[§304] Rev 18:21-24: The Final Destruction of, and Conditions in, Babylon

This podcast explains the imagery and symbolism used by John to describe the final physical fall and destruction of modern Babylon in Revelation 18:21-24, which states: “And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 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 be heard 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. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.” Jesus Christ is the mighty angel who throws down Babylon like a great millstone into a sea that represents the abyss and bottomless pit. Babylon will be cast down with great violence. When this occurs there are six different categories of things and events which will no longer be seen or heard forever in Babylon. The first category is the great city of Babylon itself with all its citizens. Second, there will be no music in four different categories including harpers, musicians, pipers, and trumpeters. Third there shall be no craftsman, which means that Babylon shall never be rebuilt and shall remain desolate forever. Fourth, there shall be no sound of a millstone, which means there shall be no livelihood or even life for there shall be no food produced by daily activity and there shall be great idleness. Fifth, there shall be no light either physically or spiritually. Sixth, there shall be no marriages, indicating that there shall never be a repopulation of Babylon after its destruction. These judgments come upon Babylon because the merchants use sorceries to deceive the nations. The blood of prophets, saints and all those slain upon the earth is a stain upon Babylon warranting her destruction, desolation and burning.