LAMENT OF THE EARTH

In 18:9-19 the powerful people on earth join the lament. John cites kings, merchants and sea captains mourning the fall of the great city because they too suffer inestimable losses.

The Romans succeeded because its leaders had the administrative genius to organize the most stable civilization that had ever existed. In particular, Roman roads enabled the imperial armies to travel quickly to any place where political unrest threatened.

Merchants and ship owners from around the Mediterranean basin traded stable foods and luxury goods not only with the capital city but wherever imperial garrisons were established. Even as far away from Rome as England and Germany, Roman villas dotted the landscape.

So John cites many examples of the rich trade flowing back and forth across the empire 18:11-17). In the remaining verses, 18:20-24, John describes his vision of the disaster to be brought about by Rome’s downfall.

This is prophecy, but was it a prediction? We often mistake the two. Scholars carefully distinguish between them, especially in apocalyptic writing such as Revelation. “The essence of prophecy,” Prof. R.B.Y Scott wrote, “is not prediction but the declaration of religious truth.” (The Relevance of the Prophets. Macmillan, 1947, 12.)Eternal moral and spiritual issues are at stake and inspired prophets declare God’s will and purpose for God’s people in critical times. Apocalyptic literature depicts mythological struggles between good and evil in successive crises leading to the transcendent end of history.

John did cast the downfall of Rome against the eschatological end of history. He also saw the glory of Rome as contrary to God’s purpose and Christian faith.