Revelation 17:18

- Rev_18:15

The Temple Section-Babylon's Fall

18 The basic law which underlies all figures of speech pleads with us to make this city a literal fact. No one presumes to make the woman literal. She must be figurative. The city, however, explains to us what the woman represents, and must be taken as a literal city. If not, there is no end to the "explanations" which may be offered, each of which may, in turn, be further explained.

18 The city is Babylon, on the Euphrates, which will be rebuilt in due time. But, instead of being a gentile city, as in time past, it will become a Jewish city, composed of the apostates of Judaism. When the Jews return to Palestine, many will find that place unsuited to their genius for trade and commerce, or for the beautiful city which they plan for themselves, so they move over to the plains of Shinar and build Babylon, making it the commercial and financial center or the world. At this time the vision of the Ephah (Zec_5:5-11) will have its fulfillment. The ephah was a measure used in commerce. This is a symbol of the Jews throughout the earth. They are merchants. A woman was cast into the ephah and swiftly borne to the land of Shinar, as Babylonia was called. There she will be established and take her toll of the traffic of the West with the East.

2 Babylon has never fallen as is predicted in the prophets (Isa.13, 47; Jer. 50-51). Its final overthrow will be sudden (Isa_47:11) and it will become a desolation without any inhabitants (Jer_51:29). No Arabian will pitch his tent there. Yet hitherto it has gone into gradual decay until, of recent years, it is being restored. Peter lived there (1Pe_5:13). To this day there has always been a considerable town in the center of its site. Moreover, its destruction is to be in the day of Jehovah (Isa_13:6), when there are signs in the heavens (Isa_13:10; Rev_6:12), and when the sons of Israel and Judah come and seek the Lord their God (Jer_50:4).

4 Some of God's true saints will be in the city before her destruction. These are warned to come out of her.

6 These sentiments are quite foreign to the present display or God's grace, for this is not a day of vengeance.

Temple Section-Burning of Babylon

11 Because of their enormous wealth the Jews in Babylon will import every luxury which their heart desires, so that it becomes the best market for the most valuable commodities of all kinds. This will employ ships and merchants who will make large profits. They will mourn and lament, not out or sympathy with the suffering city, but because their means of gain is gone. Babylon is not on the sea coast, but the Euphrates can easily be made navigable for large ships as far up as the site of the ancient city. It is notable that most of the great ports of the world have been inland on a river or bay. London, Antwerp, Hamburg, and New York, are all some distance from the open sea. The greatest maritime centers are on sheltered inland waterways to an open roadstead on the coast. Engineers are already at work on vast irrigation enterprises, to control the waters of the rivers. When there is a market, the Euphrates can easily be dredged to Babylon.

12 This is a list of the luxuries and necessities of a large city. Any attempt to "spiritualize" these items cannot fail to impress us with the futility of any but a literal interpretation of this marvelous metropolis of the end time.

12 Citron wood (callitris quadrivalvis) is found in the Atlas mountains of North Africa, and belongs to the cypress family. It is like lignum vitae, and is still used in Algeria for inlaying. It is dark brown, heavy, close grained and fragrant. It was used, as its Greek name implies, to burn incense.

13 Ginger, or amomum, is a genus of aromatic herbs from which the "grains of paradise" of commerce are obtained.

14 Fruition, literally the "juice hour", is an expressive term denoting the time when fruit is fully ripe. Figs are insipid and the white juice which exudes from them is poisonous only a few hours before it becomes sweet as honey. There is typical teaching in this. Israel is the true fig tree. Babylon seeks to take her place and establish the kingdom and thus realize the blessings promised by the prophets, which is suggested by the delicate sweetness of the fig's syrup. Instead they eat the bitter, unpalatable poison, but a little while before the true kingdom is established.