The World's Not So Fairy Tale Ending- Revelation 18:1-8

Recently my family had the opportunity to enjoy an exciting trip to Disney World courtesy of my awesome parents. In many ways this trip to this special place lived up to its billing as being “magical.” While you are there, the hospitality you are shown, the beauty of the parks, the fun that is had, and the experiences you enjoy can really have you forgetting your problems and living, at least for a brief while, in fairy-tale land. However, I know and you know that the world we live in isn’t quite the beautiful, carefree, and optimistic place I came to love at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, or Hollywood studios. In fact, our van breaking down on the way back home somewhere in North Carolina on I-77 jolted me back to this reality quickly. That said, many do buy into a false narrative—a fairy tale if you will—that has them believing that real happiness and a “happily ever after” is something that can be found in this world or in themselves. Revelation 18:1-8 tells a very different story. In fact, by spoiling the ending of history, my prayer is that we might spoil the ending the world doesn’t want people to know in time for them to become citizens of a new world to come. To this end, let’s look at this text and listen to two exclamations from heaven as it responds to the fall of the coming world order.

a. Description of Desolation-18:1-3

After witnessing a preview of what is coming—in a statement covering the victory of the Lamb and the fall of Babylon—the preview of Revelation 19 continues in chapter 18:1-8 with two exclamations that demonstrate how we ought to interpret the loss of this fallen world. The first of these exclamations is a description of desolation provided in verses 1-3. The source of the message is given first in verse 1: “After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory.” Following the introduction of a new section (indicated by “after these things”) John witnesses “another angel” especially bright with God’s glory and possessing great authority. The message that he comes to bring is what one commentator calls a “prophetic taunt song” that begins with the angel announcing the death of the enemies of God with overtones of joy at the judgment (Aune, Revelation 17-22, 976; Osborne, Revelation, 634).

In many ways, it is similar to what a superior playground athlete might chant to his grossly inferior and opposing playmates—“Your gonna lose! Your gonna lose!”

However, in a statement that is a bit more refined than what was heard in my youth, the angel “cried out with a mighty voice, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!’…” (18:2a). Like the angel’s announcement in 14:8, this repeated chant also speaks of Babylon’s fall as it if had already occurred. Remember, when we are talking about “Babylon” in the context of Revelation we are referring to a coming world order with sway over the earth’s population. It will be a wicked and idolatrous regime that will be taken over by the Antichrist for a time during the tribulation period. This “Babylon” will fall and this angel of God knows it.

Fall she must as “she has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird” (18:2b). In many ways, the future world power has become haunted by every wicked spirit imaginable.

Jews in the first century believed that evil spirits lived in desolate places. Jesus reflects on this in Luke 11:24-“When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.” This is also revealed when Jesus heals a demoniac who lived in the hill country off by himself along the sea of Galilee in Mark 5:5. Here, in Revelation 18:2b, the world’s system is described as not only haunted by evil spirits, but is shown serving as a prison cell for these wicked ghosts. Physical manifestations of the saturation of evil spirits emerge in the presence of unclean birds circling overhead like vultures waiting to devour the dead below. Isaiah 13:21 and Jeremiah 50:39 both prophesied that Babylon would be destroyed and that owls—an unclean bird—would inhabit the site. Also, other unclean birds, probably carnivorous vultures, are again mentioned in Revelation 19:21.

After taunting the world by throwing their coming destruction in their face, the angel outlines the reasons for this in verse 3. First, “for all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality” (18:3a). This is a figurative way to suggest that the nations will be destroyed along with the world power itself because they have participated freely with her in her debauchery (see 14:8; 17:2). They have gotten drunk on the same excesses and will therefore share in the same miserable defeat.

Not only are the nations implicated in this destruction, so too are the leaders of those nations—"and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her” (18:3b). Don’t you know that a nation is directly affected by the quality of its leadership? Just as the leadership is a reflection of the nation (to some degree) today, so too will there be a direct correlation between leader and nation in the end. Here again, as before (see Revelation 17) the image of sexual immorality is conflated with spiritual idolatry. Cheating on the one true God by allying oneself with inferior ideas and or personalities is compared to lying with a prostitute—in fact, this is exactly the image that was used to describe Babylon in Revelation 17:5—“and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, ‘Babylon the great the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth’.”

Added to the drunkenness of the world and the immorality of its leadership is the greed with which the economic powers of the world have operated –“and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality” (18:3c). Though up to this point the sins of idolatry and immorality have been highlighted and used to implicate the world and its leadership, Revelation 18 adds greed and materialism to the litany of grievances heaven has against earth.  Much as Rome conquered both through military might and economic domination at the time this was written, so too will this coming world order use trade to hold power over the earth’s population. The incipient greed and questionable networking will result in a global economic power, the likes of which the world has never seen. As power often accompanies money, this rich and powerful regime will abuse its power in controlling the economy for its nefarious purposes and not for the good of the world. For this it will be judged.

In the description of coming desolation we hear a prophetic taunt against the fallen world along with reasons for why the world is so deserving of future destruction. The next voice John hears calls for retribution.

b. Callings for Retribution-18:4-8

This retribution comes in three forms. The first involves a call for God’s people to separate themselves from the wicked world—“I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues’” (18:4a). “My people” is a relatively technical label for those who, in either the Old or New Testament share in a special relationship with God. In the context of Revelation 18, these “people” are those with a special relationship with God living on the earth during this tribulation period (tribulation saints). Miraculous though their conversion may be during this troubling period, these converts will emerge and will be in harm’s way. As most of these final plagues are focused on the seat of global power in a capitol of sorts, God’s people on the earth are asked to vacate the premises. Their association with this context could have them entertaining the ways of this context (idolatry, immorality, greed, etc.) and suffering the plagues that God will concentrate in this city’s direction.

Don’t you know that in some ways you and I are a product of our environments. North, south, country, urban, south side, north side, different contexts in different places can significantly impact people’s lives. This has been true since very early. Consider Lot and his affiliation with Sodom and Gomorrah. His locality had a very negative impact on him and his family for a time. Consider those kingdoms that required conquering as God’s people moved into the Promised Land. The same will be true in the end and one of the ways that retribution against the wicked world will be seen will involve the separation between God’s people and Babylon the Great. Once God’s people have left the area, God will reign down his final plagues (particularly the fifth and sixth bowls) on this region.

The reason for God raining down plagues on this location is articulated in verse 5—“for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities” (18:5). The verb used for “piled” is defined as “to increase enormous the number of something, with the implication of reaching the attention of God” (Louw & Nida). The world will grab the attention of God in a negative way. Its idolatry, immorality, and greed will grow so great that it demands a response from heaven. Though the response may not seem especially great—“and God has remembered her iniquities”—it is antithetical to how God responds to his people in places like Hebrews 8:12—"for I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” To have one’s sins forgotten means to be forgiven and enjoy life. To have one’s sins remembered is to be judged and condemned. The fallen world is falling and will ultimately land in this second category.

The second way that God will enact retribution against the wicked world order is by paying her back for her many evil deeds—“Pay her back even as she paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her” (18:6). What follows in verses 6-8 of chapter 18 is a courtroom scene in which God deals out a punishment that fits the crime. In fact, “the whole scene could be likened to a universal courtroom, in which a class-action suit takes place. Plaintiffs in this suit are Christians together with all those killed on earth (18:24) (at the hands of persecution and pressure—see Rev. 6:9ff); the defendant is Babylon…who is charged with murder in the interest of power and idolatry; and the presiding judge is God. As announced previously in 14:8 (and revealed in 18:1-3), Babylon…has lost the lawsuit” (Schussler Fiorenza, Revelation: Vision of a Just World, 99). As a result, God pronounces a legal sentence that is read here by a heavenly intermediary (a bailiff of sorts if we are continuing the metaphor along). The sentence describes that the world be punished not just in a way similar to what she was guilty of, but “double according to her deeds.” Not only that, but to the degree that she made the world drink of her indulgences and immorality, she is to drink from the same cup and, added to it, the cup of God’s wrath mixed to full strength (see Rev. 14:10).

In verse 7 God hands down the punishment—“to the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning.” In this description of the punishment two crimes the world order has committed are revealed: she has glorified herself rather than God (the only appropriate destination for glory of any kind) and she has lived in sensuous luxury—i.e. licentious opulence. Pride and decadence are the two indictments God has against this future world order and for these the world will pay—“to the same degree give her torment and mourning” (18:7a).

So swelled is the world with pride and decadence in this future time that she will parade herself around saying “I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning” (18:7b). The world believes herself to have it all and have no need of anything (spiritual or otherwise). Self-sufficient in her own mind, the world believes it has a happily ever after awaiting her. This is taught even today.

In between the other-worldly parks, spectacular shows, memorable characters, and themed rides, a distinct and not-so-subliminal message was broadcast to the thousands of daily visitors at Disney World on our recent trip. This message might be summed up best in the closing lyrics to the firework show that can be seen each night at Magic Kingdom: "The story comes alive! When we look inside; a new adventure, there in your eyes. It’s just beginning, feel your heart beat faster. Reach out and find your…happily ever after!" While there are many reasons to question the philosophy behind these lyrics, this message (and others similar) are indicative of what the world would have us all believe: that our hope, joy, and fulfillment can be found inside ourselves and that this can somehow bring about a happily ever after. It is a message that is, like the overpriced cotton candy sold in the parks, as sweet as it is weightless. Nonetheless this philosophy (and the cotton candy) sells...a LOT! The Bible presents a very different worldview. Our hope is not found by reaching inside or around us. After all, our hearts, according to Jeremiah 17:9, are deceitfully wicked and the world around us is itself corrupt (Romans 8:21). In fact, because of the condition of the hearts of men and the corruption of the world, things as they stand, in and of themselves, will never result in a happily ever after. Instead, the Bible clearly articulates, in no uncertain terms, that the world (affluent and attractive though she may be) will fall under the weight of her indulgences (Revelation 17). Therefore, we should not look for nor expect to find a happily ever after kind of ending around us here and now.

This same popular philosophy will be in place at the future pivotal juncture of history described here in Revelation 18. Thankfully, the one we follow is not of this world and our ultimate destiny is in a new heaven and a new earth. Jesus says in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." Christ is the true and ultimate hero. Instead of dawning tights and a perfect hairdo, he carried a cross and bled and died to bring about salvation. Instead of conquering a dragon or kissing a sleeping princess, he overcame the grave and ascended on high to the right hand of God. As such he alone is able to offer salvation that is far greater than a carriage ride over the horizon or peace in a temporary kingdom. Though I don't want to spoil a perfectly wonderful trip by ranting on what appear to be relatively benign lyrics to a song, I'm afraid that what might appear benign is actually symptomatic of a malignant cancer in our culture--a culture that is looking in all the wrong places for its fulfillment. In shooting for happiness in this world or in themselves, people miss out on the joy that Christ alone can bring in any and all circumstances. The real fairy tale is believing that the world or those in it can live up the hype that these songs, presentations, and philosophies project. The Bible teaches that Jesus and what he provides not only lives up to the hype, he surpasses it greatly. Which is why HE ALONE is deserving of all the glory. To glorify something/someone else here or in the future is misinformed to the max!

As the world will be guilty of this in a most egregious way in the future, the writing is on the wall—“for this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.” In many ways this is the same predicted fate the Book of Revelation has made plain several times already (see Rev .14:9ff; 16:17ff; 17:1-18). Ultimately, the indulgent, immoral, and idolatrous world will suffer a great humiliating defeat—it will be the opposite of the fairy tale ending it often predicts for herself.

So What?

If this is what the coming world order can expect and certainly what the fallen world system will experience, why place any confidence in the world and what she offers? Don’t believe the lies that she tries to sell you. A happily ever after ending is not found in anything in you or around you, nor will it emerge out of anything the world could produce in an of herself no matter how good we may cooperate with each other or what solutions we may find to the problems that confront us all today. According to Revelation, the fallen world (no matter how pretty or alluring she may be) isn’t the heroine of God’s grand story, but the villain and ultimate loser. Christ is the victor and he alone provides the victory. For many in our world, this truth may seem like an unexpected plot twist too ludicrous to believe. However, it is up to us to spoil the ending of the story that has already been spoiled for us in places like Revelation 18:1-8  so that those who belong to this world today may grieve their sin and turn to the only one who can save them—turning from their worldly allegiances and becoming members of God’s family.