Home

Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

A REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
REACTIONS TO THE FALL OF BABYLON

[“Come out before the Plagues!”]
Key Word: Babylon
Theme Verse: 4

Revelation 18:1-4 – Come out of Babylon!

RV18:1 After these things I saw another angel having great authority 756 descending out of the Celestialum. The earth was completely illuminated from his glory. 757

756	Another angel having great authority: How does John know about this authority?

757	The earth was completely illuminated from his glory: Is it the power of light? What a vision of an angel descending toward the earth and the globe illuminated by the power of this angel. Compare Revelation 10:1. The phrase may find its source in Ezekiel 43:2.

RV18:2 And the angel cried out in a strong voice, saying: “She fell! Babylon the Great fell! 758 [Isaiah 21:9] And she became a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean demon, and every unclean and hated bird. 759

758	She fell! Babylon the Great fell: Compare Revelation 14:8. This phrase is from Isaiah 21:9. This may show that chapter 14 over laps this one.

759	Every unclean and hated bird: Compare Isaiah 13:21, 22; 34:11-14.

RV18:3 Because of the angry wine of her prostitution 760 all the nations have fallen. The kings of the earth committed prostitution with her. The traveling merchants of the earth 761 became rich from the power of her uncontrolled luxury.”

760	The angry wine of her prostitution: Compare Revelation 17:2 and Jeremiah 51:7.

761	The traveling merchants of the earth: Babylon is highly associated with history’s kings and great merchants. Her religious empire spread throughout the entire earth. Her tentacles reached everywhere.

RV18:4 And I heard another heavenly voice, saying: “Come out, My People, 762 [Isaiah 49:9 LXX] so that you share not in her sins 763 and that you receive not of her plagues. 764

762

Come out, My People: In Greek this is EXELTHATE and is the same as Isaiah 49:9 LXX EXELTHE which is generally translated as a call, “Go forth!” or “Come out!” Note it is the same prophetic context as those verses which allude to it in Revelation 7:16, 17! (Isaiah 49:8 quoted by Paul at 2 Corinthians 6:1; Isaiah 49:10 quoted in Revelation 7:16) It has all the sense of 1 Thessalonians 4:17’s commanding call. God’s People are “snatched” from harm’s way so they do not share in the plagues on Babylon. “My People” are the same as Revelation 21:3. Compare Jeremiah 51:6. The Jews who left Babylon did so as a divine miracle by God’s use of Cyrus. The Jews came out as a body, much the same as will occur in the Rapture.

763	That you share not in her sins: Compare Genesis 18:20; Jeremiah 51:9.

764	That you receive not of her plagues: Those of chapter 16.

Revelation 18:5-8 – Reasons for Her Judgment

RV18:5 “Because her sins were piled heaven-high and The God has called her injustice to mind. Give to her as she gave! RV18:6 Give twice as much as her actions! 765 In the Cup of her mixture mix twice!

765	Give twice as much as her actions: Or, works. Compare Jeremiah 50:15, 16, 18; Isaiah 47:8, 9.

RV18:7 Give her torment and mourning as much as she glorified herself. Because in her heart she says: ‘I sit like a queen. 766 I will never be a widow. I will never see mourning.’

766	I sit like a queen: Compare Isaiah 47:9.

RV18:8 For in a single day her plagues will come 767 – death and mourning and famine. She will be burned in the fire because YHWH The God who judges her is powerful.

767	In a single day her plagues will come: Those of chapter 16.

Revelation 18:9-10 – Political Elements Weep

RV18:9 “The kings of the earth 768 will weep and beat themselves, even the very ones who prostituted themselves with her – those who lived in uncontrolled luxury 769 with her.

768	The kings of the earth: Compare Ezekiel chapters 26-28. In Revelation chapter 18 one has the major elements of Satan’s world – false religion, corrupt commercialism, political powers, and the military complex.

769

Those who lived in uncontrolled luxury: Or, KJV: lived deliciously; ASV: lived wantonly; ALF: lived luxuriously. The angel goes to great lengths in this elaborate list of riches and luxury. Nothing could have described better the vast wealth of Christendom, Islam, Jewry, Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism.

RV18:10 When the kings of the earth see from a great distance the smoke of her burning they will say because of fear of her punishment: 770 ‘Woe, woe, the Great City, Babylon the strong City, for in a single hour your judgment came.’

770	Punishment: Or, torment. The Greek is translated “punishment” here and elsewhere by other versions. See notes elsewhere.

Revelation 18:11-19 – Commercial Elements Mourn

RV18:11 The traveling merchants of the earth weep and mourn [Ezekiel 27:31, 36] because of her. For their full stocks no one buys anymore: 771

771	Their full stocks no one buys anymore: The thorough list of the trade among Babylon and the merchants reveals her identity.

RV18:12 that full stock of gold, silver, precious gems, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, precious wood, vessels of ivory and precious wood. RV18:13 copper, iron, marble, cinnamon, amomum, incenses, perfumed oil, frankincense, wine, olive oil, 772 fine flour, wheat, domestic animals, sheep, horses, coaches, bodies, and the souls of men.

772	Wine, olive oil: Those things not to be harmed in Revelation 6:6.

RV18:14 The juicy fruit your soul desired has departed from you, all the fatty things and the bright things have perished from you. And never again will people find them in you. RV18:15 The traveling merchants of these things, those who became rich from her, stood a long way off from fear of her punishment. They wept and mourned, saying: RV18:16 “Woe, woe, the Great City. The City enwrapped in fine linen, purple, scarlet, and gilded with gold and precious stones and pearls. RV18:17 For in a single hour all your wealth was desolated. Every steersman, every sailor and merchant marine, 773 [Isaiah 27:28-32] stood a long way off

773	Every steersman, every sailor and merchant marine: Compare Ezekiel 27:27-29.

RV18:18 and cried over the smoke of her burning, saying: ‘Who is like this Great City?’ RV18:19 They threw dust on their heads and they cried out weeping and mourning, saying: ‘Woe, woe, the Great City, by which all those having boats at sea 774 became rich from her preciousness. For in a single hour she was desolated.’

774	All those having boats at sea: Compare Ezekiel 27:27-29.

Revelation 18:20-24 – Rejoicing over Her End

RV18:20 “Rejoice over her, Heaven, 775 [Isaiah 44:23] the Saints and the Apostles and the Prophets. For The God decided her judgment.”

775	Rejoice over her, Heaven: Compare Revelation 19:1. The Saints are in heaven at this moment.

RV18:21 And a strong angel raised a great millstone and threw it into the sea, [Jeremiah 51:63] saying: “Thus swiftly the Great City Babylon will be hurled into the sea. She will never be found again. [Jeremiah 51:63] RV18:22 And the sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you again. [Isaiah 24:8; Ezekiel 26:13] Every artisan of every kind of art shall not be found in you again. The sound of a mill will not be heard in you again. RV18:23 No lit lamp shall shine ever again. The voices of a bridegroom and bride [Jeremiah 25:10] shall not be heard in you again. Because your traveling merchants were the strong men of the earth. For by your druggery you made all the nations err. [Isaiah 23:8; 47:9] RV18:24 In her was found all the blood of the Prophets and the Saints, 776 even all those who have ever been slaughtered on earth.” 777 [Jeremiah 51:49]

776	The Prophets and the Saints: Though some may want to separate these into three categories it is more likely an idiomatic way of describing a single group from different aspects.

777	All those who have ever been slaughtered on earth: The plea of Revelation 6:9, 10 is answered.

Review Questions on Chapter Eighteen