18:1
You can look at Revelation in terms of the power of evil in the world. However, what it is really about is the absolute Lordship of Christ and the ultimate complete collapse of the power of evil. So in the world we see the power of evil being very real. This varies from time to time and place to place. Sometimes it appears as somewhat benign, we know something is wrong, we know there is sin, but things aren’t too bad really. Life in the West was pretty much like that for a significant time after WWII. Then there are places in the world where evil is rampant and life is really bad. In the West we now see the influence of evil becoming more apparent and being a Christian is less comfortable and sometimes uncomfortable. Part of how we respond in such circumstances is knowing that Christ is Lord and that the power of evil will collapse completely. So here we have a lament over the fall of Babylon. The major prophets have laments over the fall of various nations. So here an angel comes down from heaven and had great authority and splendour. We need to know that our help comes from heaven.
18:2,3
“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!” The laments in the major prophets have played a part in what John sees here, e.g. Is 21:9 for this verse. Babylon, representing the world system, has collapsed completely. Only demons and impure spirits dwell there now. Collapsing regimes become increasingly corrupt, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union were examples of this. Before the collapse nations drank “the maddening wine of her adulteries”. The merchants growing “rich from her excessive luxuries” would seem to be more applicable to the United States, and it is interesting (and worrying!) that the large corporations are leading the way in promoting the “woke” agenda.
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