20 'Be glad over her, O heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, because God did judge your judgment of her!' 21 And one strong messenger did take up a stone as a great millstone, and did cast 'it' to the sea, saying, 'Thus with violence shall Babylon be cast, the great city, and may not be found any more at all; 22 and voice of harpers, and musicians, and pipers, and trumpeters, may not be heard at all in thee any more; and any artizan of any art may not be found at all in thee any more; and noise of a millstone may not be heard at all in thee any more; 23 and light of a lamp may not shine at all in thee any more; and voice of bridegroom and of bride may not be heard at all in thee any more; because thy merchants were the great ones of the earth, because in thy sorcery were all the nations led astray, 24 and in her blood of prophets and of saints was found, and of all those who have been slain on the earth.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Revelation 18:20-24
Commentary on Revelation 18:20-24
(Read Revelation 18:20-24)
That which is matter of rejoicing to the servants of God on earth, is matter of rejoicing to the angels in heaven. The apostles, who are honoured and daily worshipped at Rome in an idolatrous manner, will rejoice in her fall. The fall of Babylon was an act of God's justice. And because it was a final ruin, this enemy should never molest them any more; of this they were assured by a sign. Let us take warning from the things which brought others to destruction, and let us set our affections on things above, when we consider the changeable nature of earthly things.