Revelation Chapter 18

PART I (Verses 1 – 3) continued

VERSE 3 “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

FOR: This little word, meaning BECAUSE, connects the second and third verses. The implication is that demons, unclean spirits, and hateful birds have made their homes in Babylon BECAUSE:

ALL THE NATIONS HAVE DRUNK OF THE WINE OF THE WRATH OF HER IMMORALITY:

Note that this sentence is the first of THREE entanglements between Babylon and THREE differing entities. Here it is the NATIONS — the peoples of earth (the first group). They have experienced (drunk) of (of the results of) the wine (the intoxication resulting from) of the wrath (the anger engendered by or) of her fornication. In other words, the people have suffered by all of the evils caused by her church-state entanglements. (This phrase is a quote from Rev 14:8 where the meaning is the same.)

NOTE: Wrath might be better translated “passion.” There has been a somewhat universal passion for the advantages Christendom has provided for the peoples.

AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH: This is the second group involved.

HAVE COMMITTED IMMORALITY WITH HER: — church-state union. This has probably always been to their detriment, whether or not they knew it.

AND THE MERCHANTS OF THE EARTH: This is the first time “merchants” appears in Revelation, and it appears only in this chapter. Because Chapter 18 so closely resembles the contents of Volume 4 (Viz., Volume 4 of the Studies in the Scriptures series entitled, “The Battle of Armageddon”), it seems most likely that “merchants” is a symbol for capitalists. (The economic factor of Babylon’s fall is a main focus of this chapter.) It seems not to be coincidence that the philosophy of capitalism originated in Italy.

HAVE BECOME RICH: There seems no reason for this not to be a literalism and a direct connection to James 5:1-7.

“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned; you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.”

BY THE WEALTH OF HER SENSUALITY: — more literally: by the POWER of her luxury. Here we have a key phrase which sets up the entire context of Chapter 18. We are looking at how Babylon’s insatiable appetite for earthly luxuries and her exercise of power to obtain them created a system of vast wealth for those who cooperated with her. Once 1914 arrived, this power structure took a nosedive which makes all “wail.” Surely the money-structures of today are trying to find new ways to fill their coffers. But James says it will all rust. Revelation 18 says the old ways of wealth are all past.

The first three verses of Chapter 18 are a unit in themselves. The Lord has returned and proclaimed his judgment.

Beginning with verse 4, another “voice” picks up the message and explains what this judgment will mean to kings, the wealthy, the workers, and the saints, and, ultimately, to Babylon herself.

As taken from the “Keys of Revelation”

Verse 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.”

Three classes are categorized as being influenced by her behavior.

(1) “All nations [inhabitants of the earth—Rev. 17:2] have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Protestantism is embraced in the term “Babylon,” which includes both mother and daughters (Rev. 17:5). All have been made drunk, losing their sense of discernment between good and evil.

(2) “Kings” represent the rulers or political leadership. The church-state relationship constitutes spiritual fornication on the part of the civil rulership and harlotry on the part of the woman (the professed church).

(3) “Merchants” are those who profit from the system in any way. A comprehensive term, “merchants” includes financiers, craftsmen, architects, contractors, clothiers—any engaged with the professed Church in commercial enterprise. Such are “waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.”

Today the news media reveal that the Roman Catholic Church owns many corporations throughout the world through business ties, stocks, and bonds. With such far-reaching and profitable acquisitions, it is no wonder many feel the Church should not be exempt from taxation. In view of the extent and pervading influence of this religious social order, the apostolic admonition applies: “You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).

Verse 3 for the greater part, with the exception of the reference to the merchants, is a repeat of Revelation 17:2.

Why, therefore, again call attention to Babylon’s pernicious influence?

Those who wish to please the Lord and follow His leading are being prepared to obey the admonition of the next verse.”

Continued with next post.