What is the meaning of Revelation 18:24? And there was found • “And there was found…” (Revelation 18:24) signals a courtroom verdict—God has completed His investigation and uncovered undeniable evidence. • Similar language appears when Babylon’s sins “have piled up to heaven” (Revelation 18:5) and when Belshazzar was “weighed in the balance and found wanting” (Daniel 5:27). • This phrase reminds us that no injustice escapes the Lord’s notice; in due time He exposes hidden evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Luke 12:2). in her • “In her” points back to the great city Babylon, portrayed as a seductive, corrupting power (Revelation 17:18; 18:10). • Whether one sees this as a rebuilt city, a specific capital, or the center of a global system, the text treats Babylon as a real entity responsible for tangible crimes (Isaiah 13:19; Jeremiah 51:24). • The phrase underscores personal accountability: evil may be widespread, yet God pinpoints its source and judges it directly. the blood • Scripture views blood as life itself (Leviticus 17:14). To find blood in Babylon is to find life violently taken—murder on a massive, unrepented scale. • Abel’s blood cried out from the ground (Genesis 4:10); here the accumulated blood of multitudes cries out for divine justice (Revelation 6:9-10). • God’s response is swift and certain: “He has avenged on her the blood of His servants” (Revelation 19:2). of prophets and saints • Prophets: those sent to speak God’s word, often rejected and killed (1 Kings 19:10; Acts 7:52). • Saints: all believers set apart for the Lord—Old and New Covenant alike (Psalm 116:15; Revelation 13:7). • Babylon’s hatred mirrors earlier persecutions: Jezebel’s slaughter of prophets (1 Kings 18:4) and Jerusalem’s guilt in shedding righteous blood (Matthew 23:37). The city accumulates both prophetic and apostolic martyrdoms. and of all who had been slain on the earth • The indictment widens to “all who had been slain on the earth,” showing Babylon’s influence saturates the globe. • Jeremiah foretold, “Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as the slain of all the earth have fallen for Babylon” (Jeremiah 51:49). • The phrase affirms a literal, worldwide scope: from ancient martyrs to end-time victims, every murder tied to Babylon’s system will be answered (Revelation 13:15; 17:6). summary Revelation 18:24 delivers God’s final charge against Babylon. He uncovers the city’s hidden record, locates the guilt within her walls, and exposes the life-blood she has spilled. Prophets, saints, and untold multitudes have been murdered through her corrupting power. Their blood cries out, and God answers with righteous judgment. This verse assures believers that every injustice will be reckoned with, vindicating God’s people and proving His holy, thorough justice over all the earth. |
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