24 November 2022

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendour. He called out with a mighty voice,
‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
Apocalypse 18:1-2,21-23,19:1-3,9, NRSV

Today’s reading opens with an angel crying out a prophecy about the fall of Babylon. The city of Babylon, capital of the ancient and mighty Babylonian Empire, is mentioned many times in the Scriptures. Perhaps it is best known for the time when it invaded Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and its temple and took the Jews into captivity. Over time, the city became synonymous with all kinds of evil: idolatry, pride, greed, dishonesty, persecution and the killing of the saints and prophets. At the end of the reading we hear the rejoicing of God’s people in the heavenly city as the fall of this once mighty city finally takes place. The destruction of Babylon is also seen as a symbol of God’s ultimate triumph over all evil and corruption.

• • What do you imagine the heavenly city to be like?
  • How will God deal with the “Babylons” of our own times?

Pray today for those who are the victims of evil actions – and especially for all innocent victims of war.

Image – The Walls of Babylon and the Temple of Babel – 19th century illustrator – William Simpson