A Mighty Angel with a Millstone Revelation 18:21

An “angel” from heaven showed John the apostle many things which will occur in the tribulation time on the earth, and John wrote about the wealth and riches within the commercial center of Babylon that would exist during that time. He watched as Babylon was destroyed, and he wrote how the people who looked upon the city wailed,, “For in one hour so great riches is come to nothing. And every ship-master, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off. 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. Rejoice over her, you heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets; for God has avenged you on her.” In chapter eighteen and verse twenty-one of Revelation John sees how “a mighty angel took up a stone like a millstone, and cast it into the sea” where we read:

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.

The verse reads, “And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, ...” John began with the words, “and a mighty angel” which refers to “a powerful, mighty, firm and sure messenger, envoy and one sent” “took up” or “raised, lifted up and elevated” “a stone” which means “a building stone” “like a great millstone” or “similar to a massive, abundant and large grinder stone as used in a mill”, “and cast it” which means “and threw and let the stone go” “into the sea” which refers to “into the large body of water such as a sea and specifically used for the Mediterranean or Red Sea”. John watched as this “powerful messenger” of God picked up a huge “stone” and threw it into the “sea”.

The verse continues, “Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.” John added the word, “thus” which means “therefore, so and in this manner” “with violence” or “alongside a rush, precipitation, attack and violence” “shall that great city” or “will the massive, abundant and large dwelling place, abode and habitation” “Babylon” which means “confusion” and was “a very large and famous city, and the residence of the Babylonian kings which was situated on both banks of the Euphrates” “be thrown down” or “be cast forth, scattered, poured out and let go”, “and shall be found” which means “and will be seen, discovered, present, recognized or detected” “no more” or “never again” “at all” which means “no longer in any way or fashion”. John saw how the destruction of “Babylon” was so “violent” that it causes permanent absence of the “Babylon's” presence.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see how determined God was to rid the world of this “city of Babylon”. The fact that a huge “angel” was given the responsibility to “sink” this city demonstrates the purpose God had in mind with the once valuable city. God desires to “destroy” every temporary venue that will replace Him as the priority is a person's life. His plan of “salvation” for every person was to remove them from the “temporary” things like “Babylon”, and give them “everlasting life” through His Son Jesus. Those who are wise will realize there is no “temporary” treasure that is worthy to be compared to the glory of a relationship with God, and may everyone reading these words be sure they have their “eternal” priorities in the right place.

Next time John sees how, “the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all” in “Babylon”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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