Babylon represents the anti-God society all around us. Those who belong to it are those who are not Christians. Revelation has been building up to this focus on this Fall of Babylon, the judgment of this anti-God society.

The announcement (v1-3) of the Fall of Babylon is made by this glorious angel (v1). Even John was amazed by the splendour of Babylon (17 v6). But this angel’s splendour is on a totally different level.

This call (v4) to leave Babylon is to separate from godless society and not to engage in her sins. We’re called to be in the world but not of it.

Verse 5 reminds me of the tower of Babel. The punishment Babylon receives is fitting (v6). The word double here as in ‘double portion’ can be translated as duplicate. The point is that it is judgment that matches the sin. One of the striking things revealed here about the justice on Babylon is how quickly it comes (v8, 10b, 17, v19b).

Verses 9-20 contain responses to Babylon’s fall from different groups and then we have the finality of the judgment (v21-24). The key phrase in these verses is ‘no more’. Judgment separates people from what they love.