Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you. (Revelation 18:20, NIV 1984).
My Musings – In contrast to the mourning by those bewitched (“kings, merchants and sea captains“) by the religious, political and economic systems of this Babylon, is the rejoicing of those who had been oppressed (“saints and apostles and prophets‘) by her.
The prophetic sentence handed down that Babylon would ultimately fall, never to be rebuilt or inhabited again, though long delayed throughout history, is finally carried out by God Himself. The rejoicing over its fulfilment is the rejoicing over the truth and righteousness of God Himself. God is avenging his people’s cause. They had committed their cause to him “to whom vengeance belongs,” and now the day and hour has finally come. While they do not take pleasure in the miseries of others, they have reason to rejoice in the justice of God. Babylon’s ruin is complete and irrevocable. The enemy will never oppress God’s people again.
When world powers and their leaders trample the downtrodden, when possessions have more value than people, when the will of the world is irretrievably bent to the will of Satan, then the fall of “Babylon” can only bring joy to the Godly. Those who cast their lot with Satan by rejecting Christ, cannot ultimately have the same viewpoint as the people of God. When Satan was cast out of Heaven, Heaven rejoiced while the earth mourned “For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them!” (Revelation 12:10, 12, NIV 1984). Now that Babylon has fallen from its earthly position, once again Heaven rejoices and the earth laments.
The Babylonian system, satanic from the very beginning (Genesis 4), has been responsible for the martyrdom of God’s faithful people throughout world history. The souls of these martyrs under the altar in Revelation 6:9–11 had asked, “How long, O Lord?” Now their prayer is answered, and God has avenged their blood. “For it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19, NIV 1984).
My Advice – Why doesn’t God do something? How many times have we heard that. First, God already did something for the oppressed. It’s called grace. It happened at Calvary. Second, God will do something to the oppressors. It’s called justice. It will happen at the Great White Throne Judgment. The fall of Babylon is just the beginning. Choose Calvary and avoid the Great White Throne Judgment.
Resources:
Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Re 18:20). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Moore, E., Craven, E. R., & Woods, J. H. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Revelation (p. 328). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 2482). Peabody: Hendrickson.
Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The teacher’s commentary (p. 1083). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (pp. 848–849). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
The Brew Is A Musing 