Judgment Upon Babylon

Chapter 18 is all about the fall and destruction of Babylon—again. We've heard this song before, yet here it is just as it was proclaimed in chapter 14: 

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality." - Rev 14:8 ESV

And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. - Rev 16:18-19 ESV 

Babylon of Old Testament times was indeed a great and wondrous city. The Euphrates river, about 200 miles above that river's junction with the Tigris, divided the great city into two almost equal parts. The city was the capital of a great empire. It fell to Cyrus, "king of Elam." Cyrus permitted the captive Jews to return to their land in 606 B.C. and Babylon ceased to be the capital of anything. Today, all one can find are a series of huge mounds about 50 miles south of Baghdad. The complete and utter desolation of this great city, once called "the glory of kingdoms" (Isa.13:19) was foretold by the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel (Isa. 13:4-22; Jer. 25:12; 50:2-3; Dan. 2:31-38).

Throughout the Revelation Babylon is a symbol, standing for mighty Rome. Just as ancient Babylon once fell and is no more, so great Rome will fall. As a great harlot she offered herself to the nations and they "committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her" (Rev.18:9). Now she will receive the wrath of God.

Rome did, of course, continue for some centuries after John recorded the words of his Revelation. In 410 A.D. the Visigoths, led by Alaric, breached the walls of Rome and sacked the capital of the Roman Empire. Less than a century before Constantine the Great opened the way for the Christian faith to become the official religion of the empire.

Constantine the Great

One great lesson proclaimed by Revelation is that God's hand is ever at work in the events of history and all those great cities and nations symbolized by Babylon in this chapter will eventually have to face the vengeance of God. He will not permit idolatry and immorality to continue forever.

They (the kings of the earth) will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, "Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come." - Rev 18:10 ESV

The Life-giving Power Of God's Mercy

The previous conclusion or therefore was an admonition, based upon the Law of God. Do this, do that, said the author, and you'll see some amazing things. It did not, however, offer the motivating power and energy to pull off such a life style. One doesn't help people to grow and change merely by threats and punishment. All that does is get their attention—and some temporary changes. The real spiritual power comes through the love of Jesus. This is why the Hebrews writer says,

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned." Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I tremble with fear." - Hebrews 12:18-21 ESV

The reference, of course, is to the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Exod. 19:1-23:33). It was a very frightening scene, with all the thunder, lightning and blaring of trumpets. Who wouldn't be scared? But, says the writer, that's not the mountain we've come to. No indeed. We've come to . . .

Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. - Hebrews 12:22-24 ESV

Here we encounter grace and undeserved mercy, all because Jesus has completed and fulfilled all that the bloody sacrifices of the Old Covenant pointed to. He is the mediator of a new covenant. His sprinkled blood, poured out on the altar of the cross of Calvary, shouts forever forgiveness, freedom and life for all who will accept it. It does not bring judgment, but rather justification.

This leads to the second great conclusion, the second therefore. 

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, - Hebrews 12:28 ESV

The shaking refers to this earth. God shook the earth once when He came down to Mount Sinai to pronounce judgment upon all who reject His commandments. The prophets announced again and again that there will be a final judgment day, a final shake-up of everything! At that time earth and heaven will pass away (Isaiah 13:13) and all will stand before the Judge who will separate the sheep from the goats, His children from those who have rejected Him (Matt. 25:31-34).

Therefore, says the Hebrews writer, be grateful, be excited and look ahead to what is coming. And let that be the motivation for the pursuit of a God-like, a godly, holy life.  And for those who question and doubt these words, listen again to a warning:

Our God is a consuming fire. - Hebrews 12:29 ESV (see also Isaiah 66:15).