When the Apostle John wrote this, he was probably thinking of Babylon as representing Rome. But Babylon can represent more broadly the powers of this world; powers that are inevitably aligned with Satan and his minions. About these powers an angel shouts, “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!” The nations that followed Babylon will be under severe judgment. So sure is this judgment that the people of God are called out so they will not share in her sins and plagues. However, we are not to live as monks, abandoning the world. We are given the mission of living in this world as lights, showing the way to God to a sinful world.

Those who are aligned with Babylon, the kings and merchants of the earth, will mourn and lament Babylon’s fall, not because they have repented, but because they will lose out on their cargoes of gold, silver, ivory, their splendor and other benefits. But great will be the rejoicing of God’s people at the fall of the great Babylon, fallen because of God’s righteous judgment. We are not to be dissuaded by the glittering things of this world. We should keep our heads and our hearts pure, remembering our mission to a lost world.
Application: Father, when we follow the ways of the world, we can only stand against you. Help us to live always as Jesus’ disciples.
One Word: Come out of Babylon, my people!