Chapter 18
THE LORD OF THE EARTH A. THE OF THE FALL OF BABYLON. 18:1-8 B. THE ANGUISH IN THE WORLD BECAUSE OF THE FALL OF BABYLON. 18:9-19 C. THE OF JOY IN HEAVEN BECAUSE OF THE FALL OF BABYLON. 18:20-24
1. Loud proclamation of the angel. v.1-8
2. Lament of the kings. v.9-14
3. Lament of the merchants. v.15-17
4. Lament of the shipmen. v.17-19
5. Lesson of judgment. v.20-24
I. Babylon lays about 100 kilometres south of Baghdad in Iraq.
II. Babylon is first mentioned in Gen.2:14 and mentioned over 300 times in the Bible.
III. Nimrod was the first ruler of Babylon (Babel) Gen.10:8-10 and Babylon’ s first rise of rebellion against the Lord is mentioned in Gen.11:1-9.
IV. Isaiah Ch.13-14; Jer. Ch. 50-51 and Rev. Ch. 17-18 are connective chapters and should be read to receive a more detailed view of future Babylon.
V. The ancient city of Babylon fell to Cyrus the Persian in 539 B.C., but did not fulfil Old Testament prophecies about Babylon’ s completely destruction
Isaiah 13:19-20; Jer.50:39-40, it is about to be rebuilt Zech. 5:5-11 and become the greatest city in the world and then it will receive its judgment
and never be inhabited again.
VI The city of Babylon of chapter 18 is a future commercial and economic centre of the world. It will be a literal commercial city in Iraq as revealed in Zech.5:5-11
VII. “ Wall street” is a geographical location in New York City but also a strong economic and commercial system, the future and next “ Wall street” is Babylon;
it has been an economic and commercial system of the past and will be it at the end.
VIII. The harlot Babylon tries to reach God in her own way Gen.11:4, the economic and commercial Babylon tries to make herself a name. Gen.11:4
IX. The harlot of chapter 17 enslaves man spiritually in religion and demonic bondages.
The commercial system of chapter 18 enslaves man materially, by the loaning, “ Modern” lifestyles that are expensive, selfishness and unrighteousness. X. Chapter18 contains:
A. 3 Laments. v. 10, 16, 19
B. Each lament contains:
1. Double alas.
2. Remembrance.
3. Statement.
C. Kings, merchants, and shipman cry these laments.
D. All 3 classes of man proclaim that she fell in one hour. v.10, 17, 19
E. 3 Pronouncements. v.1-3, 4-8, 21-24