Revelation 18:23 - Who or what are the "Merchants" and the "magic spell" that led the whole Earth astray?

Question

Rev 18:23 "Your merchants were the world’s important people. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray."

Who are the "Merchants" and what was the "magic spell" that led all the nations astray?

The context names the Babylonians or the Chaldean's in v. 2, but then why would John be talking about an empire that no longer existed in that form? It is my understanding that the Roman empire was considered Antichrist by the early Church and by most Protestants, in both its forms, from Roman emperor to Roman papacy with Constantine leading the transition. What then does "Babylon" represent in the last days after Jesus Christ's ascension into heaven when John wrote this book? What is the meaning of the word "Babylon" and who are the merchants and what is the spell that led the whole Earth astray (in this context, i.e. Revelation 18:1-24)?

Answer 1

Babylon's "sorcery" is simply referring to her decptive, enchanting powers mentioned earlier in the chapter. The merchants, similar to the kings that "committed fornication with her", were enticed by her luxuries (see verse 3). To interpret this whole chapter more broadly, I believe that Babylon refers both literally to Rome and figuratively to the "world-system" of Mammon-worship that is necessarily directly opposed to God.

Answer 2

I understand you may be looking for an exegesis that fits within your existing view ('that 90% of the Book of Revelation is yet to be fulfilled'). However, I will be offering a more text-critical approach.

In AD 70 the Roman Empire destroyed Jerusalem and its temple. Within a couple of decades, Jewish authors began comparing the event to the first destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by Babylon in 587 BC. In fact, some of John's contemporaries called Rome by the name 'Babylon' to make this identification explicit.¹

Accordingly, most scholars understand the name 'Babylon' in the Revelation to be symbolic for the city of Rome. John further identifies Babylon as 'the great city' which is seated on 'seven mountains'. Again, most scholars see this as a deliberate reference to Rome's nickname as 'the city of the seven hills'.²

Revelation 18 is thus understood as a lament for the downfall of Rome, with John inspired by the style of Ezekiel 26-28; specifically, John writes about the city's downfall from the perspective of very people who prospered by Rome's violence and wealth. These are the merchants whom John mentions.

The 'magic spell' (other translations say 'sorcery' or 'enchantments') is the word φαρμακεια (from which we get the word 'pharmacy'), which literally refers to some form of 'drug magic'. It could be used for magic-based potions, poisons, or even medicine.

Because John says this φαρμακεια is the manner by which Rome deceived the nations, he may be referring back to the 'wine of her sexual immorality', mentioned in Revelation 14.8 and 17.2ff. She has made the nations drunk on her wine, and led them in the persecution of God's people.

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¹ 1 Peter 5.13; 4 Ezra 3.1-2,28-31; 2 Baruch 10.1–3; 11.1; 67.7; Sibylline Oracles 5.180-201

² Cicero to Atticus 6.5; Georgics 2.534-535; Aeneid 6.781-783; Elegies 3.11.55-57; Tristia 5.69; Epigrams 4.64; Sibylline Oracles 2.19; 11.145-154; 13.61; 14.138

Answer 3

I'm definitely no scholar. Many think Babylon is Rome. But I'm more convinced Babylon is Jerusalem. Treacherous Judah playing the whore, harlot. Jeremiah 7 speaks of the voice of mirth, the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom to be found no more in her.

Jerusalem is a city that sits on seven hills. Jerusalem that stoned and killed the prophets also mentioned in Matthew 23. Not many places are called 'that Great City' - just Nineveh and Jerusalem as far as I can remember. Much more relevance that Jerusalem is the Babylon spoken of in Revelation.