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                THE BOOK OF REVELATION

CHAPTER.18.

The destruction of Literal Babylon is revealed in detail in
this chapter.  There are prophecies in the Old Testament
relating to some of her judgment by the Medes, but this
chapter concerns her future destiny which will involve a
thorough destruction.

THE INDICTMENT OF BABYLON
Rev 18:1-3

The first statement in this chapter is, "After these things".
This means after the things respecting the explanation of the
whore, which is Mystery Babylon, and the beast of Rev 17.
The previous chapter (17) is a complete revelation in itself,
and chapter 18 deals with literal Babylon in detail.  The
subject matters relative to Mystery Babylon were completed in
Rev 17 and Rev 18 is a resumption of the discussion of the
seventh vial (16:17-21), which was interrupted by the
parenthetical chapter dealing with Mystery Babylon.

The reason for the fall of Babylon is seen in this passage.
It says she will `become the habitation of devils, and the
hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and
hateful bird.'  It portrays Babylon as the very centre of
demonic powers, a place that will foster every imaginable
wickedness.  Other nations will share in her evil
indulgences.  Luxury abounds and illicit relationships with
kings and nations are prevalent.  Demonic worship will be
practiced.

Babylon To Be Rebuilt

Those of us who believe that we should take the scriptures
literally whenever possible are inclined to believe that the
city of Babylon will be rebuilt.  Admittedly, there are good
Bible teachers who do not hold that position, however, I am
inclined to believe that the weight of Bible prophecy
required the literal rebuilding of Babylon.

The main reason for believing that Babylon must be rebuilt
relates to some prophecies concerning her destruction which
are yet unfulfilled.

1.   Isaiah 13 and 14 and Jeremiah 50 and 51 describe the
destruction of Babylon as being at the time of `the day of
the Lord'.  A careful reading of these four chapters will
reveal that the prophecies concerning the destruction of
Babylon in the Old Testament use the law of double reference;
that is, they refer to the overthrow of Babylon the enemy of
Israel in the seventieth year of their captivity.  But since
Babylon is the headquarters of the world's governmental,
commercial, and religious systems in opposition to the will
of God, the second reference in these prophecies has to do
with the day of Jehovah, or the Tribulation Period.

2.   The ruins of Babylon have been used to build other
cities, contrary to Jeremiah 51:26, "and they shall not take
of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations,
but thou shalt be desolate forever, saith the Lord."

It is reliably reported that a least six cities bear the
marks of having used parts of ancient Babylon in their
building, including Seleucia, built by the Greeks; Ctesiphon,
by the Parthians; Almaiden, by the Persians; Kufa, by the
Capiphs; and Hillah, just a twenty-minute walk from the
Babylonian ruins, was built almost entirely form the ruins of
Babylon.  The builders of Bagdad, fifty miles north of
Babylon, also used materials form the ancient city. (The
Encyclopedia of Lands and People, vol 3).

3.   The prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah indicate that
"Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed" (Jer 51:8).
Isaiah 13:19 states "And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the
beauty of the Chaldeans excellency, shall be as when God
overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah."  When taken  together, these
two prophecies indicate that Babylon will be destroyed by a
sudden cataclysm, much the same as were Sodom and Gomorrah.
History reveals that ancient Babylon was never destroyed like
that.

4.   Isaiah 13:20 states that the ruins of Babylon were never
to be inhabited.  "It shall never be inhabited, neither shall
it be dwelt in from generation to generation; neither shall
the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds
make their fold there.'  Again, a look at history will reveal
that such has not been the case with ancient Babylon.

The best description of the history of Babylon, showing that
this prophecy has never been fulilled, is found in Cr.
Clarence Larkin's book, "Dispensational Truth".

     For a description of Babylon and her destruction we must
     turn to Isaiah, chapters 13 and 14, and
     Jeremiah,chapters 50 and 51.  In these two prophecies we
     find much that has not as yet been fulfilled in regard
     to the city of Babylon.

     The city of Babylon was captured in B.C.541 by Cyrus,
     who was mentioned "By name" in prophecy 125 years before
     he was born.  Isaiah 44:28-45:4 B.C.  712.  So quietly
     and quickly was the city taken on the night of
     Belshazzar's Feast by draining the river that flowed
     through the city, and entering by the river bed, and the
     gates that surmounted its banks, that the Babylonian
     guards had forgotten to lock that night, that some of
     the inhabitants did not know until the "third" day that
     the king had been slain and the city taken.  There was
     no destruction of the city at that time.

     Some years after it revolted against  Darius Hystaspis,
     and after a fruitless siege of nearly 20 months was
     taken by strategy.  This was in B.C. 516.  About B.C.
     478 Xerxes, in his return from Greece plundered and
     injured, if he did not destroy, the great "Temple of
     Bel."

     In B.C. 331 Alexander the Great approached the city
     which was then so powerful and flourishing that he made
     preparation for bringing all his forces into action in
     case it should offer resistance, but the citizens threw
     open the gates and received him with acclamations.
     After sacrificing to "Bel", he gave out that he would
     rebuilt the vast temple of the god, and for weeks he
     kept 10, 000 men employed in clearing away the ruins
     from the foundations, doubtless intending to revive the
     glory of Babylon and make it his capital, when his
     purpose was defeated by his sudden death of marsh-fever
     and intemperance in his thirty-third year.

     During the subsequent wars of his generals Babylon
     suffered much and finally came under the power of
     Seleucus, who, prompted by ambition to build a Capital
     for himself, founded Seleucia in its neighbourhood about
     B.C.  293.  This rival city gradually drew off the
     inhabitants of Babylon, so the Strabo, who died in A.D.
     25 speaks of the latter as being to a  great extent
     deserted.  Nevertheless the Jews left from the Captivity
     still resided there in large numbers, and in A.D. 60 we
     find the Apostle Peter working among them, for it was
     from Babylon that Peter wrote his Epistle (1 Peter
     5:13), addressed 'to the strangers scattered throughout
     Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia."

     About the middle of the 5th century Theodoret speaks of
     Babylon as being inhabited only by Jews, who had still
     three Jewish Universities, and in the last year of the
     same century the "Babylonian Talmud" was issued, and
     recognized as authoritative by the Jews of the whole
     world.

     In A.D. 917 Ibu Hankel mentions Babylon as an
     insignificant village, but still in existence.  About
     A.D.  1100 it seems to have again grown into a town of
     some importance, for it was then known as the "Two
     Mosques".  Shortly afterwards it was enlarged and
     fortified and received the name of Hillah, or "Rest".
     In A.D. 1898 Hillah contained about 10 000 inhabitants,
     and was surrounded by fertile lands, and abundant date
     groves stretched along the banks of the Euphrates.
     Certainly is has never been true that 'neither shall the
     Arabian pitch tent there, neither shall the shepherds
     make their fold there." Isaiah 13:20.  Nor can it be
     said of Babylon- "Her cities are a desolation, a dry
     land, and a wilderness, a land wherein on man dwelleth,
     neither doth any son of man pass thereby." Jeremiah
     51:43

The latest information I can glean concerning the city of
Hillah, in the suburbs of ancient Babylon though perhaps not
with in the walls of the literal city itself, is that it is
growing rapidly and is considered a wealthy city.  Urban and
suburban Hillah have a population of about 85 000; in fact
its population is on a par with that of any prosperous city
of the modern world.

Babylon Is Fallen!

In verse 2 the angel cries out, "Babylon the great is fallen,
is fallen."  Those interested in the fine points of language
will appreciated knowing that the Greek tense of the word
`fallen' is called the `prophetic aorist'.  Though the event
is future at the time it is spoken, because of the certainty
of the event it can be said, "Babylon is fallen."  This Greek
tense also emphasizes it is something that takes place all at
once.

THE VERDICT OF BABYLON
Rev 18:4-8

Another voice speaks in this passage and it could be the
voice of God because some of the people are referred to as
`my people.'  There is a command of God's people to get out
of the place, just as in Jer 50:4-9 and 51:5-8,45.  They were
to leave and separate themselves from the sins of the city
and of the plagues that would follow.  Babylon will be
morally corrupt and, as a result, the plagues will be sent.
She must partake of the same destruction and drink of the
same cup that she has imposed on others.  There will be
torment and sorrow (Jer 51:24, Is 47:8-11).

She has been living in luxury and pride, and gross evil, and
the verdict will come suddenly and surely.  Destruction will
be so exhaustive that the city will virtually vanish off the
face of the earth and there will be no further involvement
with Babylon (Is 13:19-22, Jer 50:13,39, 40, 51:29,37,43).
This has yet to be fulfilled so it must be in the future.

LAMENT OVER THE DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON
Rev 18:9-19

There will be great lament over the destruction of Babylon by
the kings of the earth.  Having been a party with her in sin
and evil, they will be aware of the destruction, and see the
smoke of her burning, and will express great sorrow.  This
clear and literal explanation could hardly have reference to
anything other than to a material city, whose inhabitants are
destroyed and over whose fate interested observers grieve.
When Mystery Babylon was destroyed, the kings were freely
bestowing their wrath on her.  This situation is completely
different, indication further that the two Babylons are
indeed different.  These kings will be rejoicing over the
fall of Mystery Babylon, but will lament over the destruction
of Literal Babylon with whom they have been involved in
luxury and fornication.  People will flee this city and stand
`afar off' during the time of the great earthquake under the
seventh vial (16:17-21).

Because Babylon is a city of rich commerce, the merchants of
the earth will be weeping and mourning over her (18:11-16).
Their lament and concern is similar to that of the kings, but
it is for a different reason.  A list of merchandise sold and
bought in this area is contained in this scripture.  About
thirty items are named, most of which are luxuries (18:3).
Babylon was somewhat of a crossroads and, because of her
location, became a great trading point with whom nations of
the world were deeply involved.

A third group, the maritime world, is pictured as crying over
the destruction of Babylon.  These ship owners and sailors,
who traded by sea, realize that sudden judgment has come from
heaven.  As they see her burning, they will weep and wail,
for in `one hour' her riches are come to naught (18:10,17,19;
Is 47:11; Jer 50:26, 51:8).

REJOICING OVER THE DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON
Rev 18:20

While there is much lamenting over the destruction of
Babylon, there is found in this verse a command for the
heavenly world to rejoice.  The saints, the apostles, the
prophets, and the people of heaven are told to rejoice over
her because God has dealt judgment upon her.  All the
creatures of heaven and the redeemed of mankind will indeed
rejoice that justice has been rendered.  Not everyone who is
rejoicing will have had association with her in the past, but
all will rejoice because those who have been persecuted by
Babylon will be avenged, and the evil place destroyed.

THE CAUSE OF UTTER DOOM OF BABYLON
Rev 18:21-24

The utter destruction of Babylon is seen as being extremely
violent.  The ensample is one of an angel taking a great
stone and casting it into the sea and saying that thus
Babylon would be thrown down and found `no more at all'.  Six
times it is repeated that Babylon will be `no more at all',
and not even found.  It refers to an absolute and total
destruction of the city.

Babylon's judgment is described in Rev 16 when the seventh
bowl of God's wrath is poured out (17-21).  However, 18:21,
gives us more details as to how this takes place.  A great
stone falls upon the city.  The earth opens up and with the
great stone, Babylon sinks into the earth, most likely into
hell itself.  One moment the city is there and the next
moment it is out of sight- `found no more at all'.  We are
told that the underground of the city of Babylon is a kind of
burning asphalt.  As the earthquake breaks the earth's crust,
the burning city will drop into the lake of fire.  The city,
like a millstone, will sink below the earth's surface and
completely disappear.  Nothing will be salvaged from the city
nor will stone be left which can be used for building other
cities.  Like Sodom and Gomorrah, Babylon will be destroyed
completely.  Babylon has never been destroyed in this manner;
therefore, it is necessary for the city to be rebuilt so
prophecy can be fulfilled.  For all these past generations
the area around Babylon has been inhabited.  But when the
prophecy of Jer 50:39  is fulfilled, `it shall be no more
inhabited for ever.'

The great millstone of Revelation 18:21 is a reminder of
another great stone in Scripture.  After Daniel had explained
Nebuchadnezzar's dream of an image which represented the four
empires of the Times of the gentiles, Daniel said, "And in
the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a
kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom
shall not be left to other people, but it shall stand for
ever.  Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of
the mountains without hands, and that it brake in pieces the
iron, the brass, the clay the silver, and the gold; the great
God hath made known to he king what shall come to pass
hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation
thereof sure" (2:44,45).  This, of course, is referring to
the coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation when He
returns to earth to destroy the kingdom of earth and
establish His own kingdom.  Thus the coming of Christ is
viewed as a great stone which smashes the image and itself
fills the entire world.

Revelation 18:22,23, declares an end to the last great
stronghold of Satan and his religion:  "And the voice of
harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall
be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of
whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee, and
the sound of a millstone shall beheard no more at all in
thee; and the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in
thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall
be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the
great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations
deceived".

As the chapter concludes we are told what was found in
Babylon: "And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of
saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth" (v24).
Satan, who has been a murderer from the beginning, will
murder no more.  When the fifth seal was opened, the martyrs
who were seen under the altar were crying out for their blood
to be avenged on those who dwell on the earth (6:9-11).  They
were told to rest a while longer until other believers joined
them in death.  With the destruction of Babylon, this time
has been fulfilled and now the blood of the martyred saints
will be avenged.