The Destruction of Babylon the Great Part 2
• "11 And the merchants of the Earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:" First, the "kings of the Earth" (Rev 18:3, 9) and then the "merchants of the Earth" (Rev 18:3, 11) are described as mourning their loss of Babylon the Great, i.e., they "shall weep and mourn over her" (Rev 18:11); but, like all sinful people, they mourn for selfish reasons, because greed is not good. "Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough" (Isaiah 56:11). Their sadness does not touch the fact that the only way that God could deal with Babylon's wickedness was through Judgment, so their immediate loss is only material and financial, i.e., "for no man buyeth their merchandise any more" (Rev 18:11). "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26). The humanist has not seen beyond the confines of his earthly circumstances to notice the testimony those circumstances give of God, i.e., "For the invisible things of Him from The Creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His Eternal Power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20); and therefore, he does not seek after Him. "And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). Clearly, he is satisfied with only seeking and finding his own material gain. "Verily I say unto you, They have their reward" (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16).
• "12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble," Beginning with the more durable items of desire, the best known precious metals "gold, and silver" (Rev 18:12) head the list of things not to be found any more, no longer in Babylon. The Saints know that wickedness is not gold or silver, but avarice or the "love of money is the root of all evil" (1Timothy 6:10). "Precious stones" and "pearls" (Rev 18:12) are denominated second in this list of permanently out of stock items for Babylon the Great. The skills of the lapidary, who faceted exquisite gemstones of beauty, may have graced but few of the humble servants of God; however, those Saints willingly made that exchange, with the result that they should "shine as the brightness of the firmament; and... as the stars for ever and ever" (Daniel 12:3). Even now, Godly Women are noted for their adornment of a "meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1Peter 3:4).
Third in this list of desirable but unavailable commodities are the dry goods of "fine linen [Greek, byssus, a species of Egyptian flax, a very costly, delicate, soft, white and yellow linen], and purple [Greek, porphura, a fabric dyed purple, worn by the ungodly rich man who was contrasted to Lazarus (Luke 16:19), placed upon Jesus after His scourging by the Romans (Mark 15:15), and sold by the godly Lydia in Thyatira (Acts 16:14)], and silk [Greek, serikos, the product of silkworms], and scarlet [Greek, kokkinos, a crimson colour cloth, whose colour was derived from the crushing of the eggs of the Coccus ilicis, an insect which infests oak trees]" (Rev 18:12). The hunger, thirst, and taste for such riches holds no power to the True Saint, because he has "set [his] affection on things above, not on things on the Earth" (Colossians 3:2) and is sustained by the Spirit of God, who "worketh in you both to will and to do of His Good Pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).
"Thyine [Greek, thuinos] wood" (Rev 18:12) was known to the Romans as citrus or citron wood, to the botanists as Callitris quadrivalvis, and to the modern island nation of Malta as its national tree, Gharghar or Sigra tal-Gharghar, whose English name is the Araar Tree. This evergreen tree is rare and found only in the Mediterranean area, i.e., Malta, Spain, and Northern Africa, where the Mother of Harlots maintains her papal throne. Thyine was valued for its fragrance in burnt sacrifices and for its beauty when fashioned into furniture. Just so, True Christians are "unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto Death; and to the other the savour of life unto Life. And who is sufficient for these things?" (2Corinthians 2:15, 16). "All manner vessels of ivory [Greek, elephantinos], and all manner vessels of most precious wood [exotic hardwoods], and of brass [Greek, chalkos, an alloy of 67% copper and 33% zinc], and iron [symbol of power and strength], and marble [Greek, marmaros, a metamorphic rock formed by alteration of limestone or dolomite, often irregularly colour by impurities]" (Rev 18:12) are added to this list of newly unavailable commodities, as if to warn the reader of their fleeting nature, and caution us against placing undue emphasis upon them in our affections. "Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven" (Proverbs 23:5).
• "13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men." The list of items which will soon be extinct to Babylon the Great emphasizes the materialistic emphasis of her religion, indicating that to execute the Great Whore is to cut off the economic head of the trade of nations. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:34). "Cinnamon [Greek, kinamomon]" (Rev 18:13) comes chiefly from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) and the Old Testament citation of it for the holy anointing oil (Exodus 30:23) indicates that commerce with the Far East took place from antiquity, and will continue until the prophesied destruction of Babylon the Great. "Odours [Greek, thumiama, incense], and ointments [Greek, muron], and frankincense [Greek, libanos. It was called frank because of the freeness of its release of fragrance when the incense was burned.
The burning of this incense in the ancient Jewish Temple emitted a fragrant odor, and for that reason, incense was a symbol of the Divine Name, i.e., 'For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same My Name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto My Name, and a pure offering: for My Name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of Hosts' (Malachi 1:11), as well as an emblem of prayer, i.e., 'Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice' (Psalm 141:2)]" (Rev 18:13) demonstrate how fully Babylon appeals to all the physical senses of man to maintain her grasp upon his immortal soul. "21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life" (Proverbs 7:21-23).
The consumables of "fine flour [Greek, semidalis, the finest wheat flour], and wheat [Greek, sitos, wheat grain]" (Rev 18:13) demonstrate that both the refined taste of the elite and the necessary palate of the masses are appealed to by Babylon. "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:37). Meat and transportation-- "beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots" (Rev 18:13)-- are eradicated in Rome's destruction. Though our modern minds must pause to realize that only since the mid-1880s when Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler began to build gasoline-powered carriages, did the relatively recent era of automobiles begin, this reference to chariots brings across the idea of transportation to most past readers, i.e., wisdom is "easy to be intreated" (James 3:17). The list concludes with man, the most valuable of all resources; therefore, the physical Judgment of Babylon the Great is complete, i.e., "slaves [Greek, soma, living human bodies], and souls [Greek, psuche, the moral essence of a living being] of men" (Rev 18:13). "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" (Romans 6:16).
• "14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all." The merchants and their customers are here directly rebuked for their inordinate lust after the merchandise or "fruits" (Rev 18:14) of Babylon the Great. "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the Living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy" (1Timothy 6:17). As quickly as that, Babylon is stripped of all the goods that made her desirable. "Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids" (Proverbs 6:25). The Truth they had to surrender to gain "all things which were dainty and goodly" (Rev 18:14) is their sin. Before they, too, are likewise punished, the condemned merchants are duly admonished by their Judge because they sought after the goods of the world and "not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8). "If riches increase, set not your heart upon them" (Psalms 62:10) should have been their motto, but they were "hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13). It is already over for the inhabitants of Babylon. "The expectation of the wicked shall perish" (Proverbs 10:28). She has been punished, and her goods are found "no more at all" (Rev 18:14).
• "15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing," The secular humanism of the merchants only measured their success by the bottom line of monetary profit, i.e., "which were made rich by her" (Rev 18:15), and not how "unrighteous mammon" (Luke 16:11) could be used to: (1) serve God, i.e., "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse" (Malachi 3:10);
(2) benefit man, i.e., "do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate" (1Timothy 6:18); and
(3) truly help themselves, i.e., to "lay hold on Eternal Life" (Rev 6:19)-- not earning Eternal Life, but in faith laying hold of Christ, who is "Eternal Life" (1John 5:20). As if mesmerized by a charmer, the merchants can only keep their distance "for the fear of her torment" (Rev 18:15)-- again, quite probably for fear of contamination by nuclear radiation-- still selfishly considering only their physical but not spiritual safety. "Repent: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17). Their strong emotions, i.e., "weeping and wailing" (Rev 18:15), demonstrate the depth of their bitterness over their financial loss. "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" (Luke 12:20).
• "16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!" Here, we are reading the Divine Writ concerning the destruction of Babylon the Great, and we have noticed at length the strong reactions of the merchants of the world to their loss of goods, income, and opportunity, when she is judged, i.e., "that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!" (Rev 18:16). We cannot even know but the surface of the relationship between the religious robes of Babylon the Great and the economic order of the world! "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12). We may only have limited success in describing from human records the religious, political, economic, and social cabal of Babylon the Great; but here, the Divine Audit authoritatively records the evidence. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the LORD, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (2Corinthians 6:17).
• "17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off," All are still bewildered at the swiftness of their loss-- astounded that it actually took place. "For in one hour so great riches is come to nought" (Rev 18:17). Now the merchant marine participates in mourning over their loss of Babylon the Great, i.e., "every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off" (Rev 18:17). Like the survivors of the World Trade Centre on September 11th 2001, they are in a state of disbelief that this event has actually transpired. For most all of those sailors, this is a signal for their deaths, as well, during the next few days of the Vial Judgments-- since during those days of the Vial Judgments, the inhabitants of the world "repented not" (Rev 16:9, 11)-- if not their deaths at the climax at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. "But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption" (2Peter 2:12). However, even at the End, a Remnant will be saved, for a nation is converted "in one day" (Isaiah 66:8). Essentially, in spite of all the carnage, the onlookers refuse to see the overall picture of the judgment of sinners in the hands of an angry God. "Their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste" (Deuteronomy 32:35).
• "18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!" This is the end of an illicit love affair that has endured the ages. "And I will come near to you to Judgment; and I will be a Swift Witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not Me, saith the LORD of Hosts" (Malachi 3:5). Since it is the vengeance of God, the Righteous can rightfully rejoice that justice has been done. "The spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of Recompenses shall surely requite" (Jeremiah 51:56). Rome, the emblem of Babylon the Great, has been judged. "What city is like unto this great city!" (Rev 18:18). We are given this lengthy picture of the sailors' grief to emphasize the certainty of God's Judgment. "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the LORD" (Romans 12:19).
• "19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate." It is inconsolable grief, when these grown men "cast dust on their heads" (Rev 18:19) and cry, "Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate" (Rev 18:19). This is a picture of numbness that can only be assuaged by repentance-- and, death will not put them out of their misery. "43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into Life maimed, than having two hands to go into Hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mark 9:43-44). The Great Whore will not deliver herself from God's Judgment, even with her vast wealth, i.e., "by reason of her costliness" (Rev 18:19). "Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land" (Zephaniah 1:18). For the third time (cp. v. 10, 17), it is said that her desolation is complete in "one hour" (Rev 18:19), making the reader feel that the impact of her Judgment must be so swift that it must take place within sixty actual minutes. "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?" (Numbers 23:19).
• "20 Rejoice over her, thou Heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her." Vengeance is the domain of God, so the Saints ought to "rejoice over" (Rev 18:20) God's Judgment of Babylon the Great. "17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18 lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him. 19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; 20 for there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. 29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I [Jehovah] will render to the man according to his work" (Proverbs 24:17-19, 29).
The Mighty God avenges Himself upon Babylon the Great to clear away her disrespect for Himself and His Law, so that an influence will be felt throughout Heaven that would counteract the thought or possibility of any future rebellion in that happy company of moral beings. "42 I will make Mine arrows drunk with blood, and My sword shall devour flesh; and that with [or, it may be rendered, because of] the blood of the slain and of the captives [i.e., because of the blood of His people whom they have killed], from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. 43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with His people: for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance to His adversaries, and will be merciful unto His land, and to His people" (Deuteronomy 32:42-43). The Ten Horns, like the policeman, may execute God's Judgment here below; but, it is God's revenge, that is accomplished, and God's people that will be avenged. "3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenge to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil" (Romans 13:3-4).
• "21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all." Now that Babylon's mourners have had their say, God's "mighty angel" takes "up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [s] it into the sea" (Rev 18:21). Is this "great millstone" (Rev 18:21) merely symbolic, as when Jeremiah instructed Seraiah, a prince that accompanied Zedekiah into captivity, "And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates: and thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary" (Jeremiah 51:63-64)? Or, will some kind of tsunami accompany the destruction of Babylon the Great? We shall soon see. The Apocalypse records the phrase "no more at all" six times in this chapter: (1) The luxury merchandise of "goodly and dainty" (Rev 18:14) fruits will not be found any longer in Babylon.
(2) Babylon itself will be found "no more at all" (Rev 18:21).
(3) The lively music of "musicians" (Rev 18:22) will not be heard any longer in Babylon.
(4) The sound of a working machine, such as a "millstone" (Rev 18:22), will no longer be heard in Babylon.
(5) The helpful and revealing "light of a candle" (Rev 18:23) will not be seen in Babylon any longer. And,
(6) the celebrative and hopeful "voice of the bridegroom and of the bride" (Rev 18:23) will no longer be heard in Babylon. In short, God erases Babylon the Great. "When Thy Judgments are in the Earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn Righteousness" (Isaiah 26:9).
• "22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;" The finality of God's Judgment of Babylon the Great is heard in the silence of the "voice [Greek, phone, the sound as of a musical instrument] of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters" (Rev 18:22). Music's jubilation has filled Heaven expressing the joy, i.e., "Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full of joy with Thy countenance" (Acts 2:28), since before Lucifer fell. And, Lucifer is thought to have also been the chief of God's musicians. There is no doubt that this gives more credence to the Christians' description of the overtly vile music of the world as the Devil's Music. "13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God... the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth...
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee" (Ezekiel 28:13-15). The soundtrack of life has been terminated for Babylon. "1 Behold, the LORD maketh the Earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him... 6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the Earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the Earth are burned, and few men left. 7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted do sigh. 8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth" (Isaiah 24:1-2, 6-8).
Total Judgment falls upon the scientists, engineers, technicians, and skilled labourers of Babylon the Great. "No craftsman [Greek, technites], of whatsoever craft [Greek, techne] he be, shall be found any more in thee" (Rev 18:22) The dominion that God appointed man to have over the Earth, i.e., "And God said... have dominion... over all the Earth" (Genesis 1:26), has been lost by man's skilful creation of all manner of devices to fulfil his wicked lusts. "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Rev 6:5). Likewise, the inanimate, non moral machines that fulfilled the will of the craftsmen of Babylon the Great will be silenced. "And the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee" (Rev 18:22). The very atoms will cooperate with their Creator, when the time comes for the Judgment of wicked men, as well as for the Rapture of the Righteous. "In a moment [Greek, atomos], in the twinkling of an eye, at the Last Trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1Corinthians 15:52).
• "23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the Earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." The Holy Spirit concludes this enumeration of things "no more at all" with the death of all help, i.e., the "light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee" (Rev 18:23), and the termination of all hope, i.e., the "voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee" (Rev 18:23). "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18). Those men of finance and commerce who cooperated with and profited by their relationship with Babylon the Great are labeled "thy merchants" (Rev 18:23).
"When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers" (Psalm 50:18). In the meantime, True Christians who must make a living and do business in the world, should not engage in any employment or business relationship that will defile their conscience before God. "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). Christian Liberty allows that "all things are lawful" (1Corinthians 6:12) for any action, employment, or business that abides by and does not violate the Law of Love, i.e., "Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind... Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matthew 22:37, 39), and, of course, is not expressly forbidden by God. Even then, we are given the Spirit's guidance to particularly seek out those choices that are spiritually profitable, that are not harmfully addictive, and that build up the Kingdom of God, i.e., "12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient [i.e., profitable]: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any [i.e., addictive]. 23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient [i.e., profitable]: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify [i.e., build up] not" (1Corinthians 6:12; 10:23).
Who are the "great men of the Earth" (Rev 18:23)? In any age, they are those of renown, who their respective generation identifies as the rich, powerful, gifted, and talented-- occasionally including even the Godly-- but, the Godly are not in this instance numbered among Babylon the Great. "26 For ye see your calling, Brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence" (1Corinthians 1:26-29). "By thy sorceries [Greek, pharmakeia, deceptions and seductions] were all nations deceived" (Rev 18:23). The Mother of Harlots merely gave those merchants what they wanted, seducing only those who were willing, and failing with those who refused. "19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it" (Isaiah 1:19-20).
• "24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slain upon the Earth." This closing verse of Chapter 18 lays the "blood of prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slain upon the Earth" (Rev 18:24) on Babylon the Great. Where is the justice of blaming even the bloodthirsty Whore for the blood "of all that were slain upon the Earth" (Rev 18:24)?
"There is no city under the sun which has so clear a title to Catholic blood-guiltiness as Rome. The guilt of the bloodshed under the heathen emperors has not been removed under the Popes, but hugely multiplied. Nor is Rome accountable only for that which hath been shed in the city, but for that shed in all the earth. For at Rome under the Pope, as well as under the heathen emperors, were the bloody orders and edicts given: and wherever the blood of holy men was shed, there were the grand rejoicings for it. And what immense quantities of blood have been shed by her agents! Charles IX., of France, in his letter to Gregory XIII., boasts, that in and not long after the massacre of Paris, he had destroyed seventy thousand Huguenots.
Some have computed, that, from the year 1518 to 1548, fifteen millions of Protestants have perished by the Inquisition. This may be overcharged; but certainly the number of them in those thirty years, as well as since, is almost incredible. To these we may add innumerable martyrs, in ancient, middle, and late ages, in Bohemia, Germany, Holland, France, England, Ireland, and many other parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia"(excerpted from John Wesley's "Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament" [1755], commenting on Revelation 18:24). Scripture teaches us of a Unity of Moral Action, in that, if your heart is right, then your actions are divinely judged as morally right, i.e., "Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also" (Matthew 23:26); but, if your heart is wrong, your actions are accounted as all morally defective. "For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10).
For the Holy Spirit to here accuse the Mother of Harlots of culpability for "all that were slain" (Rev 18:24) is like the LORD Jesus Christ's pronouncement of woe upon the lawyers. "47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 50 that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation" (Luke 11:47-50). It appears that the Divine Mind views the bloodguilt of Babylon the Great to be equal to her hearty agreement with all the murderers, who came before her, and her imitation and multiplication of the duplicity of their feigned fidelity to the memory of the Righteous, while likewise refusing to obey the Present Truth. "O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed [Hebrew, shadad, wasted]; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us" (Psalm 137:8).