Revelation 18:21-24 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said:
“With such violence
the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
never to be found again.
22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
will never be heard in you again.
No worker of any trade
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.
23 The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world’s important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
A mighty angel performs a symbolic act of throwing large boulder millstone into sea, which quickly sinks to the bottom. This action shows the outcome for Babylon: complete destruction and then silence. The music stops and the economy crumbles. The silence of the mighty people of Babylon is heard around the world. The mighty lights of its cities will no longer be visible from space. The reason for this is given in verses 23b-24. Babylon has led all other nations astray through deception, and she is accountable for the blood of martyrs.
Although we should not speculate about what nation or city Babylon represents, this is a strong warning to anyone who places value in the things of Babylon. The implied messages of this chapter are
- A warning against immorality and idolatry (major theme in this book)
- Be holy and pure, undefiled (major theme)
- Warning to flee, come out, lest you be influenced. Come out and be different than culture.
- Warning about materialism, wealth, prosperity
- Warning to outsiders about being influenced by this lifestyle. Others have followed in the lifestyle and practices of Babylon.
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