The Revelation - A Book With 7 Seals ?
/ Ewald Frank
Langue: anglais
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19. Chapter 18 - The destruction of the great Babylon
- Foreword
- Chapter 1 - Introduction, The Day of the Lord, Origin and significance of the prophetic word
- Chapter 2 - The seven messages of the resurrected Lord, First message, Keep the first love
- Chapter 3 - The fifth message, The Reformation Age, Strengthening the weak in faith
- Chapter 4 - A glimpse into heaven
- Chapter 5 - The mysterious book with the seven seals
- Chapter 6 - The opening of the seals, The unveiling of the power of the antichrist, A general view
- Chapter 7 - The sealed from the Jews
- Chapter 8 - The seventh seal, The silence in heaven, Mercy seat becomes judgement seat, Introduction to the seven trumpet judgements, The first four trumpets
- Chapter 9 - The incomparable torment, The fifth trumpet the first woe
- Chapter 10 - An intermediate vision The open book, The Lord as the Angel of the covenant
- Chapter 11 - The second intermediate vision, The measuring of the temple and the ministry of the two witnesses
- Chapter 12 - The woman clothed with the sun, Christ and His Own, Satan the red dragon and his followers
- Chapter 13 - The visions of Daniel in review of and in connection with the Revelation
- Chapter 14 - The Lamb and the sealed 144,000
- Chapter 15 - The seven bowl judgements and the multitude at the crystal sea
- Chapter 16 - The seven bowls of wrath, The final judgements of Gods indignation
- Chapter 17 - The woman riding on the beast
- Chapter 18 - The destruction of the great Babylon
- Chapter 19 - The rejoicing in heaven over the destruction of Babylon, The marriage of the Lamb
- Chapter 20 - Binding of Satan, Completion of the first resurrection by the martyrs, The Millennial Kingdom
- Chapter 21 - Announcing of the new heaven and the new earth, The glory of the New Jerusalem, The terrible fate of the lost
- Chapter 22 - The river of life and the trees of life, The paradise-like condition during the Millennial Reign
- Appendix - The 70 weeks of Daniel and the current events with Israel in the light of Bible prophecy
In chapter 18 the fall of Babylon and her destruction is once again described in detail. This chapter must be read with great attention by everyone to visualise the immeasurable judgements of wrath.
"And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was made bright with his glory.
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of demons, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are grown rich through the abundance of her delicacies." (vv. 1-3)
The last call before destruction comes from heaven is in the imperative form: "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues;
For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities." (vv. 4-5). It is possible that right to the end, people are still found in the false system and should be saved. The call of the last message is: Come out of her, My people!
We are further informed that death, mourning and famine will strike in one day and fire will come down. "How much she hath glorified herself, and lived luxuriously, so much torment and sorrow give her; for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine, and she shall be utterly burned with fire; for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgement come." (vv. 7-10).
This concerns the city in which the «Roman Treaty» was signed, therefore, it naturally became the hub for world commerce. That is why all the businessmen will mourn at the moment of her destruction: "And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all kinds of vessels of ivory, and all kinds of vessels of most precious wood, and of bronze, and iron, and marble,
And cinnamon, and incense, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and sumptuous are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and bedecked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
For in one hour so great riches are come to nothing." (vv.
11-17a).
In chapter 17 this unfaithful woman is shown to be decked with gold, pearls and precious stones. In this passage we are informed that the whole city would experience the terrible destruction. "Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and bedecked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches are come to nothing." (vv. 16-17). Three times we are told that this terrible judgement will suddenly come in one hour upon that mighty city. "Alas, alas, that great city, in which were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! For in one hour is she made desolate." (v. 19).
Directed to the Redeemed who are already in heaven at that time, the seer writes, "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her." (v. 20).
In the last verses of this chapter we are told how this great city will be thrown down as a millstone and shall no more be found (v. 21). Finally, God Himself accuses this great institution of having bewitched the nations by her sorceries. "… for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." (vv. 23b-24). The true God has spoken these things plainly and directly, as no man would have dared.