And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
What a contrast this is. Earth is weeping. Heaven is rejoicing.
The shipmasters and sailors stand far off and cry over Babylon’s fall. They are stunned by the speed of it. In one hour, the city that fed their wealth is gone. The smoke rises, the money vanishes, and the men who once profited from her costliness throw dust on their heads and wail. But listen to what they are crying over. They are not mourning the corruption of Babylon. They are mourning the collapse of what made them rich.
That is how blind the world can become. Babylon burns, and men still think first about commerce. The system that seduced nations, trafficked in luxury, and devoured souls is finally judged, and the earth says, What a tragedy. But heaven says, At last. Justice.
That feels strong to us because we are so used to seeing everything through the lens of human loss. We see smoke, tears, collapse, and ruin, and we instinctively grieve. But heaven sees deeper. Heaven sees the blood of prophets. Heaven sees the seduction of nations. Heaven sees the arrogance, the cruelty, the rebellion, and the long trail of souls crushed under Babylon’s glittering heels. So when God finally judges her, heaven does not call it harsh. Heaven calls it right.
That is an important word. There are times when the most loving thing in the world is for evil to be stopped. There are times when justice is the mercy. If a brutal tyrant falls, decent people do not mourn his downfall. They rejoice that his terror is over. In the same way, heaven rejoices because Babylon’s long wickedness has finally met the righteous judgment of God.
And there is comfort in that for the people of God. Sometimes it feels like evil keeps winning. Systems that mock God seem to grow stronger, richer, louder, and more untouchable. But Revelation reminds us that none of it is permanent. The Lord has not forgotten. He has not missed one act of corruption. He has not ignored the suffering of His people. The day comes when heaven itself will say, Rejoice. God has avenged.
That means history is not drifting. It is not spinning out under the control of Babylon. It is moving toward the righteous judgment of God. The tears of the saints are not wasted. The cries of the persecuted are not unheard. The blood of the faithful is not forgotten.
Beloved, do not let your heart be trained by Babylon’s values. The world weeps when money dries up. Heaven rejoices when wickedness is brought down. The world mourns the loss of luxury. Heaven rejoices in the triumph of righteousness. That is the question before us. Which world is shaping the way we think?
Stay close to Jesus, and He will teach you to love what heaven loves and hate what heaven hates. He will steady your heart so that you are not dazzled by Babylon when she shines, and not confused when she falls. The smoke may rise from the earth, but the song will rise from heaven.