Revelation 14
Revelation 14
14:1-5 ; The Lamb and His Followers
14:6-13; Angelic Messages
14:8 Another angel appears, declaring that Babylon the great has fallen. The fall of Babylon was prophesied by Isaiah (Isa. 21:9) and Jeremiah (Jer. 51:8) and fulfilled in 539 BC. John applies the description of Babylon to Rome (cf. comments on Rev. 17:1–19:5; 1 Pet. 5:13), showing that Babylon functions as a precursor and type of godless cities to come. John will expand significantly on the angel’s words in 17:1–19:5, but here he declares Babylon’s fall (cf. 18:2, 10, 21). Babylon is judged for making the nations drink the wine of her fornication (16:19; 17:2, 5; 18:3). This fornication is spiritual and not literal, though it surely includes the idea of sexual sin. Still, the focus is on spiritual harlotry and prostitution (cf. Jer. 3:8–9; Ezekiel 16; 23; Hos. 1:1–3:5). Babylon will face judgment for encouraging the worship of false gods, spreading worldwide the message that it is good and right to rebel against the one true God.