Revelation 18:8, commentary and pictures

Her plagues of death and mourning and famine fall upon her suddenly in one day, ending in utter destruction by fire. Strong is the Lord God who judges her, and His strength makes that retribution certain. The Babylon thus judged is the fallen churches that refuse the warnings of the first, second, and third angels' messages, corrupted by rejecting truth, exalting the false Sabbath, and joining in corrupt harmony with the powers of earth. Her sins have reached to heaven and filled up the measure of iniquity, and because she glorified herself and lived in luxury she is repaid double with torment and sorrow in proportion to her pride and works. The verse stands in the very last call of mercy, the final warning for God's people still in Babylon to come out of her that they partake not of her sins nor receive her plagues.

Suddenness and Completeness of Judgment

Her plagues of death and mourning and famine come upon her suddenly, in one day. The suddenness answers her condition as ripe for destruction after her sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities, after bearing long with human perversity until a time just ahead that will stir the world as never before. It answers her rewarding others with evil now repaid double in her own cup, her glorifying herself and living in luxury now repaid with torment and sorrow, and her proud claim in her heart to sit as queen, no widow who will never see sorrow. The fallen Babylon so judged is the churches that will not receive the warnings given in the first, second, and third angels' messages, refusing the truth and accepting a lie, and in the closing scenes mystic Babylon fallen to become a persecuting power marked by wicked character, seductive influence, persecution of God's people who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus, and outward parade of worldly power. God's people must come out of her so as not to share her sins and so as not to receive these plagues.

She shall be utterly burned with fire, a sudden, total destruction by calamity and fire. The judgment falls suddenly on the proud, sinful power and on the woman, on the final union of apostate churches exalting Satan who appears as Christ to be worshiped in God's place when rebellion against God's law is fully ripe, and on the sinful cities portrayed in the chapter, which is yet to take place. The destruction of a city displays God's power against sin for its sins, and those who witness such calamity and believe the prophecies must heed it and make amends for abused privileges and wrongs to fellow men, rather than dismiss it, defiantly rebuild and invest as before, or plan greater buildings afterward. The announcement belongs to the mighty fallen-Babylon warning that lightens the earth and calls God's people to come out of her so they do not share her sins and receive her plagues.

Strong is the Lord God who judges her, and His strength ensures the judgment is carried out and makes destruction certain. The Ruler of the universe bears long with human perversity but keeps a record of works for good or evil and repays according to the harm and sin done and in proportion to the pain caused to others. He is strong enough to judge Babylon for her sins and her violence against His faithful people and to avenge them, bringing the plagues in one day with consuming fire upon the final union of church and state that enforces the spurious Sabbath and persecutes those who keep God's commandments and have the faith of Jesus. The chapter warns of coming judgments on the earth in which God's power brings destruction and death comes in all places, a reason to alert people who are not ready to meet Him.

Identity and Sins of Babylon

Fallen Babylon is the churches that will not receive the warnings of the first, second, and third angels’ messages, refusing the truth and accepting a lie. In that refusal they are corrupted in principle, like Babylon, with the messages of Revelation 14 given in answer to that corruption. The condemned power is made Babylon by exalting the false and spurious Sabbath above the Sabbath blessed and sanctified for man, setting aside the seventh-day Sabbath as God’s memorial of creation to accept and promote a false sabbath. She is made Babylon also by teaching the immortality of the soul, by rejection of truth, and by standing in corrupt harmony with kings, merchants, rulers, and religious teachers. Her judgment answers both her sins and her self-exaltation.

She is mystic Babylon fallen from her high estate to become a persecuting power, marked by wicked character, seductive influence, and outward parade of worldly power, showing how completely earthly powers give themselves to evil under the mystery of iniquity. Her wrath is directed against those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus, with violence against God’s faithful people bringing her doom as the Lord avenges them. This belongs to the final union of church and state that enforces the spurious Sabbath and persecutes commandment keepers. Her hatred shows itself because she cannot force conscience, indulging in false accusations and deriding those appointed to do God’s work. It forces conscience by consigning believers to prison, to the chain gang, to banishment, to torture, to bloodshed by torture and fire, and to death after drinking the blood of the saints.

In her final union the apostate churches unite to exalt Satan, who appears as an angel of light and as Christ to be worshiped in God’s place, so that people are deceived into honoring Satan as God. Then rebellion against God’s law becomes fully ripe and reaches its fullness, calling for God to intervene in judgment. Her sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities, for she has filled up the measure of iniquity and is ripe for destruction. Her proud boast that she sits as queen and will see no sorrow is answered by swift judgment after God’s people are called to come out of her lest they share her sins and plagues. Having glorified herself and lived in luxury and deliciously, and having boasted in her heart that she sits as queen and is no widow who will never see sorrow, she is repaid double according to her works in her own cup. That double repayment brings torment and sorrow in proportion to how much she glorified herself and in proportion to the harm done and the pain caused to others, with every pang of anguish, every tear, and every drop of blood to be answered before the Judge of all the earth. The verse does not pronounce as Babylon the people God has made the repositories of His law.

Justice and Timing of Judgment

The Ruler of the universe bears long with human perversity in forbearance and mercy, yet He keeps a record of every work for good or evil and punishes in proportion to the harm and pain caused to others. After that long bearing He will act in a time just ahead that will stir the world as never before, repaying double according to works in answer to self-glorifying and luxurious living and the proud claim to sit as queen, no widow who will see sorrow. The judgment is His retributive judgment and vengeance from His storehouse, permitted to fall upon those who in the face of great light have continued in sin. When the judgments of heaven are poured out and the day of the Lord is at hand, the words of Revelation 18 will be fulfilled.

The Lord who is strong to judge her avenges His own elect who cry to Him day and night. He will avenge the widows and orphans who in hunger and nakedness have cried to Him for help from oppression and abuse. He will call to account those full of hatred against His people because they cannot force conscience, who indulge in false accusations, deride His workers, and consign believers to prison, to the chain gang, to banishment, to torture, to bloodshed and death. They must answer for every pang of anguish, every tear shed, every drop of blood drawn by torture and fire, and all they have burned after drinking the blood of the saints, and He commands His ministers of judgment to reward her double for her sins. This judgment comes because of her sins and her violence against the faithful who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus, and the Lord is strong enough to judge her and avenge them, working especially when rulers compel conscience and by legislation exalt a spurious idol sabbath.

The judgment belongs to the closing scenes of this earth's history in a time just ahead. It falls when mystic Babylon has fallen from her high estate to become a persecuting power, and when Babylon will have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel after rejecting the threefold warning. Then her sins have reached unto heaven and God has remembered her iniquities, and the final call for God's people still in Babylon to separate from her accomplishes its work.

The plagues and judgment are now held back by long forbearance and mercy, waiting until the message of warning has been sounded to all, because many have not yet heard. The judgment is the next great event following the final worldwide warning in the very last call to the churches. It comes before the time when the beast and the false prophet are taken and cast into a lake of fire, the dragon is bound and cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years, then the wicked are resurrected and Satan and all the wicked are finally destroyed, and Christ triumphs and reigns in this earth.

Prophetic Fulfillment in Last Days

The prophecies of Revelation 12 to 18 are being fulfilled, and what Revelation 18 describes will soon be fulfilled in scenes about to take place. It was made known to John on Patmos to remind of things to come, giving solemn warning about the last events of this earth's history in the perils of the last days. It belongs to the very last call to the churches, the last message of warning that all are to hear and that is now to be given as part of the coming crisis and final warning to the world.

As Sodom perished in the flames of divine vengeance, so proud costly buildings supposed to be fireproof will become ashes. Massive structures built story after story will be thrown down by the turning and overturning of divine power, by one word and one touch of mighty power, in scenes whose fearfulness cannot be imagined. Treasures accumulated by fraud with gold and silver will be buried, and costly vessels with their human freight will sink into a watery grave. The flattering monuments of human greatness will be crumbled in the dust even before the last great destruction comes upon the world.

What is described is yet to take place in the sinful cities portrayed in the chapter, where strong judgment will bring sudden and complete destruction by calamity. The destruction that fell upon San Francisco on April 18, 1906 gives a likeness of the sudden plagues and judgments to come in one day in the day of divine wrath. Those judgments come because of present wickedness and disobedience to divine law, and show the importance of obeying that law.

The warning is applied to San Francisco and Oakland becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah and facing wrath, and to Los Angeles and other places with great solemnity not to be passed by unnoticed. Fire, flood, and earthquake are warnings of soon approach, while the gospel call is still mercy before judgment falls. The crashing and breaking up of expensive, thoroughly constructed homes calls people to stop exalting the spurious Sabbath.

The destruction of a city displays divine power against sin and is a warning to be heeded rather than dismissed. Those who believe the prophecies must not ignore or make light of it, defiantly rebuild and invest means as before, or plan greater buildings afterward. They must make amends for abused privileges and wrongs done to fellow men.

The judgment falls on mystic Babylon as the result of false shepherds turning people from divine law to human theories, whose work brings consequences upon themselves.

Proclaiming the Final Warning

Revelation 18:8 stands in the very last call to the churches in Revelation 18, which is the last message of mercy and warning to the world that all are to hear and that is now to be given. It belongs to the third angel's message and to present truth and the testing truths for this time, the last great testing truth and last work to be done for the world. That message is a life-and-death question involving the test to be brought upon the people of God in these last days, and it must be given now with all power and efficiency and with a loud voice by the human agencies chosen for it, with minds not diverted into hindering lines, so the world is not left in darkness. The plagues and judgment are now held back by long forbearance and mercy until the warning has been sounded to all, because many have not yet heard.

During the proclamation of the third angel's message another angel comes down from heaven with great power, and the earth is lighted with his glory. The Holy Spirit blesses consecrated people to proclaim the message, filling the earth with the knowledge of God and salvation. That work sanctifies men and women through the truth and prepares a people to stand in the great day of God which is fast coming with stealthy, awful dread.

The truth for this time must be presented in no measured terms but boldly and powerfully, with no toning down, softening, or muffling, and its message must be strengthened and confirmed. This includes proclaiming the truth about the Sabbath of the Lord and showing the seventh day to be the seal of the living God, showing what may be expected from the papal power that has made void the law of God, and warning that the time has come when the Protestant churches are reaching out to grasp the hand of that power. The mighty fallen-Babylon warning that lightens the earth must not be counted an inferior matter. It is the message Satan would have silenced, and he works to bind about its proclamation and to turn attention from the great issue by mingling deceptions with truth to create side issues.

The verse belongs to the final call for God's people still in Babylon to separate from her and come out of her so as not to share her sins and so as not to receive her plagues of death and mourning and famine and destruction by fire in one day. Babylon that has fallen is the churches that will not receive the warnings given in the first, second, and third angels' messages, refusing the truth and accepting a lie, after her sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities. The call comes when she has fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel after rejecting the threefold warning. That final message will accomplish its work: those who reject truth and take pleasure in unrighteousness are left to delusion, while the light of truth reaches open hearts and God's people heed the call to come out.

Its truths, with those of Revelation 18 and 19, must be read and understood by all and given more fully to the world. Revelation 18 gives solemn warning about the last events of this earth's history, made known to John on Patmos to remind of things to come, to be read and understood now because the perils of the last days are upon us. Confusion about it gives Satan a great victory.

Application and Assurance Today

The terrible picture in the verse warns those entrusted with the sacred work of proclaiming the third angel's message to search the Scriptures diligently and to guard against this evil. Its portrayal of earthly powers giving themselves wholly to evil under the mystery of iniquity shows how dangerous it is for all who have received the truth to link up with secret societies or to join in any way with those who do not keep God's commandments.

It is God's word of indignation and vengeance against giving power to suppress religious liberty. This applies when rulers compel conscience and by legislation exalt a spurious idol Sabbath, repeating the setting up of the golden image on the plain of Dura, and when Protestantism abandons the principles that gave her the name Protestant to support an institution of the Papacy. The same warning belongs with proclaiming the Sabbath of the Lord and showing the seventh day to be the seal of the living God, with showing what may be expected from the papal power that has made void God's law, and with warning that Protestant churches are reaching out to grasp the hand of that power, a message Satan would have silenced and counted as inferior.

The chapter warns of coming judgments on the earth, with death coming in all places, which is reason to alert people who are not ready to meet Him. The destruction that fell upon San Francisco on April 18, 1906 gives a likeness of the sudden plagues and judgments that will come in one day upon the wicked in the day of God's wrath because of present wickedness, showing the importance of obeying God's law. Fire, flood, and earthquake are warnings of His soon approach as applied to San Francisco and Oakland becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah, while the call to proclaim the gospel is still a call of mercy before judgment falls. Its words about judgments falling on the proud and sinful, including costly structures becoming ashes and accumulated riches gained by fraud being lost with vessels and human freight sinking, will be fulfilled and should cause people to fear and turn from sin, for those who reject light and insist on their own way will not escape. God keeps a record of every action for good or evil and will avenge widows and orphans crying in hunger and nakedness from oppression and abuse, and the time is right upon the world when there will be sorrow no human balm can heal and the flattering monuments of human greatness will crumble in the dust even before the last great destruction.

Though the masters of iniquity have become strong and terrible in the world under Satan's control, acting with satanic passions and speaking the sentiments, doctrines, and counsels of demons, strong is the Lord God who judges Babylon. Because He judges her, the just who remain loyal and true have nothing more to fear from force or fraud and will no longer suffer as a scattered, feeble company. One mightier than the strong man armed is set for their defense, and all power and greatness and excellence of character will be given to those who believed and stood in defense of the truth by standing up and firmly defending God's laws, bringing them before the throne to enjoy the sunless splendors of eternal day. The Lord's judgment brings down those opposing His work, so that though they prosper for a time and deceive honest souls they must finally fall, while truth triumphs and honest souls escape their influence. Yet those who do not love the light will not come to the light lest their deeds be reproved, saying by their attitude that they want their own way and not the Lord's way.