Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality."
Then a second angel followed
The phrase introduces the second of three angels in this chapter, each delivering a distinct message. The Greek word for "angel" is "ἄγγελος" (angelos), meaning "messenger." In the context of Revelation, angels often serve as divine heralds, delivering God's messages to humanity. The sequential appearance of this angel signifies the unfolding of God's plan and the progression of divine judgment. The presence of multiple angels underscores the seriousness and urgency of the message being conveyed.

saying, 'Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great
The repetition of "fallen" emphasizes the certainty and completeness of Babylon's downfall. In biblical literature, Babylon is often symbolic of human pride, idolatry, and opposition to God. Historically, Babylon was a powerful empire known for its wealth and decadence, but it also became a symbol of rebellion against God. The phrase "Babylon the great" highlights its perceived power and influence, yet its fall is inevitable under God's judgment. This serves as a reminder of the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom over earthly powers.

who has made all the nations drink
The imagery of making nations "drink" suggests coercion and influence. In ancient times, sharing a cup or drink often symbolized fellowship or participation. Here, it implies that Babylon has led the nations into complicity with her sins. The Greek word "ποτίζω" (potizō) means "to give to drink," indicating an active role in leading others astray. This highlights the pervasive and corrupting influence of Babylon, which extends beyond its own borders to affect the entire world.

the wine of the passion of her immorality
The "wine" symbolizes the intoxicating and seductive nature of Babylon's sins. Wine, in biblical terms, can represent both blessing and judgment. Here, it is associated with "passion" and "immorality," suggesting a reckless indulgence in sinful behavior. The Greek word for "passion" is "θυμός" (thymos), which can mean "wrath" or "fierce desire," indicating an intense and consuming nature. "Immorality" translates from "πορνεία" (porneia), often referring to sexual immorality but also encompassing idolatry and spiritual unfaithfulness. This phrase serves as a warning against the seductive allure of sin and the inevitable consequences of turning away from God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Second Angel
This angel follows the first angel in Revelation 14, delivering a message of judgment. Angels in Revelation often serve as messengers of God's will and judgment.

2. Babylon the Great
Symbolically represents a powerful, corrupt system or city that opposes God. Historically, Babylon was an ancient city known for its wealth and idolatry, often used in Scripture as a symbol of rebellion against God.

3. Nations
Refers to the peoples and governments of the world that have been influenced or corrupted by Babylon's immorality.

4. Wine of the Passion of Her Immorality
Symbolizes the seductive and corrupting influence of Babylon, leading nations into spiritual adultery and idolatry.

5. Fallen
Indicates the judgment and ultimate downfall of Babylon, emphasizing the certainty of God's justice.
Teaching Points
The Certainty of God's Judgment
God's judgment is inevitable for those who oppose Him. Babylon's fall is a reminder that no power or system is beyond God's reach.

The Danger of Spiritual Adultery
Believers must guard against being seduced by the world's values and systems that lead away from God.

The Call to Holiness
Christians are called to live distinctively, resisting the corrupting influences of the world and remaining faithful to God.

The Global Impact of Sin
The influence of Babylon is global, affecting all nations. This highlights the pervasive nature of sin and the need for vigilance and prayer.

Hope in God's Sovereignty
Despite the apparent power of evil, God is sovereign, and His plans will prevail. Believers can find hope and assurance in His ultimate victory.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of Babylon in Revelation 14:8 challenge us to evaluate the influences in our own lives?

2. In what ways can we identify and resist the "wine of the passion of her immorality" in today's culture?

3. How does the certainty of Babylon's fall encourage us in our faith and witness to others?

4. What parallels can we draw between the fall of Babylon and other biblical accounts of God's judgment?

5. How can we practically live out the call to holiness in a world influenced by "Babylon"?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 21:9
This Old Testament prophecy also declares the fall of Babylon, highlighting the theme of God's judgment against pride and idolatry.

Jeremiah 51:7
Describes Babylon as a golden cup in the Lord's hand, making the earth drunk, which parallels the imagery of Babylon's corrupting influence in Revelation 14:8.

Revelation 17-18
These chapters provide a more detailed description of Babylon's identity, influence, and eventual destruction, reinforcing the message of Revelation 14:8.
A Further Vision of TriumphR. Green Revelation 14:8
The Voice of the Second Angel: the Judgment of BabylonS. Conway Revelation 14:8
A Song of FreedomJ. M. Hoppin.Revelation 14:1-13
Absolute Obedience to the Guidance of ChristBp. Woodford.Revelation 14:1-13
Angelic IncompetencyT. De Witt Talmage.Revelation 14:1-13
Devotion to ChristR. Forgan, B. D.Revelation 14:1-13
Man Training for HeavenHomilistRevelation 14:1-13
Music in HeavenG. Kingsley.Revelation 14:1-13
Musical Art in its Relation to Divine WorshipJ. W. Shackelford, D. D.Revelation 14:1-13
The 144,000J. A. Seiss, D. D.Revelation 14:1-13
The Church God's FirstfruitsW. Milligan, D. D.Revelation 14:1-13
The Communion of SaintsArchdeacon Manning.Revelation 14:1-13
The Followers of JesusT. Kidd.Revelation 14:1-13
The Followers of the LambC. H. Spurgeon.Revelation 14:1-13
The Followers of the LambW. Dyer.Revelation 14:1-13
The Greater SalvationS. Conway, B. A.Revelation 14:1-13
The Music of HeavenS. D. Hillman.Revelation 14:1-13
The Name on the ForeheadPreacher's Portfolio.Revelation 14:1-13
The New SongJames Kidd, B.A.Revelation 14:1-13
The New SongT. G. Selby.Revelation 14:1-13
The New Song in the SoulFred. Brooks.Revelation 14:1-13
The Song of the RedeemedR. Watson.Revelation 14:1-13
The Sublimest Human DistinctionHomilistRevelation 14:1-13
The Unlearned Song of the RedeemedC. A. Bartol.Revelation 14:1-13
TruthfulnessRevelation 14:1-13
UndefiledW. Milligan, D. D.Revelation 14:1-13
An Ideal PreacherHomilistRevelation 14:6-8
The Angel in Mid-HeavenJ. R. Macduff, D. D.Revelation 14:6-8
The Dissemination of Good and the Destruction of EvilD. Thomas, D. D.Revelation 14:6-8
The Dissemination of Good, and the Destruction of EvilD. Thomas Revelation 14:6-8
The Doom of the World-PowerBp. Boyd Carpenter.Revelation 14:6-8
The Everlasting GospelR. Shutte, M. A.Revelation 14:6-8
The Everlasting GospelJ. Stalker, D. D.Revelation 14:6-8
The Everlasting GospelH. Bonar, D. D.Revelation 14:6-8
The Flight of the Angel Through HeavenR. Watson.Revelation 14:6-8
The Gospel EnduringRevelation 14:6-8
The Gospel in Terms of DurationJ. A. Kerr Bain, M. ARevelation 14:6-8
The Gospel of RetributionS. Cox, D. D.Revelation 14:6-8
The Missionary AngelE. A. Stuart, M. A.Revelation 14:6-8
The Preaching of the Everlasting GospelC. Clayton, M. A.Revelation 14:6-8
The Survival of the FittestF. W. Brown.Revelation 14:6-8
The Undying ThemeF. Ferguson.Revelation 14:6-8
People
John
Places
Babylon, Mount Zion, Patmos
Topics
Adulteries, Angel, Anger, Babylon, Destruction, Drink, Evil, Exclaiming, Fall, Fallen, Follow, Followed, Fornication, Fury, Immorality, Impure, Lewdness, Maddening, Messenger, Nations, Passion, Provoked, Saying, Sexual, Whoredom, Wine, Wrath
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Revelation 14:8

     4215   Babylon
     4263   Rome
     5305   empires
     5541   society, negative
     6103   abomination
     6189   immorality, examples

Revelation 14:7-9

     5196   voice

Revelation 14:8-10

     4544   wine

Revelation 14:8-11

     4125   Satan, agents of

Library
The Approval of the Spirit
TEXT: "Yea, saith the Spirit."--Rev. 14:31. The world has had many notable galleries of art in which we have been enabled to study the beautiful landscape, to consider deeds of heroism which have made the past illustrious, in which we have also read the stories of saintly lives; but surpassing all these is the gallery of art in which we find the text. Humanly speaking John is the artist while he is an exile on the Island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea. The words he uses and the figures he presents
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot

The Declensions of Christianity, an Argument of Its Truth.
"When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" That the coming of the Son of man, is here intended of Christ's coming at the commencement of the latter day glory, hath been alleged in the preceding discourse, and several considerations adduced in proof. Additional evidence will arise from a view of the prophecies relative to the great declensions which were to take place in the church, during the gospel day. These, we observed, are of two kinds, one, a corruption of religion,
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

Heavenly Worship
"Up to her courts, with joys unknown, The sacred tribes repaired." Between the wings of the cherubim Jehovah dwelt; on the one altar there all the sacrifices were offered to high heaven. They loved Mount Sion, and often did they sing, when they drew nigh to her, in their annual pilgrimages, "How amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord God of hosts, my King and my God!" Sion is now desolate; she hath been ravished by the enemy; she hath been utterly destroyed; her vail hath been rent asunder, and the virgin
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

20TH DAY. Bliss in Dying.
"He is Faithful that Promised." "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord."--REV. xiv. 13. Bliss in Dying. My Soul! is this blessedness thine in prospect? Art thou ready, if called this night to lie down on thy death-pillow, sweetly to fall asleep in Jesus? What is the sting of death? It is sin. Is death, then, to thee, robbed of its sting, by having listened to the gracious accents of pardoning love, "Be of good cheer, thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven thee?" If thou hast made up thy
John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser

Wherefore Also the virgins of God Without Blame Indeed...
49. Wherefore also the virgins of God without blame indeed, "follow the Lamb whithersoever He shall have gone," both the cleansing of sins being perfected, and virginity being kept, which, were it lost, could not return: but, because that same Apocalypse itself, wherein such unto one such were revealed, in this also praises them, that "in their mouth there was not found a lie:" [2205] let them remember in this also to be true, that they dare not say that they have not sin. Forsooth the same John,
St. Augustine—Of Holy Virginity.

Let the Inner Ear of the virgin Also...
24. Let the inner ear of the virgin also, thy holy child, hear these things. I shall see [2284] how far she goes before you in the Kingdom of That King: it is another question. Yet ye have found, mother and daughter, Him, Whom by beauty of chastity ye ought to please together, having despised, she all, you second, marriage. Certainly if there were husbands whom ye had to please, by this time, perhaps, you would feel ashamed to adorn yourself together with your daughter; now let it not shame you,
St. Augustine—On the Good of Widowhood.

Letter Xlix to Romanus, Sub-Deacon of the Roman Curia.
To Romanus, Sub-Deacon of the Roman Curia. He urges upon him the proposal of the religious life, recalling the thought of death. Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, to his dear Romanus, as to his friend. MY DEAREST FRIEND, How good you are to me in renewing by a letter the sweet recollection of yourself and in excusing my tiresome delay. It is not possible that any forgetfulness of your affection could ever invade the hearts of those who love you; but, I confess, I thought you had almost forgotten yourself
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Whether virginity is the Greatest of virtues?
Objection 1: It would seem that virginity is the greatest of virtues. For Cyprian says (De Virgin. [*De Habitu Virg.]): "We address ourselves now to the virgins. Sublime is their glory, but no less exalted is their vocation. They are a flower of the Church's sowing, the pride and ornament of spiritual grace, the most honored portion of Christ's flock." Objection 2: Further, a greater reward is due to the greater virtue. Now the greatest reward is due to virginity, namely the hundredfold fruit, according
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Glory of the virgins and Religious.
Here are two other bright throngs that present themselves. They are the holy Virgins and the Religious. Let us first contemplate the bright glory of the virgins. I quote again from the Apocalypse: "And I heard a great voice from heaven. . . . And the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers, harping upon their harps. And they sang as it were a new canticle before the throne. . . . And no man could say that canticle but those hundred and forty-four thousand. These are they who were not defiled
F. J. Boudreaux—The Happiness of Heaven

Naked or Clothed?
'As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.'--ECCLES. v. 15. '... Their works do follow them.'--REV. xiv. 13. It is to be observed that these two sharply contrasted texts do not refer to the same persons. The former is spoken of a rich worldling, the latter of 'the dead who die in the Lord.' The unrelieved gloom of the one is as a dark background against which the triumphant assurance of
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Ripe for Gathering
'Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and behold a basket of summer fruit. 2. And He said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, The end is come upon My people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more. 3. And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence. 4. Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Which Sentence Dishonoreth the Holy Martyrs, Nay Rather Taketh Away Holy Martyrdoms Altogether. ...
3. Which sentence dishonoreth the holy Martyrs, nay rather taketh away holy martyrdoms altogether. For they would do more justly and wisely, according to these men, not to confess to their persecutors that they were Christians, and by confessing make them murderers: but rather by telling a lie, and denying what they were, should both themselves keep safe the convenience of the flesh and purpose of the heart, and not allow those to accomplish the wickedness which they had conceived in their mind.
St. Augustine—Against Lying

Therefore, if we Compare the Things Themselves, we May no Way Doubt that The...
28. Therefore, if we compare the things themselves, we may no way doubt that the chastity of continence is better than marriage chastity, whilst yet both are good: but when we compare the persons, he is better, who hath a greater good than another. Further, he who hath a greater of the same kind, hath also that which is less; but he, who only hath what is less, assuredly hath not that which is greater. For in sixty, thirty also are contained, not sixty also in thirty. But not to work from out that
St. Augustine—On the Good of Marriage

Letter Lii to Another Holy virgin.
To Another Holy Virgin. Under a religious habit she had continued to have a spirit given up to the world, and Bernard praises her for coming to a sense of her duty; he exhorts her not to neglect the grace given to her. 1. It is the source of great joy to me to hear that you are willing to strive after that true and perfect joy, which belongs not to earth but to heaven; that is, not to this, vale of tears, but to that city of God which the rivers of the flood thereof make glad (Ps. xlvi. 4). And in
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
SHOWING WHAT IT IS, AND HOW DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT WHICH IS NOT SO. ALSO, WHENCE IT COMES; WHO HAS IT; WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS; AND WHAT THE PRIVILEGES OF THOSE THAT HAVE IT IN THEIR HEARTS. London: Printed for N. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, over against the Stocks market: 1679. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and "a fountain of life"--the foundation on which all wisdom rests, as well as the source from whence it emanates. Upon a principle
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Appendix the Daughters of Jerusalem
The question is frequently asked, Who are represented by the daughters of Jerusalem? They are clearly not the bride, yet they are not far removed from her. They know where the Bridegroom makes His flock to rest at noon; they are charged by the Bridegroom not to stir up nor awaken His love when she rests, abiding in Him; they draw attention to the Bridegroom as with dignity and pomp He comes up from the wilderness; their love-gifts adorn His chariot of state; they are appealed to by the bride for
J. Hudson Taylor—Union and Communion

Vanity of Human Glory.
"The world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not."--1 John iii. 1 Of St. Simon and St. Jude, the Saints whom we this day commemorate, little is known[1]. St. Jude, indeed, still lives in the Church in his Catholic epistle; but of his history we only know that he was brother to St. James the Less, and nearly related to our Lord and that, like St. Peter, he had been a married man. Besides his name of Jude or Judas, he is also called Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus in the Gospels. Of St. Simon we only
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

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