Revelation 18:21 Commentary and Bible Study

This is symbolism. What is in mind is a millstone. How big? Perhaps a thousand yards in diameter. The emphatic nature of the final judgement is pictured with this gigantic millstone, representing Babylon, suddenly being hurled into the sea. All its wealth, all its riches, all its accomplishment, are destroyed by the mighty power of God. It is sunk and buried in the bottom of the ocean. This expresses God’s anger at all that she has done. Although Scripture teaches the impassibility of God, the symbolism has to express the force of his anger after all her immeasurable provocation of his wrath. He will express his deep anger towards her for all she has done when he finally disposes of her.The destruction of Babylon is pictured in symbolic terms by the angel. It is a symbol that Scripture uses in a number of places to describe the destruction of the wicked. It was used of Egypt when the Egyptians pursuing Israel through the Red Sea were covered by the waters. It is also used by Christ in a terrifying warning to those who cause offence to his beloved children. Most people have a horror of the ocean depths based on their fear of drowning and the inaccessibility of such a place. No light from above reaches to the great depths below. The thought of being dragged down involuntarily into such a place where no one can come to rescue, fills the soul with horror – think of the implosion of the Titan submersible. But this is only a picture of hell. Hell also is a place filled with terror, just because it is beyond the power of any created agency to rescue us from it. No one who enters hell may leave it again. It is the final destination of the wicked, prepared originally for the devil and his angels, but used to punish also all those who pledge allegiance to him.As a rock is cast into the ocean and disappears down into the mysterious and inaccessible depths below never to be seen again, so Babylon will disappear from view. It shall not be found any more. This does not mean that those who are cast into hell cease to exist, but that they are removed from the realm of the living and can never return. They remain in hell forever.