CHAPTER XVIII

THE FALL OF BABYLON

This chapter is entirely devoted to the episodic disclosure of one theme, which has already been outlined above (XVI, 19): God's judgment on Babylon and her destruction. It is revealed in a number of paintings and images. This chapter is distinguished by a lengthy and even somewhat verbose character as a certain artistic development of this theme. It opens with the vision of "another angel descending from heaven and having great power; the earth is illumined by His glory" (1). Although he is the herald of the destruction of Babylon, it is not directly said that he was the executor of this message, although, of course, the latter can be assumed, since the decree of God also has in itself a perfecting power. "And he cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Babylon is fallen, Babylon is fallen' (2-3), and then follows an allegorical description of this fall in its causes and effects. The aorist form (επεσεν) here refers to an accomplishment which, however, still belongs to the future, but here prophetically anticipates it. At the same time, "another voice from heaven speaking" is heard to "My people" (4-9). Before analyzing the content of this address, we must pose a preliminary question both regarding the angel "descending from heaven" and the "other voice" also from heaven (similar questions have already arisen before us). Both voices from heaven are addressed to the "earth", to the earthly, human world. However, does this mean that they as such are both audible and recognizable on earth, or do they express the will of God in general, to which the internal and external laws of the course of events correspond? In general, it itself does not reach the consciousness of the characters themselves, except in cases of special prophetic illumination of the elect (like a seer). From the outside, it is expressed in the concatenation of seemingly random events leading to a fatal end for Babylon. An empirical literal understanding of these prophecies as untrue would be simply superstitious. Nor is it required by the sacred text itself, given its correct dogmatic understanding. Although there is a direct connection between the heavenly decrees and their earthly accomplishments, which are fulfilled through the angelic world, this connection between earth and heaven does not eliminate the fact that angels and men belong to different worlds, are on different planes, although not metaphysically (since they equally belong to the created world), but concretely empirically. This common belonging of them to the created world does not eliminate what for man, since he remains in earthly life and does not pass into the world beyond the grave, the existence of angels and all their continuous and concrete participation in our life remains transcendental for us. It is an intelligible postulate of faith, although it can be extremely vital for us, as a source of hope. Therefore, such testimonies of John refer to the highest and authentic reality of history, but not to its empirical flow. This does not mean, of course, that these prophecies are incorrect or fantastic. On the contrary, they correspond even to an ontological reality higher than empiricism. But it is hidden from direct observation for man as a historical ontology. This higher reality is revealed to prophetic contemplation and is visible from the world beyond the grave, whose life passes in communion with the angelic world. Therefore, from there, human history appears as an apocalypse. In this sense, it is a narrative about it, written as if in the language of the spiritual world about what is happening on earth. In this sense, it is necessary to comprehend it by its content, but not by its literal exposition, in translation into earthly, empirical language. Rather, a reverse translation is required here.

Thus, another voice from heaven contains a warning and an exhortation addressed to the faithful and believers, and which apparently resounds in their conscience as its command and self-determination in the face of historical reality as a criterion and norm of internal and external self-determination. This voice addresses the people of God, who obviously exist on earth (although it is not said in large or small numbers, and this is not decisive here), with an appeal and appeal, however and through whom they are expressed: "Depart from her, my people, that you may not be partakers of her sins, and not be exposed to her plagues, for her sins have reached unto heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities" (4-5), and the same is true in the following verses (6-8). If one can ask oneself at all to whom this voice from heaven belongs, it is evident that "my people" is spoken, at any rate not by an angel, but by God, and of God as the one who judges, who is the Father (the same applies to the words of v. 8: "Mighty is the Lord God who judges her"). However, this could also have been said by Christ, since He executes judgment on earth. One can ask oneself far and further to whom the further words of this address are spoken, and to whom the further words of this address refer: "Render unto her as she has repaid you, and repay her twice according to her works" (v. 6 ff. v. 7).

If the first address refers to the people of God,[72] then to whom does the second, "repay," repay? To angels or men? The first understanding does not correspond to the text, which does not speak at all about angels sent for this purpose, and the second is even more inappropriate, since it is not given to people to be the obedients of God's commands about the retribution of sins. Obviously, only the interpretation that we applied above is applicable here. We are talking about the connection, about the course of historical events, which contain the fulfillment of God's will and God's wrath. At the same time, their meaning can remain outside or above their consciousness, the List der Vernunft, which has already been mentioned above, is at work here. The Babylonian harlot is accused of being "glorified and luxurious" (7), and in return she is given the same amount of "torment and sorrow." Her punishment is described in allegorical and hyperbolic images: "in one day (of course, this period does not allow for literal application, but means only the suddenness and rapidity of events) executions, death and weeping and famine are spun on her, and she will be burned with fire" (8). All this means a combination of various historical disasters, which at the same time are not even compatible, but in the end lead to extermination, "burning by fire."

The second part of the chapter (8-20) is devoted to the characteristic lamentations [73] for the fall of "the great Babylon, the mighty city" with the repeated refrain "woe to thee" (10, 16, 19) in the mouths of three different groups of mourners: the kings of the earth, the merchants, and the sailors. Of course, there is no need to limit the boundaries of "Babylon" to Rome alone, even if this was characteristic of the seer himself. But in any case, it also presupposes the presence of other kings of the earth, so that Babylon has a collective meaning, it is not so much a geographical and political concept as a moral and mystical one.

The first lamentation comes from the kings of the earth, "who committed fornication and luxuriated with her" (9). The second lamentation, from earthly merchants (11-17a), is perhaps less mystical and more "cultural-historical", and at the same time a rhetorical picture of ancient commercial life with a rather random and even chaotic, albeit characteristic, list of marketable goods, a kind of trade catalog or price list (12-13). Of course, it is quite different from the present industrial trade, in that it is not productive, but of a consumptive character, and relates chiefly to articles of luxury, so that the object of this whole approximate list is to show the wealth and luxury of Rome. Here the characteristic addition to it catches attention; After various luxuries, "both human bodies and souls" are added: the first refers to bodily depravity (prostitution, slavery, gladiatorship, and other fights), the second to spiritual venality and depravity in general.

The third lament refers to representatives of the maritime trade (16c-19), who have lost their sources of enrichment. And in contrast to this universal earthly lamentation, as if in response to it, "heaven and the holy apostles and prophets" (20) are called to rejoice over the accomplished judgment of God. Here we have the usual Revelation contrast between what happens in heaven and on earth. This heavenly judgment is expressed in a special symbolic image: a strong angel throws a stone like a millstone into the sea as a sign of the defeat of Babylon (21), "and she will be no more." This destruction of it [74] is confirmed in a number of particular images: there will be no voices playing and singing, no artist, no art, no noise from millstones (industrial labor), no lamps, no voice of the bride and groom (XVIII, 22-23). For "your merchants were the nobles of the land (the rule of the bourgeoisie, capitalism), and by your magic all nations have been deceived" (21-23). "And in it was found the blood of the prophets, and of the saints, and of all those who were slain on the earth" (21). The latter words are an unusual addition, since they refer not only to the persecution of religion and its bearers, but also to all those who died from bourgeois-political terror in general. This gives the idea a somewhat political character – retribution in general for the violence of man against man. Such an expansion of it should be noted here, especially in this context, where not only religious, but also in general historical destinies of people on the paths of their history are meant. Here is evidence of the judgment not only of individuals, but also of the social and political system, of all kinds of despotism, both state and economic. This is characteristic of what we have called above the revolutionary spirit of Revelation. In general, this whole chapter is distinguished by such a character.

However, in this connection we are once again confronted with the same question: should we see here a one-time event, which once occurred, individual-historical, or, on the contrary, a typological event, repeated — with different intensity and in different images — in different epochs. It is impossible to answer this question in the first sense, i.e., to refer it to the fate of Rome and its history alone, if only because we do not find in it a single event to which we can attribute the character of such an accomplishment. Rome knew a revolution, but not one revolution that would have such a decisive and exhaustive significance. It can also be said that in them the historical judgment of him took place, but each of them was not yet the last and general judgment of which the prophetic clairvoyance speaks here, which collects and generalizes the kindred features of various events in one focus. At the same time, we can no longer limit the power of this image to the ancient world of the seer's time, because it is clearly applicable to subsequent epochs, and especially to our present one.

Поэтому следует видеть здесь пророчественное его обличение для всех времен истории, к которым только оно приложимо, — прошедшим, настоящим и, конечно, будущим, если только не верить детским обещаниям «государства будущего», которые раздаются в нашу эпоху настойчивее, чем когда-либо ранее.

Однако тут возникает и важное недоумение: не говорится ли уже здесь — уже не типологически, но исторически — об окончательном уничтожении Вавилона, подобно жернову, повергнутому в море: «с таким стремлением повержен будет Вавилон, великий город, и уже не будет его» (21). Что это значит и можно ли это понимать буквально? Очевидно, все-таки нельзя, поскольку Вавилон-Рим не был никогда до конца уничтожен, хотя и бывал много раз уничтожаем. Он возрастал и умалялся, переживал кризисы и революции, но ни одну из них нельзя назвать уничтожением, хотя бы подобным тому, чем было разрушение Иерусалима, предсказанное Спасителем и пророками. Очевидно, сказанное о Вавилоне надо принимать с учетом того словесного гиперболизма, которого и в других случаях не чуждо Откровение: здесь говорится по поводу силы и значения отдельных революций, потрясающих и до известной степени разрушающих сложившийся быт, но, главным образом, здесь имеется обличение внутренней несостоятельности, пустоты и ложности «Вавилона» в духовных его основаниях. Отсюда следует и дальнейшее заключение о том, что если «Вавилон» в смысле собирательном продолжает свое существование в истории, то повторяются и в его внешних судьбах потрясения и разрушения, выявляющие его духовную мертвость и несостоятельность, а чрез это совершается исторический суд над ним. В таком смысле мы имеем право и даже обязанность сказать, что и в наши дни, пред лицом всего происходящего, мы присутствуем при некотором новом «падении» Вавилона или вавилонов, гнева Божия и суда над ними. И в свете такого понимания Откровение перестает быть политическим и социальным памфлетом, принадлежащим определенной исторической эпохе и содержащим самую резкую критику ее жизни, но сохраняет силу и для нашей современности. Даже более того, оно является сверх- или всевременным пророческим озарением, относящимся к историческим путям человечества.

ГЛАВА XIX

ВЕЧЕРЯ АГНЦА