What does "the smoke of her burning" symbolize in Revelation 18:18? Text Under Consideration “and cried out as they watched the smoke of her burning, and said, ‘What city was like this great city?’” (Revelation 18:18) Immediate Picture John Records • John sees literal smoke billowing from the sudden destruction of “Babylon the Great.” • The merchants and mariners, viewing this from a distance, recognize that the judgment is irreversible. Old Testament Echoes • Genesis 19:28 — Abraham “looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah… and behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.” • Isaiah 34:9-10 — Edom’s land “will become burning pitch; it will not be quenched night or day; its smoke will go up forever.” • Jeremiah 51:37, 43 — Ancient Babylon destined to become “a heap of ruins… a horror and a hissing.” New Testament Parallels • Revelation 14:11 — “The smoke of their torment rises forever and ever.” • Revelation 19:3 — “Her smoke rises forever and ever,” sung as a praise chorus in heaven after Babylon’s fall. Key Truths Symbolized by the Smoke • Public testimony of divine wrath – The rising column is a visible marker that God’s judgment has truly fallen. • Finality and permanence – Continuous smoke signals that Babylon’s power will never revive. • Warning and memorial – As Sodom’s smoke warned future generations, so Babylon’s burning warns all who cling to the world system. • Vindication of the saints – What was once an oppressive city is now reduced to ashes; God defends His people. • Contrast with heavenly worship – Earth’s proud commerce goes up in smoke while heaven’s praises rise like fragrant incense (Revelation 8:3-4). Why the Onlookers Lament • Loss of economic security • Shattering of worldly grandeur • Fear of sharing the same fate (Revelation 18:10, 15) Takeaway for Believers • The smoke reminds that every earthly system opposing God will meet swift, certain judgment. • Clinging to Christ—not to Babylon’s allure—guarantees refuge when divine fire falls. |
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