Revelation

1611 King James Version (KJV)

 

Revelation
Chapter 18

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1 And after these things, I saw another Angel come downe from heauen, hauing great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory.

2 And he cryed mightily with a strōg voyce, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of deuils, and the hold of euery foule spirit, and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird:

3 For all nations haue drunke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the Kings of the earth haue committed fornication with her, & the Merchants of the earth are waxed rich thorow the abundance of her delicacies.

4 And I heard another voice from heauen, saying, Come out of her, my people, that yee be not partakers of her sinnes, and that yee receiue not of her plagues:

5 For her sinnes haue reached vnto heauen, and God hath remembred her iniquities.

6 Reward her euen as she rewarded you, and double vnto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double.

7 How much she hath glorified her selfe, and liued deliciously, so much torment and sorrow giue her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a Queene, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine, and she shall bee vtterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord God, who iudgeth her.

9 And the Kings of the earth, who haue committed fornication, and liued deliciously with her, shall bewaile her and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning:

10 Standing afarre off for the feare of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great citie Babylon, that mighty citie: for in one houre is thy iudgement come.

11 And the Merchants of the earth shall weepe and mourne ouer her, for no man buyeth their merchandise any more.

12 The merchandise of gold, and siluer, and pretious stones, and of pearles, and fine linnen, and purple, and silke, and scarlet, and all Thine wood, and all maner vessels of Yuorie, and all maner vessels of most precious wood, and of brasse, and iron, and marble,

13 And Cynamome, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, & wine, and oile, and fine floure, and wheat, and beasts, and sheepe, and horses, and chariots, and slaues, and soules of men.

14 And the fruits that thy soule lusted after, are departed from thee, and all things which were daintie, and goodly, are departed from thee, and thou shalt finde them no more at all.

15 The Merchants of these things which were made riche by her, shall stand afarre off for the feare of her torment, weeping and wailing.

16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linnen, and purple and scarlet, and decked with gold, and pretious stones, and pearles:

17 For in one houre so great riches is come to nought. And euery shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailers, and as many as trade by sea, stood a farre off,

18 And cryed when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like vnto this great citie?

19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping, and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great citie, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea, by reason of her costlinesse, for in one houre is she made desolate.

20 Reioyce ouer her thou heauen, and ye holy Apostles and Prophets, for God hath auenged you on her.

21 And a mightie Angel tooke vp a stone like a great milstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great citie Babylon bee throwen downe, and shall bee found no more at all.

22 And the voyce of harpers and musitions, and of pipers, and trumpetters, shall bee heard no more at all in thee: and no craftsman, of whatsoeuer craft hee be, shall be found any more in thee: and the sound of a milstone shalbe 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 bridegrome and of the bride shalbe heard no more at all in thee: for thy Merchants were the great men of the earth: for by thy sorceries were all nations deceiued.

24 And in her was found the blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slaine vpon the earth.

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Commentary for Revelation 18

Another angel from heaven proclaims the fall of mystical Babylon. (1-3) A voice from heaven admonishes the people of God, lest they partake of her plagues. (4-8) The lamentations over her. (9-19) The church called upon to rejoice in her utter ruin. (20-24)1-8 The downfal and destruction of the mystical Babylon are determined in the counsels of God. Another angel comes from heaven. This seems to be Christ himself, coming to destroy his enemies, and to shed abroad the light of his gospel through all nations. The wickedness of this Babylon was very great; she had forsaken the true God, and set up idols, and had drawn all sorts of men into spiritual adultery, and by her wealth and luxury kept them in her interest. The spiritual merchandise, by which multitudes have wickedly lived in wealth, by the sins and follies of mankind, seems principally intended. Fair warning is given to all that expect mercy from God, that they should not only come out of this Babylon, but assist in her destruction. God may have a people even in Babylon. But God's people shall be called out of Babylon, and called effectually, while those that partake with wicked men in their sins, must receive of their plagues.

9-19 The mourners had shared Babylon's sensual pleasures, and gained by her wealth and trade. The kings of the earth, whom she flattered into idolatry, allowing them to be tyrannical over their subjects, while obedient to her; and the merchants, those who trafficked for her indulgences, pardons, and honours; these mourn. Babylon's friends partook her sinful pleasures and profits, but are not willing to share her plagues. The spirit of antichrist is a worldly spirit, and that sorrow is a mere worldly sorrow; they do not lament for the anger of God, but for the loss of outward comforts. The magnificence and riches of the ungodly will avail them nothing, but will render the vengeance harder to be borne. The spiritual merchandise is here alluded to, when not only slaves, but the souls of men, are mentioned as articles of commerce, to the destroying the souls of millions. Nor has this been peculiar to the Roman antichrist, and only her guilt. But let prosperous traders learn, with all their gains, to get the unsearchable riches of Christ; otherwise; even in this life, they may have to mourn that riches make to themselves wings and fly away, and that all the fruits their souls lusted after, are departed from them. Death, at any rate, will soon end their commerce, and all the riches of the ungodly will be exchanged, not only for the coffin and the worm, but for the fire that cannot be quenched.

20-24 That which is matter of rejoicing to the servants of God on earth, is matter of rejoicing to the angels in heaven. The apostles, who are honoured and daily worshipped at Rome in an idolatrous manner, will rejoice in her fall. The fall of Babylon was an act of God's justice. And because it was a final ruin, this enemy should never molest them any more; of this they were assured by a sign. Let us take warning from the things which brought others to destruction, and let us set our affections on things above, when we consider the changeable nature of earthly things.

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

Discussion for Revelation 18

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