1Potom jsem uviděl jiného anděla sestupovat z nebe: měl velikou pravomoc a země byla ozářena jeho slávou. 2Zvolal mocným hlasem: „Padl, padl veliký Babylon a stal se příbytkem démonů, vězením všech nečistých duchů a vězením každého nečistého a nenáviděného ptáka; 3neboť z vášnivého vína jejího smilstva pily všechny národy, i králové země s ní smilnili a obchodníci země zbohatli z moci jejího zhýralého přepychu.“ 4Tu jsem uslyšel jiný hlas z nebe, který říkal: „Vyjděte z ní, můj lide, abyste neměli účast na jejích hříších a nedostali z jejích ran. 5Neboť její hříchy dosáhly až k nebi a Bůh se rozpomenul na bezpráví, které činila. 6Odplaťte jí, jako i ona odplatila vám; a odplaťte jí dvojnásobně podle jejích skutků! Do číše, kterou namíchala, namíchejte jí dvojnásob; 7nakolik oslavila sebe a užila hýření, tolik jí dejte trýzně a žalu. Neboť si ve svém srdci říká: ‚Jsem královna, nejsem vdova a jistě mne nepotká žal.‘ 8Proto v jednom dni přijdou její rány: smrt, žal a hlad, a bude spálena ohněm. Protože silný je Pán Bůh, který ji soudí.“ 9I budou nad ní plakat a bít se v prsa králové země, kteří s ní smilnili a hýřili, až uvidí dým z jejího požáru. 10Z hrůzy nad její trýzní budou stát zdaleka a budou říkat: „Běda, běda, ty veliké město Babylone, ty mocné město, neboť v jedné hodině přišel tvůj soud.“ 11A obchodníci země nad ní pláčou a truchlí, protože už nikdo nekoupí jejich zboží: 12náklady zlata a stříbra, drahokamů a perel, kmentu, purpuru, hedvábí a šarlatu, všechny druhy vonného dřeva a veškeré předměty ze slonoviny a všeliké předměty ze vzácného dřeva, mědi, železa a mramoru, 13skořici, indické koření, voňavky, mast a kadidlo, víno a olej, mouku a obilí, dobytčata a ovce, koně a vozy, otroky i lidské duše. 14„Ovoce, po kterém toužila tvá duše, od tebe odešlo, všechen lesk a nádhera se ti ztratily a lidé je již nikdy více nenaleznou.“ 15Obchodníci s těmito věcmi, kteří jejím prostřednictvím zbohatli, se ze strachu před její trýzní postaví zdaleka, budou plakat a truchlit 16a říkat: „Běda, běda, město veliké, kterés bylo oblečeno do kmentu, purpuru a šarlatu, ozdobeno zlatem, drahokamy a perlami, 17neboť v jedinou hodinu bylo zpustošeno tak veliké bohatství.“ Každý kormidelník, každý, kdo se plaví při pobřeží, námořníci a všichni, kdo pracují na moři, se postavili zdaleka 18a křičeli, když viděli dým jejího požáru: „Které město je podobno tomu velikému městu?“ 19A nasypali si prach na hlavu a v pláči a truchlení volali: „Běda, běda, to město veliké, v němž všichni, kdo měli lodě na moři, zbohatli z jeho bohatství, a v jedinou hodinu bylo zpustošeno!“ 20Raduj se nad ní nebe a svatí, apoštolové i proroci, protože Bůh nad ní vynesl soud za to, jak jednala s vámi. 21Tu jeden silný anděl zvedl kámen, podobný velkému mlýnskému kameni, hodil jej do moře a řekl: „Takto s prudkostí bude zavržen Babylon, to veliké město, a nikdy více nebude nalezen. 22Nikdy se již v tobě neozve hlas harfeníků, zpěváků, pištců a trubačů, nikdy už v tobě nebude žádný mistr jakéhokoliv řemesla, nikdo již v tobě neuslyší zvuk mlýnského kamene, 23nikdy už v tobě nezasvitne světlo lampy, nikdo už v tobě nezaslechne hlas ženicha a nevěsty. Neboť tvoji obchodníci byli velmožové země a tvými kouzly byly svedeny všechny národy. 24V něm byla nalezena krev proroků a svatých a všech zabitých na zemi.“
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 The downfall and destruction of Babylon form an event so fully determined in the counsels of God, and of such consequence to his interests and glory, that the visions and predictions concerning it are repeated. 1. Here is another angel sent from heaven, attended with great power and lustre,
Revel 18:1. He had not only light in himself, to discern the truth of his own prediction, but to inform and enlighten the world about that great event; and not only light to discern it, but power to accomplish it. 2. This angel publishes the fall of Babylon, as a thing already come to pass; and this he does with a mighty strong voice, that all might hear the cry, and might see how well this angel was pleased to be the messenger of such tidings. Here seems to be an allusion to the prediction of the fall of pagan Babylon (
Isa 21:9), where the word is repeated as it is here:
has fallen, has fallen. Some have thought a double fall is hereby intended, first her apostasy, and then her ruin; and they think the words immediately following favour their opinion;
She has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird, Revel 18:2. But this is also borrowed from
Isa 21:9, and seems to describe not so much her sin of entertaining idols (which are truly called
devils ) as her punishment, it being a common notion that unclean spirits, as well as ominous and hateful birds, used to haunt a city or house that lay in its ruins. 3. The reason of this ruin is declared (
Revel 18:3); for, though God is not obliged to give any account of his matters, yet he is pleased to do so, especially in those dispensations of providence that are most awful and tremendous. The wickedness of Babylon had been very great; for she had not only forsaken the true God herself, and set up idols, but had with great art and industry drawn all sorts of men into the spiritual adultery, and by her wealth and luxury had retained them in her interest. 4. Fair warning is given to all that expect mercy from God, that they should not only
come out of her, but be assisting in her destruction,
Revel 18:4,
Revel 18:5. Here observe, (1.) God may have a people even in Babylon, some who belong to the election of grace. (2.) God's people shall be called out of Babylon, and called effectually. (3.) Those that are resolved to partake with wicked men in their sins must receive of their plagues. (4.) When the sins of a people reach up to heaven, the wrath of God will reach down to the earth. (5.) Though private revenge is forbidden, yet God will have his people act under him, when called to it, in pulling down his and their inveterate and implacable enemies,
Revel 18:6. (6.) God will proportion the punishment of sinners to the measure of their wickedness, pride, and security,
Revel 18:7. (7.) When destruction comes on a people suddenly, the surprise is a great aggravation of their misery,
Revel 18:8.
9 Here we have,
I. A doleful lamentation made by Babylon's friends for her fall; and here observe,
1. Who are the mourners, namely, those who had been bewitched by her fornication, those who had been sharers in her sensual pleasures, and those who had been gainers by her wealth and trade - the kings and the merchants of the earth:
the kings of the earth, whom she had flattered into idolatry by allowing them to be arbitrary and tyrannical over their subjects, while they were obsequious to her; and
the merchants, that is, those who trafficked with her for indulgences, pardons, dispensations, and preferments; these will mourn, because by
this craft they got their wealth. 2. What was the manner of their mourning. (1.) They stood afar off, they durst not come nigh her. Even Babylon's friends will stand at a distance from her fall. Though they had been partakers with her in her sins, and in her sinful pleasures and profits, they were not willing to bear a share in her plagues. (2.) They made a grievous outcry:
Alas! alas! that great city, Babylon, that mighty city! (3.) They wept, and
cast dust upon their heads, Revel 18:19. The pleasures of sin are but for a season, and they will end in dismal sorrow. All those who rejoice in the success of the church's enemies will share with them in their downfall; and those who have most indulged themselves in pride and pleasure are the least able to bear calamities; their sorrows will be as excessive as their pleasure and jollity were before.
3. What was the cause of their mourning; not their sin, but their punishment. They did not lament their fall into idolatry, and luxury, and persecution, but their fall into ruin - the loss of their traffic and of their wealth and power. The spirit of antichrist is a worldly spirit, and their sorrow is a mere worldly sorrow; they did not lament for the anger of God, that had now fallen upon them, but for the loss of their outward comfort. We have a large schedule and inventory of the wealth and merchandise of this city, all which was suddenly lost (
Revel 18:12,
Revel 18:13), and lost irrecoverably (
Revel 18:14):
All things which were dainty and goodly have departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The church of God may fall for a time, but she shall rise again; but the fall of Babylon will be an utter overthrow, like that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Godly sorrow is some support under affliction, but mere worldly sorrow adds to the calamity.
II. An account of the joy and triumph there was both in heaven and earth at the irrecoverable fall of Babylon: while her own people were bewailing her, the servants of God were called to
rejoice over her, Revel 18:20. Here observe, 1. How universal this joy would be: heaven and earth, angels and saints, would join in it; that which is matter of rejoicing to the servants of God in this world is matter of rejoicing to the angels in heaven. 2. How just and reasonable; and that, (1.) Because the fall of Babylon was an act of God's vindictive justice. God was then avenging his people's cause. They had committed their cause to him
to whom vengeance belongs, and now the year of recompence had come for the controversies of Zion; and, though they did not take pleasure in the miseries of any, yet they had reason to rejoice in the discoveries of the glorious justice of God. (2.) Because it was an irrecoverable ruin. This enemy should never molest them any more, and of this they were assured by a remarkable token (
Revel 18:21): An
angel from heaven
took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus shall Babylon be thrown down with violence, and be found no more at all; the place shall be no longer habitable by man, no work shall be done there, no comfort enjoyed, no light seen there, but utter darkness and desolation, as the reward of her great wickedness, first in
deceiving the nations with her sorceries, and secondly in destroying and murdering those whom she could not deceive,
Revel 18:24. Such abominable sins deserved so great a ruin.
