revelation 18

Read Revelation 18 at Bible Gateway.

Rev 18:1-24 chiastic structure

1a) Rev 18:1-2, The angel with great authority cried mightily, Babylon the great is fallen;

1b) Rev 18:3, 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;

1c) Rev 18:4-5, And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities;

1d) Rev 18:6a, Render to her just as she rendered to you;

central axis) Rev 18:6b, And repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her;

2d) Rev 18:7, In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow;’

2c) Rev 18:8, Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her;

2b) Rev 18:9a, The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her;

2a) Rev 18:9-24, Kings, merchants, shipmasters cried/ Heaven rejoiced that Babylon the great was fallen;

Rev 18:9-10, Kings lamented the great city;

1a) Rev 18:9a, The kings of the earth who committed fornication + lived luxuriously with her will weep + lament for her;
1b) Rev 18:9b, When they see the smoke of her burning;
central axis) Rev 18:10a, Standing at a distance;
2b) Rev 18:10b, For fear of her torment;
2a) Rev 18:10c, Saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city!
conclusion) Rev 18:10d, For in one hour your judgment has come;

Rev 18:11-17a, Merchants lamented the great city;

1a.1) Rev 18:11a, The merchants of the earth will weep + mourn over her;
1a.2) Rev 18:11b-12a, For no one buys their merchandise anymore: merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet;
1b) Rev 18:12b-13a, Every kind of citron wood + ivory + precious wood, bronze, iron, marble + spice, perfume + wine, oil + wheat, livestock + horses, chariots;
central axis) Rev 18:13b-14a, And bodies, souls of men/ The fruit that your soul longed for;
2b) Rev 18:14b, Has gone from you/ All things rich, splendid have gone from you/ you shall not find them again;
2a.1) Rev 18:15-16a, The merchants who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping + wailing/ Alas, alas, that great city;
2a.2) Rev 18:16b, That was clothed in fine linen, purple, scarlet/ adorned with gold, precious stones, pearls;
conclusion) Rev 18:17a For in one hour such great riches came to nothing;

Rev 18:17b-19, Shipmasters lamented the great city;

1a) Rev 18:17b, Every shipmaster, all seafarers, sailors, seatraders stood at a distance;
1b) Rev 18:18, And cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What is like this great city?
central axis) Rev 18:19a, They threw dust on their heads + cried out, weeping + wailing;
2b) Rev 18:19b, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city;
2a) Rev 18:19c, In which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth;
conclusion) Rev 18:19d, For in one hour she is made desolate;

Rev 18:20-24, Heaven rejoiced that the great city Babylon was thrown down;

1a) Rev 18:20, Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles + prophets, for God has avenged you on her!
1b) Rev 18:21a, Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down;
1c) Rev 18:21b, And shall not be found anymore;
central axis) Rev 18:22-23a, Musicians + craftsmen + millers + light + families;
2c) Rev 18:23b, Shall not be heard in you anymore;
2b) Rev 18:23c, Your merchants were the great men of the earth/ by your sorcery all nations were deceived;
2a) Rev 18:24, In her was found the blood of prophets + saints + all who were slain on the earth.

In the smaller structures of Kings, Merchants, and Shipmasters, they each share elements that are repeated in some way:

1) Identification of the mourner
2) Lamentation
3) Standing at a distance
4) Alas, Alas, that great city
5) In one hour

In the final smaller structure of heaven rejoicing for Babylon’s fall, the B pairs aren’t readily apparent but are forced together because of their surrounding elements which undeniably pair. I think that the 1B pair tells the judgment: being thrown down, and the 2B pair tells the reason for the judgment: great men (in Scripture, the great are normally the oppressors) and practicing sorcery.

coming out of babylon
My revelation 18 notes

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Christine’s book The Revelation of Jesus Christ Revealed, based on these studies but greatly expanded, is now available at Revelation Revealed Online. You may also be interested in reading the Book Extras and joining in on the Discussion.