Revelation 18:9-20 – “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: “‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!’ 11 “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore— 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves. 14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn 16 and cry out: “‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! 17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’ “Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off.18 When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ 19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: “‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’ 20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens! Rejoice, you people of God! Rejoice, apostles and prophets! For God has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you.”
“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: “‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!’” This Babylon, the “great city” has experienced her sudden doom. This verse is describing something that has already happened. Babylon has been destroyed. She who was powerful and rich now lay in smoldering ruins. The Kings of the earth, who were seduced by her, are in utter despair, not merely weeping, but wailing at her loss. For with the loss of this “great city” goes the economy of the world. She will not be around to buy the goods from the world. She is gone and the economies of the world are sent into a tailspin. They mourn but not for her, but for their selves. Babylon has violently and suddenly been destroyed. What event but a nuclear attack could bring about such sudden, complete and utter devastation? What event but a nuclear attack would keep the other countries at bay from approaching her. Her destruction comes in “one hour” and no comes to help, but merely watch the smoke of her destruction from a distance. These kings, watching from afar, afraid of nuclear pollution should have feared what she peddled that was worse, moral pollution. They should have never gotten into in bed with her and thereby tied their future to her. This Babylon exported the love of money and the me-first attitude. Now she is burning in judgment because of her sins. Yes, the kings and the world should not have been seduced. Now they should learn (though they should have learned sooner) that all who align with her will also be destroyed. Woe, woe indeed!
““The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore—“ The kings of the world worry, they know that the commerce of their nations is now in a freefall. The merchants are also watching this happening. They are also all out wailing and mourning over the destruction of Babylon. Yet they do not mourn for Babylon’s sake but for their own. The smoke of Babylon represents the fate of their own businesses. The great importer is gone and there is none who can buy and consume as she did. The merchants mourn for themselves.
“cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.” What Babylon was buying from the world was not necessities, but luxuries. They were buying expensive materials for fine clothing decoration. They were buying the finest materials for their houses and the furnishings. They bought the finest perfumes and cosmetics. Food that was purchased was not needed for sustenance, but rather for fine dining. Expensive transportation flooded through their ports. Then, and worst and most damning of all, they were involved in the buying and selling of human bodies and destroying human souls (KJV- “bodies and souls of men”). Babylon was heavily involved in human trafficking. People were used as objects to bring ease, comfort, and or momentary pleasure to the rich. Even the poor would join in to pleasure themselves with enslaved women. Shamefully, even children were purchased. Children had their spirits walked upon for a few minute pleasure! Oh God, how patient you are! The stop-at-nothing lust for self-indulgence consumed the lives of the helpless. And God seethed.
This nation of Babylon did not receive power and wealth in and of itself, just as no man or corporation is built without God. For God’s purposes He had blessed Babylon but Babylon did not use her riches to spread the blessings of God throughout the world, but rather became puffed up with pride. She thought herself invincible, even untouchable (Revelation 18:7). She used others, she consumed while she did not share. She turned inward and thought not to bless others but deny others that her pleasure might not be lessened. Her pleasure was greater to her than the lives of anyone who did not belong to her. Oh Family, may we always remember that our treasure, our blessings, are greatest reward is to love and please God and to care for each other. The smile of God is more precious than all the riches of the world! Praise our God who loves us so!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.