Introduction: The Hebrew verb Karah (כָּרַע) means to submit to authority by bowing down or bending the knee in deference. The Biblical prophets used the same concept to compare the submission involved in having sexual intercourse. Possibly this was because part of so much of idol worship included sexual acts. Thus the use of the phrase ‘who committed sexual immorality‘ probably has a dual meaning here. Firstly, referring to worship of false gods. They failed to be true to the One Holy Almighty Jehovah, Secondly, because of sexual immorality being rife.
Yesterday’s passage saw Babylon possibly meaning the city but certainly the concept of established evil, much wider than the city limits, catastrophically dealt with. Today we have three groups the kings, the merchants and the seafayers named, and their faults named. The groups are underlined, their faults are highlighted in green and their reactions highlighted in red.
9 And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,
“Alas! Alas! You great city,
you mighty city, Babylon!
For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.
14 “The fruit for which your soul longed
has gone from you,
and all your delicacies and your splendors
are lost to you,
never to be found again!”
15 The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,
16 “Alas, alas, for the great city
that was clothed in fine linen,
in purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold,
with jewels, and with pearls!
17 For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.”
And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,
“What city was like the great city?”
19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,
“Alas, alas, for the great city
where all who had ships at sea
grew rich by her wealth!
For in a single hour she has been laid waste.
20 Rejoice over her, O heaven,
and you saints and apostles and prophets,
for God has given judgment for you against her!”
Comment: I’m not sure why shipmakers etc are a grouping. Possibly they’re mentioned because it brings the aspect of highflying international traders. It certainly mentions most people but reading ahead tomorrow brings more groupings; more who are greatly distressed as seeing evil so very strongly judged! The reactions do not indicate joy at evil being judged. In fact it shows distress, and undermines that those mentioned are evil aligned not God centred! And the reasons given for their distress are very wide ranging but are very inclusive! Read them again and group them into things which are condemned again and again in the Bible to be against the mind of God!
Amos 8: 4-6-4 Hear this, you who trample on the needy and bring the poor of the land to an end, saying, “When will the new moon be over, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may offer wheat for sale, that we may make the ephah small and the shekel great and deal deceitfully with false balances, that we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals and sell the chaff of the wheat?”
Prayer: Teach me to rejoice when good wins and to shun any inclination to follow evil.