The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 407

HOMILETICS. Vert. 1-9 (coupled with eh. xviii. 20).-Rejoicings over the/all of Babylon,. When we put side by side the lament of the kings, merchant.a, and seamen, with the rejoicings of the great multitude in heaven over Babylon's fall, the effect is very strange. At first sight there seems an incongruity between them. We are taught in the Word that there is such deep sympathy between heaven and earth, and that there are emotions of tenderest pity felt in heaven towards man below. And yet in this series of symbolic visions we have the represent-ation that heaven is made glad by that which brings wailing on earth. How is this to be accounted for? Observe: (1) It is not the wailing itself at which there is rejoicing, nor yet at its immediate cause. (2) It is not from any vindictive feeling. All such feelings are, we are sure, dead in the completely eanctified character. But (8) there are matters of immensely greater importance than the happiness or misery of individuals. It may be a grievous thing to see a human being with a tear in his eye; it is much more so to see him in rebellion against God. And if there are those who need to be taught this, it is better to see them weeping over the bitter fruits of rebellion than to see them at ease in the revolt itself. (4) That may be joyous in one aspect which is sad in another. It may be a sad thing to see so many precious things perishing. It is good to find that when aught is poisoned by sin it is not allowed to continue. (5) As the great multitude in heaven often grieved over the burden of sin which the earth was carrying, how can they but rejoice that from it the earth is freed? (6) While angels in heaven have sympathy with man, they have no sympathy with his sin, but much, very much, with God. (7) Hence they see that while man's sin is the blight of earth, God's righteous judgmcnts against sin are the guard of righteousness, Especially when (8) the Divine vengeance is a perfectly righteous one. never erring by excess or defect. At the Sll,me time, it may be thought that not even these considerations entirely remove the difficulty. One may say, "Think of all the souls who are lamenting over Babylon's fall I I for one do not feel as if I could be happy, or take up such a song of praise as the passage oontains, so long 1111 there is a single being in the universe who is not rejoicing in God. I would not have the slightest speck or flaw anywhere-no, not one unhappy soul in all creation I" There is a great deal to admire in such philanthropic feeling, and yet even such a state of mind may bring its own perJ1s. For even such feelings have to be regulated by the disclosures of God's Word, and ever to be kept in curb by an absolute faith in God himself. To such a one we would therefore put queries like these: Would you be satisfied with the dealings of God if God himself is satisfied with them? Would you be satisfied if those in heaven are so? Would you be content if our blessed Saviour were satisfied with the joy set before him? Would you not be vastly more than con- tent if you could see that the fall of Babylon was but preliminary to the ushering in of • brighter glory? Would you not even be transported with delight if God should show you that he means from the present chaos of sin to gather up things anew, and to bring about an issue more glorious than if sin had never been permitted to intrude? because, if such should be th.e case, even this fall of Babylon may be but one event in 452 THE RErnLATION OF ST. JOilN THE DmNI!l. [on. XIX. 1-21.