How is Rome described in this chapter? And how does that apply to the nations of our world, and our nation?
Rome is described as full of luxury – fine linen, food, spices, scents – but also full of violence, wickedness, and murder to the people of God. Most countries flocked to Rome for her power, but didn’t sympathize much at her fall.
The people of God are called to come away from the evil empire – not to physically leave, but to not be influenced by the culture, not to fall victim to the traps of fine food and money – those traps that blind our eyes to immorality and injustice. Those who have fallen in the trap face the punishment with the evil empire.
It is up to each person to evaluate our culture, and where we are in the spectrum of following God, or living only for luxury and power. No matter what, we need to stay close to the Church, people who deeply love God, and those who will authentically follow God’s ways. We also need to have the call to be light in our world – as the early Christians did – and they slowly won the Roman Empire to Christ – one person at a time. God does not want us to run away from our cultures – He wants us to run to the darkness, and reflect His light.
| << Revelation 18 >> New Living Translation |
The Fall of Babylon
1After all this I saw another angel come down from heaven with great authority, and the earth grew bright with his splendor. 2He gave a mighty shout:
“Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen!
She has become a home for demons.
She is a hideout for every foula spirit,
a hideout for every foul vulture
and every foul and dreadful animal.b
3For all the nations have fallenc
because of the wine of her passionate immorality.
The kings of the world
have committed adultery with her.
Because of her desires for extravagant luxury,
the merchants of the world have grown rich.”
4Then I heard another voice calling from heaven,
“Come away from her, my people.
Do not take part in her sins,
or you will be punished with her.
5For her sins are piled as high as heaven,
and God remembers her evil deeds.
6Do to her as she has done to others.
Double her penaltyd for all her evil deeds.
She brewed a cup of terror for others,
so brew twice as muche for her.
7She glorified herself and lived in luxury,
so match it now with torment and sorrow.
She boasted in her heart,
‘I am queen on my throne.
I am no helpless widow,
and I have no reason to mourn.’
8Therefore, these plagues will overtake her in a single day—
death and mourning and famine.
She will be completely consumed by fire,
for the Lord God who judges her is mighty.”
9And the kings of the world who committed adultery with her and enjoyed her great luxury will mourn for her as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains. 10They will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will cry out,
“How terrible, how terrible for you,
O Babylon, you great city!
In a single moment
God’s judgment came on you.”
11The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her, for there is no one left to buy their goods. 12She bought great quantities of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet cloth; things made of fragrant thyine wood, ivory goods, and objects made of expensive wood; and bronze, iron, and marble. 13She also bought cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and bodies—that is, human slaves.
14“The fancy things you loved so much
are gone,” they cry.
“All your luxuries and splendor
are gone forever,
never to be yours again.”
15The merchants who became wealthy by selling her these things will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will weep and cry out,
16“How terrible, how terrible for that great city!
She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens,
decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls!
17In a single moment
all the wealth of the city is gone!”
And all the captains of the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance. 18They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, “Where is there another city as great as this?” 19And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief. And they will cry out,
“How terrible, how terrible for that great city!
The shipowners became wealthy
by transporting her great wealth on the seas.
In a single moment it is all gone.”
20Rejoice over her fate, O heaven
and people of God and apostles and prophets!
For at last God has judged her
for your sakes.
21Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a huge millstone. He threw it into the ocean and shouted,
“Just like this, the great city Babylon
will be thrown down with violence
and will never be found again.
22The sound of harps, singers, flutes, and trumpets
will never be heard in you again.
No craftsmen and no trades
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of the mill
will never be heard in you again.
23The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The happy voices of brides and grooms
will never be heard in you again.
For your merchants were the greatest in the world,
and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.
24In yourf streets flowed the blood of the prophets and of God’s holy people
and the blood of people slaughtered all over the world.”
Footnotes:
a 18:2a Greek unclean; also in each of the two following phrases.
b 18:2b Some manuscripts condense the last two lines to read a hideout for every foul [unclean] and dreadful vulture.
c 18:3 Some manuscripts read have drunk.
d 18:6a Or Give her an equal penalty.
e 18:6b Or brew just as much.
f 18:24 Greek her.
