Revelation 18:8; Her Plagues Come in One Day
Revelation 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
The judgment of God came swiftly with no recourse. Her iniquity was full. Indeed, the Lord God is strong to judge! He judges righteously.
The consequence of Babylon’s pride is her downfall, here described in terms of death, grief, and famine for her citizens and burning fires for her buildings and structures. God will send this calamity upon her in one hour, which is not to be measured chronologically but rather interpreted metaphorically. One hour describes brevity, so that the plagues that strike her are devastatingly swift (v10, 17, 19; Revelation 17:12).
Revelation 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
Revelation 18:17 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,
Revelation 18:19 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.
Revelation 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 491). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
Before God judged Sodom and Gomorrah, He sent His angels to survey and as it was verified the iniquity of the people in these cities. The righteous were delivered and the judgment came. Abraham likewise saw God’s swift judgment upon the cities.
Genesis 19:27-29 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
Likewise for the future Babylon, God’s warning was given to flee the city before the impending judgment.
Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
May God’s people not love the world and its attractions. All the glitters is not gold. Amen.