Revelation Chapter 18
VERSE 15 “The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing…”
THE MERCHANTS OF THESE THINGS: SOMEONE had to supply Babylon’s appetite. The capitalists were more than willing to have her as their primary client.
What other international concern kept them so well in business?
WHO BECAME RICH FROM HER: Read history! Cooperation with the harlot brought great temporal advantages. Those who reliably supplied her fond desires reaped great rewards.
WILL STAND AT A DISTANCE: — for the same reason as the kings in Verse 10. (Dissociating themselves from their former client)
BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF HER TORMENT, WEEPING AND MOURNING: The NAS is awkward here. “Weeping and mourning” is NOT being done by Babylon, but rather by the merchants. Compare Rev 18:11. The merchants fear her torment. They have abandoned a sinking ship. Though they loved her for what she brought them in the past, they DON’T love a loser. They weep and mourn the LOSSES, not the institution.
VERSE 16 “…and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
SAYING, WOE, WOE THE GREAT CITY: Note how this differs from the Kings in Verse 10. The Kings add “the STRONG (or Great) city.” THEY appreciated invincibility. The merchants see its greatness instead as:
SHE WHO WAS CLOTHED IN FINE LINEN AND PURPLE AND SCARLET AND ADORNED WITH GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONES AND PEARLS: While these items are symbols of and counterfeits of spiritual things, THAT is not what these merchants mourn! They mourn the loss of the control of WEALTH.
VERSE 17 “For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance…”
FOR IN ONE HOUR: — one very unique and special period in history.
SUCH GREAT WEALTH HAS BEEN LAID WASTE: Again, contrast this with the Kings in Verse 10. The focus is entirely different. The merchants mourn the loss of a secure economic system.
— SHIPMASTERS, PASSENGERS, SAILORS, LIVING-MAKERS —
AND EVERY SHIPMASTER: These are not capitalists. These are MAJOR businessmen — the ones who run the “ships” of commerce. They might be called profiteers. They handle the capital which the capitalists have invested.
AND EVERY PASSENGER: These are people who go along for the ride — minor investors, small stockholders, people who hope to get somewhere by following the flow.
AND SAILOR: These are probably small business owners. They rely on being supplied from the larger suppliers. They don’t own the ship, but they manage the sales — (oops! SAILS!)
AND AS MANY AS MAKE THEIR LIVING BY SEA: The sea, of course, is the bulk of mankind who are dependent upon and often fleeced by the business world. Remember (Rev 17:1) that the harlot SAT upon the waters (controlled or directed the people). This group is those who build the boats, make the sails, work the docks — i.e., LABORERS: the class here symbolized as making its living by sea. Usually, they are one paycheck away from economic distress.
STOOD AT A DISTANCE: Note the difference here from Verses 10 and 15. Those with greatest power fear her torment — lest it spread to their own realm of power. But these lesser people in the economic scheme don’t see the connection as clearly between Babylon’s torments and their own livelihoods. This is very significant. The Kings and Capitalists were in a position of privileged information. They had the “inside track” of how things worked — which they did not publicize.
These lesser people only have a second-hand relationship with Babylon. They KNOW the stability is gone, and it troubles them greatly. They stand at a distance because you just don’t get close to fire! But “fear of torment” is exclusive to the powerful insiders.
VERSE 18 “…and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’
AND WERE CRYING OUT: — in distress
AS THEY SAW THE SMOKE OF HER BURNING: The smoke became visible after WWI. Perhaps Germany (the old seat of the Holy Roman Empire) was the first to feel the loss. But the economic instabilities of this century spread rapidly, and the distress of business and workers all over the world is now heard clearly. Oh, how they long for a stable economy!
SAYING, WHAT CITY IS LIKE THE GREAT CITY? This MAY be a longing for the old order. Or it MAY be a legitimate question: IS THERE A VIABLE SUBSTITUTE? “Is there ANOTHER city like the great old one?” The answer, unfortunately for them, is NO! (Although they MAY try to recreate one in the near future. Chapter 17 seemed so to indicate.)
VERSE 19 “They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour, she is made desolate.’
AND THEY THREW DUST ON THEIR HEADS: — the traditional sign of grief, deep trouble, and especially LOSS. (Compare Josh. 7:6; Job 2:12; Lam. 2:10, etc.) Those reliant on others for sustenance are very sensitive regarding the source of their livelihoods. They feel the LOSS greatly.
AND WERE CRYING OUT, WEEPING AND MOURNING: These “weep and MOURN” as did the merchants, but don’t “weep and LAMENT” as the kings. The “mourning” seems to have more of the thought of sad acquiescence.
SAYING, WOE, WOE: All three groups have this reaction. It is a statement of portending trouble. Curiously, it is NOT woe, woe, woe as in Rev 8:13. Three statements seem to symbolize totality (as also in Rev 4:8). Only TWO woes seem to be a subtle statement that they still have hope of survival — even without Babylon.
THE GREAT CITY: Again, all three groups acknowledge how great the old arrangement was. This they all have in common.
IN WHICH ALL WHO HAD SHIPS AT SEA: This seems to refer to the capitalists — the ones who supplied the jobs, supplies, and paychecks for these lesser people. These who are lower on the economic ladder know — at least instinctively — that the welfare of the capitalists will determine their own futures. This is why a government will “bail out” Chrysler Corporation, but not the corner drug store.
BECAME RICH BY HER WEALTH: This lesser group of economic recipients echoes the sentiments of the merchants (Verse 15) who control all of the lower-level economy. THIS is appropriate. It is very noticeable in today’s economy that workers constantly look at economic trends to see the likelihood of lay-offs, production cuts, etc.
FOR IN ONE HOUR: — one very unique and peculiar time in history. It is true historically that the world was not prepared for the shock it received when WWI changed not only politics, but also economics. Suddenly, in one hour, it was a different world.
SHE HAS BEEN LAID WASTE: This group stresses the “SHE” has been laid waste. Contrast Verses 10 and 17. These workers and businessmen see the SYSTEM — the way of doing things which gave jobs and income some stability — as being damaged. This is what is important to this group. This group never addresses Babylon directly. They have never been insiders.
We will take a look at Brother Shallieu’s thoughts on Verses 15-19 in our next post.
VERSE 15 “The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing…”
THE MERCHANTS OF THESE THINGS: SOMEONE had to supply Babylon’s appetite. The capitalists were more than willing to have her as their primary client.
What other international concern kept them so well in business?
WHO BECAME RICH FROM HER: Read history! Cooperation with the harlot brought great temporal advantages. Those who reliably supplied her fond desires reaped great rewards.
WILL STAND AT A DISTANCE: — for the same reason as the kings in Verse 10. (Dissociating themselves from their former client)
BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF HER TORMENT, WEEPING AND MOURNING: The NAS is awkward here. “Weeping and mourning” is NOT being done by Babylon, but rather by the merchants. Compare Rev 18:11. The merchants fear her torment. They have abandoned a sinking ship. Though they loved her for what she brought them in the past, they DON’T love a loser. They weep and mourn the LOSSES, not the institution.
VERSE 16 “…and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
SAYING, WOE, WOE THE GREAT CITY: Note how this differs from the Kings in Verse 10. The Kings add “the STRONG (or Great) city.” THEY appreciated invincibility. The merchants see its greatness instead as:
SHE WHO WAS CLOTHED IN FINE LINEN AND PURPLE AND SCARLET AND ADORNED WITH GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONES AND PEARLS: While these items are symbols of and counterfeits of spiritual things, THAT is not what these merchants mourn! They mourn the loss of the control of WEALTH.
VERSE 17 “For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance…”
FOR IN ONE HOUR: — one very unique and special period in history.
SUCH GREAT WEALTH HAS BEEN LAID WASTE: Again, contrast this with the Kings in Verse 10. The focus is entirely different. The merchants mourn the loss of a secure economic system.
— SHIPMASTERS, PASSENGERS, SAILORS, LIVING-MAKERS —
AND EVERY SHIPMASTER: These are not capitalists. These are MAJOR businessmen — the ones who run the “ships” of commerce. They might be called profiteers. They handle the capital which the capitalists have invested.
AND EVERY PASSENGER: These are people who go along for the ride — minor investors, small stockholders, people who hope to get somewhere by following the flow.
AND SAILOR: These are probably small business owners. They rely on being supplied from the larger suppliers. They don’t own the ship, but they manage the sales — (oops! SAILS!)
AND AS MANY AS MAKE THEIR LIVING BY SEA: The sea, of course, is the bulk of mankind who are dependent upon and often fleeced by the business world. Remember (Rev 17:1) that the harlot SAT upon the waters (controlled or directed the people). This group is those who build the boats, make the sails, work the docks — i.e., LABORERS: the class here symbolized as making its living by sea. Usually, they are one paycheck away from economic distress.
STOOD AT A DISTANCE: Note the difference here from Verses 10 and 15. Those with greatest power fear her torment — lest it spread to their own realm of power. But these lesser people in the economic scheme don’t see the connection as clearly between Babylon’s torments and their own livelihoods. This is very significant. The Kings and Capitalists were in a position of privileged information. They had the “inside track” of how things worked — which they did not publicize.
These lesser people only have a second-hand relationship with Babylon. They KNOW the stability is gone, and it troubles them greatly. They stand at a distance because you just don’t get close to fire! But “fear of torment” is exclusive to the powerful insiders.
VERSE 18 “…and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’
AND WERE CRYING OUT: — in distress
AS THEY SAW THE SMOKE OF HER BURNING: The smoke became visible after WWI. Perhaps Germany (the old seat of the Holy Roman Empire) was the first to feel the loss. But the economic instabilities of this century spread rapidly, and the distress of business and workers all over the world is now heard clearly. Oh, how they long for a stable economy!
SAYING, WHAT CITY IS LIKE THE GREAT CITY? This MAY be a longing for the old order. Or it MAY be a legitimate question: IS THERE A VIABLE SUBSTITUTE? “Is there ANOTHER city like the great old one?” The answer, unfortunately for them, is NO! (Although they MAY try to recreate one in the near future. Chapter 17 seemed so to indicate.)
VERSE 19 “They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour, she is made desolate.’
AND THEY THREW DUST ON THEIR HEADS: — the traditional sign of grief, deep trouble, and especially LOSS. (Compare Josh. 7:6; Job 2:12; Lam. 2:10, etc.) Those reliant on others for sustenance are very sensitive regarding the source of their livelihoods. They feel the LOSS greatly.
AND WERE CRYING OUT, WEEPING AND MOURNING: These “weep and MOURN” as did the merchants, but don’t “weep and LAMENT” as the kings. The “mourning” seems to have more of the thought of sad acquiescence.
SAYING, WOE, WOE: All three groups have this reaction. It is a statement of portending trouble. Curiously, it is NOT woe, woe, woe as in Rev 8:13. Three statements seem to symbolize totality (as also in Rev 4:8). Only TWO woes seem to be a subtle statement that they still have hope of survival — even without Babylon.
THE GREAT CITY: Again, all three groups acknowledge how great the old arrangement was. This they all have in common.
IN WHICH ALL WHO HAD SHIPS AT SEA: This seems to refer to the capitalists — the ones who supplied the jobs, supplies, and paychecks for these lesser people. These who are lower on the economic ladder know — at least instinctively — that the welfare of the capitalists will determine their own futures. This is why a government will “bail out” Chrysler Corporation, but not the corner drug store.
BECAME RICH BY HER WEALTH: This lesser group of economic recipients echoes the sentiments of the merchants (Verse 15) who control all of the lower-level economy. THIS is appropriate. It is very noticeable in today’s economy that workers constantly look at economic trends to see the likelihood of lay-offs, production cuts, etc.
FOR IN ONE HOUR: — one very unique and peculiar time in history. It is true historically that the world was not prepared for the shock it received when WWI changed not only politics, but also economics. Suddenly, in one hour, it was a different world.
SHE HAS BEEN LAID WASTE: This group stresses the “SHE” has been laid waste. Contrast Verses 10 and 17. These workers and businessmen see the SYSTEM — the way of doing things which gave jobs and income some stability — as being damaged. This is what is important to this group. This group never addresses Babylon directly. They have never been insiders.
We will take a look at Brother Shallieu’s thoughts on Verses 15-19 in our next post.
