Revelation 18:11-17a “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!’
The destruction of Babylon leads to a lament by merchants of the earth because they no longer and sell goods there anymore. Their trade business ceased. Roman emperors were known for their extravagance. Rome had extensive luxuries that would marvel modern people today. There is a list of trade merchandise with 29 items in 6 categories: 1. Precious metals and gems, 2. fabrics for expensive clothing, 3. Ornamental pieces, 4. Aromatic substances, 5. Foodstuffs, and 6. Animals and people. There may have been as many as 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire The reaction of the merchants looks at the materialism. What can I get out of this? Babylon is very materialistic.
What effects does materialism have upon humanity today? Greed and the desire to get more consumes people. The principle of limited goods is important here also. There is only so much available in this world. If someone gets something, someone else loses. Materialism in the world may cause others in this world to suffer. Babylon gets rich at the expense of the rest of the world. It is true that some people will benefit, but others will receive poor wages or be enslaved to give the wealth to Babylon.
The theme of everything gone in one hour is also restated.
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