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Notes on the Book of Revelation

Chapter 18

Babylon Falls

Overview.

The final message to go into the world is the revelation of the true character of God. Satan has done everything he can to distort the true character of God. The true character of God can only be seen now in His people. It will be through His people in the last days that will show the true character of God, see Revelation 18:4, Come out of her, my people.1

Chapter 18:1-5 is the second angel’s message being repeated to the whole world. The first time the second angel’s message was proclaimed in 1844, it was localized to the protestant churches in America. That message was not a world-wide message because it was not proclaimed with a ‘loud’ voice as the other messages. In chapter 18, when the message is repeated it is with a ‘strong voice’ which indicates a world-wide message. See Revelation 14:7-8.

This chapter is also a description of the first beast of Revelation 13 (the papal system) with its power and authority fully restored.

The deadly wound has been completely healed and there is now the union of church and state and all power is given to the beast, Revelation 17:13; 18:3, 9, 15.

Chapter 17 and 18 occur before chapter 16 (the plagues), since probation has not closed. Probation closes before the 7 last plagues.

Judgments of God.

Chapters 15-20 are primarily focused on the judgments of God.

Chapter 15 introduces the plagues.

Chapter 16 explains the plagues.

Chapter 17 describes the false church that will be judged.

Chapter 18 describes the fall of the false church (spiritual Babylon).

Chapter 19 describes judgment on the beast and the false prophet at the second coming of Jesus Christ

Chapter 20 describes judgment on all the wicked, Satan and his fallen angels.

Seven Songs about Babylon.

Just another set of 7 in the book of Revelation like, seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven plagues, seven angels of the churches, seven angels of the trumpets, seven angels of the plagues, seven blessings, seven stars, seven candlesticks, seven Spirits of God, seven lamps of fire, seven horns and seven eyes, seven thunders, seven heads, seven crowns, and seven sanctuary visions.

Chapter 18:1 to 19:8 are seven songs about Babylon. (Maxwell, God Cares, vol. 2:462-470)

Song 1. 18:1-3

Song 2. 18:4-8

Song 3. 18:9-14

Song 4. 18:15-16

Song 5. 18:17-19

Song 6. 18:20-24

Song 7. 19:1-8

These are songs because they are all written in Hebrew poetry, specifically in a chiastic format.

A. Mighty voice of an angel: “Fallen is Babylon!” - 18:1-3

B. Heavenly voice: “Come out of her, my people.” - 18:4-8

C. Lament of the kings: “Alas! Alas!” - 18:9-14

C’. Lament of the merchants: “Alas! Alas!” - 18:15-16

C’’. Lament of the seafarers: “Alas! Alas!” - 18:17-19

A’. Voice of a mighty angel: “So shall Babylon…be thrown down.” - 18:20-24

B’. Heavenly voice: God’s people rejoicing at Babylon’s fall. - 19:1-8

Another reason why we know these are songs is because Revelation 19:1-8 is the basis for Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.”

Breakdown of the verses in chapter 18:

Revelation 18:1-5, The loud cry to come out of Babylon before the outpouring of the seven last plagues.

Revelation 18:6-8, Retribution upon Babylon for her sins.

Revelation 18:9-10, The lament of the kings of the earth.

Revelation 18:11-16, The lament of the Capitalists (‘the great men of the earth’).

Revelation 18:17-19, The lament of the employees and travelers.

Revelation 18:20, Rejoicing in heaven over Babylon’s fall.

Revelation 18:21-24, Drowning of the Great City and cessation of her activities.

This chart is taken from Pastor Stephen Bohr's series called, "From the Close of Probation to the New Earth", which is a part of his Anchor School of Theology classes. The entire series can be found on the Secrets Unsealed app and YouTube channel.

Revelation 18:1, And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

18V1: Another angel = The previous angel is in chapter 17:1.

18V1-4: These verses are a parenthetical statement that breaks the flow of thought.

18V1-5: Occurs before the close of probation, see Revelation 18:4, the plagues have not fallen yet. This is a flashback.

18V1: Great power = A better translation is ‘authority’, so it should say ‘great authority’. This is also not the same angel as in verse 4.

18V1: Lightened the earth = God has done what He can to warn the people of earth, but must now bring judgment because they have not turned from their evil ways.

John 1:9 says, “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

John 3:17-21 says, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”2

18V1: With his glory = This is God’s glory which is His character = His people at the end of time will reflect God’s character in their lives. This is a fulfillment of Habakuk 2:14, “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

“The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them.” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 415)

“By beholding Christ, by talking of Him, by beholding the loveliness of His character we become changed. Changed from glory to glory. And what is glory? Character—and he becomes changed from character to character. Thus we see that there is a work of purification that goes on by beholding Jesus.” (Sons and Daughters of God, p. 337)

18V1-5: The second angel’s message being proclaimed again, but this time as a world-wide message, see Revelation 14:7-8. Also referred to as the fourth angel. But this angel will bring in the loud cry which is all three angels at once.

“The three angels' messages are to be combined, giving their threefold light to the world. In the Revelation, John says, "I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory." This represents the giving of the last and threefold message of warning to the world." (Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 985.6)

Revelation 18:2, And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

18V2: Cried mightily with a strong voice = The loud cry. This is the last message that will ever be given to the world. Spiritual Babylon has rejected the three angel’s messages of Revelation 14:6-12 and has reached the final condition foretold by the second angel. Verses 1-5 occurs before the close of probation and the seven last plagues (Revelation chapter 16). Verse 5 refers to the National Sunday Law which occurs before the close of probation. Verse 5 also refers to the plagues which means they haven’t fallen yet. The NSL causes the sins of Babylon to reach heaven and she is judged to be fallen.

18V2: Fallen, is fallen = This is said twice, many teachers of Revelation say it is said once for the Mother Church (RCC) and once for the daughters or harlot churches. Both have fallen, see Revelation 17:5.3 But this phrase is taken from the OT where it is also said twice.

Isaiah 21:9, “And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.”

Jeremiah 51:8, “Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.”

Babylon (the RCC and its daughters) are fallen spiritually, but they have not fallen literally (the destruction) until later.

Events of chapter 18:1-5 have not occurred until the latter rain drops.
We have not seen the complete uniting of church and state yet.
We have not seen the wound of the beast completely healed yet.
We have not seen the one world religion form yet - with persecution.

It is also stated twice to denote that Babylon has completely fallen spiritually and it is irreversible. It is mentioned twice as an emphasis on this point.

18V2: There are three parallel statements in verse 2 that all mean the same thing but are said using different expressions. The three parallel statements are: habitation of devils, hold of every foul spirit and cage of every unclean and hateful bird. This is a form of Hebrew poetry called synonymous parallelism where the same thing is stated using different words.

18V2: God’s people are filled with the fulness of the Holy Spirit, but Babylon is filled with demons.

18V2: Unclean and hateful bird = Satan and the fallen angels (demons). Matthew 13:4, 19, The wicked one (Satan) is represented as the fowls that devoured the seeds (which represented the gospel).4 Also represented as birds of prey in Revelation 19:17, who are scavengers and prey upon those deceived by Babylon (Pastor Bohr, From the Close of Probation to the New Earth study notes, page 131).

Revelation 18:3, For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

18V3: Wine = The wine represents the counterfeit or false teachings, pagan practices, and doctrines that are contrary to scripture within a so-called Christian church (an apostate church). False doctrines.

Revelation 17:4, cup full of abominations - the cup is usually full of wine, see verse 2 (drunk with the wine).

Abominations include:

Idol worship (Deuteronomy 7:25-26; Deuteronomy 27:14-15).
Spiritualism and immortality of the soul (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).
Denying the Ten Commandments (Proverbs 28:9).
Homosexuality (Leviticus 18:2).
Worshipping the sun (Ezekiel 8:16-17).
Justification by works (Luke 16:15).
Eating of unclean foods (Deuteronomy 14:3; Leviticus 11).
Teaches a wrathful God (Jeremiah 32:35).
Condemns the just and justifies the wicked (Ezekiel 22:2; Proverbs 6:16-17; Proverbs 17:15; Proverbs 15:26; Revelation 18:2).

Babylon also represents confusion, Genesis 11:6-9.

Spiritual Babylon confuses the doctrines of God by teaching false doctrines. Babylon falls because she rejected the first angel’s message (truth) and filled the people with error (or the devil’s doctrines in the second angel’s message).

18V3: Wrath of her fornication = Biblical fornication is when the church uses the state to slay (persecute) those not in harmony with her teachings. So here the wrath of her fornication is the church’s persecution of those that refuse to follow her teachings and commands.

18V3: The kings of the earth = The rulers of the world give their allegiance to the papacy, Revelation 17:13; 18:9. This is the union of church and state which results in persecution of God’s people who keep His commandments and have the faith of Jesus Christ, Revelation 14:12.

Babylon’s false teachings go world-wide and the deceptions become universal.

18V3: Merchants made rich = See also Revelation 18:11-15. This represents the economic forces of the world.

18V3: “Three groups unite in this end-time confederacy: Babylon (apostate religion), the kings of the earth (political or state powers), and the merchants of the earth (economic forces).” (Understanding Daniel and Revelation, Mark Finley, page 365)

Babylon (apostate religion) = The Vatican.

Kings of the earth (political or state powers) = Dominated by the U.S., specifically Washington, D.C.

Merchants of the earth (economic forces) = The hub is London, England for many banks.

“London’s primary financial district is actually a city in itself. Known as The City of London, it was established a few years after the Roman invasion in AD 50 on the north bank of the river Thames and even has its own mayor and governing body called City of London Corporation.” (Investopedia.com)

Convenient time zone.
English language.
Limited regulations.

The three city corporations (DC, London, Vatican):

All are corporations.
All enjoy some form of sovereignty.
All have obelisks.

Revelation 18:4, And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

18V4: Come out of her, my people = This is the voice of God because it says ‘my people’ and a created angel wouldn’t say that.

18V4: This verse is probably adapted from Jeremiah 51:6, 45, “Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence…..My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.”

18V4: Come out of her, my people = God has people in spiritual Babylon that reflect His character, but don’t know the whole truth. These are believers that are living up to the light that they have and reflect His character. This also implies that people can know the truth but not reflect His character.5 The people being called out of Babylon are from the three-fold union identified in Revelation 16:13, which is the dragon (kings and merchants of the earth which refers to those in the secular world), the beast (those in the mother church which is the Catholic Church) and the false prophet (which are those in the fallen protestant churches).

“Babylon is said to be “the mother of harlots.” By her daughters must be symbolized churches that cling to her doctrines and traditions, and follow her example of sacrificing the truth and the approval of God, in order to form an unlawful alliance with the world. The message of Revelation 14, announcing the fall of Babylon must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the judgment, it must be given in the last days; therefore it cannot refer to the Roman Church alone, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries. Furthermore, in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation the people of God are called upon to come out of Babylon. According to this scripture, many of God's people must still be in Babylon. And in what religious bodies are the greater part of the followers of Christ now to be found? Without doubt, in the various churches professing the Protestant faith.” (The Great Controversy, page 382.3)

This also means that probation has not closed yet on the human race and that there is still time to repent and to turn away from their sins and to join God’s remnant church, Revelation 12:17; 14:12. There are many people in other churches today that are living up to the light that they have and are considered God’s people, but once they hear the three angel’s messages they are to repent and to come out of spiritual Babylon (churches teaching false doctrines). Acts 17:30 says, “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:…” and John 10:16 says, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

18V4: Receive not of her plagues = The plagues have not fallen so probation has not closed on the human race at this point. There is still time to repent.

18V4: Plagues = Seven last plagues in Revelation 16.

Revelation 18:5, For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

18V5: Reached unto heaven = Similar to Daniel 4:11, the tree, which represented the pride of Nebuchadnezzar reached unto heaven and God said it’s time to judge him. This is the national Sunday law.

18V5: Sins reached unto heaven = National Sunday Law. The pride and arrogance of legislators will push them to enact a national Sunday law.

“When do her sins reach unto heaven [Revelation 18:2-5]? When the law of God is finally made void by legislation.” (Ellen White, The Signs of the Times, June 12, 1893. LDE 198.5)

The national Sunday law is when Babylon’s sins reach heaven and then there is a loud cry.

Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”

Job 41:34 says, “He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.”

Satan’s fall began because of pride, Isaiah 14:12-14 says, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” All the sins of Babylon stem from pride.6

18V5: God hath remembered her iniquities = God purposefully had forgotten our sins at the cross when Jesus died for everyone’s sins; but when we choose not to follow/obey God and must be judged He remembers those sins.

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 says, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” We are reconciled through Jesus and God forgets our sins.7

Revelation 18:6, Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

18V6-24: Describe the sixth and seventh plagues in more detail, sort of a repeat and enlarge concept with a focus on the political and economic perspective. Chapter 17:1-18 also covers the sixth and seventh plagues but with a focus on the religious and political perspective.

18V6-24: Is also referred to as the lamentation of the multitudes because it describes when the kings of the earth (verse 9) and the merchants of the earth (verse 11) have figured out that they were lied to and that all their riches that they received from the beast won’t help them when Jesus returns with all His angels at the second coming. They are now lamenting their lost hopeless status and will turn on the beast (the papacy) for their deceptions and lies. This lamentation of the multitudes is a contrast to the song of joy in heaven in chapter 19:1-10 by the righteous.

18V6: Double according to her works = She is to be punished double for what she has done (her evil deeds).

18V6: The cup = This is her golden cup filled with her wine (false teachings and doctrines), Revelation 17:2, 4.

Revelation 18:7, How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

18V7: This verse is adapted from Isaiah 47:8, “Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:”

18V7: I sit a queen = The church, represented as a woman, declares that she sits as a queen. She is claiming to have power and authority. This is the seat of Satan given to the false church.

Revelation 13:2, “And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” This is blasphemy to claim the power and authority of God.

John 10:33, “The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”

18V7: Am no widow = The woman claiming not to have a king. The church, represented here by the woman as a queen, is denying the true King, Jesus Christ.

Revelation 19:16 says, “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

1 John 2:22 says, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”

1 John 4:3 says, “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

2 John 1:7 says, “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”

18V7: Shall see no sorrow = In her haughtiness and pride, she claims the authority and power of God, denies Jesus Christ, and boasts that she won’t be punished or suffer any consequences.

Revelation 18:8, Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

18V8: Plagues come in one day = Her destruction occurs within one year but doesn’t necessarily mean that it will take a whole year; a day equals a year in prophecy.

Ezekiel 4:6 says, “And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”

Numbers 14:34 says, “After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”

18V8: This verse refers back to Isaiah 47 (Pastor Bohr, From the Close of Probation to the New Earth study notes, page 138).

Isaiah 47:8-9, “Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children: But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.”

The great whore of Revelation 17:1 loses all support in the sixth plague and the world turns on her in a moment (or a short time - one day) and she becomes a widow and loses her children (the protestant churches).

This is also seen in Daniel 11:45, “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.”

Of course this verse uses the masculine form, but only because it is describing the king of the north which is the great whore of Revelation 17 and the first beast of Revelation 13, the papacy.

Revelation 18:9, And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

18V9: Kings of the earth = The rulers of the earth.

18V9: Committed fornication…with her = The rulers of the earth united with the papacy to persecute God’s end time church (the remnant church). Fornication is the union of church and state (religious and civil powers) to persecute God’s people or more specifically, it is persecution of those that refuse to follow the false teachings and doctrines of the apostate church.

18V9: Lived deliciously with her = The rulers and merchants of the world are made rich by uniting with the papacy (religious power).

Revelation 18:10, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

18V10: One hour = 15 days in prophetic time; also mentioned in Revelation 18:17, 19.8 No one is sure what this time statement means, one hour, but if in Biblical prophecy a day equals a year, then one hour would equal about 15 days.

Revelation 18:11, And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

18V11-16: Are referred to as the lament of capitalists. It is the lament of the merchants of the earth (verse 11) that are also referred to as the great men of the earth in verse 23.

“In that day the Amazons, the Facebooks, and the Googles of the world will see that the accumulation of wealth at the expense of the poor has cost them eternal life.” (Pastor Bohr, From the Close of Probation to the New Earth study notes, page 139).

“The rich bemoan the destruction of their grand houses, the scattering of their gold and silver. But their lamentations are silenced by the fear that they themselves are to perish with their idols.” (The Great Controversy, page 654.1)

“The wicked are filled with regret, not because of their sinful neglect of God and their fellow men, but because God has conquered. They lament that the result is what it is; but they do not repent of their wickedness. They would leave no means untried to conquer if they could.” (The Great Controversy, page 654.2)

18V11: The merchandise listed below can also be considered their idols. The merchants and the wicked of the earth worshipped wealth, money, objects and other items instead of the true God in heaven.

1 Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

1 John 2:15-17 says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Luke 10:27 says, “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”

Revelation 18:12, The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

Revelation 18:13, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

18V13: Slaves, and souls of men = In other translations it says ‘bodies and souls of men’. The merchants traded the bodies of men (either literally as in sex slaves, pedophile rings, indentured servants etc. or spiritually they controlled the lives of men through their merchandise where those that did not go along with the dictates of the beast (papacy) could not buy or sell). The souls of men mean that they traded (toyed with) the very salvation and eternal life of men.

Revelation 18:14, And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

Revelation 18:15, The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

Revelation 18:16, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

18V16: Purple and scarlet = The colors of the papacy for cardinals and bishops, also in Revelation 17:4. There is no blue because that color represents the Ten Commandments.

Numbers 15:38-39, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:“9

The Catholic church has altered the Ten Commandments by getting rid of the second dealing with idol worship and splitting the 10th commandment into two (so they would still have Ten Commandments); of course, the RCC also altered the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday even though there is no biblical reason to do so.

Revelation 18:17, For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

18V17-19: This is referred to as the lament of employees and travelers.

18V17: One hour = One hour = 15 days in prophetic time; also mentioned in Revelation 18:17, 19. No one is sure what this time statement means, one hour, but if in Biblical prophecy a day equals a year, then one hour would equal about 15 days.

Revelation 18:18, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

Revelation 18:19, And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

18V19: One hour = One hour = 15 days in prophetic time; also mentioned in Revelation 18:17, 19. No one is sure what this time statement means, one hour, but if in Biblical prophecy a day equals a year, then one hour would equal about 15 days.

Revelation 18:20, Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

18V20: Rejoice over her = This is reflected in Revelation 19:1-10; this is praise for the justice of God or in other words praise for His character.

Revelation 18:21, 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.

18V21: Millstone into the sea = We must humble ourselves and not be prideful in order to enter into the kingdom of God, Matthew 18:1-6, pride is the problem, see Revelation 18:5, reached unto heaven.

This millstone is referring back to Jeremiah 51:63-64, “And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates: And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.”

Revelation 18:22, 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;

18V22: This was probably adapted from Ezekiel 26:13, “And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard.”

Revelation 18:23, 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.

Revelation 18:24, And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

Chapter 18 Resources and Notes

1. Pastor Stephen Bohr, Unsealed Secrets Ministry video series called, Three Angels Message, can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6A480C40F7BA55A4.

2. Pastor James Rafferty and Pastor Ivor Myers, Salvation in Symbols and Signs (Program on 3ABN’s Dare To Dream Network), video series can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i42C2tZ5yuI&list=PLZE9r6f37K0AJPuImVU9DX-Y1Ntikqv0R.

3. Pastor Stephen Bohr, Unsealed Secrets Ministry video series called, Three Angels Message, can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6A480C40F7BA55A4.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.

8. Ibid.

9. Ibid.

Ellen White references can be found here: https://beta.egwwritings.org.