Revelation Chapter 18 Verse 20

20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!”

The saints, the apostles, and the prophets are shown here in contrast to the kings, the merchants, and the sailors.

Rome’s judgment is cause for rejoicing. God’s people requested justice, and God has delivered it. The righteous are victorious, and evil has been defeated. Rome was rejoicing in Chapter 11 when it appeared that the two witness had been defeated, but their rejoicing was premature, and now the tables are turned. Again we find a parallel in the Old Testament judgment of literal Babylon. Jeremiah 51:48 —

Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon; for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, says the Lord.

But I thought we were supposed to weep with those who weep. Aren’t the Christians in verse 20 rejoicing with those who weep? Absolutely! But they are not doing so out of personal bitterness. Their concern, like that of the four living creatures, is for the holiness and reputation of God. They rejoice at the vindication of God and at the defeat of this great enemy of God. These events are an answer to their prayers! How could they not rejoice? God had imposed on Rome the sentence that Rome passed on the church.

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