Last week we learned that for centuries Babylon has stood as a symbol of evil. It is long been seen as a satanic religious power that opposes the true worship of God. In this eighteenth chapter, John continues to witness the vision of the destruction of Babylon the Great. The angel had promised her judgement earlier and now we see in this chapter that because of that coming judgment, God is calling His people to leave the city so they will not share in this punishment.

(Revelation 18:1-24)

After this I saw another angel with great authority coming down from heaven, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 He cried in a mighty voice: It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a dwelling for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, and a haunt for every unclean and despicable beast. 3 For all the nations have drunk the wine of her sexual immorality, which brings wrath. The kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from her excessive luxury. 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven: Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues. 5 For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. 6 Pay her back the way she also paid, and double it according to her works. In the cup in which she mixed, mix a double portion for her. 7 As much as she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, give her that much torment and grief, for she says in her heart, “I sit as a queen; I am not a widow, and I will never see grief.” 8 For this reason her plagues will come in one day — death and grief and famine. She will be burned up with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is mighty. 9 The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and lived luxuriously with her will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off in fear of her torment, saying: Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the mighty city! For in a single hour your judgment has come. 11 The merchants of the earth will also weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their merchandise any longer— 12 merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; fine fabrics of linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of fragrant wood products; objects of ivory; objects of expensive wood, brass, iron, and marble; 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine wheat flour, and grain; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves and human lives. 14 The fruit you craved has left you. All your splendid and glamorous things are gone; they will never find them again. 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 saying: Woe, woe, the great city, dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls, 17 for in a single hour such fabulous wealth was destroyed! And every shipmaster, seafarer, the sailors, and all who do business by sea, stood far off 18 as they watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out: “Who is like the great city?” 19 They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning: Woe, woe, the great city, where all those who have ships on the sea became rich from her wealth, for in a single hour she was destroyed. 20 Rejoice over her, heaven, and you saints, apostles, and prophets, because God has executed your judgment on her! 21 Then a mighty angel picked up a stone like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying: In this way, Babylon the great city will be thrown down violently and never be found again. 22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again; no craftsman of any trade will ever be found in you again; the sound of a mill will never be heard in you again; 23 the light of a lamp will never shine in you again; and the voice of a groom and bride will never be heard in you again. All this will happen because your merchants were the nobility of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery, 24 and the blood of prophets and saints, and of all those slaughtered on earth, was found in you.

In this passage, Babylon (symbol of the false religious power) is striving for the honor and glory that rightfully belong to God and God alone. In (Revelation 3:17) Jesus condemned the church at Laodicea for this very attitude. Pride not only comes before a fall but it also comes before judgement and any and every power that does not glorify and honor God is a pursuit for self reliance.

Arrogant self-sufficiency is condemned throughout the Bible. (Job 40:11–12; Psalm 5:5; Proverbs 16:5, 18; Isaiah 2:17; Matthew 23:12; Luke 18:9–14; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; James 4:16). This includes the pride of nations, kingdoms, churches, and individual people. It encompasses everyone from all time.

The warning found in (Revelation 18:4) rings loud and clear to anyone who reads this passage. "Come out of her, My people." God calls His people to be set apart to Him. This is called holiness. Yes, holiness means being separated from the world, but even more it means being separated to God. We tend to immediately think about staying away from wickedness as its only characteristic, but holiness is just as much about belonging to God.

Complete unadulterated devotion to God is at the center of holiness (Leviticus 20:26; Deuteronomy 7:6; Exodus 19:5-6). Certainly this passage is reminding us that we as Christians are the body of Christ. It is true we are working from victory, but equally we are working toward the fulfillment of one day seeing our Lord face to face (Revelation 21:3).