Understanding Revelation (14:8)

"Another angel, a second, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality." 

(Revelation 14:8)

There’s a cup, the wine of Babylon’s pollution given to the nations. Babylon in the book of Revelation is simply a symbol for human society living in rebellion against the rule of God, that’s what it means. And Babylon has this cup of potent wine that makes the nations drunk with the passions of sexual sin. John’s painting a picture, really, of our society, isn’t he, where vice is now called a virtue, where wickedness is legislated for. You turn on the television screen - Babylon. You listen to the radio - Babylon. You go online and with one click, there’s Babylon, pouring out the cup of her passions and sins and immoralities. This is our society, our world. Notice the potency of the cup, the wine that Babylon offers - wine that makes passionate those who drink. Here’s the intoxicating power of sin. Notice also the universality of it! Who drinks? She makes all nations to drink. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is no one righteous, not even one.” Not you; not me!

And he says Babylon is fallen. “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.” A real power! The wine of sin is intoxicating and it is universal, but it is not absolute in its potency and power. Babylon is a fallen power. Her final fall is yet to come, of course. Babylon is alive and active all around us. One day Babylon will be dealt with and removed forever, yet Babylon’s power, the power of sin is not absolute. That is to say, there is still the possibility of deliverance from its potency, pollution, and power. Well you draw breath while it is still called today. Do not harden your hearts. Hear rather the invitation of Jesus Christ who alone can break the chains of sin and set you free. The sin of Babylon is potent, it is pervasive, almost universal, and any society that is built upon it, founded upon it, John is telling us will certainly fall.

(David Strain)