Revelation Chapter 18:12-24 Revelation 18:12 “cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, 13and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives. 14"And the fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. 15"The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16saying,' Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; 17for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!' And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance, 18and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying,' What city is like the great city?' 19"And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!' 20"Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her." 21And a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. 22"And 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. 24"And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth."
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Hailey reminds us that the term “merchants” from emporos indicates wholesalers rather than retailers or petty merchants. Compare the merchandise mentioned in this section with Ezekiel’s fall of Tyre (Ezekiel 26:1-28:19). When Babylon falls these merchants are put into the position of having cargo and nowhere to sell it. “Rome was the center of trade; roads from all countries of the world led to the great emporia of trade at Ostai, the chief seaport of the city, and Puteloi, the seaport for cargos of grain” (Hailey p. 365). “It must be admitted that this section must be a difficulty to all who do not regard Babylon as Rome. She is sitting on nations, ruling the kings of the earth in John’s day, persecuting the Christians, and trades in this remarkable manner in the things listed here---surely this must be Rome. She is told in verse 14 that her days as a commercial world power are over!” (McGuiggan p. 267). 18:12 “Cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet”: Purple was a color royalty. “Silk came from the far east, probably China, indicating the extent of Roman trade” (Hailey p. 365). ‘None of these things has abiding value. They all perish” (Hendriksen p. 175). 18:12 “And every kind of citron wood”: “This was an aromatic wood of beautiful texture, imported from North Africa and prized for its aroma and as a resource for making fine furniture” (Hailey p. 365). “Every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble”: This would include all the various articles such as sculptures, vessels, utensils and furniture that were made from these raw materials. 18:13 “And cinnamon”: This spice may have come from southern China rather than from Ceylon, and was known and used early in history (Exodus 30:23). “Spice”: The Greek here is amomon, which is an aromatic herb from India, it was made into perfume and ointments and was very popular with the Romans. 18:13 “Wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat”: The best in the line of food and drink comes next. “Cattle and sheep and cargoes of horses and chariots”: The Roman military included cavalry (Acts 23:23,32). This does not seem to fit Jerusalem as a huge importer of horses and chariots, but it does fit Rome. “And slaves and human lives”: Literally “bodies” and “lives”. “Slaves, even the lives of men. The slave market was widespread throughout the empire. Slaves were a household commodity, being used in all aspects of social life and as gladiators in the arena for the amusement of a depraved people” (Hailey p. 366). “Placing the souls of men at the end of the list of commodities may suggest that, of all the articles bought and sold, the lowest value was placed upon human life” (Gregg p. 433). 18:14 “The fruit you long for has gone from you”: From this and the above passages it is clear that Babylon is not a symbol for a corrupt religion. “The
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harlot Babylon sees the heyday of the lust of her life slipping away, so that men cannot find in her anything that is attractive” (Hendriksen p. 176). Hailey notes that the term “fruit” means ripe or juicy fruit that is found in the late summer or fall of the year. “At that season, when the harlot lusts for the ripe fruit to fall into her mouth as in time past, she will find it is gone from her” (Hailey p. 366). 18:14 “And all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them”: This city lived in luxury and splendor, but these days will come to an end. “Never again shall she live as in the past” (Hailey p. 366). 18:15 “The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning” “These stood afar off, helpless to save and fearful of intervening; they could only weep and mourn. And as it was with the kings, their grief is selfish; they mourn because of their own loss” (Hailey p. 367). The harlot was popular not because people loved her, but because she made so many people rich. “Alliances with her was money in the bank” (McGuiggan p. 267). Please note that in the realm of evil, all friendships are fair weather. No one comes to the aid of Babylon, everyone stands afar off. 18:16 “Saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls” “The lamentation of the merchants is similar to that of the kings, but with this difference: the kings saw her as both the great and ‘the strong city’ (18:11). To them she was impregnable, indestructible, destined to endure; the merchants saw her as ‘the great city’, clothed in splendor and ruling in luxury---and a continuing market for their merchandise” (Hailey p. 367). At this point some argue that Babylon cannot be Rome because the city of Rome continued to purchase goods even after the empire fell. The same would be true with Jerusalem, after she was destroyed, she was also rebuilt. I would argue that the Roman Empire, and the attitude in the city that resulted in the persecution of Christians, did fall. Hendriksen believes that what God says here about Rome really has applied to any Empire that God has judged or will judge. “The world of the unbeliever, on which he has pinned his hopes and built his trust, collapses! This is true with respect to the fall of every Babylon---whether it is literal Babylon, or Nineveh, or Rome” (p. 176). “Utterly helpless is Babylon; the merchants stand ‘afar off’ and wail when they compare the former splendor of the harlot—her fine linen, her purple, her scarlet, her gold, her precious stones and her pearls, with her present condition” (p. 176)
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Some argue that Rome did not fall suddenly, but of course neither did Jerusalem, fall overnight. Rome did fall. Remember that ancient Babylon fell on the night that Cyrus captured her (Daniel 5), the first blow was sudden, but centuries dragged away before her ruin was total. “Now Rome was frequently sacked and burned, captured again and again, and in her fall there was the suddenness of calamity, and the gradualness of decline. The old persecuting Rome fell” (Gregg pp. 434,436). When God judges any worldly culture, many people do mourn because many had put all their hopes and dreams in the success of that culture and its material prosperity. The Christian must always remember to make his priority the laying up of treasure in heaven no matter how prosperous the times may be (Matthew 6:19ff). 18:17 “For in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!” The suddenness of the collapse is emphasized one more time. When God’s judgment finally arrives it is swift, thorough, and utter. It is truly amazing how much wealth can be lost when an empire falls. 18:17 “And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance” Several new groups are introduced here. “All nautical life, industry, and trade are affected by the fall of the great city. In 13:1 the sea is a symbol for the mass of society generally. But in this instance the sea appears to be the lanes of commerce by which the great city was supplied with luxuries gathered from all parts of the world” (Hailey p. 367). “Captains, the passengers intent on business, the sailors, and as many as gain their living by the sea, exporters, importers, fishermen, those who dive for pearls, etc” (Hendriksen p. 176). Compare with Ezekiel 27:30. All these people are mourning because, like the kings and merchants, they have placed all their hopes and dreams in the profit and success brought by this great city. When the outward prosperity of a given time passes so passes the hopes and dreams of unbelievers who placed all their hopes in the material things and successes of this life. 18:18 “And were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’” There was no city to which to compare this city, no equal. Compare with Ezekiel 27:32. Notice the fragile nature of the world that unbelievers have created for themselves. What looked invincible and like money in the bank would completely fail. 18:19 “And they threw dust on their heads”: “The casting of dust upon one’s head had long been a symbol of grief and lamentation among the Orientals (Job 2:12)” (Hailey p. 368). Compare with Ezekiel 27:30. “Weeping and mourning”:
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But notice the selfishness in the weeping, “in which all who had ships at sea became rich by their wealth”. “There is something almost pathetic in all these laments, for they lament not over the fall of Rome. Their grief was in truth selfish; they were thinking of themselves, not for the destruction of Rome” (Hailey p. 368). Yet the Bible had already warned us that much of the sorrow demonstrated in the world is from self-interest and is not godly (2 Corinthians 7:10-11). 18:20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her” In the midst of all this mourning on the part of unbelievers and materialistic people, there is an exhortation for the faithful to rejoice. God’s people are to rejoice because evil has been defeated. Together, the saints had fought a bitter battle against this enemy, and the request given by the martyrs in 6:9ff has been answered. “For you against her”: God does answer the prayers of His people and God does bring down world empires because they have persecuted His people! McGuiggan notes that Rome stood as a burning warning to all nations and at all times, leave My people alone or suffer the consequences! “For Babylon’s fall is God’s just retribution which is visited upon the world because it persecuted the Church” (Hendriksen p. 176). Wow! How important are Christians to God! God will actually bring to an end the political, military and economic might of an entire empire because that empire opposed God’s people and the truth. 18:21 “Then 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’” A millstone was used for grinding grain and some millstones were up to five feet in diameter. “I’d say that would sink well enough to make the angel’s point” (McGuiggan p. 268). This millstone is not dropped on the land, but is cast into the sea, never to be retrieved nor seen again. This symbolic act denotes a complete and final judgment against the harlot-city. Compare with Jeremiah 51:621-64. Please note that the city of Rome exists to this day as well as the city of Jerusalem. The Rome that was destroyed was the Rome that ruled the world that Rome has never resurfaced to this day. The harlot cannot be an apostate church for that church still exists and neither can the city be simply worldliness or lust, for such things have never been cast into the sea. Neither can the city be Judaism for it still exists. In addition note that there will never be a revived Roman Empire. 18:22 “And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer” “John emphasizes the silence and inactivity of the harlot city as he is shown five aspects of normal life now completely extinct. The sound of musical instruments,
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symbols of joy and gladness (Luke 15:25) or revelry (Amos 6:5-7) is silenced” (Hailey p. 370). 18:22 “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” “Forever is gone the whirr of the loom, the ring of the anvil, the resounding echo of the hammer, the shouts of animal-drivers and the voice of hawkers announcing their wares. And the voice of the mill, so essential to the sustaining of life as the grain for bread is ground, shall be heard no more at all in thee” (Hailey p. 370). 18:23 “And 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” The city is viewed as being completely dark, not a light from even a single lamp or candle. The merriment of the wedding festival, “with its music, song, and torches of the night celebrations, shall be seen no more” (Hailey p. 371). Verses 21-23 are a graphic description the end of an empire and her capital city. 18:23 “For”: Two reasons are offered for the desolation that would come upon this city. “Your merchants were the great men of the earth”: They were indeed influential and powerful men. “Because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery”: This city has abused its wealth and influence. Instead of bringing light and truth, she brought immorality, greed, idolatry, emperor worship and corruption. Her greatness was used to bewitch and mislead the world. “After using her power, influence, and material wealth to an evil end, all the nations had learnt to adopt her false standards of life and worship” (Hailey p. 371). “Her great success would determine her punishment. The measure of her success would measure her shame. Her merchants, because she was so powerful, were regarded as princes in the earth. Her success and philosophy made her representatives important people and it also urged the world to follow in her ways” (McGuiggan p. 268). “The merchants had one ambition---to be great; to be like God in power and authority. The gold and glamour of this world deceived the wicked. The beast out of the earth—also called the false prophet, had been successful in his attempt to lead people astray. In addition, the harlot had caused them to wander away farther and farther from God” (Hendriksen p. 178). 18:24 “And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth” Certainly God could have said this final statement about Jerusalem (Matthew 23:35). Yet Jerusalem was not so much of a commercial center as was Rome, nor did the fall of Jerusalem cause an economic crisis for the kings, merchants, and shipmasters of the earth. The blood of God’s people was equally on the
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hands of the Roman Empire. Both Peter and Paul will be executed by Rome. “Immediately we think of the blood of the saints that had been poured out in the arenas of Rome and her provinces” (Hailey p. 372). From a literal standpoint, in no city had “all” of God’s people been slain, for Abel had not been slain in Jerusalem or Rome. “By the time Revelation was written, Rome was the seat from which emanated the law of the empire (this is even true if the book was written prior to A.D. 70. Rome ruled the world even when Jesus was crucified). In her was authority to stop any persecution or to advance it. Therefore Rome was to blame for allowing Christians to be slain throughout the empire, thus figuratively in her was found the blood of all that were slain upon the earth” (Harkrider p. 212). Closing Comments When the beast first appears in Revelation, he was portrayed as the power that opposed God’s two witnesses. The beast made war with them and overcame them (11:7). Their dead bodies would lie in the street of the great city (11:8). Those verses tie the beast and the harlot city, Babylon together (compare 11:8; 17:6; 18:20).
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