Verse 8: “Another angel came after him, and said: ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon, that great city, for she caused the nations to drink from the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

This angel makes a proclamation, foreshadowing judgement to come, but we are not going to see the outcome of it until Revelation.

In John’s time, Babylon was seen as a great oppressor. (Even though the exile to Babylon had happened hundreds of years before John.) Prophetically, Babylon was a significant time in Israel’s history. A redemption took place from Egypt, but a redemption also took place from Babylon. The fall of Babylon, destroyed because of G-d’s wrath, would be great news to G-d’s people. Babylon is later seen as a harlot, who led the people into adultery (adultery is seen, biblically, as idolatry. It is not literal fornication; it refers to spiritual infidelity). Idolatry brings about the jealousy, anger and vengeance of G-d.

Verse 9: “And a third angel came after them, and he said in a great voice: ‘All who worship before the beast, and before the image, and all who have taken upon themselves the mark, upon their foreheads or upon their hands,”

Verse 10: “Also he shall drink the wine of the wrath of G-d, which is not diluted and is poured into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented with fire and with sulphur before the holyangels and before the Lamb.”

The wrath of G-d comes from improper worship. Regardless of our situations, in life, we need to remain faithful to worship G-d rightly.
‘Holy angels and before the Lamb: We need to have a right understanding of Messiah Yeshua.

He stands in approval of this wrath and judgement.

Verse 11: “And the smoke of their torment went up forever. They did not find rest, day or night, for the ones who worshipped the beast and the image, and who took the mark of his name. “

Verse 12: “With this is the patience/endurance/perseverance of the saints, the ones who keep the commandments of G-d and the faith of Yeshua.”

A future hope and expectation cause the saints to hold on and to have patience. Faith in Yeshua does NOT cause us to walk away from the commandments of G-d. On the contrary, it causes us to submit to the commandments of G-d and walk in obedience to the Word of G-d. (Not for salvation but for the outcome of salvation; we have been saved to demonstrate the glory of G-d in our lives.)

Verse 13: “I heard a voice from the heavens speaking unto me: “Write, ‘Blessed are the ones who die in the L-rd (Messiah Yeshua) from now on’”. ‘Indeed’, says the Spirit, ‘For they will rest from their labours, and their deeds shall follow after them.’”

When we serve G-d our faithfulness follows after us, into the next age.

Verse 14: “I looked, and behold a white cloud. And upon the white cloud sat One ‘like the Son of Man (Messiah Yeshua)’. Upon His head was a golden crown, and in His hand was a sharp sickle.”

This verse references the Second Coming of Messiah Yeshua.

Verse 15: “And another angel went forth from the Temple, And he cried with a great voice, to the One who sits upon the cloud, saying: ‘Send forth your sickle and harvest; for the time has come for you to harvest. For dry/ready is the harvest of the earth.’”

Verse 16: “And the One who sits upon the cloud sent forth His sickle into the earth, and the earth was harvested.”

This is an image of Messiah Yeshua separating out His covenant people – like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25v31-33)

Verse 17: “And another angel (of a different type) came forth from the Temple, which is in the heavens, and to him was given also a sharp sickle that was in his hand.”

Verse 18: “And another angel went forth from the altar. He had the power over fire, and he called in a great voice, to the one who in his hand had the sharp sickle, saying: ‘Send forth your sharp sickle and reap the vine of the earth. For ripe are their grapes.’”

An altar refers to sacrifice or judgement. Death takes place upon the altar.

G-d promised that He would never again destroy the earth with water. When He brings about destruction, through His wrath, He is going to do so with fire. Fire refines, purifies and removes impurities.

You get wine from grapes. Wine is related to judgement, but, in Judaism, wine is also associated with joy. Here we see that G-d is pleased to finally deal with sin. Pleased to destroy all evilness and wickedness in this world. The judgement of sin is going to bring about joy. (i.e. The establishment of G-d’s Kingdom).

Verse 19: “And the angel thrusted his sickle into the earth, and he gathered the cluster of the vine of the earth. And he cast them into the vat of the great winepress of the wrath of G-d.”

Verse 20: “And the winepress was trodden upon outside the city. And blood, from this winepress, went out until the bridle of horses, for 1600 stadiums.”

This judgement took place outside the city (of Jerusalem). In the parable of the ten virgins the foolish ones were left outside (Matthew 25v1-13).

1600 stadiums is about 180 miles.

There is a battle for Jerusalem. Jerusalem is known as ‘The City of our G-d’ i.e. it is a place of worship. Megiddo is related to Jerusalem, and it is here that the battle for Jerusalem takes place.

Revelation is about understanding the person of Messiah. He impacts our lives so that we can worship Him, and so that our lives become living sacrifices, that are well pleasing to Him. People see the testimony that redemption brings about in a person’s life.