Revelation 18:5 Meaning and Explanation
“For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Babylon's sins have piled as high as heaven, and God has now called her wrongdoing to account.
What Does Revelation 18:5 Mean?
The voice gives the reason for the warning. Babylon's sins are pictured as stacked one upon another until they reach to heaven itself, and God has remembered her iniquities. The image recalls the tower whose builders once tried to climb to the sky; here it is the heap of evil that finally draws heaven's notice.
To say God 'remembered' does not mean he had forgotten. In Scripture it means the time has come to act on what was always known. Wrong that seems to go unanswered is never truly overlooked; it is being weighed. This is sobering for the proud and comforting for the wronged. The God who remembers iniquity also remembers mercy, and the same memory that brings justice keeps faith with all who trust him.
Revelation 18:5 in the Original Language
mnemoneuo (μνημονεύω), 'remembered' -- to call to mind in order to act, not a recovery from forgetting.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 18:5
What does Revelation 18:5 mean?
Babylon's sins have piled as high as heaven, and God has now called her wrongdoing to account.