Revelation 14:8

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

And {G2532} there followed {G190} another {G243} angel {G32}, saying {G3004}, Babylon {G897} is fallen {G4098}, is fallen {G4098}, that great {G3173} city {G4172}, because {G3754} she made {G4222} all {G3956} nations {G1484} drink {G4222} of {G1537} the wine {G3631} of the wrath {G2372} of her {G846} fornication {G4202}.

Another angel, a second one, followed, saying,

“She has fallen! She has fallen!
Bavel the Great!
She made all the nations drink the wine
of God’s fury caused by her whoring!”

Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

And another, a second angel, followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, that hath made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Commentary

Revelation 14:8 introduces the second of three angels proclaiming crucial messages about end-time events and God's righteous judgment. This verse specifically announces the definitive fall of "Babylon," a powerful symbolic entity, and explains the reason for its destruction: its widespread corruption and spiritual defilement of the nations.

Context

This angelic proclamation follows the first angel's call to worship God and fear Him (Revelation 14:7), setting the stage for divine judgment. The announcement of Babylon's fall is a significant turning point, signaling the beginning of the end for all who oppose God. In the book of Revelation, Babylon often symbolizes a global system of spiritual apostasy, economic oppression, and political power that stands in rebellion against God and persecutes His people. Its declaration of "is fallen, is fallen" emphasizes the certainty and completeness of its impending doom, a prophetic perfect tense indicating a done deal in God's eyes.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Justice: The verse underscores God's unwavering justice, demonstrating that He will not tolerate wickedness indefinitely. The fall of Babylon is a testament to His sovereignty over all earthly powers and systems that defy Him.
  • The Fall of Worldly Systems: "Babylon" represents the epitome of human rebellion, materialism, spiritual idolatry, and moral decay. Its fall signifies the ultimate collapse of all anti-God systems and philosophies that entice humanity away from true worship.
  • Spiritual Fornication and Corruption: The phrase "wine of the wrath of her fornication" highlights Babylon's role in corrupting nations. This "fornication" is not merely sexual immorality but primarily spiritual unfaithfulness, leading nations into idolatry, false worship, and alliances that compromise their loyalty to God. It signifies the intoxicating influence of worldly allurements that lead to spiritual drunkenness and moral depravity.

Linguistic Insights

The name "Babylon" (Greek: Babylon) draws heavily from the ancient city of Babylon, notorious for its pride, idolatry, and oppression of God's people (e.g., during the Babylonian exile). In Revelation, it functions as a symbolic archetype for any and all organized systems that oppose God's kingdom. The term "fornication" (Greek: porneia) here extends beyond physical adultery to encompass spiritual harlotry, referring to idolatry and unfaithfulness to God, which is a recurring theme in Old Testament prophetic literature when describing Israel's spiritual wandering. The "wine of the wrath of her fornication" vividly pictures Babylon's seductive power that intoxicates and corrupts nations, leading them to partake in its sinful ways, ultimately incurring God's wrath.

Practical Application

For believers today, Revelation 14:8 serves as a profound warning and a source of encouragement. It calls for discernment, urging us to recognize and resist the seductive influences of any "Babylonian" system that seeks to draw us away from God through materialism, false ideologies, or moral compromise. It reminds us of the importance of spiritual purity and faithfulness to Christ. Ultimately, it offers hope and assurance that despite the apparent power of evil in the world, God is sovereign. He sees every act of injustice and spiritual corruption, and He will bring about His righteous judgment, ensuring the ultimate triumph of His kingdom and the establishment of a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 21:9

    And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, [with] a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

  • Jeremiah 51:7

    Babylon [hath been] a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

  • Jeremiah 51:8

    Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.

  • Revelation 18:2

    And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

  • Revelation 18:3

    For 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 are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

  • Revelation 16:19

    And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

  • Revelation 11:8

    And their dead bodies [shall lie] in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
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