Revelation 18:1-24

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For the following scripture, what is being stated? what is your opinion on the matter? what is the Churches teachings about this passage?
And after these things, I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power: and the earth was enlightened with his glory. 2 And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen: and has become the habitation of devils and the hold of every unclean spirit and the hold of every unclean and hateful bird: 3 Because 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 have been made rich by the power of her delicacies. 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: Go out from her, my people; that you be not partakers of her sins and that you receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven: and the Lord has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her as she also has rendered to you: and double unto her double, according to her works. In the cup wherein she has mingled, mingle double unto her. 7 As much as she has glorified herself and lived in delicacies, so much torment and sorrow give to her. Because she says in her heart: I sit a queen and am no widow: and sorrow I shall not see. 8 Therefore, shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning and famine. And she shall be burnt with the fire: because God is strong, who shall judge her. 9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived in delicacies with her, shall weep and bewail themselves over her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning: 10 Standing afar off for fear of her torments, saying: Alas! Alas! That great city, Babylon, that mighty city: for in one hour is your judgment come. 11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her: for no man shall buy their merchandise any more. 12 Merchandise of gold and silver and precious stones: and of pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet: and all thyine wood: and all manner of vessels of ivory: and all manner of vessels of precious stone and of brass and of iron and of marble: 13 And cinnamon and odours and ointment and frankincense and wine and oil and fine flour and wheat and beasts and sheep and horses and chariots: and slaves and souls of men. 14 And the fruits of the desire of your soul are departed from you: and all fat and goodly things are perished from you. And they shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who were made rich, shall stand afar off from her, for fear of her torments, weeping and mourning, 16 and saying: Alas! Alas! That great city, which was clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet and was gilt with gold and precious stones and pearls. 17 For in one hour are so great riches come to nought. And every shipmaster and all that sail into the lake, and mariners, and as many as work in the sea, stood afar off, 18 and cried, seeing the place of her burning, saying: What city is like to this great city? 19 And they cast dust upon their heads and cried, weeping and mourning, saying: Alas! Alas! That great city, wherein all were made rich, that had ships at sea, by reason of her prices. For, in one hour she is made desolate. 20 Rejoice over her, you heaven and you holy apostles and prophets. For God has judged your judgment on her. 21 And a mighty angel took up a stone, as it were a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying: With such violence as this, shall Babylon, that great city, be thrown down and shall be found no more at all. 22 And the voice of harpers and of musicians and of them that play on the pipe and on the trumpet shall no more be heard at all in you: and no craftsman of any art whatsoever shall be found any more at all in you: and the sound of the mill shall be heard no more at all in you: 23 And the light of the lamp shall shine no more at all in you: and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride shall be heard no more at all in you. For your merchants were the great men of the earth: for all nations have been deceived by your enchantments. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all that were slain upon the earth.
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Here is what I wrote on it in my commentary
Here we see the proclamation of the fall of Babylon, meaning that the nations and people of the world who follow atheism and materialism have been destroyed, and now there are only those who piously follow God and those who piously follow the Antichrist, nothing in between. Many people will be devastated because the source of wealth and greed will be whipped out and the world economy shattered.
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As we can see, God hates this form of evil so badly that he lets both the forces of the Devil and the Heavenly angels destroy it. The reason is because atheism and materialism can be more spiritually dangerous to God’s people than the tyranny of the Antichrist, because with the Antichrist the threat is physical and imposed with fear, while the other is done through seduction and is often more subtle.
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Here’s the link litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Chapter+18
 
Is there something specific you are getting at?

There are basically three ways of interpreting Babylon: Historical, Spiritual, and Futurist.

Within the historical camp there are two main candidates for the identity of Babylon. Most scholars tend to see Babylon as a codeword for Rome, but some see it for Jerusalem. On the one hand, Rome was the evil world power when the book of Revelation was written and it promoted idolatry. On the other hand, Jerusalem was actually completely distroyed and previously in the book of Revelation “the great city” is explicitly identified as Jerusalem.

A spiritual interpretation would say that Babylon is the rebellous and idolatrous spirit within each of us, and it is God’s plan to destroy it. Therefore, we best not be placing our treasure and our hearts with material goods and luxuries of this world.

The futurist interpretation would be to try to identify some aspect of our modern world with Babylon. The futurist would say that God is literally going to destroy a group of people or city or institution etc in the manner described in the book of Revelation. It seems that Copland3 is leaning in this direction. The problem with this interpretation is that Babylon would have meant nothing to its original audience.

Is this what you were looking for?
 
Unfortunately there is no big book in the Vatican that has an explanation of every scripture.It doesn’t exist.We are left many times to our discretion with the principles of the Word/church/ magesterium to guide us.and hopefully some common sense.
 
xpistou said:
Is there something specific you are getting at?

There are basically three ways of interpreting Babylon: Historical, Spiritual, and Futurist.

Within the historical camp there are two main candidates for the identity of Babylon. Most scholars tend to see Babylon as a codeword for Rome, but some see it for Jerusalem. On the one hand, Rome was the evil world power when the book of Revelation was written and it promoted idolatry. On the other hand, Jerusalem was actually completely distroyed and previously in the book of Revelation “the great city” is explicitly identified as Jerusalem.

A spiritual interpretation would say that Babylon is the rebellous and idolatrous spirit within each of us, and it is God’s plan to destroy it. Therefore, we best not be placing our treasure and our hearts with material goods and luxuries of this world.

The futurist interpretation would be to try to identify some aspect of our modern world with Babylon. The futurist would say that God is literally going to destroy a group of people or city or institution etc in the manner described in the book of Revelation. It seems that Copland3 is leaning in this direction. The problem with this interpretation is that Babylon would have meant nothing to its original audience.

Is this what you were looking for?
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yes, and then some. thank you all.
 
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