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Context No. 4000 of 4322 · Revelation

Context · Reflection

Revelation 18:9-19: in context

9The kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning, 10standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For your judgment has come in one hour.’ 11The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise any more: 12merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble; 13and cinnamon, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and people’s bodies and souls. 14The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you. All things that were dainty and sumptuous have perished from you, and you will find them no more at all. 15The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, will stand far away for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.’ Every ship master, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away, 18and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like the great city?’ 19They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!’ For she is made desolate in one hour.

John describes the fall of Babylon the great, the symbol of a world system built on luxury, wealth, and self-indulgence, and the reaction of those who profited from her. The kings and merchants and shippers who grew rich by her weep and wail, not out of love for her, but because their source of wealth is gone: in a single hour all this great wealth has been laid waste.

The endless list of her luxuries, gold, jewels, fine cloth, spices, and more, is suddenly worthless, and those who trusted in it stand far off, mourning their loss. There is a sobering picture here of the fragility of a life built on wealth and luxury. Babylon's riches seemed secure, and those who traded in them thought themselves safe, but in one hour it was all swept away. Everything they had trusted in, everything they had lived for, was gone, and they had nothing left. This is the end of every life and every system built on riches and self-indulgence rather than on God. Better by far to build our lives on what cannot be swept away, on God and the treasures of his kingdom.

Am I building my life on wealth and comfort that can be swept away in an hour, or on God and the treasures of his kingdom, which no collapse can take from me?

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