Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon | Roche Coleman, Ph.D

Title: Fallen, Fallen is Babylon

Text: Revelation 18:1-24

Vital Verse: And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. — Revelation 18:2.

Nugget to Nibble: Chapter 18 of Revelation is often compared to a funeral dirge. In the Old Testament, prophets used lamentation songs to announce judgment, sorrow, and mourning (Isaiah 16:7-11; Jeremiah 9:10; Amos 5:1). In this chapter, kings (18:9-10), merchants (18:11-16), and shipmasters (18:17) grieve—not because they love Babylon, but because her downfall destroys their wealth and prosperity.
Their sorrow is self-serving. The visible tears and loud cries cannot be mistaken for loyalty. The prophets repeatedly warned merchants against exploiting the vulnerable (Jeremiah 5:26-28; Hosea 12:7; Amos 8:4-6; Micah 6:10-12) and denounced political powers for similar corruption (Hosea 12:8).
Now God judges the very source of this intoxicating immorality—Babylon itself. A mighty angel announces from heaven: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!” Once a showcase of the world’s finest luxuries, she has become a haunt for demons, a prison for every unclean spirit, and a dwelling for every unclean and hateful bird (18:2).
Babylon’s punishment is severe: she receives a double portion mixed into her cup of judgment, fitting her arrogance and cruelty (18:6-7). Once she glorified herself as a queen and inflicted torment on others; now, in a single day, her calm splendor collapses into plagues, pestilence, mourning, and famine (18:8). The Lord God, strong and just, strikes down the entire corrupt system of Babylon.

Outline of Text
1. Cry of the angel. Revelation 18:1-3

2. Call of the heavenly voice. Revelation 18:4-20

Calamity of Babylon
Weeping and Lament for the Calamity
1) kings 18:9-10

2) merchants 18:11-16

3) shipmasters 18:17

Rejoicing for the calamity
1) heavens 18:20
2) saints
3) apostles
4) prophets

3. Conclusion of the great Babylon. 18:21-24

Impact Fact: Our Lord can keep our hearts free from the lure of wealth, power, and the false security of fleeting glory.