1-2 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. 3 For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

4-5 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed. 7 As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, Since in her heart she says, 'I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.' 8 For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.” Revelation 18:1-8 English Standard Version

It's hard to picture the devastation that vs 1-2 describe of an ancient city such as Babylon being totally destroyed and the desolation left behind. But God used that picture to show the apostle John a judgement that was coming. Some think it was a prophecy of the destruction that would fall on Jerusalem in AD 70 while others think it was what would happen to Rome in 410 AD. Some suggest it could be a judgement still to come on some great city where a world government is centralized. Many who say it referred initially to Jerusalem or Rome, see it as a picture also of God's ultimate judgement on the ungodly world.

The vision is surely set in what happened to ancient Babylon where Nebuchadnezzar had once been king. Look at the similarities of John's word to those of the prophet Jeremiah as he spoke of ancient Babylon's doom. “Flee from Babylon! Save yourselves! Don’t get trapped in her punishment! It is the Lord’s time for vengeance; he will repay her in full. Babylon has been a gold cup in the Lord’s hands, a cup that made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank Babylon’s wine, and it drove them all mad. But suddenly Babylon, too, has fallen. 'I will repay Babylon and the people of Babylonia for all the wrong they have done to my people in Jerusalem,' says the Lord. “How Babylon is fallen great Babylon, praised throughout the earth! Now she has become an object of horror among the nations.” Jeremiah 51-6-8

What was the attitude of the inhabitants of the Babylon that John was talking about? Vs 7.

We see they gave themselves glory - lived for luxury - and defiantly said no harm would ever overtake them. Is that not the same attitude that's found in the world and in the philosophies and empires of those who reject God and oppose Christians, even to the point of persecution. Look again at how vs 3 describes the influence of this anti-Christian world view. It's a world of wine, women and song. It's a world where gold is God – and lust is living. And it's a lifestyle that one can be very easily seduced into! So what did the second voice from heaven cry out as John heard of Babylon's coming judgement day? (vs 4-5)

No wonder the apostle Paul wrote to Christians (even in his generation) “Don’t team up with unbelievers - how can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. Just as Jeremiah urged Jews in Babylon to flee before judgement day came – so John urges believers to flee from the sins of the world and not be seduced by it's immoral ways.