Sinking to the Bottom

How long does it take an object to sink to the bottom of the ocean? That depends on which object and which ocean. If you threw the Eiffel Tower into the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench, almost seven miles deep, it would take about 12 minutes to reach the bottom. A human, however, would take about two and a half hours.

In today’s text, the fall of Babylon is compared to a millstone being thrown into the sea. The figure of speech graphically illustrates the decisiveness of the apostate church being destroyed. Unlike the floating iron ax head in the story of Elisha (2 Kings 6:1–6), great millstones don’t typically float. To emphasize the point, Revelation states it is “with violence” that Babylon will be “thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.”

The idea of water covering Babylon for good is nothing new. In the call of nations to attack ancient Babylon, Jeremiah said, “The sea has come up over Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of its waves” (Jeremiah 51:42). Indeed, the prophet instructed his assistant to carry out a similar act as the mighty angel in today’s verse. “

Now it shall be, when you have finished reading this book, that you shall tie a stone to it and throw it out into the Euphrates. Then you shall say, ‘Thus Babylon shall sink and not rise from the catastrophe that I will bring upon her’” (vv. 63, 64).

Jesus said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). Babylon has been a great stumbling block, trying to force God’s people to sin, but now she receives the destruction symbolized by the millstone: In the aftermath, she “shall not be found anymore.”

Thank God the destruction of this wicked kingdom will be permanent. Let us pray we do not go down with her.

Lord, I choose to build on the Rock of Jesus Christ and rest my life on His words and not those of sinful humans.

For Further Study: Isaiah 13:19; Ezekiel 26:3, 19; 27:32, 34; Luke 6:48

Key Bible Texts

And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. (Revelation 18:21 KJV)