The second event to follow the rapture of the firstfruit will be the fall of religious Babylon. Verse 8 says, “And another, a second angel, followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the fury of her fornication!” The modifying clause, “who has made all the nations drink...,” indicates that Babylon here refers to the religious, mysterious Babylon, which is the Roman Catholic Church, as in 17:2-6, not the material Babylon, as in 18:2. When Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel in the middle of the last week (seven years, Dan. 9:27; 11:31), he will destroy every religion. This will mark the beginning of the great tribulation which will continue for three and a half years. Antichrist will exalt himself above all gods and compel people to worship him as God (Dan. 8:9-11; 11:36-37; 2 Thes. 2:3-4; Rev. 13:4-6, 12, 14-15). At that time, he will destroy religious Babylon, the apostate Roman Catholic Church (17:16). Hence, religious Babylon will fall at the beginning of the great tribulation, whereas material Babylon will fall after the great tribulation (18:2).
“The wine of her fornication” indicates the spiritual fornication of the Roman Catholic Church which she “has made all the nations drink of” (17:2-6; 14:8). While she commits her fornication, she is furious with the saints who do not consent to it. This is “the fury of her fornication.” Hence, “the wine of her fornication” is also called “the wine of the fury of her fornication.”
We have seen that in the middle of the last seven years Antichrist will be resuscitated. Prior to his resuscitation, he will be assassinated as the seventh Caesar of the Roman Empire. After the spirit of Caesar Nero emerges from the abyss and enters into him, he will be resuscitated to be the eighth Caesar, thereby becoming a supernatural being. After his resuscitation, he will destroy every religion and make himself the sole object of religious worship. He will not only abolish the Jewish sacrifices and destroy Judaism; he will also destroy the rider on the beast described in chapter seventeen. The “woman sitting on a scarlet beast” (17:3) is “the great prostitute” (17:1), the apostate Roman Catholic Church. The beast signifies the Roman Empire, especially Antichrist. According to this picture, an evil woman, the Roman Catholic Church, will be riding on the Roman Empire. Not long after the time of Constantine the Great, the church degraded to such an extent that it not only became apostate, but also worldly. It grew so powerful that it became a rider sitting on the Roman Empire. But in the middle of the last seven years, the beast, Antichrist, will revoke his covenant with the Jews, destroy Judaism, and no longer tolerate any religion, including Catholicism. He will turn his back on Catholicism and, with the ten kings, will utterly obliterate it. In this matter God is truly sovereign. Although Antichrist will exalt himself above God, actually he will be used by God to destroy two religions—Judaism and Catholicism.
This is similar to the destruction of religion under communism in China. Although the communists oppose God, they do not realize that they have been used by God to demolish so many different religions, such as Buddhism and Taoism. Prior to 1949, there were idol temples throughout China. Today these temples have been cleared away. Furthermore, although the communists are opposing Jesus Christ, they still use His calendar. According to history, the one whose calendar you follow is the one to whom you are subject. Because the communists use His calendar, even they are subjects of the Lord Jesus unconsciously. Actually, because Jesus is King of kings, the entire earth uses His calendar. All people are subject to Him. How sovereign is our Lord! He is sovereign over all those who oppose Him, even using their opposition to accomplish His will. When Antichrist exalts himself to be God, the Lord Jesus will use him to destroy Judaism and Catholicism. Antichrist will do a good cleaning job for the Lord, purging the earth of religion and making it ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus. Thus, when the Lord Jesus comes to defeat Antichrist, religion will have been cleared away.
After the rapture of the firstfruit, a warning will be given against the worship of the beast and his image and against the mark (vv. 9-11). Verses 9 and 10 say, “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the fury of God which is mixed undiluted in the cup of His wrath; and he will be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb.” The fire and brimstone mentioned in verse 10 refer to the fire and brimstone in the lake of fire (19:20; 20:10, 14). Those who worship the beast and his image and who receive the mark of his name will be eternally tormented and have no rest day and night (v. 11).
Verse 12 says, “Here is the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” The saints who will remain in the great tribulation will need endurance to suffer the persecution by Antichrist. The saints in the great tribulation will be of two peoples: the Jews who keep the commandments of God and the believers who keep the faith of Jesus.
During the great tribulation many saints will be martyred. Verse 13 says, “And I heard a voice out of heaven, saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from this time forth. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.” The dead here refer to the martyrs under the persecution of Antichrist during the great tribulation. This is proved by 20:4. In this verse we read of the blessing upon those who are martyred during the great tribulation. These martyrs will rest, and all they have done will follow them as a reward.
The book of Revelation, written under the degradation of the church, stresses the Spirit. Verse 13 does not say, “says the scripture,” but, “says the Spirit.”