Bible Study

BOOK OF REVELATION UNCOVERED: Chapter 18

by: Dr. Dean Crosby

[Editor's Note: For this study, the author uses easy to understand Contemporary English Version (CEV) of Bible that has been created by the American Bible Society. His insights are given in capital letters. This include explanations and historical background information for the words you have just read in order to make the startling predictions made in this important and fascinating book comprehensible. Occasionally make changes will be made in the CEV words if a variance is detected from the meaning found in the King James Bible.]

REVELATION 18

1 I saw another angel come from heaven. This one had great power, and the earth was bright because of his glory. (THIS IS THOUGHT TO BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ANGELS IN HEAVEN, GABRIEL) 2 The angel shouted, "Fallen! Powerful (CITY OF) Babylon has fallen (COME UNDER THE CONTROL OF SATAN) and is now the home of demons. It is the den of every filthy spirit and a cage for all unclean birds (SYMBOL FOR DEMONIC SPIRITS). 3 Babylon's evil and immoral wine (PLEASURABLE ACTIVITIES) has made all nations drunk. (LOST RATIONAL CONTROL) Every king (POLITICAL LEADER OR HEAD OF STATE) on earth has slept with her, (ESTABLISHED AN IMMORAL RELATIONSHIP) and every merchant on earth is rich (THIS CITY WHICH IS THOUGHT TO BE xxx WILL BE AN EXTREMELY PROSPEROUS WORLD COMMERCE CENTER) because of the abundance of her export products. (THIS IS A HINT THAT ONE OF THE WAYS THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL GAIN MUCH OF HIS POWER SO QUICKLY WILL BE THROUGH EXPORT/IMPORT TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH NATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND POSSIBLY EVEN BY TURNING THE CITY OF xxx INTO A DUTY OR TAX FREE ZONE)

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven shout, "My people, (THERE WILL BE CHRISTIANS ON EARTH AT THIS TIME WHO WERE NOT JUDGED RIGHTEOUS ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RAPTURE) you must escape from Babylon. Don't take part in her sins and share her punishment. 5 (REPORTS OF) Her sins have reached into heaven. God has remembered (NOT FORGIVEN) the evil she has done. 6 Reward her as she has rewarded others. Make her pay double for what she has done. Make her drink twice as much of what she mixed for others. (GOD IS MAKING IT VERY CLEAR THAT CHRISTIANS NEED TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THE EVIL IN THIS CITY. ONE WAY TO ENCOURAGE THIS IS TO PUNISH THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN ITS IMMORALITY) 7 That woman (SYMBOL FOR xxx) honored herself with a life of luxury. (GOD'S POSITION ON WEALTH: MARK 10:25 "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”) Reward her now with suffering and pain. (IDEA: A TRADE BOYCOTT CREATING ECONOMIC TURMOIL)

Deep in her heart Babylon (THIS MORALLY CORRUPT CITY) said, "I am the queen! Never will I be a widow or know what it means to be sad. " (HAPPY TALK TEACHINGS OF THE ANTI-CHRIST WHO WILL TURN INTO STILL ONE MORE DEMONIZED DECEIT-FILLED POLITICIAN. JUST WHAT THIS WORLD NEEDS! STILL ANOTHER ONE !!) 8 And so, in a single day she will suffer the pain of sorrow, hunger, and death. ( A REFERENCE TO A DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE) Fire (OFTEN BREAKS OUT AFTER EARTHQUAKES WHEN GAS LINES ARE RUPTURED) will destroy her because her judge is the powerful Lord God. "

9 Every king on earth who slept with her (REFERS TO SPIRITUAL ADULTERY WHICH WILL OCCUR WHEN WORLD LEADERS ACCEPT OR EMBRACE THE FALSE RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS COMING FROM xxx) and shared in her luxury (WEALTH / HIGH LIVING STANDARDS) will mourn. They will weep, when they see the smoke from that fire. 10 Her sufferings will frighten them, (MANY WILL FINALLY SPIRITUALLY WAKE UP AND COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT GOD DESTROYED xxx AND THAT WILL CAUSE THEM TO FEAR THAT HE MAY DESTROY THEIR CITIES AS WELL) and they will stand at a distance and say, "Pity that great and powerful city! Pity Babylon! In a single hour (DURING THE INITIAL EARTHQUAKE AND THE FIRST STRONG AFTER SHOCKS) her judgment has come."

11 Every merchant on earth will mourn, because there is no one (LEFT IN xxx) to buy their goods. 12 There won't be anyone to buy their gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, sweet-smelling wood, fancy carvings of ivory and wood, as well as things made of bronze, iron, or marble. (THIS IS AN INDICATION OF HOW MUCH WEALTH WILL EXIST IN xxx; ITS DESTRUCTION WILL CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE SALE OF LUXURY GOODS FROM MERCHANTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD) 13 No one will buy their cinnamon, spices, incense, myrrh (EXPENSIVE POWDER USED TO MAKE PERFUME) frankincense, (EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE FRAGRANCE) ointments wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, (VEHICLES) slaves, (THIS MUST REFER TO SEX SLAVES ) and souls of men. (THIS CAN REFER TO PORNOGRAPHY WHICH CAUSES PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN VISUAL ADULTERY AND THEREBY LOSE THEIR SALVATION BY WILLFULLY AND EVEN GLEEFULLY VIOLATING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS)

14 Babylon, the things your heart desired have all escaped from you. Every luxury and all your glory will be lost forever. You will never get them back again. (THE EXTENSIVE AND REPEATED DETAIL IN THIS CHAPTER SHOWS JUST HOW ANGRY THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY HAVE MADE GOD) 15 The merchants (OF THE WORLD) had become rich because of her. But when they saw her sufferings, they were terrified. (AT LONG LAST PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO RESPOND PROPERLY TO GOD !) They stood at a distance, crying and mourning. 16 Then they shouted, "Pity the great (CERTAINLY NOT GOD'S OPINION!) city of Babylon! She dressed in fine linen and wore purple and scarlet cloth. She had jewelry made of gold and precious stones and pearls. 17 Yet in a single hour her riches disappeared. " (THE DEATH OF WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS MAKES THEIR RICHES DISAPPEAR EVEN FASTER!) Every ship captain and passenger and sailor stood at a distance, together with everyone who does business by traveling on the sea.

18 When they saw the smoke from her fire, they shouted, "This was the greatest city ever!" (HOW TO MAKE GOD ANGRY AT YOU IN ONE EASY LESSON) 19 They cried loudly, and in their sorrow they threw dust on their heads (SORRY GUYS, THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO SEEK FORGIVENESS FROM GOD, IT WILL JUST MAKE YOU FILTHIER THAN YOU ALREADY ARE) , as they said, "Pity the great city of Babylon! Everyone who sailed the seas became rich from her treasures. But in a single hour the city was destroyed. (NOTICE THAT THEY STILL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND GOD'S POWER) 20 Rejoice in Heaven (AT LAST, THE CHRISTIAN REACTION) with God's people and holy apostles and prophets. God has punished her for you.

21 A powerful angel then picked up a huge stone and threw it into the sea. The angel said, "This is how the great city of Babylon shall be thrown down, to insure it will never rise again. (YEP, DEFINITELY SUNK FOR GOOD!) 22 The music of harps, singers and of flutes and trumpets will no longer be heard. No workers will ever set up shop in that city, and the sound of grinding grain will be silenced forever. 23 Lamps will no longer shine anywhere in Babylon, and couples will never again say wedding vows there. Her merchants ruled (ECONOMICALLY) the earth, and by her witchcraft (EVIL RELIGIOUS PRACTICES) she fooled all nations. 24 On the streets of Babylon was found the blood of God's people and of His prophets and all who were slain. ( THIS IS THOUGHT TO REFER TO THE FACT THAT THIS CITY WILL HOUSE THE ANTI-CHRIST'S HEADQUARTERS)

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