REVELATION 18Revelation 18:1-3 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
(2) And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
(3) For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. [KJV]
Biblical scholars approach the interpretation of Babylon from at least two major perspectives. Babylon and the fall of the city or the corrupt system, is looked at as one event, described in Revelation 16---18. Others see the events of the Babylon of chapter 17 being distinct from the Babylon of chapter 18.
Revelation 18:1 states......."And after these things...." this statement denotes a conclusion of events; a focus on different events. Also John records that he saw another angel; this was not the same angel seen in Revelation 17. The angel of chapter 18 came down from heaven. His appearance was glorious, and he had great authority. This was a high ranking angel, possibly a cherub.
The angel spoke with a mighty shout, like a trumpet, saying "Babylon is fallen--that great city is fallen." This announcement seems to be pointing to an event past, the fall of Babylon, that great city, which represents a corrupt end time religious system. Babylon is described as being a habitation of devils and foul spirits (Rev.18:2); and full of the abominations of the earth (Rev. 17:5).
Revelation 18:3 uses the same language used to describe the great prostitute, the harlot, the woman of Revelation 17.
"For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her....." (Rev. 18:3) This is speaking of Spiritual Babylon, a corrupt apostate religious system. Revelation 18:3 also states that....."and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies." This is speaking of Commercial Babylon, a corrupt commercial/financial, and social system.
The kings of the earth committed spiritual adultery with the woman; the inhabitants of earth were blinded by the religious deception of the woman; and the merchants of the world were corrupted and made rich by her luxurious life style.
These first three verses of Revelation 18 appear to be speaking of the woman who was described in Revelation 17.