Revelation 18:5 ESV

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Revelation 18:5

(5) For her sins have reached . . .—Better, For her sins have reached as far as heaven. The idea is of a great heap firmly fastened, and towering, like another Babel, as far as heaven. (Comp. 2 Chronicles 28:9, and Ezra 9:6.) The idea is more than that of the cry of sin reaching heaven, as in the case of Sodom (Genesis 18:20-21); the sins themselves, many and imperial, have touched the face of heaven. God hath remembered her. (Comp. Revelation 16:19). Sometimes the oppressed have thought that... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Revelation 18:1-24

Revelation 18:2 Here we are at Treves. I need not tell you all I have felt here and at Fleissen. At first the feeling that one is standing over the skeleton of the giant iniquity old Rome is overpowering. And as I stood last night in that amphitheatre, amid the wild beasts' dens, and thought of the Christian martyrdoms and the Frank prisoners, and all the hellish scenes of agony and cruelty that place had witnessed, I seemed to hear the very voice of the Archangel whom St. John heard in Patmos,... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:1-24

CHAPTER XIV.THE FALL OF BABYLON.Revelation 18:1-24.BABYLON has fallen. We have now the Divine proclamation of her fate, and the lamentation of the world over the doom to which she has been consigned: -"After these things I saw another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of devils, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Revelation 18:1-24

CHAPTER 18 Revelation 18:1-3 . Babylon is now seen under another aspect. In the former chapter we have the religious center of Rome and her wicked idolatries, in the present chapter it includes also the whole system of apostate Christendom in its social and commercial aspect, the so-called “Christian civilization” in its final apostate condition and doom. Papal Rome in her short revival becomes the head of apostate Christendom and controls everything till her appointed doom comes upon her.... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Revelation 18:5

18:5 For her sins have {a} reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.(a) He uses a word which signifies the following of sins one after another, and rising one of another in such sort, that they grow at length to such a heap, that they come up even to heaven. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 18:1-24

God's Judgment of Great Babylon In Revelation 17:1-18 we have seen that the destruction of Great Babylon is by the hand of the Beast and his ten horns. Now, in Revelation 18:1-24, the judgment is seen to be from the Lord God (vv. 5, 8, 20)-as Lord being in absolute authority, as God being supreme in majestic glory. An angel from heaven having great authority announces Babylon's fall (v. 1). The earth was lightened by his glory. Such light is God's exposure of the sordid works of the great... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Revelation 18:1-24

THE SEVEN DOOMS The seven dooms are those of Babylon, the beast, the false prophet, the kings, the dragon, gog, and the dead. This lesson will be limited to chapters 17-18, both of which speak of Babylon but in different ways, and to understand which, it is necessary to keep in mind that every city may be conceived of from two points of view, material and moral. The streets and parks, the buildings, the docks and market places, these are Chicago; but her politics and government, her commerce... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Revelation 18:4-6

(4) And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (5) For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. (6) Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. I think it more than probable, that this voice which John heard, and which he calls another, by way of distinction... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 18:1-8

1-8 The downfal and destruction of the mystical Babylon are determined in the counsels of God. Another angel comes from heaven. This seems to be Christ himself, coming to destroy his enemies, and to shed abroad the light of his gospel through all nations. The wickedness of this Babylon was very great; she had forsaken the true God, and set up idols, and had drawn all sorts of men into spiritual adultery, and by her wealth and luxury kept them in her interest. The spiritual merchandise, by which... read more

Frank Binford Hole

F. B. Hole's Old and New Testament Commentary - Revelation 18:1-99

Revelation 18 ANOTHER ANGEL OF special power and glory now appears, coming down from heaven and announcing Babylon’s fall. In Rev_14:8 , John saw an angel who made this announcement, but here it is given with greater impressiveness and with more detail. The evil system which is thus represented had long been fallen morally, now it is fallen under Divine judgment. Yet it is acknowledged as “great” even by this angel, who himself had “great power.” Men are naturally inclined to worship what is... read more