Weeping, Warning, and Woe in Revelation 18: The Role of Lament in Establishing Collective Responsibility and Enabling Collective Repentance

Abstract

The Western world stood aghast in the wake of the factory collapse in Bangladesh, which cost the lives of over a thousand garment workers. The serious and systematic human and labour rights abuses, which mar the clothing industry, present a challenge to the church—how are we to respond? Employing Revelation 18 as a typological framework, this paper examines the role of lament (vv. 1–8) in ascribing collective responsibility and advancing collective repentance. In so doing, it seeks to determine an appropriate biblical and theological response to social sin while offering practical ministry strategies to redress the exploitation of workers in the textile industry. The paper concludes by recognising that the prophetic announcement of woe and judgement (vv. 9–24) affirms Christ’s championing of restorative justice.