Rev 18:1-24
In 17th chapter we saw a religious system named Babylon the Great.
Today we look at Babylon as a global political power.
Verses 1-3: Entire world of economy, politics and commerce are impacted and judged
‘Babylon the Great’ is a political system so wicked and a dwelling place for demons.
The rulers and the merchants are seduced by its power in the last part of the tribulation period.
One world government operated from ‘Babylon’ manipulates the economy and commerce of the world.
God is going to judge this corrupt and wicked system very soon.
 Verses 4-8: God’s people warned to get separated from the world system
1. From sins and 2.From Plagues
At this point we all know that the Church is in heaven because of RAPTURE.
In those terrible demonic days of tribulation, many people will turn to the Lord and are saved.
Such people did not take the mark of the beast and are hunted by armies of the Antichrist.
God is warning them not to lose their faith in the Lord because of their circumstances.
Just hang in there as long as they can but never to compromise with the world system.
This is clearly a warning to the present day believer in the Lord Jesus.
Always we have to remember that this world system is under the authority of Satan.
One author says, “We are not to be isolated but rather, insulated moving in the midst of evil, but untouched by it.”
So we should not compromise or to work with the system but to get separated from it
Verse 8 clearly describes the judgment of God by plagues, famine and fire.
Verses 9-11: The rulers and the business world weep for their losses.
They saw the tumbling commercial world and the crumbling world system.
The loss is felt worldwide and it is devastating to every business world.
They mourn not for the Anti-Christ’s empire but for their own losses in power and business.
They were shocked and wonder how a political system like Babylon could fall so terribly.
Verses 12-13: Apostle John mentions varieties of luxury items of his days.
These items mentioned were used by the rich in Apostle John’s days.
The common people of his days cannot afford them.
So they weep over the loss of such luxury items and the profit they make out of them.
Two interesting items were included in the commodity list: Bodies and souls of men
In the last days Antichrist will return to the slave trade and also it points the present day “international prostitution and drug trafficking”
Verses 14-19: In one hour the great city has disappeared in smoke.
All that commercially valuable crumbled in one hour means in short span of time – in a day
Collapse of worldwide markets losing everything in stocks
The business world cries in agony for the world economy, international trade and international transportation system and the merchant navy comes to abrupt halt around the world.
In one hour everything made desolate.
Babylon the great city for all world systems will disappear in matter of a moment.
Verses 20-24: A reason to rejoicing in heaven
The saved people in heaven rejoice over the fall of the Antichrist's world on earth.
The destruction of Babylon is so sudden and devastating and never to be found again.
This happens at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Five times it was mentioned the word ‘never’ or ‘ever’ in verses 22-23.
Familiar activities like music, people working, preparing food, light shining in the night time, and no more weddings will suddenly stop.
Everyday normal activities of this world will come to grinding halt- screeching halt.
In Noah’s time people were involved in their normal activities of their routine life.
The people of the tribulation period are also preoccupied with their life when the judgment of God falls on them suddenly.
The judgment falls on Babylon, the satanic system which corrupted and deceived the entire world.
One more reason for God judges it because of killing the believers.
Their blood avenged in the final destruction of satanic evil empire called Babylon.

Rev 17:1-18
Chapter 17 and 18 do not follow the chronological sequence of the book.
Chapter 19 follows the sequence of chapter 16.
Soon after rapture of the Church, those who are left behind on earth undergo a traumatic experience with fear of the unknown, uncertainty and chaos everywhere.
During that moment in tribulation people flock to religious system to find hope and comfort.
Chapter 17 basically points to the religious atmosphere in tribulation.
A woman described as a great prostitute is the religious system that emerges out of chaos.
Many waters mentioned in this chapter are people of the globe from all backgrounds.
These are unsaved people who rejected the Gospel message.
The religious system evolved is false, corrupted with all cults and religions of the world. 
This false religion stands for spiritual idolatry, spiritual perversion, and antithesis of true Christianity.
Even the rulers and authorities are drawn to the one world religion as if the entire world is drunk with wine.
Apostle John gets a glimpse of the false religion described as woman dressed in purple and scarlet.
She is also adorned with gold and precious stones pointing to her wealth this one world religious system amass during tribulation period.
Apostle John sees a mysterious name given to her describing her character.
Her name is ‘Babylon the great mother of prostitutes and filth of the earth.
This false religion cannot tolerate exclusive claims of Christianity.
We see that even today that uniqueness of Christ is unacceptable to many people.
So many believers in the Lord were persecuted and killed during tribulation period.
The expression in 6th verse points to the very fact that the false religion is drunk with believers’ blood.
John was shocked that Christianity would be so hated by this one world religious system.
9th verse points to a place of ‘seven hills’ as the headquarters of world religion.
Satan is the source of Anti-Christ who rises from the sea of humanity.
Those whose names are not in the Book of Life marvel at the Antichrist because of his false resurrection.
The revived Roman Empire will be the center of the false world religion.
Before Apostle John, 5 major empires ruled the earth: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece.
Roman Empire was in power during his time.
The revived Roman Empire will be the future power that controls the globe before the return of the Lord.
The Anti-Christ, the 8th ruler is the final ruler of the revived Roman Empire.
There will be ten kings without much power ruling simultaneously.
These ten will be united with one purpose to give power to the Antichrist the final world dictator.  
These European nations will unite politically, militarily and economically. 
The final stage is set for internationalism or globalism.
When the Antichrist surfaces on the world stage he will unite the world into one global power. They all have one mind and one purpose to promote and give their power to Antichrist.
These nations will wage war against the Lamb.
In the middle of tribulation, the Anti-Christ will attack the religious system in order to promote himself to be the focus of worship.
Verse 16 describes the attack on the world religion and its destruction in the hands of Antichrist.
A new world religious system emerges that worships the beast as the false messiah.
God will use this rebellion of the beast to fulfill His purpose for the Lord Jesus 2nd coming
From the eternity God unfolds His plan precisely and magnificently.
No matter who controls the world or governments God executes HIS plan according to HIS purpose and plan.
Today God is intensely and intricately involved with the events of the world.
Chapter 17 reminds us that what we observe the signs of uniting ‘religious ideologies’ are a step further towards the rapture of the church.

Rev 16:1-21
The Old Testament refers to the ‘Day of the Lord’ many places in the prophets.
Joel 2:11 “The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?
God’s last judgment upon the earth comes thru the 7 bowls in the hands of 7 seven angels.
God’s final judgment will be very severe and devastating before Lord Jesus return to earth.
First angel pours out the first bowl of God’s judgment upon unsaved people as a result severe sores broke out on them
These people took the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
Second angel pours out the second bowl on all sea water which turned into blood.
All the living creatures in the sea were dead and there was unbearable stink of the dead
This never ever happened in human history.
Due to the stink and the death in the sea unimaginable diseases spread all over the world.
Third angel pours out the third bowl on all fresh water which also turned into blood.
People have no water to drink.
They shed the blood of the believers and the prophets.
This is just punishment for what they have done.
They have to drink the blood themselves and they got what they deserved.
Fourth angel poured out the fourth bowl on the sun.
Intense heat was produced that scorched the people who were already suffering with severe boils or sores.
This scorching heat intensified their pain.
They cursed God and refused to repent and glorified God.
Fifth angel poured the fifth bowl on home of the beast, the antichrist.
God plunged the kingdom of antichrist into darkness.
I feel this is worldwide darkness as the Anti-Christ began to rule the whole world.
All unbelievers are subjected to this eerie darkness all over the globe.
The people continue to curse God with agony from the painful sores.
Their mouths got dry due to constant cursing.
Sixth angel poured out the sixth bowl on Euphrates River to dry it up.
Euphrates River is mentioned after Genesis 2 which is the longest river in Middle East.
Natural boundary is now lifted due to dried up Euphrates River inviting kings from the East to invade and battle against Israel.
Three impure spirits look like frogs came out from the unholy trinity.
The purpose is to deceive the kings and their armies to gather them for battle against Israel.
Satan’s intention is to wipe out Israel from the world map to prevent Christ’s rule on earth.
15th verse is addressing the faithful few in the tribulation period as the ungodly will be taken by surprise for the sudden coming of Christ.
We come across the word ‘Armageddon’ only once in the scripture. 
Hebrew meaning is Mountain of Megiddo, north of Jerusalem; suitable battleground for the last battle before Christ’s return.
The seventh angel poured out the 7th bowl of God’s wrath on the air.
From the throne of God a loud voice saying “It is done”
From the cross our Lord Christ shouted saying “It is finished”.
In that shout Christ telling the Father that HIS work on earth is finished – the salvation for the humanity is accomplished.
Now Lord God Almighty shouting that HIS wrath on the unrepentant people is finished.
After God’s shout there was a great earth quake unparalleled in human history.
It is a global earth quake that never happened before with such serious consequences.
A) The great city was split into three parts – Jerusalem city
B) The cities of the nations collapsed – worldwide demolition of all cities.
C) The city of Babylon which could be seat of Satan or any city even it could be Rome or re-built Babylon.
D) Every island dissolved and all the big mountains leveled as if the never existed.
The great earth quake has a catastrophic effect on the globe and entirely altered the topography radically in a matter of moment 
As if God Almighty is preparing the earth for our Lord Jesus for HIS millennial kingdom.
It is not earth quake that caused much damage to the people it is the hailstorm that never happened before.
Huge hailstones weighing 100 pounds fell on the unrepentant people who cursed God for the terrible plague of 100 pound hailstones.
This is like ‘stoned to death’ according to the Old Testament for sin.
In Lev 24:16 it is recorded that God will punish all blasphemers and unrepentant people by stone.
Till the last moment of God’s wrath people are still unrepentant and deserve HIS wrath.
God is always a just God as He gave multiple opportunities in the tribulation period to repent and accept the Lord Jesus as Savior.