylon has slain saints and prophets of God. The word “all” here is used in an accommodated sense, meaning that a multitude had been slain in perpetuating the papal system.
Commentary on Rev 18:20-24 by Foy E. Wallace
(4) The anthem of rejoicing over the fall of Apostate Jerusalem-Rev 18:20-24.
It seems unnecessary to follow the order of line by line comments on these verses, which would involve so much repetition. This last section of the chapter, Rev 18:20-24, represented Johns own rhapsody of rejoicing over the avenging judgment of God on Jerusalem, the once faithful city which had turned harlot. In contrast with the wailing of the associates in the harlotries of the city, John was joined in vision to the witnesses and apostles and saints who had been victims of Jerusalems murderous wantonness–a united chorus in celebration of the end of the abominations of Jerusalem and the obstructions of Judaism. The Lord foretold this fulfillment in Mat 23:29-38 : Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
This anticipated fulfillment of the Lords predictions received and written by John in the Neronic period and represented the Lords words, fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. In the symbols of this chapter Rev 18:21, the angel casts a great millstone into the sea as a sign of irretrievable doom for Jerusalem. The same symbolism was adopted in Jer 51:63-64 to signify the end of old Babylon: And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates: And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
Commentary on Rev 18:21-24 by Walter Scott
THE UTTER RUIN AND EVERLASTING
DESOLATION OF BABYLON.
Rev 18:21-24. – And a strong angel took up a stone, as a great millstone, and cast (it) into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall Babylon the great city be cast down, and shall be found no more at all. The action is significant and prophetic, and sublime withal. A similar dramatic proceeding pointing to the overthrow of Babylon of old is described in Jer 51:60-64; there, however, Seraiah was the actor; here an angel of might. Both the literal and mystical cities were to be utterly and suddenly destroyed by violence. The two chapters, Jer 51:1-64 and Rev 18:1-24, should be carefully studied and compared. Then follows in verses 22 and 23 a beautifully descriptive and touching account, poetically expressed, (Compare with Jer 25:10.) of her utter desolation. How complete the ruin! Joyless, dark, and silent, Babylon stands out as a monument of the utmost vengeance of God. Wickedness had sat enthroned in the midst of that professedly bearing the Name of Christ; but at last, when she had filled to the full her cup of iniquity, God rises in His fierce anger, His indignation burns, and Babylon falls to rise no more. Her destruction is irremediable. The chapter closes with a reiteration of the bloody character of the system (Alas! she has erected the prisons, and prepared the rack, and lighted the fires of what she calls the holy office of the Inquisition in Italy, Spain, America, and India. She lauds one of her canonized Popes, Pius the Fifth, in her Breviary as an inflexible Inquisitor. She has engraven the massacre of St. Bartholomews Day on her papal coins, and there represents it as a work done by an angel from Heaven. And the Roman Pontiff of that day went publicly to Church to return thanks to God for that savage and treacherous deed. – Wordsworth The term blood is literally bloods, a Hebraism, of course, but does it not point to the fact that all the blood so wantonly shed on earth in its numerous and varied ways is at the last found in Babylon? – a system sometimes governmentally curbed and checked, but never improved, and never repentant.) (see Rev 17:6; Rev 18:24).
Commentary on Rev 18:21-24 by E.M. Zerr
Rev 18:21. Mighty angel is said to indicate the size or weight of the stone that was to be handled. The stone was like great millstones which were heavy, and their weight was such that if they were thrown into the water they would most assuredly sink; nor would such an object float back up to the surface. That is doubtless why Jesus used it in his comparison of the irreparable fate of certain sinners (Mat 18:6). After this mighty angel had cast the stone into the sea he made his explanation of the symbol; it represented the casting down of Babylon. We know it does not mean literal Babylon for that city had not been in existence for centuries (Isa 13:19-22). We know also it does not apply to the religious part of the corrupt institution (though it also was known as Babylon), for that apostate church is not to be destroyed until Jesus comes (2Th 2:8). Hence this can apply only to the Babylon that was composed of church and state. When the stone that represented it was cast into the sea, the angel said that it shall be found no more at all. From the foregoing evidences we are given the divine assurance that there will never be another world-wide union of church and state.
Rev 18:22-23. The enterprises and activities of human interest that are mentioned in these verses have all been considered in this chapter and understood to have a symbolical meaning. In this paragraph they may be used in both symbolical and literal senses. In either sense the announcement is made that they will never be done again. However, this is not true until we apply it in the light of a proviso that is stated as follows. The phrase in thee is used five times in these two verses, and that is the key to the subject. There is not an interest mentioned that will not continue to be practiced as long as the world stands. But they will not be done “in thee” (Babylonas the union of church and state), for that institution will have gone down never to rise again.
Rev 18:24. This short verse is merely a summing up of the crimes that have been committed by Babylon, on account of which she was doomed to complete overthrow.
Commentary on Rev 18:21-24 by Burton Coffman
Rev 18:21
And a strong angel took up a great stone as it were a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all.
A strong angel … stone … cast into the sea … This is the final judgment of Babylon, the great city, the latter words showing that more than just pagan Rome is meant; this is the final day, the ultimate judgment of the great day of God at the Second Advent of Christ. The Biblical background of the figure is in Jer 51:59-64 :
Jeremiah instructed Seriah who was traveling to Babylon to take a scroll of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the destruction of Babylon, and upon his arrival in Babylon to read it to the city, and then to throw this scroll, weighted with a stone, into the Euphrates river. As it sinks, he is to prophesy that thus shall Babylon sink to rise no more (paraphrase).
The significant thing is that the prophecy was literally and summarily fulfilled; the old Babylon sank into oblivion, and even the ancient site of it is today not certainly known. A similar finality of the overthrow of mystical Babylon is indicated by the employment of the same imagery here. The choice of the figure demands this conclusion; therefore, this is not merely a temporary judgment. The final end at the last judgment is indicated. The placement of the verbs in the Greek indicates “the final act of judgment.”[64] This verse is a reiteration of Rev 16:19-20.
And shall be found no more at all … The ominous phrase “no more at all” occurs six times in this chapter, five times in these last verses, indicating the absolute finality of the judgment. It is impossible to limit the application of this merely to pagan Rome. “This judgment is sudden, complete and final.”[65] Let those who deny that such a thing as this will take place show us the site of the old Babylon. Where is it? Earth knows not even the place. Exactly the same word of God that doomed the old one, doomed also the one in view here.
[64] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 530.
[65] Frank L. Cox, op. cit., p. 109.
Rev 18:22
And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more at all in thee; and the voice of a mill shall be heard no more at all in thee;
This verse merely catalogues the phases of city life that shall perish forever when judgment falls.
No more at all … This is the refrain. “Civilization is as though it had never been.”[66] Was the fabled city of Atlantis a historical type of this?
ENDNOTE:
[66] Michael Wilcock, I Saw Heaven Opened (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1975), p. 66.
Rev 18:23
and the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived.
The light of a lamp … the voice of the bridegroom … of the bride … shall be heard no more at all in thee … The marriage business has always been a big thing with churches; and thus there would seem to be in this litany of the doomed and destroyed city a religious coloring, even in the catalogue of her eternal silence.
Thy merchants were the princes of the earth … “Princes of the Church” they are sometimes called, an incongruous title for followers of a crucified Saviour who had nowhere to lay his head. That something like this is meant appears in the fact that this is stated as a “reason why” of the fall.
With thy sorcery were all the nations deceived … This is another “reason why” of the fall. Truth was forsaken and deception practiced.
Rev 18:24
And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.
And in her was found the blood … prophets … saints … and of all that have been slain upon the earth … Is this mere hyperbole? No! If the religious wars promulgated to advance the harlot’s designs are remembered, the figure appears appropriate enough. Furthermore, the murder of one is, in principle, the murder of all. There is no single literal city of earth that answers to this, not even Rome. It is the spirit of lawlessness and apostasy from the truth, spectacularly represented in the harlot; it is that whole religious apparatus moving throughout history and responsible for wholesale deaths all over the world. Also, there is something else in it.
Jesus told Jerusalem that in their murder of the Messiah all of the blood shed from Abel until that very day would come upon her. (See pertinent comment on this in my Commentary on Matthew, pp. 373,374.) In exactly that same way, the system that murdered the Christians, the true spiritual body of Christ, was chargeable with all the blood ever shed on earth. The two cases are exactly parallel.
This concludes the awful picture of the final judgment in this sequence.
Commentary on Rev 18:21-24 by Manly Luscombe
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. A powerful angel stands up with a great stone. This huge stone is thrown into the sea. The symbol of throwing a large stone into the sea shows – the speed with which this doom comes. It will not happen slowly or quietly. It will happen like a huge splash. The great city is thrown down. God has judged immorality and all connected with it.
22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. All the pleasure associated with evil and immorality has been stopped. No more music or celebrations. No one is getting rich. Small businesses fail. All the skilled craftsmen (all who used their skills to produce these immoral products) have no place to use their skills.
23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. All the glitter is gone. The candle has been blown out. All who are married to the immoral activity are gone. All who made a profit from the immoral activity have disappeared. All who were deceived are also punished.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth. Immorality is NOT a victimless crime. When a person commits fornication – a spouse, children, extended families, friends, the church, are also harmed. One persons immoral activity can, in fact, cause death to the saints. God does punish the immoral.
Sermon on Rev 18:1-24
The Fall of Babylon
Brent Kercheville
Revelation 17 showed us the fall of Rome. Rev 17:16 showed the great prostitute made desolate and naked. She is stripped of her power and authority and is burned up with fire. God is the one who purposed this fall to occur. Revelation 18 describes the impact and meaning of the fall of Rome.
Fallen Is Babylon (Rev 18:1-3)
Another angel comes down from heaven, carrying great authority and full of glory. He calls out the message of judgment. Babylon is fallen because of its great immoralities. Once again the angel speaks with prophetic certainty. Though Rome has not fallen yet at the time of the writing of Revelation, the angel declares its fall in the past tense to show how surely Rome and her empire will fall. Rome has become a dwelling place of wickedness and evil. Not only has Rome been the heart of wickedness, but the nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality. The nations are not innocent. They also have been participants in the immorality of Rome. The merchants of the earth has prospered through the immorality of Rome. History reveals the luxurious living that took place in Rome over the centuries because of its extensive trade routes. Trade extended well past the border of Romes empire, which was millions of square miles. Trade routes also existed to India and China. Archaeology has found many pottery sherds from the far east. The merchants were made rich by buying, selling, and trading goods with Rome.
Call To Gods People (Rev 18:4-8)
Another voice calls out from heaven for Gods people to come out from her. This is a prophetic reference from Jeremiah and Isaiahs ministries.
Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea, declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it, send it out to the end of the earth; say, The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob! (Isa 48:20 ESV)
Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the LORD. (Isa 52:11 ESV)
Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORDs vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her. Babylon was a golden cup in the LORDs hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad. (Jer 51:6-7 ESV)
The call of the voice from heaven is for the people of God to remove themselves from the ways and immoralities of Rome. Do not participate in the sinfulness of that world. Otherwise, you will share in the plagues that are coming upon Rome and her empire. The judgment of the seven bowls showed seven plagues being poured out on the beast and its throne. God gives an important warning. If you act like the world, you will be judged with the world. Come out from the world and separate yourselves from the Roman ways and sins. They have heaped up their sins as high as the heavens and God has remembered those sins. God is going to pay her back. God is going to pay her double for her deeds. This is just because its sins were so severe that it not only affect them, but also carried the whole world into sinfulness with its idolatry and paganism. God calls for a double portion to be mixed for her in the cup. Recall that we saw this cup as the cup of Gods anger poured full strength (Rev 14:10). The voice from heaven says that we need to make it a double. Double up the portion in the cup of Gods anger.
Rev 18:7-8 continue to explain why Gods wrath is so violent against Rome and her empire. Rome glorified itself and lived in luxury. No one gave glory to God for their prosperity. They elevated themselves and glorified themselves. Further, they think they will never fall. They think that these times will never change. They think this prosperity will never end because they think they did it all. They rule and think that rule will never end. God says in Rev 18:8 that this is the reason that they will be struck down suddenly. Rather than life and prosperity, the empire will crumble into death, mourning, and famine. Revelation is not predicting that Rome fell in one day, just as the scriptures are not predicting other nations falling in one day (cf. Isa 47:9). It is a symbol of the suddenness of the loss of power and authority. It would seem that the empire would never end and suddenly the empire will be in trouble. It will lose its power and be destroyed. This is the imagery of the fire. Revelation is not predicting Rome literally burning (cf. Isa 47:14). The fire is a symbol of judgment. Its time of glory and rule is over. The empire has fallen. Rome has lost her power.
Before we leave Rev 18:4-8 we must see this paragraph contains very important messages for our country. The parallels are very strong. We are full of prosperity and wealth just like Rome. Most live in wasteful, luxurious living just like Rome. Our country shows the same arrogance in thinking that it is the world power that will never fall. Certainly the sins of our nation are heaped as high as heaven. The more this nation turns people away from the true God to worship false gods and religions, the closer we come to meeting the same judgment that Rome met for its sins.
The Lament of the World (Rev_189-19)
We saw in Rev 17:16 that the world turned against Rome. Rome deteriorated from the inside as the empire turned against the rule of Rome. However, they do not realize the massive impact of Romes fall. They do not understand that Romes fall will be the end of the prosperity of the world. The world will end up wailing at the fall of Rome. The merchants of the earth will mourn because all of those trade routes will be lost. No one will be buying and selling across the earth any longer. The goods listed in Rev 18:12-13 are a sampling of the many goods that traded through the might of the Roman Empire. Their economy is crushed. All the luxuries and splendors that the people enjoyed are gone.
Not only are the merchants and traders devastated by the fall of Rome, but the shipmasters and seafaring men who worked on the sea will also lose their wealth and business. While Rome does not sit on the coast, it had built an amazing trade city called Portus just west of Rome that did sit on the sea. The Tiber River runs between Portus and Rome and archaeologists have found the massive amount of trade that went through Portus on its way to Rome. There was also a Roman road from Portus to Rome. I encourage you to go online and read about the findings about Portus particularly under Trajan who made this port massive for all the trade that Rome was engaged in. All the captains no longer have a business. All the sailors no longer have work. Their cry is an accurate description of the greatness of Rome. Where is there another city as great as this? (NLT) The great city where all the ships of the sea grew rich is now gone. The same three groups wail at the fall of Babylon in Eze 27:29-36. It is the end of the empire.
The Faithful Rejoice (Rev 18:20-24)
The holy people of God, the apostles, and the prophets are called to rejoice over the judgment of Rome. They are called to rejoice because they have been killed by Rome. Chapter 13 showed us that the beast would kill those who did not worship it. Judgment has come and it is time for the people of God who suffered and died to rejoice. God has given judgment for you against her. God has brought his holy judgment for the sake of his people.
A great symbolic act is revealed. A mighty angel takes a stone like a great millstone and casts it into the sea. While doing this the angel says that Babylon has been thrown down with violence and will never be found again. The Roman Empire will never rise again and will never be a world power. Those who know the timeline of world history know that the collapse of the Roman Empire led into a time period that would be called the Dark Ages. The world was completely changed with the fall of the Roman Empire. This language is the same as what Jeremiah did concerning the judgment against Babylon.
When you finish reading this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, and say, Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disaster that I am bringing upon her, and they shall become exhausted.’ Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. (Jer 51:63-64 ESV)
The end of the Roman Empire has been set by God who has purposed its collapse because of its sins.
Application
The call for the people is to come out from the nation and be separate. Do not engage in the sins of the nation. Do not be like the world. That call was not exclusive for those Christians to come out from Rome, but it is a truth for Christians for all time. Note Pauls words to the Corinthian Christians.
For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. (2Co 6:16-18 ESV)
Do not dress like the world. Do not act like the world. Do not think like the world. Do not live like the world. Do not love the world. God is in fellowship with you. You cannot be in fellowship with the world and be in fellowship with God. Act like the world and you will be judged with the world in eternal punishment. Come out from the world and be separate. Then God will be your father and you will be his child. God is not our father and we are not his children we look, act, think, and live like the world around us. Come out and be separate!
Commentary on Rev 18:21-24 by Burton Coffman
Rev 18:21
And a strong angel took up a great stone as it were a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with a mighty fall shall Babylon, the great city, be cast down, and shall be found no more at all.
A strong angel … stone … cast into the sea … This is the final judgment of Babylon, the great city, the latter words showing that more than just pagan Rome is meant; this is the final day, the ultimate judgment of the great day of God at the Second Advent of Christ. The Biblical background of the figure is in Jer 51:59-64 :
Jeremiah instructed Seriah who was traveling to Babylon to take a scroll of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the destruction of Babylon, and upon his arrival in Babylon to read it to the city, and then to throw this scroll, weighted with a stone, into the Euphrates river. As it sinks, he is to prophesy that thus shall Babylon sink to rise no more (paraphrase).
The significant thing is that the prophecy was literally and summarily fulfilled; the old Babylon sank into oblivion, and even the ancient site of it is today not certainly known. A similar finality of the overthrow of mystical Babylon is indicated by the employment of the same imagery here. The choice of the figure demands this conclusion; therefore, this is not merely a temporary judgment. The final end at the last judgment is indicated. The placement of the verbs in the Greek indicates “the final act of judgment.”[64] This verse is a reiteration of Rev 16:19-20.
And shall be found no more at all … The ominous phrase “no more at all” occurs six times in this chapter, five times in these last verses, indicating the absolute finality of the judgment. It is impossible to limit the application of this merely to pagan Rome. “This judgment is sudden, complete and final.”[65] Let those who deny that such a thing as this will take place show us the site of the old Babylon. Where is it? Earth knows not even the place. Exactly the same word of God that doomed the old one, doomed also the one in view here.
[64] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 530.
[65] Frank L. Cox, op. cit., p. 109.
Rev 18:22
And the voice of harpers and minstrels and flute-players and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft, shall be found any more at all in thee; and the voice of a mill shall be heard no more at all in thee;
This verse merely catalogues the phases of city life that shall perish forever when judgment falls.
No more at all … This is the refrain. “Civilization is as though it had never been.”[66] Was the fabled city of Atlantis a historical type of this?
ENDNOTE:
[66] Michael Wilcock, I Saw Heaven Opened (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1975), p. 66.
Rev 18:23
and the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the princes of the earth; for with thy sorcery were all the nations deceived.
The light of a lamp … the voice of the bridegroom … of the bride … shall be heard no more at all in thee … The marriage business has always been a big thing with churches; and thus there would seem to be in this litany of the doomed and destroyed city a religious coloring, even in the catalogue of her eternal silence.
Thy merchants were the princes of the earth … “Princes of the Church” they are sometimes called, an incongruous title for followers of a crucified Saviour who had nowhere to lay his head. That something like this is meant appears in the fact that this is stated as a “reason why” of the fall.
With thy sorcery were all the nations deceived … This is another “reason why” of the fall. Truth was forsaken and deception practiced.
Rev 18:24
And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.
And in her was found the blood … prophets … saints … and of all that have been slain upon the earth … Is this mere hyperbole? No! If the religious wars promulgated to advance the harlot’s designs are remembered, the figure appears appropriate enough. Furthermore, the murder of one is, in principle, the murder of all. There is no single literal city of earth that answers to this, not even Rome. It is the spirit of lawlessness and apostasy from the truth, spectacularly represented in the harlot; it is that whole religious apparatus moving throughout history and responsible for wholesale deaths all over the world. Also, there is something else in it.
Jesus told Jerusalem that in their murder of the Messiah all of the blood shed from Abel until that very day would come upon her. (See pertinent comment on this in my Commentary on Matthew, pp. 373,374.) In exactly that same way, the system that murdered the Christians, the true spiritual body of Christ, was chargeable with all the blood ever shed on earth. The two cases are exactly parallel.
This concludes the awful picture of the final judgment in this sequence.
LESSON 22.
THE FALL OF BABYLON
Read Revelation 18
1. Tell of the angel that was seen after the vision of chapter 17. Ans. Rev 18:1.
2. He announced the fall of what? Ans. Rev 18:2.
3. Babylon would become the habitation of what? Ans. Rev 18:2.
4. For whose sins was this Babylon responsible? Ans. Rev 18:3.
5. What did another voice from heaven urge God’s people to do? Ans. Rev 18:4.
6. Give two reasons why they should come out of Babylon. Ans. Rev 18:4.
7. Who knew all her iniquities? Ans. Rev 18:5.
8. By what was Babylon’s punishment to be measured? Ans. Rev 18:6-7.
9. Of what had she boasted? Ans. Rev 18:7.
10. What can you say of the suddenness of her destruction? Ans. Rev 18:8.
11. What would her destruction cause kings to do and say? Ans. Rev_189-10.
12. Why would merchants weep and mourn over her? Ans. Rev 18:12-16.
13. How would the men of the sea express their grief at her destruction? Ans. Rev 18:17-19.
14. But the destruction of Babylon would be a cause for rejoicing for whom? Ans. Rev 18:20.
15. How did a strong angel illustrate the fall of Babylon? Ans. Rev 18:21 (See Jer 51:63-64 regarding ancient Babylon).
16. Name five things which would never appear in the great city again, and tell why these things would be there no more. Ans. Rev 18:22-23.
17. Whose blood was found in her? Ans. Rev 18:24.
E.M. Zerr
Questions on Revelation
Revelation Chapter Eighteen
1. After this what did John see?
2. How was the earth affected by him?
3. State the announcement he made.
4. Tell what all nations had done.
5. What had the great city become?
6. What had the kings of earth done?
7. How had the merchants fared through her?
8. From where did John hear another voice?
9. What call did it make?
10. That they might not receive what?
11. What had reached unto heaven?
12. Tell what God remembered.
13. How must she be rewarded?
14. In what proportion must it be done?
15. Of what cup must she drink?
16. On whom had she bestowed glory?
17. Tell how she had lived.
18. What boasts had she made?
19. What were to come to her?
20. Over what space of time would they come?
21. How will she be destroyed?
22. By whom will she be judged?
23. Who shall bewail her burning?
24. Tell what they had enjoyed with her.
25. State the comment of these kings.
26. Why will the merchants of the earth mourn?
27. Of what had the merchandise consisted?
28. Did it include any living beings?
29. What fruits had departed from her?
30. When were they to be returned?
31. Where will these patrons stand looking on?
32. Why stand thus?
33. What had happened in one hour?
34. Who else stood afar off?
35. For what comparison did they inquire?
36. What did they place upon their heads?
37. What were they doing at the same time?
38. Who is bid to rejoice over her?
39. Because of what could they rejoice?
40. What personage then appeared?
41. Tell what he took up.
42. What did he do with it?
43. This was to represent what city?
44. For how long will she be down?
45. What will not be heard any more?
46. Tell what trades will be discontinued.
47. What provisions will be cut short?
48. Tell what will no longer shine.
49. How will the bride and groom be affected?
50. Who were her merchants?
51. By what were many deceived?
52. What blood was found in her?
Revelation Chapter Eighteen
Ralph Starling
Now this announcement: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen!”
And has become the habitaton of all that is spoiling.
For her sins have reached unto God’s Haven,
And God has rewarded her for her misbehaving.
The cry went up: “Reward her double, reward her double”
For she has cause so much sorrow and so much trouble.
So her plagues came in “one day”
Death, famine, fire without any delay.
The Kings of the earth rejoiced at her burning,
For this for many years they had been yearning.
But the merchants who became rich by her
With weeping and wailing could not conquer.
In heaven there was great rejoicing
Harpers and pipers were sounding their blessing,
For Satan and his army had been defeated.
Again God, the Saints, and the Lamb had succeeded.
a mighty: This was to represent the violence of her fall, and that she should never rise again; which is further illustrated by varied emphatic expressions taken from the ancient prophets. But Rome is still standing and flourishing, and honoured by many nations as the metropolis of the Christian world; she still resounds with singers and musicians; she still excels in arts, which serve for pomp and luxury; she still abounds with candles, and lamps, and torches, burning even by day, as well as by night; and consequently this prophecy has not been, but remains to fulfilled.
Thus: Exo 15:5, Neh 9:11, Jer 51:63, Jer 51:64
and shall: Rev 18:22, Rev 12:8, Rev 16:20, Rev 20:11, Job 20:8, Psa 37:36, Eze 26:21, Dan 11:19
Reciprocal: Jos 6:21 – utterly 2Ki 21:13 – I will wipe Psa 85:5 – draw Pro 24:16 – but Isa 10:34 – by a mighty one Isa 13:20 – General Isa 14:23 – make Isa 21:9 – Babylon Isa 24:20 – and it Isa 25:12 – the fortress Isa 32:19 – the city shall be low Isa 34:11 – cormorant Isa 43:14 – For Isa 47:5 – silent Isa 47:9 – they shall come Isa 47:14 – there shall Isa 63:6 – I will bring Jer 43:9 – great Jer 49:18 – no man Jer 49:33 – a dwelling Jer 50:3 – which Jer 50:12 – a wilderness Jer 50:26 – destroy Jer 50:39 – General Jer 51:29 – every Jer 51:37 – become Eze 28:19 – thou shalt Eze 30:21 – it shall not Dan 4:30 – great Joe 3:2 – will plead Nah 2:10 – empty Zec 6:8 – quieted Rev 11:8 – the great Rev 14:8 – because Rev 16:10 – upon Rev 16:19 – the great Rev 17:5 – Babylon
Rev 18:21. And a mighty angel took up a stone as a great millstone and cast it into the sea. A symbolic representation of the destruction of Babylon is to be given; and for this new vision a third angel appears, the first having appeared at chap. Rev 17:1, the second at chap. Rev 18:1. He is a mighty angel, the third of this kind in the Apocalypse, the other two meeting us at chaps. Rev 5:2 and Rev 10:1. This angel acts after the manner described in Jer 51:63-64, only that here, in order to bring out more impressively the nature of the judgment, the stone is heavy as a great millstone. The destruction is sudden and complete. The city disappears like a stone cast into the sea (comp. Jer 51:63-64).
Observe here, 1. Babylon’s utter desolation represented by the type and sign of a millstone cast into the sea; like a millstone she had ground and oppressed the church of God, and now, like a millstone thrown into the sea, she sinks into the pit of destruction.
Almighty God, by this sign or symbol, signified to St. John that Babylon’s ruin should be violent, irrecoverable, and irreparable; she falls never to rise more. The casting of a stone into the sea was anciently the emblem of everlasting forgetfulness.
Observe, 2. The amplification of Babylon’s ruin particularized in several instances.
1. That nothing should evermore be found in her that belonged to pleasure or delight: no voice of harpers, musicians, or trumpeters.
2. Nothing which belonged to profit or trading, no artificers or craftsmen.
3. Nothing belonging to food, no noise of a millstone for grinding corn and making provision for bread.
4. Nothing to relieve against the darkness and terror of the night; as the light of a candle.
5. No means for the propagation of mankind by marriage; The voice of the bride and the bridegroom shall be heard no more.
All which expressions do imply extreme destruction and utter desolation: intimating, that Babylon shall be a place utterly abandoned and forsaken.
Observe, 3. A three-fold cause assigned for all this, to wit,
1. Damnable covetousness: Her merchants were the great ones of the earth. Her sinful way of merchandising, by dealing in spiritual commodities peculiar to Rome, seems to be here pointed at; her making merchandise of the souls of men, as we have it, Rev 18:13.
2. Her bewitching idolatry, called here sorceries, whereby she enticed people to join with her in her superstitious worship.
3. Her cruelty and bloodshed: In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that were slain upon earth.
Quest. But how can the blood shed by others be laid to her charge?
Ans. 1. Because the doctrines which caused their blood to be shed were with her.
2. Because her jurisdiction gave commission to slay the saints which were slain in other kingdoms.
3. Because by the influence of her example at home, much blood had been shed abroad.
God will charge upon others, as he did upon Babylon, not only the sin which they have acted, but all the sin which they have been accessary to.
Here we have a symbolic representation of the harlot’s destruction. A great millstone would be the one turned by animals in contrast to one women turned by hand. A mighty angel (Compare Rev 5:2 ; Rev 10:1 ) casting such a stone into the sea would clearly demonstrate the finality of Babylon’s judgment. Once it had been cast into the sea, such a stone would not be seen again. This is very similar to Jer 51:61-64 . This is the second occurrance of the expression “no more at all.” (verse 14) It will occur four times in the next two verses to verify the finality of this judgment.
Verse 21
A mighty angel; that is, another angel, who comes forward to present, in still different language, a view of the greatness and the certainty of the impending destruction.
18:21 {13} And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
(13) The third prediction, as I said see Geneva “Rev 18:1” based on a sign, and the interpretation of it: the interpretation of it is in two sorts, first by a simple proposal of the thing itself, in this verse, and then by declaration of the events, in the verses following.
The second angelic announcement of judgment 18:21-24
The angelic act of throwing the millstone into the sea is symbolic of Babylon’s fate (cf. Jer 51:63-64; Mat 18:6). As it is impossible for that huge stone to rise to the surface, so the economic system that has driven this world virtually throughout its history will sink. It will never rise again (cf. Exo 15:5; Neh 9:11). Millstones in John’s day often measured four or five feet in diameter, were one foot thick, and weighed thousands of pounds (cf. Mar 9:42). [Note: Johnson, p. 568.] The strong angel (cf. Rev 5:2; Rev 10:1) also explained his symbolic action. Babylon’s destruction will be sudden, violent, and permanent.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)