188: Revelation — The Fall of Greatness

BEMA Episode Link: 188: Revelation — The Fall of Greatness
Episode Length: 42:46
Published Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2020 01:00:00 -0700
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings confront the great beast of Babylon as it appears in Revelation and consider which part of the story we should align with the most.

Discussion Video for BEMA 188

Revelation #14: Babylon’s Demise sermon — YouTube

Transcript for BEMA 188

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 188: Revelation - The Fall of Greatness - Study Notes

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 188 - Revelation: The Fall of Greatness Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Revelation 17-20 - The fall of Babylon, judgment on empire, and the ultimate victory of God’s Kingdom

This episode provides an in-depth exploration of the apocalyptic vision in Revelation chapters 17-20, examining John’s prophetic proclamation of Rome’s inevitable downfall. Marty and Brent unpack the rich symbolism of Babylon as the harlot, the beast as empire, and the ultimate confrontation between the forces of evil and the victorious Lamb. The discussion challenges modern readers to consider their own relationship with empire, economic security, and the pursuit of material comfort, while emphasizing the revolutionary hope John offers to persecuted Christians facing the seemingly invincible Roman Empire.

Key Takeaways

John wrote a “funeral dirge for the mightiest empire in the world” while that empire was still at its peak, demonstrating remarkable prophetic courage and subversive faith.
Babylon serves as the apocalyptic image for all forms of empire throughout history - Rome in the first century, but applicable to any system built on oppression, materialism, and false security.
The invitation “Come out of her, my people” extends to modern believers who may be more entangled with empire and materialism than they realize.
Empire inevitably collapses because evil cannot sustain itself - it does not belong in God’s created order.
The detailed economic lament in Revelation 18 emphasizes that John’s message targets not just political power but the entire system of security, prosperity, and comfort that empire provides.
The “millennial reign” passage is a relatively obscure reference in Scripture and should not bear the weight of entire eschatological systems - it represents a Jewish way of describing an era when God’s Kingdom is seen clearly.
John’s apocalyptic vision is meant to provide hope and encouragement to overcome, not to serve as a crystal ball for predicting future events.
The victory of the Lamb is certain - the question is which side of the conversation God’s people choose to align with.

Main Concepts & Theories

The Great Prostitute and Babylon

John employs the prophetic imagery of Babylon as a prostitute who lures nations into adultery, drawing directly from passages like Isaiah 23 and Jeremiah 51. This image represents more than historical Babylon - it becomes the archetypal picture of empire in every form throughout history.

Key elements:

The woman sits on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns
She is dressed in purple and scarlet, glittering with gold, precious stones, and pearls
She holds a golden cup filled with abominations and the filth of her adultery
She is “drunk with the blood of God’s holy people”

Rome as first-century Babylon:

The seven heads are explicitly identified as “seven hills on which the woman sits” - a clear reference to Rome, known throughout history as the city built on seven hills
This identification makes Rome the unmistakable target of John’s prophecy
However, the pattern applies to all empires built on oppression, materialism, and violence

The Self-Destructive Nature of Empire

A crucial insight from the discussion is that empire always contains the seeds of its own destruction. The beast (Rome/empire) ultimately devours the harlot (the manifestation of that empire).

Marty notes: “Rome itself attacks itself. Rome ends up attacking, devouring its own empire. That’s how it works. Which is very, very true to history. The policies of the different emperors are what eventually led to its downfall.”

This principle demonstrates that:

Evil cannot sustain itself
Systems built on oppression and injustice inevitably collapse
The pursuit of power for its own sake leads to self-destruction
Rome’s economic collapse and internal conflicts set the stage for Christian persecution

The Economic Dimension of Empire

Revelation 18 provides an extensive catalog of goods traded in the Roman economy, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of imperial commerce. The list includes:

Precious metals and stones
Fine fabrics and clothing
Wood, ivory, and valuable materials
Spices and incense
Food, wine, and oil
Animals and transportation
Human beings sold as slaves

This exhaustive inventory serves multiple purposes:

Demonstrates totality - Empire touches every aspect of life
Highlights injustice - The list culminates with “human beings sold as slaves”
Challenges comfort - Readers in prosperous societies must confront their own dependence on similar systems
Echoes Ezekiel 27 - John draws on the prophet’s lament over Tyre to show continuity with Israel’s prophetic tradition

Marty challenges modern readers: “This is one of those passages that stings a little to read in our culture if we’re honest. Not only do we cry persecution in places where those true martyrs would bark at our struggle. I’m not sure we would pick the right side of this imperial showdown.”

The Invitation to “Come Out”

The command “Come out of her, my people” (Revelation 18:4) echoes similar invitations throughout Scripture:

Isaiah 48 - “Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians”
Jeremiah 50 - “Flee out of Babylon, leave the land of the Babylonians”

This repeated invitation carries several layers of meaning:

Physical separation - In ancient contexts, literally leaving the city before judgment
Spiritual disengagement - Refusing to participate in empire’s injustice
Economic non-participation - Not building security on exploitative systems
Ideological rejection - Resisting the narrative that empire provides ultimate security

Marty notes the likely sexual undertones in the Hebrew phrasing, emphasizing the intimate nature of idolatry - God’s people are called to stop “engaging with this prostitute” because destruction lies ahead.

Imprecatory Prayers and Divine Justice

The celebration over Babylon’s fall (Revelation 19:1-3) connects to the ancient tradition of imprecatory prayers - prayers crying out for justice in the face of injustice, commonly found in the Psalms.

Revolutionary nature of imprecatory prayers:

Rather than turning to pagan magic or curses (like Balaam and Balak)
Believers voice their true feelings honestly
But simultaneously turn the outcome and vengeance over to God
This prevents humans from taking vengeance into their own hands

John’s quotation of Isaiah 34:10 in Revelation 19:3 (“the smoke from her goes up forever and ever”) signals that the justice (mishpat) God’s people have cried out for throughout the ages is finally being realized. The world is being made right.

The Wedding Feast Imagery

The fall of the harlot contrasts sharply with the wedding feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-9). This juxtaposition presents two competing visions:

The Harlot:

Dressed in externally impressive but morally corrupt finery
Offers temporary pleasure through exploitation
Ends in destruction and mourning

The Bride:

Clothed in “fine linen, bright and clean”
Represents “the righteous acts of God’s holy people”
Enters into eternal joy and celebration

This central image in God’s narrative shows the ultimate destiny for those who overcome and remain faithful.

The Rider on the White Horse

Revelation 19:11-16 presents the victorious Christ using imagery that bookends the apocalyptic vision:

Called “Faithful and True”
Eyes like blazing fire
Many crowns on his head
A name no one knows but himself
Dressed in a robe dipped in blood
Named “The Word of God”
Accompanied by armies of heaven
A sharp sword coming from his mouth
Titled “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”

The sword from his mouth: Marty and Brent discuss the connection to Paul’s “sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). For Jewish readers, this would evoke Torah - the word of God getting the final say. “Torah is getting the last word. It’s what they always craved. It’s what they always longed for.”

This emphasizes that judgment comes through God’s word, not through human violence or military might.

The Great Confrontation

The climactic battle (Revelation 19:19-21) proves anticlimactic in its brevity. Once God decides to act and deliver creation from death and darkness, it’s over instantly. There is no suspense about the outcome.

Key elements:

All earthly powers line up for battle against the victorious rider
The beast and false prophet are captured immediately
They are thrown into the lake of burning sulfur
The rest are defeated by the sword from Christ’s mouth

Connection to Daniel: Marty emphasizes that this imagery has “all happened before in the book of Daniel.” Daniel 7:11 uses the same apocalyptic image of empire being destroyed. John “simply re-employs this mechanic to do so a second time.”

This reinforces that we’re dealing with images of empire and false imperial narratives, not primarily individuals facing eternal torment (though that may be included). The focus is on systems of oppression being judged.

Binding of Satan and the Abyss

Revelation 20:1-3 describes an angel descending with the key to the abyss (Hebrew: Tehom), binding Satan for a thousand years.

Theological significance of Tehom:

Appears in Genesis 1:2 - “darkness was over the deep/abyss”
Represents primordial chaos before God spoke order into being
Satan being thrown into Tehom symbolizes evil being returned to pre-creation chaos
This allows nations to “see things as they truly are” without deception

Connection to Daniel: The sealing of the abyss echoes Daniel 6:17, where a stone seals Daniel in the lion’s den “so that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.” Similarly, God shuts up Satan to accomplish his purposes for restoration.

The note that Satan “must be set free for a short time” (verse 3) continues the Daniel parallel and anticipates one final attempt at deception before ultimate defeat.

The Millennial Reign - Demystified

Revelation 20:4-6 presents one of the most debated passages in Scripture, spawning entire eschatological systems (premillennialism, postmillennialism, amillennialism).

Marty’s key observations:

The reference is remarkably obscure - “We’ve gone through almost all of the Book of Revelation and we have not bumped into this idea. We’ve gone through a lot of the New Testament, Brent—we have not run into this idea of this huge millennia—it’s a pretty small reference.”
Numbers function symbolically - “At this point in our journey, numbers should make us think more like an Easterner and less like a mathematician.”
Jewish concept of an era - The thousand years represents “a Jewish equivalent of talking about an era or an epoch” of time
The real point is vindication - Those who refused to worship the beast and take his mark “get to reign with Christ”

First-century Jewish background: Jewish belief built on Daniel’s vision understood that those who died unjustly for walking in righteousness would be honored in the resurrection. As Jews looked forward to the age to come (olam haba), they pictured righteous ones who died being raised to reign with God and help restore the world.

Marty concludes: “This millennial reign—about as fictional as an Ewok in my opinion. This is a Jewish way of saying, there will be an era where the Kingdom of God is seen clearly for what it is.”

The First Resurrection and Second Death

Revelation 20:5-6, 14-15 introduces confusing terminology that has spawned “incredible theological gymnastics”:

First death - The physical death all humans experience Second death - The final destruction of evil and the devil once and for all; the final victory of the order of life

First resurrection - The apocalyptic belief that the righteous will be given their opportunity to reign in the world to come Second resurrection - The final victory that ushers in such a world for all eternity

Marty emphasizes: “Pictures and images. Are the pictures true? Sure. Do we know how this would look in a literal application? Not at all. What is John’s point? Hope. John’s point is hope. John’s point is that God wins.”

Gog and Magog - The Final Battle

Revelation 20:7-10 describes Satan’s release and final attempt to deceive the nations, gathering Gog and Magog for battle.

Historical and theological background:

Gugu was an ancient regional god
Hebrews called him Gog
His successor was called Magog
They assemble for battle in the Valley of Jezreel (Har Megiddo - Armageddon)
But the effort proves futile - fire from heaven devours them
Satan is thrown into the lake of burning sulfur forever

John’s message of hope: “It looks like the empire is winning, but it will not. You must overcome, because in the end, the dragon and the beast are defeated. Even when he mounts his last gasping attempt, God’s Kingdom emerges victorious.”

This echoes Jesus’s words from the Gospels: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not believe it. Just go about the business of bringing God’s Kingdom, God’s shalom, crashing into earth.”

The Great White Throne and Final Judgment

Revelation 20:11-15 presents the final judgment scene with several key elements:

The Book of Life:

Not a Christian invention but appears in Daniel (Sefer Chayim)
Jews believe it is recited every Yom Kippur as God justifies the righteous
Names written in this book are secure

Universal scope:

The dead, great and small, stand before the throne
The sea, death, and Hades all give up their dead
Each person is judged according to what they have done

The sea, death, and Hades: These three represent different dimensions of disorder and death:

The sea - Watery chaos, Tehom, primordial disorder
Death - The power that reigns over mortality
Hades/Sheol - The grave, where all await resurrection in Jewish thought

Marty explains the Jewish understanding: “Sheol that’s the only thing the Jews understand when it comes to, ‘Where do you go when you die?’ The grave. What about good people? The grave. What about bad people? Everybody, when they die, they go to the grave. In the Jewish mind, you’re waiting for that great—The Day. Capital T, capital D. The Day, when judgment will come, resurrection will happen, and everything will be made right.”

John’s larger point: “Everything is being made right. Not one name is forgotten and everything is put in its appropriate place.” All disorder gives up what it holds, and God restores perfect order.

Examples & Applications

Rome as the Seven-Hilled City

Historically, Rome was famously known as the “city built on seven hills.” When John writes that “the seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits,” first-century readers would have immediately recognized this unmistakable identification of Rome as the target of his prophecy. This was not subtle coding - it was a direct and dangerous claim.

Economic Prosperity as Imperial Security

Caesar Augustus ushered in the Pax Romana - 84 years of uninterrupted economic growth. To proclaim the downfall of such a system would have seemed absurd to average listeners. Yet this mirrors modern dependence on economic systems for security. Marty challenges: “We put so much of our own stock, no pun intended, in the stability of our economy and its ability to provide us with security.”

The Domitian Context

Marty references earlier discussions about Emperor Domitian and the setting for Revelation. Rome’s economy was collapsing, and people were looking for someone to blame. Domitian placed blame on the Jewish-Christian movement, leading to persecution. This shows how empire turns on itself - “the policies of the different emperors are what eventually led to its downfall.”

Ezekiel 27 and Economic Lament

John draws heavily from Ezekiel’s prophecy against Tyre (Ezekiel 27), which also included an extensive lament over economic collapse. Marty encourages readers: “Take the time to pull out your Bible and read it through. You’ll see how much time Ezekiel took in proclaiming the economic ramifications of Tyre’s arrogance.”

This connection shows continuity in how God’s prophets address empire’s reliance on wealth and trade.

Modern Application - Choosing Sides

Marty provocatively asks: “Maybe the idolatry of security and the lust of Empire has its talons in us deeper than we’d like to admit. Maybe there is a mark on our forehead, that we’d like to head to the restroom and start scrubbing off.”

Questions for self-examination:

Where do we truly place our security?
How entangled are we with systems of comfort and prosperity?
Would we recognize empire if we were part of it?
Are we willing to “come out of her” when it costs something?

The Chutzpah of John’s Prophecy

Marty repeatedly emphasizes the audacity of John writing “a funeral dirge for the mightiest empire in the world” while it was at its peak. This required extraordinary faith and courage. John proclaimed the downfall of an empire “that at this point in history, nobody would see coming.”

This challenges modern readers to have similar prophetic courage in naming and resisting empire in their own contexts.

Spirit of Prophecy Returning

First-century Jews believed the spirit of prophecy had gone missing since the time of the Old Testament prophets. According to Amos, God had shut up the mouths of the prophets. Joel prophesied these would return when restoration finally came. John’s vision insinuates “that a new day of restoration, the Age to Come, or olam haba, was upon us. The Spirit of Prophecy is back.”

This connects to the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost and the early church’s prophetic witness.

Misusing Revelation as a Crystal Ball

Marty warns against the common practice of trying to map current events onto Revelation’s imagery: “To try to figure out how all these images fit into current events, it’s a gigantic adventure in missing the inspired point of Revelation.”

Instead, readers should receive John’s message: overcome because God wins, not become obsessed with predicting timelines and identifying modern equivalents of the beast.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Prophetic Literature in Isaiah and Jeremiah - Study the original prophecies against Babylon (Isaiah 23, Jeremiah 50-51) to understand the depth of allusion John employs.
The Book of Daniel - Since John draws so heavily from Daniel (especially chapter 7), a comprehensive study of Daniel’s apocalyptic visions would illuminate Revelation’s structure and symbolism.
Ezekiel 27 - Read the full chapter to see how John adapts Ezekiel’s lament over Tyre for his lament over Rome/Babylon.
Imprecatory Psalms - Explore Psalms that cry out for justice (e.g., Psalms 58, 69, 109, 137) to understand this tradition of prayer and how it differs from pagan cursing.
Economic Justice in Scripture - Trace the biblical theme of God’s concern for economic justice, from Torah laws about gleaning and Jubilee through the prophets’ condemnations of exploitation.
Jewish Eschatology and Olam Haba - Investigate first-century Jewish beliefs about the age to come, resurrection, and the Kingdom of God to better understand the categories John uses.
Tehom and Creation Theology - Study the concept of the abyss/deep (Tehom) from Genesis 1 through apocalyptic literature to understand chaos, order, and God’s creative work.
Rome’s Seven Hills - Research the historical significance of Rome as the seven-hilled city and how this was understood in the ancient world.
Emperor Worship and the Imperial Cult - Examine how Rome’s political system intertwined with religious claims about Caesar to understand what refusing the “mark of the beast” meant practically.
The Wedding Feast Motif - Trace this image throughout Scripture from Isaiah through the parables of Jesus to Revelation to understand its significance in God’s narrative.
Millennial Views in Church History - Explore how different traditions (premillennial, postmillennial, amillennial) have interpreted Revelation 20 and evaluate these in light of John’s Jewish apocalyptic context.
Sheol in Old Testament Thought - Study the Hebrew concept of Sheol/the grave to understand Jewish beliefs about death and the afterlife before Greek influences.
Modern Forms of Empire - Reflect on how imperial patterns manifest in contemporary political, economic, and social systems, and what “coming out of Babylon” might mean today.
The Exodus and Apocalyptic - Explore how Exodus imagery (plagues, judgment, deliverance) recurs throughout Revelation and other apocalyptic literature.
Overcoming Language in Revelation - Study each of the seven letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3 to catalog what it means to “overcome” and receive the promised rewards.

Comprehension Questions

How does John identify Rome as the target of his prophecy about Babylon, and what would this identification have meant to his first-century readers?

John identifies Rome through the reference to “seven hills on which the woman sits” (Revelation 17:9). Rome was famously known throughout the ancient world as the city built on seven hills. For first-century readers, this was an unmistakable and dangerous identification. John was writing a “funeral dirge” for the most powerful empire in the world at its peak - an act of prophetic courage that proclaimed Rome’s inevitable downfall when such a claim seemed absurd given Rome’s 84 years of uninterrupted economic prosperity under the Pax Romana.
What is the significance of the extensive economic catalog in Revelation 18, and how should modern readers apply this passage?

The catalog in Revelation 18 lists virtually everything traded in the Roman economy, from precious metals to spices to human slaves. This comprehensive list emphasizes how empire touches every aspect of life and highlights the injustice at the heart of the system (culminating with “human beings sold as slaves”). John draws from Ezekiel 27’s lament over Tyre to show continuity with prophetic tradition. For modern readers, Marty suggests this passage should “sting a little” as we examine our own dependence on economic systems for security. The question is whether we would recognize and resist empire if we were part of it, or whether “the idolatry of security and the lust of Empire has its talons in us deeper than we’d like to admit.”
Explain the concept of imprecatory prayers and how they function in understanding Revelation 19’s celebration over Babylon’s fall.

Imprecatory prayers are prayers crying out for justice in the face of injustice, commonly found in the Psalms. They were revolutionary for their time because rather than turning to pagan magic or curses (like Balaam and Balak), believers could voice their true feelings honestly while simultaneously turning the outcome and vengeance over to God. This prevented people from taking vengeance into their own hands. When John quotes Isaiah 34:10 in Revelation 19:3, he signals that the justice (mishpat) God’s people have cried out for throughout the ages is finally being realized. The celebration isn’t bloodthirsty but represents vindication for centuries of injustice and the world finally being made right.
How should we understand the “millennial reign” passage in Revelation 20:4-6, and why does Marty suggest we shouldn’t build entire theological systems around it?

Marty points out that the millennial reign reference is “remarkably obscure” - barely mentioned throughout Revelation or the New Testament despite entire eschatological systems being built around it. He suggests that numbers in apocalyptic literature should make us “think more like an Easterner and less like a mathematician.” The thousand years represents a Jewish way of describing an era or epoch of time when God’s Kingdom is seen clearly. The real point of the passage is vindication for those who refused to worship the beast - they get to reign with Christ. This connects to first-century Jewish belief (based on Daniel) that the righteous who died unjustly would be honored in the resurrection and help God restore the world. Building complex premillennial, postmillennial, or amillennial systems from this brief reference seems “overdone and out of place.”
What does Marty mean when he says that trying to map current events onto Revelation is “a gigantic adventure in missing the inspired point”? What is John’s actual message?

Marty emphasizes that Revelation functions as apocalyptic encouragement, not as a crystal ball for predicting future events. John’s message to first-century persecuted Christians was: “It looks like the empire is winning, but it will not. You must overcome, because in the end, the dragon and the beast are defeated.” This echoes Jesus’s words to not be troubled by wars and rumors of wars but to go about the business of bringing God’s Kingdom and shalom into the world. When we obsess over identifying the beast with modern political figures or mapping the seven heads to current nations, we miss the inspired point - that God wins, empire falls, and we should align ourselves with God’s Kingdom rather than placing our security in empire’s false promises. John offers hope and calls for faithful perseverance, not a timeline for end-times speculation.

Personalized Summary

Revelation chapters 17-20 present John’s bold prophetic proclamation of empire’s inevitable downfall, specifically targeting Rome while speaking to all forms of imperial power throughout history. The vision employs rich apocalyptic imagery - Babylon as the great harlot, the beast with seven heads and ten horns, the rider on the white horse, and the final judgment scene - all drawn from Israel’s prophetic tradition, especially Daniel and Ezekiel.

What strikes me most powerfully about this passage is John’s extraordinary courage in writing a “funeral dirge for the mightiest empire in the world” at the height of its power. When Rome had experienced 84 years of unprecedented economic growth and seemed utterly invincible, John proclaimed its certain destruction. This required remarkable faith in God’s ultimate victory over systems of oppression and injustice.

The extensive economic lament in chapter 18 particularly challenges modern readers in prosperous societies. John doesn’t just condemn political tyranny but the entire system of security, comfort, and prosperity that empire provides - from gold and precious stones to spices and human slaves. The invitation to “come out of her, my people” extends beyond first-century Rome to any context where we build our security on exploitative systems rather than trusting God’s Kingdom.

I’m also struck by how empire contains the seeds of its own destruction - evil cannot sustain itself because it doesn’t belong in God’s created order. The beast ultimately devours the harlot. Power seeking more power eventually collapses. This happened with Rome and continues with every imperial system throughout history.

The discussion about the millennial reign helpfully demystifies one of Scripture’s most debated passages. Rather than building elaborate eschatological timelines from this brief reference, we should see it as a Jewish way of describing an era when God’s Kingdom is seen clearly, with the main point being vindication for those who faithfully overcame. The focus throughout remains on hope - God wins, the Lamb is victorious, and those who align with his Kingdom will reign with him.

Perhaps most convicting is the question of which side of this showdown we would actually choose. It’s easy to read these chapters and cheer for God’s victory over ancient Rome. It’s much harder to honestly examine whether “the idolatry of security and the lust of Empire has its talons in us deeper than we’d like to admit.” The call to overcome isn’t primarily about surviving tribulation in some distant future but about faithfully resisting empire’s false promises in every age, including our own.

John’s apocalyptic vision ultimately offers profound hope: despite how powerful empire appears, despite how entrenched injustice seems, despite how long God’s people have waited for vindication, the outcome is certain. The Lamb wins. Death and darkness are defeated. Everything is being made right. Our calling is to overcome by aligning ourselves with God’s Kingdom rather than placing our trust in empire’s securities, knowing that God’s word gets the final say.

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S4 188: Revelation — The Fall of Greatness

The Spirit of Prophecy Returns [42:46]