Big Idea: God’s people are called to rejoice over his judgment of the evil city and his vindication of the saints.

Understanding the Text

We now enter the final stage of Babylon’s destruction (17:1–19:5). The laments of Babylon’s codependents in 18:9–19 are contrasted with the rejoicing of the righteous in 18:20–19:5. God’s people are urged to celebrate God’s judgment of the “great city” (18:20). This command is followed by the announcement of Babylon’s certain destruction (18:21), which focuses upon what is now absent from the wicked city (i.e., the sixfold repetition of “never again” in 18:21–23). Babylon’s wickedness is specified as arrogance, the deception of the nations, and the murdering of the saints (18:23–24). The “rejoicing” of 18:20 now extends to heaven as the great multitude…