Revelation Chapter 16

Verse 19: And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

The literal kingdom of Babylon was composed of three parts: (1) the city or capital, (2) the nation, and (3) the empire. All three were called Babylon but from different standpoints. The composite whole was the empire. In a spiritual sense

(1) the capital represents Papacy,

(2) the province or nation represents Papacy and Protestantism, and

(3) the empire corresponds to Papacy, Protestantism, and the civil power.

The empire, called the “great city” (Verse 19), corresponds to Christendom (Babylon) —the whole ecclesiastical- civil arrangement. Thus, it can be seen that the three parts originally were the unholy three or triumvirate of Verse 13: the beast, the false prophet, and the dragon.

The clause “and the cities of the nations fell” should more properly be rendered “and the city [Sinaitic manuscript] of the nations fell.” Even though for a time the coalition of international forces will seem successful, it will be short-lived; again, for the sake of expediency, the beast, the false prophet, and the dragon will each seek to remove itself from the former, but now unpopular, association. The separation will expose the mystical center or capital of Babylon, in a particular sense, to the wrath of discontents.

“Great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his [God’s] wrath.”

For centuries the Church of Rome has maligned and abused those she considered heretics, some of whom were the Lord’s true saints (Rev. 16:6). In the past the Lord remained silent while the evil deeds and pretensions of the false Church kept mounting higher and higher . . . but at this point they will intrude into His very presence, as it were, demanding judgment and retribution. In this retribution setting the “cup” is a reminder of the type where Belshazzar, king of Babylon, made sport of the Lord’s vessels, bringing matters to a climax at the very hour of the city’s fall.

Let this be a warning to all those who are quick to stand in judgement of their fellow believers in Christ who differ in doctrine as they, accusing them of being heretics, it may not end well for such when in the end it is proven that those, they accused spoke truth, and that it was they who were the ones who were wrong all along, their pride keeping them from the truth.

The words of our Lord recorded in Rev 3:9 come to mind once again:

“Indeed, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan (the apostate church, the church nominal), who say they are Jews (Christians) and ARE NOT, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.”

Humility and meekness are key to receiving the truth. Humility allows one to accept the possibility that it may be that it is they who are the ones wrong, they who hold the wrong teaching, and meekness (teachableness) allows for change of one’s mind, one’s views, this with great thankfulness for the Lord’s correction.

Verse 20: And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

The thought is that all kinds of government will perish. In this picture two kinds are contrasted: islands and mountains.

The “mountains” would be the stronger internally structured, more autocratic style of ruler-ships, while the “islands” would represent the weaker-structured parliamentary or democratic forms of government. All shall fall, giving way to the Lord’s own Kingdom, which will be the “desire of all nations” though now unperceived as such (Hag. 2:7).

Not only is there the emphasis that all kinds of government will topple, but the words “fled away” and “not found” stress a complete removal, not just a melting away. This verse does not pertain to the Nazi, the Fascist, or the Russian Revolution, nor does it refer to socialism; it indicates complete anarchy, a time when there will be no government at all, for the abiding Kingdom of the Lord and Saviors Jesus Christ is to be built upon the ruins of the anarchy (Dan. 2:44).

This Time of Trouble (Verse 20) is related to Babylon’s fall (Verse 19) because she has been a bulwark or stay to the whole system. Shortly after Babylon falls, the governments will likewise cease to exist. The seventh plague will bring about Babylon’s fall, which in turn will result in the collapse of the governments.

Continued with next post.