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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMatthew Poole Commentary - Revelation 14:8 - 14:8
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The apostle is shown, that other messengers of God should come forth, during the reign of antichrist, that should declare his ruin as certainly as if it were already effected.
Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city: these words are taken from Isa_21:9, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath brokers unto the ground. So Jer_51:8, Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed. There is no doubt but both the prophets spake of that Babylon into which the Jews were carried captive; but that Babylon was typical of another Babylon, called here the
great city, and great Babylon, Rev_16:19 17:5 18:10,21; and the mother of harlots, Rev_17:5. There neither is, nor ever was, any city in the world to whom these things could agree, but to Rome, rightly enough called the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth, Rev_17:5, both in respect of carnal filthiness there tolerated to make the bishop of Rome a revenue, and spiritual whoredom, which is idolatry: called also Sodom and Egypt, Rev_11:8, the former of which was famous for beastly lusts, the latter for idolatry, and oppression of God’s Israel. The ruin of old Babylon is denounced by the prophet, Isa_21:9, because of her idolatry in image worship, for which the new Babylon is every whit as famous.
Because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication: the word translated wrath, though it oft so signifies, yet should rather be here translated poison, as we translate it, Deu_32:33 Job_20:16. The LXX. in those texts use the same word that is here used, yumov; so the sense is, with the poisonous wine of her idolatry, intimating to us the venomous condition of Romish superstitions and idolatries, to entice ignorant people to be in love with them; as harlots use with their philters, or poisoned cups, to make men in love with them. If we better approve of our translation of the term wrath, the wine of the wrath of her fornication signifieth her fornication which brings wrath upon them that join with her in it.