Revelation 18:1-4 (NKJV) After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 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! 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.”
V1 “After these things, I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.” God has many angels and delegates various tasks to them. Delegation is God’s method of leadership. For this mission, God delegated to an angel with great authority. The illumination from the angel’s presence is not because he is more holy, but because he has greater authority. Also, I believe this covering represented their holiness and sinlessness.
V2 “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!” An announcement of cheer and victory. It is so destroyed that nothing lives there except demons and unclean animals.
Comments:
Revelation 18:2 (Ryrie Study Bible Notes) A different event from 17:16, where the political power destroys religious Babylon in the middle of the Tribulation. Here the kings lament this destruction (v. 9), which apparently will occur at the end of the Tribulation. Whether this Babylon will be centered in Rome or in rebuilt Babylon on the Euphrates is debated. In either case, her octopus-like arms reach out far beyond any single city, the hold – and a cage. These two words translate the same Greek word, which means “prison.” the habitation of devils. Babylon is demonic.
Keathley: “Rev 17:1-18, which deals with the destruction of religious Babylon, would have to occur somewhere around the middle of the Tribulation when the beast is finished using her as a means to his rise to power. Chapter 18 describes the destruction of political (economic or commercial) Babylon as it is embodied in the city of Babylon, the headquarters of the beast. The destruction undoubtedly occurs at the seventh bowl when the great city of 16:19, along with other cities, fall in the great earthquake.”
V3 “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.” All nations participated (became drunk in sinful pleasure) in these sins, so they will drink God’s wrath. This was the activity that brought the city to court, the verdict of guilty, and the sentence to be destroyed. Some people love sin so much that it is described as being drunk. Everyone is sick and tired of Babylon’s activities.
We learn:
- God judges evil.
- God is judge and king.
- Sin brings death and destruction.