The Divine Commentary on The Book of Revelation - Ch 18 (19.2.11)

Rev 18:1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.

Divine Commentary –

“So John continues with his vision of what is, 

                                                        of seeing The Holy Spirit descending to the earth whereon 

                                                                                                      fell the glory of His presence, 

                                                                                                            the holiness of God.”

Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

Divine Commentary –

“And He speaks mightily with strength, 

                                          with forethought in authority, 

                                                                as of one proclaiming a circumstance of state – 

                                                                                                                            of an untenable position.

For the cities fall from the high ideals of their birthing, 

                            from the random growth installed, 

                            from the uncontrolled segmentation of man, 

                            from the stripping of respect, 

                            from the turning of the back on honour, 

                            from the forsaking of the righteousness of the hamlet. 

So the great city, 

     the gathering place of nations, 

                                        adorned with the towers of babel, 

                           falls from grace as she no longer seeks the favour of the God present at her birth.”

Rev 18:3 "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."

Divine Commentary –

“So is the end-position defined from the beginning, 

  so the nations still attend, 

  so the kings still seek her as a bedfellow with courtship unto flattery, 

  so the merchants of the earth still act as gluttons at her tables – 

                                                                                        without any invitations to the feast. 

So the contracts are still written, 

 so the contracts still carry signatures, 

                so the words still carry weight.”

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

Divine Commentary –

“And a regal voice from heaven calls for immediacy of action, 

                                                                        lest tainting does occur, 

                                                                        lest full participation is incurred – 

                                                      lest harm befalls His people.”

Rev 18:5 "For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

Divine Commentary –

“So it is made clear to His people.”

Rev 18:6 "Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.

Divine Commentary –

“As the counsel is tendered, 

                                        so should freewill be adjusted, 

                                        so should the account be squared.”

Rev 18:7 "In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.'

Divine Commentary –

“So the measure of her being is the measure of her undoing.

  So her heart expresses the fullness of her self-deception.”

Rev 18:8 "Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

Divine Commentary –

“So her destiny is determined, 

  so her inheritance is established, 

                         so each piece of her jigsaw drops into its place.”

Rev 18:9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,

Divine Commentary –

“So the ways of life – 

       the lifestyles of the fornicators – 

                             of those who come to bed within her jurisdiction, 

                                                   regret to see her loss – 

                                                                       her fall – 

                                                                                     as it is wrought upon her.”

Rev 18:10 "standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'

Divine Commentary –

“From positions of safety, 

                         which preclude their participation, 

          they give voice to their regrets as judgement befalls the great city in the space of just one hour.”

Rev 18:11 "And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore:

Divine Commentary –

“So the effects are felt, 

                          as the dues are paid, 

                          as recompense is sought, 

                          as contracts are called to account, 

                          as the market absconds.”

Rev 18:12 "merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;

Divine Commentary –

“So, 

          with wisdom, 

                   is the merchandise of man seen as dependent on the season, 

                                                                      as dependent on the trade source, 

                                                                      as dependant on the marketplace demand, 

                                                                      as dependent on the contract to produce a surplus.”

Rev 18:13 "and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men.

Divine Commentary –

“So as the seasons of man encounter change so the mortal modifies selection, 

                                                                       so the eternal lasts for ever.”

Rev 18:14 "The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.

Divine Commentary –

“So the loss of the merchants is great as their acquisitions are taken from their grasp, 

                                                                                             are to remain thereafter out of reach.”

Rev 18:15 "The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

Divine Commentary –

“So the merchants, 

          who graze her pastures of plenty, 

                   retreat to safety in order to avoid: 

                                                                   being caught up in her troubles, 

                                                                   involvement in her loss of confidence, 

                                                                   entanglement in her recriminations of responsibility.”

Rev 18:16 "and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

Divine Commentary –

“So the merchants recount their experience of the suddenness of her fall, 

                                                                                                    of her loss of wealth, 

                                                                                                    of her loss of status.”

Rev 18:17 'For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.' Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance

Divine Commentary –

“So, 

          in one hour, 

                   the situation changes as great riches are demolished – 

                                                                        to become of little consequence; 

                                                                                  as they, 

                                                                                         who can, 

                                                                                    escape with all precautions to a place of safety.”

Rev 18:18 "and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like this great city?'

Divine Commentary –

“So the place of safety views the burning through the smoke; 

          as those within the haven marvel of the happening within the great city – 

                                                                                                               such as she is.”

Rev 18:19 "They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.'

Divine Commentary –

“So the merchants mourn the loss of their source of wealth – 

                                                                          through her desolation brought within an hour.”

Rev 18:20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!"

Divine Commentary –

“So the vengeance of God is declared with purpose, 

                                                              in the absence of repentance, 

                                                              in acknowledgement of the treatment of His apostles and His prophets.”

Rev 18:21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.

Divine Commentary –

“Then The Holy Spirit takes up a stone; 

                                                     as a token which speaks of a great millstone, 

                                                                                            of the works of the machines of man; 

                                     casts it into a hiding-place; 

                                                     proclaiming that with violence the great city falls, 

                                                                                          never again to be as it once had existence.”

Rev 18:22 "The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore.

Divine Commentary –

“So the arts of man no longer reside, 

  so the crafts of man vacate, 

  so the machines of man still.”

Rev 18:23 "The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.

Divine Commentary –

“So darkness invades, 

  so the populace dwindles: 

                       with the demise of her merchants; 

                        by her bringing of deception to the nations of the earth – 

                                                                       through the misuse of her power – 

                                                                       through the lying of her tongue.”

Rev 18:24 "And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth."

Divine Commentary –

“So her culpability is exposed, 

       her liability is extended, 

       her miscibility is not deemed – 

                                               in the assessment – 

                                    as being of any credit.”

NKJV Footnotes:

    * (18:2) NU-Text and M-Text omit mightily.

    * (18:5) NU-Text and M-Text read have been heaped up.

    * (18:6) NU-Text and M-Text omit to you.

    * (18:8) NU-Text and M-Text read has judged.

    * (18:14) NU-Text and M-Text read been lost to you.

    * (18:20) NU-Text and M-Text read saints and apostles.