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.
And {G2532} he cried {G2896} mightily {G2479} with {G1722} a strong {G3173} voice {G5456}, saying {G3004}, Babylon {G897} the great {G3173} is fallen {G4098}, is fallen {G4098}, and {G2532} is become {G1096} the habitation {G2732} of devils {G1142}, and {G2532} the hold {G5438} of every {G3956} foul {G169} spirit {G4151}, and {G2532} a cage {G5438} of every {G3956} unclean {G169} and {G2532} hateful {G3404} bird {G3732}.
He cried out in a strong voice,
“She has fallen! She has fallen!
Bavel the Great!
She has become a home for demons,
a prison for every unclean spirit,
a prison for every unclean, hated bird.
And he cried out in a mighty voice: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons and a haunt for every unclean spirit, every unclean bird, and every detestable beast.
And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird.
-
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. -
Jeremiah 51:8
Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. -
Jeremiah 51:37
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant. -
Jeremiah 50:39
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell [there], and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation. -
Jeremiah 50:40
As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour [cities] thereof, saith the LORD; [so] shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein. -
Jeremiah 51:60
So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, [even] all these words that are written against Babylon. -
Jeremiah 51:64
And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far [are] the words of Jeremiah.
Revelation 18:2 delivers a powerful prophetic pronouncement of the complete and irreversible judgment upon "Babylon the Great," a symbolic entity representing all that opposes God in the world. This verse vividly portrays the spiritual desolation that accompanies its downfall, serving as a solemn warning against worldly corruption and rebellion.
Context
This dramatic declaration is made by a mighty angel, reinforcing the divine authority behind the judgment. It immediately follows the initial, brief announcement of Babylon's fall in Revelation 14:8, expanding upon its devastating consequences. In the book of Revelation, "Babylon" is a complex symbol, often interpreted as a global system of economic, political, and religious corruption that entices humanity away from God. It is reminiscent of ancient Babylon's pride and rebellion against the Lord, and chapters 17 and 18 detail its identity and ultimate destruction.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The repetition of "is fallen, is fallen" (Greek: epepesen, epepesen) is a powerful rhetorical device emphasizing the absolute certainty and suddenness of Babylon's collapse. This literary style is also found in Old Testament prophecies concerning the fall of historical Babylon, such as Isaiah 21:9. The terms "devils" (Greek: daimonia) and "foul spirit" (Greek: pneumatos akathartou) refer to malevolent spiritual entities and demonic influences. The imagery of "unclean and hateful bird" (Greek: ornithou akathartou kai memisēmenou) evokes a sense of utter desolation and impurity, as such creatures were often associated with ruins and places of abandonment in ancient Near Eastern literature, signifying a place cursed and unfit for life, similar to descriptions in Isaiah 34:11 and Jeremiah 50:39.
Practical Application
Revelation 18:2 serves as a stark warning against the allure of worldly systems that prioritize wealth, power, and self-indulgence over God. It reminds believers that all human systems built on rebellion against divine principles are ultimately destined for judgment and spiritual desolation. This verse offers comfort and assurance to those who suffer under oppressive worldly powers, affirming God's ultimate justice and triumph over evil. It also implicitly calls for believers to heed the subsequent warning to "Come out of her, my people," separating themselves from the corrupting influences of the world system and living by God's righteous standards.