Revelation 18:2

‘And he cried with a mighty voice saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great, and is become a habitation of devils, and a haunt of every unclean spirit and a haunt of every unclean and hateful bird”.'

The angel declares that Babylon the Great is fallen. Becoming a haunt of birds is a favourite indication of dreadful judgment (Isaiah 34:11; Isaiah 34:14; Zephaniah 2:14). ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen' comes from Isaiah 21:9 where emphasis is laid on the destruction of its idols and images (compare Jeremiah 51:8). The future desolation of Babylon is described in Isaiah 13:19. So Babylon was not only a symbol of overweening pride and idolatry, but also of destruction and emptiness. In this chapter it is as a symbol of world cities and what they signify (commercialism and worldly control), that she is described. In John's day Rome was the commercial centre of the world. All things poured into Rome. But she received rather than gave. Today commercialism is more widespread, but it is still basically the enemy of God and His ways.