The Fall of Babylon

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The Fall Proclaimed

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A great deal of what John records here is found in Isaiah. The destruction of Babylon was a great event in history. Babylon represented, and still does, all that is evil and undesirable in this world. This is the second time that God has inspired men to write about it.

Notice here an Angel of great consequence is summoned to inform and to enlighten the world about this great event. He not only had "light" in himself but was able to share this and enlighten the world.

Notice also it is announced as a thing that has already come to pass, spoken of in the "past tense". "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great". (Isa. 21:9) Then the Angel tells us why this happened.

1. It became the residence of every foul spirit.
2. The residence of every foul and hateful bird. This symbolizes it's condition of decay. Evil spirits and filthy birds haunt a place in ruin.
3. It has fed the nations of the world with impure passion.
4. The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.
5. The merchants of the earth have grown rich with the wealth of her evilness.

What does all this mean? This is borrowed from Isaiah. They had with great art and industry drawn nations, kings and merchants into their spiritual adultery and the great wealth keep them ensnared

This description has applied to many evil empires over the years. Babylon, it's self, fit this very well, Rome and the state church it established in the fourth century did likewise and the United States, if it continues on it's evil path of permissiveness, will likewise become another Babylon but I believe that John sees the church in the last days, a religious system that will have become so evil that it contains nothing worth saving. God wiped out such a system once by flood this time He will use fire.

Reaction to the Fall

Here God gives a warning first to those who would expect mercy to come out of Babylon and not take part in her sins less they also take part in her plagues. They must not only come out but they must also take part in her destruction.

Notice:

1. God will have people in Babylon that belong to the elect.
2. They will be given an opportunity to come out as Lot was in Sodom.
3. Those who choose to stay will share in its destruction.
4. God will revenge His people for the persecution they will receive during the Dragon's Kingdom.
5. God will proportion punishment of sinners to the measure of their sins.

Who would possibly mourn over the destruction of anything so evil? Those who had been drawn into the web of her evil, spellbound by her fornication and gained wealth by her evilness.

Who were they?

1. The Kings of the earth whom she flattered into being a tyrant to their people, stealing from them and being very generous to her.
2. The Merchants, those who gained great wealth by the sale of her evil indulgences.

These will mourn because her evil was the source of their great wealth.

Notice where the mourning will take place. Unlike friends they will not come close to comfort and sustain but will "stand afar off". Though they have shared in her pleasures and profits they are not willing to share in her plagues. They will make a big show and a loud noise, but that is all. "Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city." They will weep and cast dust upon their heads for the pleasures of sin always ends in sorrows and the last shall be as excessive as the first. Notice they mourned not because of the sin but because of the punishment. They were sorry for the great wealth that they would loose.

It appears that the lost, the Anti-Christ, find no peace or repentance in their destruction, only sorrow for their plight. They do not consider it an opportunity to return to God. The destruction of Babylon will be as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, some will heed God's warning and come out, some of them will look back and be destroyed.

But there will be some rejoicing, heaven and earth, Angels and Saints, because this will be an act of justice, the destruction will be complete, the enemy will never persecute them again. This was assured by the next verses.

A Millstone Thrown Into the Sea

So great and complete was the destruction that no one could live there any more. No comfort, no light, utter darkness and desolation was the reward of her wickedness. This was symbolically accomplished by a mighty Angel throwing a stone like a great millstone, into the sea

Notice also what were her greatest sins. All nations were deceived by her sorcery, and those whom she could not deceive, she killed. The blood of the prophets and the saints were on her hands.

Deception has always been the work of the Anti-christ. The "New Age" movement, the new "Faith" movement, countless cults and "offshoots" of the church, use deception as their chief means of recruiting converts and ignorance is their chief aid.

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