In Revelation 18 John presents a perspective of the fall of the great world city Babylon the great that is molded on Ezekiel’s lament for the city of Tyre (Ezek. 26-27). Revelation 18 imitates this lament, featuring the kings, merchants, and seafarers whose alliance with wicked Babylon is ended by God’s judgment. This scene of despair is contrasted at the end with the rejoicing of heaven and the people of God.

When John wrote the book of Revelation, the city of Babylon had long since been destroyed. Babylon symbolized imperial Rome, the powerful and decadent city that dominated the first-century Mediterranean world. Rome itself was symbolic, standing along with Babylon as a symbol of the satanic realm of secularism in idolatrous opposition to God. Her judgment is lamented in these verses by those who had feasted from her table.

The first to lament Babylon’s fall are “the kings of the earth” (v. 9). These are the client princes who relied on the empire for their prestige and power, including the rulers in the province of Asia, where John’s churches were located. These rulers had embraced the corruption of Rome so as to gain power from her. The kings lamented Rome’s greatness and might in verse 10. With the great city fallen, they grieve not for her but for their lost patronage.

The second mourners are the merchants, who grieve over losing the great market for their luxurious products (v. 11). Historians describe the staggering amount of trade that flowed into Rome. People compare today’s Western decadence with that of ancient Rome, but there is no comparison. The citizens of Rome led lives of spectacular wealth and stunning opulence. The riches of the ancient world were poured into the lap of Rome. Against this backdrop, we are not surprised at the wealthy cargo that the merchants lament as lost in verses 12-13. If the rulers valued power, the merchants loved splendor and beauty (v. 14). Verse 16 views the great city as a sumptuously beautiful woman dressed in the most alluring clothes and the richest jewelry.

The third group of mourners consists of the seafarers, whose ships carried the merchants’ cargo (vv. 17-18). The ship captains and their crews see from afar the smoke of the great burning city. Unlike the kings, who sought power from Rome, and the merchants, who relished the luxurious living of Rome, the shipmasters care only for the money they made from Rome (v. 19). There will be no further chance for them to get rich quick and make such lavish profits. Contrary to Jesus’ advice in the Sermon on the Mount, they had stored up treasure on earth, rather than in heaven, and the time had now come when all their riches would be lost (Matt. 6:19-20). In the judgment of the Babylonian world system, those whose hearts are fixed to the things of the world will suffer total loss.

The lament of the kings, merchants, and seafarers is not the only perspective on the fall of mighty Babylon. Verse 20 interrupts with the voice of John’s angel-interpreter: “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!” In dramatizing Babylon’s fall, John leaves us in no doubt that this was God’s doing.

Now, as John looks to the end of history when the Babylonian world system will come under judgment, “a mighty angel” appears with “a stone like a great millstone” (v. 21). The great millstone crashes into the water and sinks to the bottom of the deepest sea. This symbolizes the utter ruin of the evil world, which perishes forever because of idolatry and sin. The angel follows up this symbolic gesture with a eulogy recounting the judgment befalling every aspect of Babylonian life. In verses 21-23 he intones the words “no more” six times. Babylon herself “will be found no more.” With her fall the sound of music, the busy noise of craftsmen, and the clanging sounds of daily industry “will be heard in you no more (. 22).

There are three lessons we can learn from Babylon’s judgment and fall. The first is that Christians must learn how to use the things of the world rightly, enjoying God’s good gifts without falling into the world’s idolatry. Just as the kings, merchants, and seafarers stood far off from Babylon in fear, Christians must keep distance from the materialism that characterizes Babylon’s spirit. Christians are perfectly free to enjoy good things in the world and even to appreciate luxuries, so long as we do so in gratitude to God and with generosity toward those in need.

A second lesson from this passage is that we should never doubt the certainty of God’s judgment on the wicked. Long years after John recorded this vision, it seemed to many that Rome would never fall but would endure forever. Yet the day came, in A.D. 410, when the Visigoth chieftain Alaric overran and sacked the city of Rome, bringing the empire to an end. Many Christians were utterly dismayed in the insecurity of the moment, just as many Christians today tremble for the collapse of Western society.

Finally, Christians should realize that in the midst of this very world, with its history moving forward to certain judgment, Christ is building His church that will endure eternally in glory. Jesus promised, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). These judgments display God’s sovereignty and power. Those same almighty attributes ensure that the work He is doing now in our midst through the gospel is certain to succeed. Knowing this, we labor in the world for eternity. We seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, as Jesus said, confident that all other things will be given to us with Him (Matt. 6:33).

Revelation 18:9-24 Study Questions:

How do the kings and merchants of the earth react to the fall of Babylon (vv. 9-11)?

In verses 12-13, John builds up a marvelous catalog of luxury goods as well as basics of trade – flour, wheat, cattle and so on. But what horror do we find at the end of this list?

How does the final item of “cargo” reveal the depth of Babylon’s wickedness (vv. 12-14)?

What prophetic act does the mighty angel perform to indicate judgment on Babylon’s violence (v. 21)?

Babylon is a city founded on violence; not only the blood of the martyrs. Babylon has been at the center of a network of violence that spanned the world, and all who have been slaughtered on earth have, in a sense, been slaughtered at the behest of Babylon. Where do we see violence of Babylon revealed in our own society?

How might we live in a way that opposes this violence?

One could hardly find a stronger statement of biblical opposition to the world than is stated in Revelation 18. A simple reading of verses 2 and 4 would seem to urge Christians to adopt a very negative attitude toward the world. However, this attitude of opposition to worldly culture is not the only view in the Bible. In Philippians 4:8, Paul urged us to appreciate good things wherever we find them. The world was made good by God and was precious to Him as His own possession (Ps. 24:1).

The angel’s hostility is directed not to the physical earth but to sinful worldly culture. What God hates is Babylon as a symbol of the idol-worshiping, sensually perverse world system in rebellion to heaven. The world is not evil in itself but only in rebellion and sin. The most virulent atheist today, the most arrogantly seductive cultural harlot, and the most cynical abortion doctor all bear the stamp of the image of God. It was in this world that Jesus taught, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matt. 5:44).

In calling forth Babylon’s fall, the angel condemns the depravity of its condition in verse 2. This statement mirrors Isaiah’s prophecy that foretold Babylon’s complete desolation to the extent that “wild animals will lie down there, and their houses will be full of howling creatures…Hyenas will cry in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant places (Isa. 13:20-22). Revelation takes this same imagery to its ultimate extreme, saying that worldly Babylon will be haunted by demons, unclean spirits, and defiled beasts. This imagery of occupation by violent and unclean animals symbolizes what happens in a society whenever God is rejected.

The apostle Paul said in Romans 6:23: “The wages of sin is death,” including the death of any society that knowingly turns against God and falls under His judgment. The living death depicted in Babylon is caused by the reign of moral depravity in rebellion to God. First, Babylon is condemned for exporting a culture of sexual indulgence and perversion throughout the world (v. 3). This statement suggests that those who lead masses of people into sin will be especially accountable to God’s wrath.

Tyrannical governments rely on the sensual inducements of immorality to gain allegiance and strengthen their power. Furthermore, “the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living” (v. 3). The point is not to condemn honest gain from business but to oppose merchants and corporate titans who so worship money that they traffic in the poison of sin. The angel’s condemnation of Babylon warns both citizens engaged in public service and those engaged in private enterprise that God is keeping tabs on their practice, and will hold them especially to account for their promotion of sexual immorality and other abuses of their fellow man.

After the first angel’s rejoicing for fallen Babylon, another voice is heard from heaven that either belongs to God or certainly represents God. This voice is directed to John and his readers, who live in the very Babylon under judgment. Their call is both simple and urgent: “Come out of her, my people” (v. 4). So how do Christians obey the command, “Come out of her, my people”? The answer is given as the voice continues: “lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues” (v. 4). Christians need to avoid two dangers in relating to worldly Babylon” the danger of participating in its sin and the danger of suffering its judgment.

Separation from sin can be achieved only by a no to the world and a yes to God’s Word. So important is this principle of thinking and acting by God’s Word that it was Paul’s exhortation in the long book of Romans: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).

The voice from heaven aids Christians in this calling by pointing out that Babylon’s “sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities” (v. 5). This statement warns us against taking a casual view of sin, especially in light of the Bible’s teaching about God’s mercy and grace (Heb. 8:12; 10:17). The sins that are so flagrantly discounted by a depraved society are each an infinite and eternal offense to the heart of the holy God.

Beyond the call to come out from the sinful ways of the Babylonian world, we may make three more specific applications, each of which is tied to the statements of judgment in verses 6-8.First, since the sinful world is destined for judgment, Christians should not invest our ultimate dreams or seek our true treasures in this world. Jesus taught, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth.” We should not set our hearts on earthly things because they are inherently unstable. Even in this life, Jesus warned, moths and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal (Matt. 6:19-20). While we are in this world, we are bound to have a good many interests here. But those who know the grace and glory of Christ should hold Him as our highest treasure (Matt. 6:21). Our minds should be interested in the work of His church and of the gospel. And our chief interests should be those bound up with the kingdom of heaven.

Second, since this judgment reveals God’s hatred of the world’s sinful priorities, Christians should increasingly take the attitude that is pleasing to God and contrary to the spirit of the world. Some believers are reluctant to be different from the world because they fear being discovered as Christians. But what does this say about our commitment to the Lord? Seeing His response to Babylon’s arrogance and sins, we should cultivate instead the holy humility that characterized Jesus and pleases our God. God’s revulsion for the sinful world is vividly displayed in verse 7. Here, it is especially the self-glorifying attitude of the world that offends God. Similar attitudes are prevalent in secular society today; Christians should turn their hearts toward God in humility, using the things of the world in stewardship to Him.

Finally, Christians are always to remember the fate in store for the ungodly world in verse 8. Like the world that Noah departed before the flood that rose suddenly, and like Sodom, which fell in a day to the fire and brimstone crashing down from God, the entire world awaits a judgment that will utterly destroy everything that sinners hold dear. When judgment comes, there will be no escape for those who have rejected the gospel offer of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Why should you live differently from the world in sin? First, for God’s sake, then second for the world’s sake. Our world desperately needs the testimony of a lived Christianity that bears witness to the God of salvation, His judgment on sin, and the forgiveness He offers through the blood of Jesus Christ. This gives the most important answer to the question of Christianity and culture, as commanded by Jesus Himself: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20).

Revelation 18:1-8 Study Questions:

What message does the angel with great authority bring (vv. 2-3)?

As those who live in a society that places a high value on human achievement, what lessons might we learn from the fall of Babylon?

What specific judgments are pronounced on Babylon for her sin (vv. 6-8)?

How is this a just punishment for Babylon?

How do we discern the point at which a government or other worldly power passes from being a servant of God to putting itself in the place of God?

In what ways do we also need to “come out” from present-day “Babylons” with their corrupt systems, and separate ourselves from their ways?

John had seen the great prostitute Babylon, riding the scarlet beast and drenched in the blood of the saints. “When I saw her,” he said, “I marveled greatly” (v. 6). It seems that John was set back by the appalling vision. The angel followed up with: “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her (v. 7). This interpretation of this vision was designed to comfort John’s fear and encourage him to persevere in faith.

The angel’s message is organized by the three main portions of this passage. First, John needs to recognize the beast and the manner of his appearing. Second, he must understand the powers arrayed by the beast for war against Christ. Third, he is to marvel at the destruction that God has ordained to be at work between the harlot and the beast, displaying His sovereign power. The perspective we gain from studying this difficult chapter is intended to give us boldness to stand for God in this hostile world.

By now in our study, we are familiar with the beast, who represents violent worldly power arrayed against God and His people. He was first mentioned in chapter 11, where he briefly had power to slay the two witnesses, symbolizing the martyr church (11:7-8), until they were raised from the dead before God’s judgment on the beast (11:11-13). In chapter 12, we learn that the beast’s master, the seven-headed dragon, Satan, makes unsuccessful war against the church, which conquers him by the blood of Christ and “the word of their testimony” (12:11). In chapter 13, John again sees this beast making war on the saints, being permitted by God to conquer them for a limited period (13:5-7).

This background material fits in with the description of Revelation 17:8, “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction.” The pattern follows the record of Satan in history. The devil was and then was not, that is, he reigned over the nations in sin until Christ defeated him on the cross and overthrew his kingdom. This does not minimize the evil activity of Satan in our own time, but points out that his power has been restrained so that the gospel may go forth to the world (Rev. 20:3). Although his reign was and now is not, there will be a brief time at the end of history when he will once more be permitted “to deceive the nations” and “gather them for battle” against Christ (20:7-8). Therefore, Satan “was, is not, and is about to rise” again.

The angel’s second point to John unfolds the meaning of the seven heads and ten horns, in order to show the powers joined with the beast for the war against Christ. This passage is so difficult that we are not surprised at the way the angel introduces it: This calls for a mind with wisdom” (v. 9). Wisdom is needed not only to understand the material but also to keep its meaning in focus. The angel begins by saying that “the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated” (v. 9). This seems to be a clear reference to Rome, the city of seven hills, which was in John’s time the main representative of the beast and the seat of the harlot’s seductions. Mountains are often used in the Bible to depict spiritual powers arrayed against God (see Isa. 2:2; Jer. 51:25; Ezek. 35:3).

If the seven hills are easy to understand, what follows in verse 10 is not. There are three main theories for interpreting this verse, two of which are historical and one of which is symbolic. There are several problems with the historical approaches that cannot work without arbitrary manipulation. This leads us to consider a symbolic approach, especially since the numbers seven and ten have been used this way throughout Revelation.

Seven stands for completeness and here would represent the totality of antichrist government throughout history. Picture a beast with seven heads, five of which have been cut off. The idea is that Christ’s first coming inflicted a deadly blow to Satan and his beast, who continues fighting undaunted, employing the power of his deadly sixth head, with the seventh yet to come. The point is that war is getting closer to its end. John’s readers were not at the end – theirs was the sixth head – but the last phase was beginning. The conflict will be fierce, but the end is not far off. There will be great suffering in John’s time and in the church’s future, with a great need for courage and perseverance, but Christians face the conflict, knowing that its duration is limited and that the end is near.

When the end comes, the church will face an eighth head (v. 11). Eight is the number of resurrection, which fits the Antichrist’s attempt to masquerade as Christ. Like all the previous horns, he is bent on world domination in rebellion to God. But he is different in that he is the genuine beast. Verse 12 says that the seventh king has “ten horns,” which “are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.” Symbolically, ten is another number for completion, this time representing the subordinate powers that assist the imperial beast.

In John’s day, Rome was organized in ten provinces, and it was mainly provincial leaders who persecuted the Christians. More generally, the ten horns symbolize the mighty ones of this earth in every realm: art, education, commerce, industry, government, in so far as they serve the central authority. With such allies exercising his authority, the Antichrist will dominate all society for a brief time – “for one hour” – during which period he will exalt himself in power. Being “of one mind,” the horns will “hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb” (vv. 13-14).

The only possible result of this warfare, however greatly the church may briefly suffer, is the total victory of Christ (v. 14). Worldly powers will unite under the beast to bring great affliction to Christians for periods during history and in an intense way at the very end. But just when the Antichrist seems to be grasping victory, Christ will appear and bring him utter and final ruin, while delivering believers into His kingdom of glory.

The final lesson calls for John to marvel at the self-destructive nature of worldly society. Verse 9 showed the harlot sitting on the seven mountains, as the mighty ones became drunk from her corrupting wine. Verse 18 now describes her as “the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.” The harlot symbolizes the entire economic and cultural system on which the world depends. Verse 15 describes her spread of immoral culture throughout the world. Like polluted waters flowing from Babylon, the harlot’s decadent culture spreads through her arrogant confidence, through the heart-stealing seduction of her promises of prosperity and through the brute force of the beast’s military might.

Given the close relationship with the harlot, we would expect the tyrannical beast to care for and protect her. Instead, the opposite happens as seen in verse 16. Why is this? One reason is that the pleasures of sin ultimately disappoint, turning evil men on one another in frustration. Another reason is that the beast and his worldly rulers do not love the people they have used.

Two statements directly relate to believers and urge Christians to be steadfast and faithful during evil times. First, when verse 14 tells of the Lamb’s conquest, it adds “those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” Here is a good definition of a Christian. The followers of Christ are those who have answered the call of the gospel to saving faith. They are those chosen by God’s sovereign grace, which ensures their eternal salvation. Their duty is simply to be faithful to their Savior and Lord. The faithfulness of Christians in opposing evil not only proves their salvation but makes a real contribution to Jesus’ victory in the end.

Second, we should note what the angel said about God’s sovereignty: “God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose…until the words of God are fulfilled” (v. 17). This means that God is not surprised by anything that happens in this evil age. The apparent advance of evil does not mean that God has lost control. Believers can trust Him, including His wisdom in working both against evil and through evil to glorify Himself and eternally bless His people. God’s Word is certain to be fulfilled.

Revelation 17:7-18 Study Questions:

What does it mean that the beast “carries” the whore of Babylon and gives her power (vv. 7-8)?

What explanation does the angel offer for the identity of the seven heads and tens horns first mentioned in verse 7?

What do the ten kings do first in verses 12-14?

In what way might we describe the next action of the ten kings (vv. 15-18) as “poetic justice”?

What examples can you think of in which evil ended up destroying itself recently?

What encouragement and hope do you find in this chapter and why?

How might we help those who suffer under the afflictions of the world’s systems?

Chapter 17 begins a new section of Revelation, and for it John’s tour guide is one of the seven angels who poured the bowls of wrath on the earth. This indicates that this sixth cycle will culminate in the judgment of Christ’s enemies (v. 1). Before God brings an end to the idolatrous world system, He wants John and his readers to see it for what it is. John sees worldly culture personified as a detestable harlot, awash in iniquity and violence, who has not only turned from godly virtue but used her sinful pleasures to lead multitudes into idolatry. The opening verses of chapter 17 presents five notable features in describing the great prostitute: her location, her mount, her adornment, her cup of abominations, and her name, which unfolds the mystery of her role in history.

First, her location is given in verse 3. The wilderness has several meanings in Scripture. It depicts the barren results of sin. In Matthew’s Gospel, the wilderness is inhabited by demons (Matt. 12:43) and Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1). Isaiah described the desert as the place from which invaders would come to destroy Babylon (Isa. 21:1-10). Later, Babylon will herself be turned into a wilderness (Rev. 18:2). Since Babylon is “the great city” where sin festers (17:18), the wilderness is also a place where John can view the harlot while being out of reach of her sinful allures. Persecution or social rejection will often cause Christians to be excluded from worldly society, but this very seclusion offers a refuge from the allure of sin.

Second, the brazen woman is mounted “on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns” (v. 3). There is no question that this beast is the persecuting tyrant of earlier visions, the antichrist government rulers of the earth. The seven heads correspond to the four beasts of Daniel 7, which stood for violent world kingdoms, and the ten horns identify Daniel’s fourth beast, the Roman Empire (Dan. 7:7). This composite beast thus symbolizes all “the great persecuting power which rules by brute force and is the supreme enemy of Christ and the church. The beast’s scarlet color identifies him with Satan, the red dragon, and reflects his bloody persecution of the saints. The blasphemous names reflect his idolatrous demand to be worshiped, the very danger facing John’s readers from the bestial Roman emperor.

Third, this picture is amplified with the harlot’s adorning (v. 4). The first thing we notice is the costliness of her garb: scarlet dye was expensive and purple was so costly that it was the symbol of aristocracy and royalty. She adds the gaudy shimmer of jewels and pearls to complete the impression of wealth and carnal beauty. The harlot’s luscious depravity contrasts with the true beauty of the church as the bride of Christ (Rev. 12:1; 21:11). The harlot dresses seductively, so as to lure the worldly kings to their destruction. In contrast, the outward beauty of a Christian woman is modest, seeking to edify rather than allure, and her most precious beauty is inward and spiritual (1 Pet. 3:4).

Fourth, we are shown the harlot’s cup (v. 4). The golden cup suggests riches and glory, while its contents impoverish the soul and disgrace those who drink of it. “Abominations” speaks of things especially offensive to God, such as false worship, occult practices, and sexual perversions such as homosexuality and gross indecency, while “impurities” refers to sinful corruptions in general. The point is not merely imbibing of impiety and sin but their intoxicating influence in promoting idolatry in the place of faith in the true God. Secular culture holds forth this very cup, in all the apparent glitter of gold, so as to seduce people by its contents, making them slaves of the consumer enterprise and willing servants of the idolatrous state.

Finally, John learns her name (v. 5). Harlots in Rome were said to wear headbands bearing their names. Here, the name is “Babylon the great.” This symbolizes the oppressive kingdoms of the world that disregard God and don’t recognize Jesus as King is here personified as a human female who sells herself and gives birth to abominations. It doesn’t stretch the imagination to think of young American girls who imbibe the values of secular society and early in life take on the appearance and values exemplified by this harlot. This symbolizes the spiritual harlotry of a culture that has turned from God.

The point of John’s vision of the harlot is for Christians to see the truth of the world for what it is. It works like a fairy tale in which magic of the beautiful seductress wears off to reveal a hideous and evil witch. “Do you see the world for what it is?” Revelation asks. The problem is not the world itself but the secular-humanistic world system in rebellion to God. Apart from God’s rule of grace and truth, the world falls to the deadly alliance of the prostitute’s moral corruption and the tyrant’s abuse of power.

The model for this decadent world system is the ancient Rome that dominated the world in John’s time. Rome provides an apt symbol for worldly idolatry especially in the two great threats she posed to the church, threats that organize Satan’s assaults in every age. The first of these is persecution. John’s readers could not forget the shocking torment of Christians in the reign of Nero, and they now face the deadly threat of the emperor Domitian if they continued to refuse to worship his idolatrous images. The second form of satanic attack on Christians is moral corruption. Rome was a cesspool of the worst debaucheries, especially sexual. These two strategies – persecution and corruption – continue to be used by Satan in his attempt to destroy the Christian church and witness.

When Christ’s people see the abominations of the great harlot world culture, what should be their response? The answer is obvious from the nature of this vision, but it is explicitly given in Revelation 18:4-5. Probably the best advice ever given on how to avoid the pollution of sin and the enticements of a harlot world is found in the very first chapter of the book of Psalms (Ps. 1:1-2). This says that Christians are shaped by the influence of their associations.

The message to which we open our ears and our hearts will end up determining the way of life that we will follow. On the one hand are those who live close to the world, receiving its ideas and following its fads, who then begin walking in that way and end up seated, or confirmed, in worldly corruption. On the other hand are those who live close to God’s Word, listening to the counsel of God and practicing a lifestyle that is pleasing to Him. These are the two ways that will yield two different lives.

The harlot Babylon allures with pleasure that leads to the embrace of death and despair. The Savior Jesus calls with life from God for those who believe. The only blood He bears is the blood He shed in our place, to free us from the penalty of our sin. The key to Christian living, then, is in part to see the ugly destruction of the harlot who rides the beast. An even greater key is to see Jesus, who is altogether lovely, and who imparts true beauty, life, and glory to those who take the cup of life from His hands.

Revelation 17:1-6 Study Questions:

Whose judgment does the angel invite John to observe next?

Why is the image of the “whore” used to describe Babylon and the system it represents?

This terrifying, multilayered denunciation of the out-worldly delightful and inwardly deceitful city ought to give pause for serious thought to all those of us who live within today’s glossy Western culture – and all others who look on and see our glitzy world from afar, where are we in this picture?

Babylon has worshiped idols: the quick-fix pseudo-divinities that promise the earth, take all you have to give and then leave you with nothing. What are the life-draining effects of serving false gods today?

What does it mean that the whore has become drunk with the blood of God’s people (v. 6)?

The final verses of Revelation 16 conclude the fifth major section of Revelation. As we draw closer to the end of the book, we also focus more clearly on the end of history and especially on God’s judgment of His enemies. Christians may have become weary of the unrelenting scenes of divine wrath, as God brings down His enemies one by one. But Christians may find through careful attention that the bad news of God’s wrath on His enemies is organically tied to God’s good news for believers.

Looking ahead to upcoming chapters, we find that God’s judgment on Babylon avenged and vindicated “the blood of prophets and of saints” (Rev. 18:24). The casting down of the harlot Babylon precedes the arrival of Christ’s glorious bride for the marriage feast of the Lamb (19:6-8). A blood-drenched Jesus who slays His enemies is also the Savior, mounted on a white horse, who is called “Faithful and True” (19:11). Moving back unto our passage, as the seventh bowl of wrath is poured out; the voice from heaven’s throne shouts words that thrill the hearts of biblical believers: “It is done!” (v. 17).

There is a profound redemptive-historical relationship between Christ’s cry from the cross and this loud call from heaven. Having accomplished redemption by His atoning death, Jesus uttered the Greek word tetelestai, meaning “it is accomplished.” Now, from heaven at the end of the gospel age, at the brink of His return, Jesus shouts gegonen, meaning “It has come to pass.” This perfectly fits the redemptive relationship between the two events: the salvation that Christ accomplished on the day of His crucifixion will come to pass only in the crowning victory of His day of return.

What results, then, will occur at the end of this age when Christ returns? Our passage presents four endings that arrive with the coming of Jesus and the final judgment: the end of the world, the end of worldly society, the end of sin, and the end of the gospel opportunity for salvation.

First, a clear emphasis of these verses is that Christ’s return spells the end of the world in its present form. When the seventh bowl was poured, “there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, pearls of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake” (v. 18). These violent phenomena intensify descriptions that we have previously seen about the end of the world. Revelation 6:12-14 spoke of “a great earthquake” and the sky vanishing “like a scroll that is being rolled up.” Now, with the seventh bowl of wrath thrown into the air, the physical world is assaulted by lightning, thunder, and an earthquake to end all earthquakes.

Verse 20 tells how sweeping the upheaval of this final earthquake is: “every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.” Objects that symbolize permanence – mountains and islands – are swept away in destruction. The best way to understand this is that the present physical order will be shaken and purged so as to be renewed and glorified in the new age after Christ’s return. Jesus Himself referred to the new world as the “regeneration or renewal” (Matt. 19:28). Paul spoke of the undoing of the world as its “redemption” (Rom. 8:23), when “creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption” (Rom. 8:21).

Even more pointed than the world’s end is the end of worldly society (v. 19). Scholars suggest that in John’s day, “the great city” would have referred to Rome. If that is so, Rome was identified as a symbol of the world system, together with Babylon, a city that had been deserted by then for centuries. It is not merely one city or one nation that falls under this judgment but “the cities of the nations,” that is, the entire corrupt world system in service to Satan and opposition to Christ. It’s not just Rome or some later great capital of evil that is decimated but all the worlds cultural, political, economic, and sociological centers.

This judgment reminds believers today not to be intimidated by the menacing power of the world or enticed by the seductive pull of its sinful pleasures. When Christians are tempted to desire worldly approval, we should remember this end that is in store for the city of the world. Paul urged Christians to realize, therefore, that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20). Christian parents should thus be raising their children not for the world but for the kingdom of Christ. While believers live in the world, we must not be of the world so as to enter into its way of thinking and acting.

Together with the destruction of the worldly society, this passage also shows Christ’s return as bringing the end of sin. The reason that God remembered Babylon is that God keeps a close record of all sin. The Old Testament presents countless examples of God’s noting, recording, and remembering sin, as well as His obligation to punish it. Often God patiently provides a long opportunity for repentance and salvation through faith. Paul writes that “in his divine forbearance he passed over former sins” (Rom. 3:25), not fully punishing them immediately.

In the end, sin itself will be brought to an end. Paul wrote that after ascending to heaven, Christ “must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Cor. 15:25). In the cataclysmic end of the world, including the final judgment and its punishments, we see the end of sin in the creation made by God. No wonder the angels sing, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns” (Rev. 19:6). Knowing that sin will be defeated at the end of the age should decisively shape the lifestyles of those who look to Christ for salvation.

We have seen that the great cataclysm that accompanies the return of Christ brings the end of the world, the end of worldly society, and the end of sin. This being the case, it is evident that this same event heralds the end of the gospel opportunity by which sinners can be forgiven and cleansed through faith in Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 9:27-28 the writer states that Christ’s first coming, culminating with His atoning death for sin on the cross, establishes a present opportunity for salvation, through faith in Him. During this age, sinners who die without believing in Jesus face the immediate prospect of divine judgment. Then, when Christ returns at the end of the age, the opportunity of salvation is no longer offered. Instead, Jesus delivers those who have been waiting for Him even as He brings a destructive end to all those who have rebelled against Him.

John’s vision showed that even as the terrible judgment falls on the last day, Christ’s enemies “cursed God” for this severe plague (v. 21). This reaction to God’s just punishment confirms their enmity to God. As unrepentant enemies and sinners, they are smitten to the ground with “great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each,” which “fell from heaven” on them (v. 21). Great hailstone attacks from heaven are a biblical symbol of wrathful judgment on the enemies of God (see Josh. 10:11; Isa. 28:2). Hailstones of this colossal size would easily have enough force to slay all those beneath them, utterly silencing the lips that curse their God.

This judgment shows the need for the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit through the ministry of God’s Word. Not even the cataclysms of the end of the age can motivate Satan’s minions to repent and give God the glory He deserves, even as the seconds of gospel opportunity flee from history forever. Their example should help persuade you that now is the time to repent before your heart is so hardened in sin and unbelief that you are no longer able to do so. This call is especially urgent if you angrily rise against God in response to minor trials and judgments that you have already experienced. Joy and peace can be yours by confessing you sin to Jesus and calling on His name for forgiveness. God’s covenant of grace promises all who seek forgiveness through Christ: “I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (Heb. 8:12).

Revelation 16:17-21 Study Questions:

Why does the voice from the throne announce “It is done!” after the seventh bowl of wrath is poured out (v. 17)?

As we consider this news of the impending collapse of the world’s idolatrous systems – economic, social, environmental and political systems – what does it mean to be faithful in the present?

As we have studied Revelation’s visions of the seven seals, trumpets, and bowls, we have noted that these generally refer to God’s judgments taking place throughout the church age. The sixth bowl in these series, however, refers to events shortly before the end of the age, and the seventh bowl brings us to the return of Christ. In considering the fourth and fifth bowls of wrath, and therefore, we should see them as characterizing the world’s ungodly response throughout the age as it leads up to the climatic final events.

The fourth bowl of wrath was poured out “on the sun,” to make it “scorch people with fire” (v. 8). The key to this bowl is to note it as the opposite of what the Bible promises to God’s faithful people. Psalm 121:5-6 says, “The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.” Similarly, Revelation 7:16 promised that the redeemed “shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.” Here, the Lord is doing exactly the opposite in judging the sinful world.

As a judgment for sin, the fourth bowl addresses the situation of Western society today. Our secularist world has deliberately rejected God and tried to bar His influence. As Revelation envisions, we have replaced God with the beast of all-pervasive government, the false prophet of secular humanism, and the seductions of the harlot Babylon. The fourth bowl depicts judgment by scorching the world with “fierce heat” from a divinely cursed sun. In sin, the world becomes harsh and painful.

What is the response of the sin-corrupted secularist to the misery that results from God’s judgment of sin? We hear the answer all the time today, as media figures unceasingly blaspheme against God. John writes: “They cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory” (v. 9). On this same basis, “religion” and Christianity are publicly maligned today. Angry atheists point to widespread poverty, ignorance, disease, lawlessness, and relationship breakdowns – all of which are rooted in sin – and then curse God for them. “Where is this kind and loving God that you Christians speak of?” the secularists revile. The answer is that man’s own idolatry and sin have turned God’s face away in anger.

God not only places His curse of judgment on a faithless world, but also targets the leaders of spiritual opposition (v. 10). This judgment is based on the fourth plague on Egypt in the exodus, when God brought darkness on the realm of Pharaoh. The plague of darkness in the exodus showed God’s sovereignty over Egypt, and God likewise shows His sovereignty over Satan’s rule by sowing confusion among his earthly servants.

Although sinful people would not “repent of their deeds,” they still “gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed” God (vv. 10-11). Having their sources of security toppled – whether financial, political, or ideological – they are portrayed by John as gnawing on their tongues, seeking to maintain self-control. “There is no peace,” the Bible says, “for the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). The anxiety of sin is especially intense when God’s shadow brings dismay to the dominion of Satan, afflicting the spirits of those who will not forsake their sin or give God the glory He deserves.

While the first five bowls show God’s judgment in striking satanic powers throughout the church age, the sixth bowl, like the sixth seal and the sixth trumpet, moves us forward to the climatic events preceding Christ’s return. The vivid picture of this penultimate vision begins with the angel’s pouring “out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east” (v. 12).

The Euphrates River was the border between the lands that God gave to Israel and her enemies beyond it. Similarly, in John’s time, the Euphrates was the border between Rome and the dreaded Parthian Empire. The city of Babylon was located on the Euphrates, and in Revelation Babylon symbolizes the idolatrous world system. In the Old Testament, the parting or drying up of waters was an act of God’s intervention in order to advance the cause of His people. Here, He dries up the Euphrates “to prepare the way for the kings from the east.”

We need to be reminded again that Revelation presents visionary symbols, not a straightforward narrative of historical events. This becomes clear when we see Satan’s response to this assault from the worldly powers in verse 13.By means of his unholy counterfeit trinity – the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, signifying Satan, the Antichrist, and false teachers in society and within the organized church – Satan unleashes a spiritual assault. Demons, called “unclean spirits,” go forth “like frogs.” This points to the exodus, when God sent a plague of frogs on Egypt (Exod. 8:2-14). The frogs penetrated every household, spreading defilement and making a mind-numbing sound. It is for both the corruption and the deception of their slick and slippery speech that the demons are compared to frogs.

Added to their success in misrepresenting truth, the spirits are “performing signs,” going “abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty” (v. 14). In this way we see both Satan’s and God’s purposes in these events. In response to assault from worldly powers, Satan deceives all the nations into gathering for the climactic battle against God. It was for this purpose that God dried up the river, which symbolizes the removal of His restraint that kept earthly forces from uniting against His church.

The name given to this final battle symbolizes the cataclysmic end of the world is “Armageddon” (v. 16). This place is commonly known as Mount Megiddo. Megiddo was a fortress city overlooking the plain to the north-west of Jerusalem that hosted great battles in antiquity and as recently as Napoleon and the British army of World War 1. Some scholars envision a literal battle taking place in the future at Megiddo, in which the armies of the entire earth will be gathered to assault a future Jewish state.

This approach does not fit the symbolic nature of Revelation’s visions. Moreover, large as the plain around Megiddo was for ancient warfare, it could not hold even a single large military formation today, much less the combined armies of the world. Moreover, Revelation specifies the symbolism at work in this passage. Chapter 17 states that the reference to the Euphrates River was a symbol for “peoples and multitudes and nations and languages” (Rev. 17:15). Even the name Armageddon, or Mount Megiddo, is symbolic, since Megiddo is not a mountain but was a city on a small mound.

While Mount Megiddo is a symbol, it depicts a very real future event. The Bible gives abundant witness to a final conflict in which the forces of the world unite under a satanically inspires Antichrist to wage war on God’s people. It is, verse 14 proclaims, “the great day of God the Almighty,” to which the Scriptures so often looked, when Christ returns to destroy Satan and his evil powers, to rescue His church, and through the final resurrection and judgment to establish His eternal reign over a rescued and renewed creation that will fully display His glory.

Revelation 16:8-16 Study Questions:

What is the target of the fifth plague?

Why are the kings of the earth drawn into such a foolish confrontation (vv. 13-14)?

Why does John suddenly issue an encouragement to his readers to “stay awake” (v. 15)?

How do we also need to “wake up” to what is happening around us in the world?