“Babylon is Fallen”
Revelation 18:1-24
“After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…’” [Rev 18:1-2a]
“After these things” indicates that Chapter 18 is a later revelation than Chapter 17. “Babylon is fallen” comes after the fall of “MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” [Rev 17:5] The latter is the destruction of religious Babylon, which takes place at the start of the Great Tribulation; the former is the fall of political Babylon, which takes place at the end of the Great Tribulation. Babylon’s wickedness is therefore twofold: spiritual and political. Both have their origin in Gen 10 with Nimrod, Noah’s great grandson, building Babylon and the Tower of Babel [ref. Gen 11].
The Great Harlot in Chapter 17 is ecclesiastical Babylon, the evil source that unites the world under the rule of Antichrist [ref. 17:3]. Midway through the Tribulation [the start of the Great Tribulation], Antichrist will direct all worship toward himself. This is the abomination that causes desolation described in Dan 9:17 and Matt 24:15.
Interestingly enough, Antichrist is the one who exercises judgment on the Great Harlot [ref. 17:16] when he turns the world’s worship to himself. “For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.” [Ps 75:6-7] Notice it is God who is sovereignly dictating things in the latter days.
But when political Babylon falls [Chapter 18], worship of Antichrist will cease. Sin, with Babylon as its centerpiece, will be judged. The scroll in Rev 5, the Title Deed to the earth, will be opened and Jesus will lay claim to this earth and rule and reign. The martyred saints in Rev 6:9-11 [the Fifth Seal] will finally have their prayers answered.
This is the glorious result of judgment. While judgment is God’s “unusual act” [Isa 28:21], it is the one necessary for Christ’s Return and His Glory to reign.
And while God’s mercy does seem endless, the fact of the matter is that it isn’t. There will be an appointed time when final judgment comes, and then an accounting.
And when that day comes these are the words that will matter most: “Well done good and faithful servant.”
