Sunday School Notes: Revelation 18:17b-19
17b And every shipmaster and all who sail to a place [i.e., sea-travelers], and sailors, and as many who work the sea [i.e., as many whose work involves the sea] stood from afar 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke from her [i.e., Babylon/the great prostitute] burning, saying, “Who is like the great city?” 19 And they threw dust on their heads and cried out weeping and mourning saying, “Woe, woe, the great city by which everyone who has boats in the sea were made rich from her prosperity! For in one hour she has been made desolate.”
Having seen the response of the kings and the merchants, it’s the turn of those who deliver and sell goods to Babylon by sea: shipmasters and all who make their living on the sea. Like the rulers and traders before them, they too lament Babylon’s demise
Like the merchants and kings, they stand afar to observe the desolation of Babylon. They too don’t want to be caught up in her judgment, possibly not realizing that their doom is coming just as assuredly. After all, they are guilty of rejecting worship of the true God, and forming an intimate alliance with Babylon. Their actions show how deserving they are of their judgment. The smoke rising from the city is symbolic of God’s wrath on Babylon, as we’ve noted before.
“Who is like the great city?” the seafarers cry out. The Greek behind this question is almost exactly the same as the cry of the earth-dwellers with regard to the beast in 13:4. It’s the same exclamation of wonderment. As with the beast, Babylon seemed invincible. These seafarers invested so much in Babylon because they wanted to be a part of her because she was the center of power and prestige. She seemed unstoppable. But now look at her.
We noticed how the list of things sold by the merchants in 18:12-13 echo the items listed in Ezekiel 26-28 with regard to the wealth of Tyre. Here again, we have a parallel with Ezekiel 27, talking about how the seafarers there will mourn, shout aloud, and throw dust on their heads over the judgment of Tyre. In verse 32 they lament “Who is like Tyre, like one destroyed in the midst of the sea?” The point is to see the continuation of God’s judgment against the ungodly, from Old Testament times through to the last days. God will fulfill His promises.
Their throwing dust on their heads has the appearance of contrition and repentance, but what they say next: “Woe, woe the great city by which everyone who has boats in the sea were made rich…!” They aren’t remorseful over their sin, rather they lament the loss of business. These people grew rich from Babylon. That was where their trust was, and now that has all been taken away. Indeed, it seems they fear poverty more than God’s judgment.
The seafarers also note how quickly judgment came: “In one hour…” Again, this is not a literal hour, but signifies the speed and suddenness of the coming of God’s wrath upon Babylon. In an hour she has been laid waste, or made desolate, like barren desert land.
We spent a lot of time in this class going back over some of the basic principles for interpreting Revelation, and the purpose of the book. This was very beneficial, especially for some in the room who had not been part of our earlier discussions. See the chapter 1 study notes for a review of that material.
Lord willing, we will finish up chapter 18 next time.
