Revelation 16:19
The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights that judgment on "Babylon the great" isn't just a singular event but a process, as God "remembered" her to give her "the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath." This implies a deliberate and complete reckoning, drawing on all that she has done.
This verse marks the climax of the seventh and final plague poured out onto the earth. After the earth-shattering earthquake, the mighty city, representing oppressive and idolatrous powers (often identified as Babylon or Rome), is violently shattered into three parts, and allied cities worldwide crumble. God’s judgment, long delayed, finally falls with full force upon this symbolic "great city," giving it the ultimate punishment it deserves.
When the text calls it 'the great city' and then 'great Babylon,' what is it really talking about? Is it one specific place, or something bigger?
The scholars point out that "the great city" is a title used in Revelation for the seat of evil. While many identify this with Rome (both pagan and papal), the concept often extends beyond a single geographical location.
A Symbol of Rebellion
While Rome has often been seen as the literal embodiment of this "great city" throughout history, the term symbolizes any powerful entity that promotes idolatry, persecution, and spiritual deception.
The verse states God 'remembered' Babylon. What does it mean for God to 'remember' in this context, and why is His wrath described as a 'cup'?
When the Bible says God "remembers" in relation to judgment, it doesn't mean He forgot and is now recalling. Instead, it signifies that the time for His promised, and long-delayed, judgment has finally arrived.
The Cup of Wrath
Understand the original words
Babylōn · Greek Proper Noun
Used symbolically in Revelation to represent the world system that is opposed to God, characterized by pride, idolatry, and the persecution of God's people. It acts as a foil to the "New Jerusalem."
oinos · Greek Noun
A common biblical metaphor for divine judgment; drinking the cup refers to experiencing the fullness of God's righteous indignation and punishment for sin.
thymos · Greek Noun
The firm, settled, and holy indignation of God against sin, evil, and rebellion; it is the necessary divine reaction to that which opposes His holiness and justice.
orgē · Greek Noun
The righteous and retributive justice of God, which is the inevitable consequence of human rebellion and rejection of His grace.
This verse uses vivid, symbolic language to describe the utter destruction of a corrupt system referred to as 'Babylon.' While historical events like the fall of Jerusalem and the rise of the Papacy offer potential allusions, the ultimate fulfillment is understood by many as a future, climactic judgment.
c. 70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Roman army under Titus besieges and destroys Jerusalem. This event, with its intense divisions and devastating outcome, is seen by some commentators as a historical prototype for the symbolic language used in Revelation.
c. 100 AD
Book of Revelation Written
The Apostle John writes the Book of Revelation, likely while exiled on the island of Patmos. The book uses symbolic language to address the persecution faced by early Christians under Roman rule.
c. 313 AD
Edict of Milan
Emperor Constantine issues the Edict of Milan, granting religious tolerance throughout the Roman Empire. This marked a shift from paganism, leading to complex religious and political landscapes that some interpret as contributing to the imagery of 'Babylon' in Revelation.
c. 476 AD
Fall of Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire officially collapses with the deposition of the last emperor. This period of fragmentation and decline in the political power of Rome influenced later interpretations of 'Babylon' as a symbol of corrupt worldly power.
This passage describes Babylon as a golden cup from which the nations drank, symbolizing her corrupting influence, directly paralleling the 'cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath' poured out on Babylon in Revelation.
Ezekiel 5:2-4Ezekiel is instructed to divide his hair into three parts, symbolizing the divided fate of Jerusalem, which mirrors the 'great city' being divided into three parts in Revelation, indicating complete destruction.
Psalm 75:8This Psalm speaks of a cup in the hand of the Lord that is full of foaming wine mixed, which He pours out, illustrating the divine judgment and wrath being dispensed, just as Babylon receives the cup of God's wrath.
Revelation 18:1-24This chapter provides a detailed description of Babylon's fall and judgment, reinforcing the imagery of divine wrath and the complete destruction of the city prophesied in Revelation 16:19.
pooleRevelation 16:19: "And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath."
The great city; Rome, afterwards called great Babylon in this verse. Was divided into three parts; the pagan part, the evangelical part, and the antichristian part, (saith Dr. More), the three parties that made up the armies that fought in Armageddon: or else this is added a…
clarkeRevelation 16:19: "And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath."
The great city - Some say Jerusalem, others Rome pagan, others Rome papal. The cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath - Alluding to the mode of putting certain criminals to death, by making them drink a cup of poison. See on Hebrews 2:9 (note).
This verse highlights that judgment on "Babylon the great" isn't just a singular event but a process, as God "remembered" her to give her "the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath." This implies a deliberate and complete reckoning, drawing on all that she has done.
This verse marks the climax of the seventh and final plague poured out onto the earth. After the earth-shattering earthquake, the mighty city, representing oppressive and idolatrous powers (often identified as Babylon or Rome), is violently shattered into three parts, and allied cities worldwide crumble. God’s judgment, long delayed, finally falls with full force upon this symbolic "great city," giving it the ultimate punishment it deserves.
This verse marks the climax of the seventh and final plague poured out onto the earth. After the earth-shattering earthquake, the mighty city, representing oppressive and idolatrous powers (often identified as Babylon or Rome), is violently shattered into three parts, and allied cities worldwide crumble. God’s judgment, long delayed, finally falls with full force upon this symbolic "great city," giving it the ultimate punishment it deserves.
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This is not a sudden, unprovoked act, but the inevitable consequence of persistent, unrepentant evil facing a just God.
The 'great city' is 'divided into three parts,' and 'the cities of the nations fell.' What does this fracturing signify for God's enemies?
The text describes a violent fracturing of the evil empire. This division into three parts, along with the falling of other cities, speaks of total and complete destruction.
Shattered Power
This isn't just about a single city falling; it's about the entire network of evil powers being dismantled and destroyed.
c. 500 AD - 1500 AD
Rise of Papal Power
Over centuries, the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) gains significant religious and temporal authority across Europe. Many interpreters identify 'Babylon' with the Papacy and its influence, seeing its eventual judgment described in Revelation.
c. 1830 AD
John Nelson Darby's Interpretations
Darby popularizes a dispensationalist view of prophecy, often interpreting symbols like 'Babylon' as referring to a future, end-times religious system allied with the Antichrist.
Undetermined Future Date— this verse
Final Judgment of 'Babylon'
According to the vision, a catastrophic, divinely-sent earthquake will shatter the symbolic 'great city' (identified by many as a representation of corrupt religious and political systems) into three parts, signifying its complete destruction and God's ultimate judgment.
"The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath." — This verse highlights that judgment on "Babylon the great" isn't just a singular event but a process, as God "remembered" her to give her "the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath." This implies…
