Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 18:20

"Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her." — Revelation 18:20 (ASV)

The threefold lament is balanced by a song of heavenly jubilation. Babylon has also persecuted the church of Jesus (saints, apostles, prophets). Regarding “apostles,” John may have had in mind Herod’s martyrdom of James (Acts 12:1– 2) or Rome’s killing of Peter and Paul (cf. v.24). The picture of Babylon cannot, however, be confined to the political activity of Rome. Therefore, John attributes the deaths of the martyrs to Babylon the Great. It is she who has killed Jesus (11:7–8) and Stephen by the hands of unbelieving Jews (Acts 7:57–60) and the martyr Antipas by the hands of pagan cultists (2:13; cf. Matthew 23:34–37).