The flow of the grammar leaves us no option but to conclude that the audience of Revelation 18:4–5 remains the audience of Revelation 18:6—that is, my people
of Revelation 18:4. That leaves us with the amazing implication that God’s own people pay her back as she herself has paid back others,
and that God’s own people are to mix a double portion for her.
God had elsewhere said that vengeance is always his to give (Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalm 94:1), and so it is for people to back off and give God space to execute his justice in his time and manner (Romans 12:19). Yet the Lord is pleased in certain circumstances to execute his vengeance through people. For example, he gives the command to people (authorities) to kill a murderer (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:12; Romans 13:4). In the present text the Lord makes clear that he would use his own people to execute his vengeance on the prostitute in response to the iniquities God has remembered
(Revelation 18:5).
This notion that the Lord would use his people to judge (and execute the judgment on) the evildoer appears regularly in Scripture (Exodus 21—23) As an extension of that principle, Paul could issue this challenge: Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world?
(1 Corinthians 6:2). The present command to pay her back
lies in line with such instruction in earlier Scripture. The execution of this principle begins with prayer (which is an active component of saints reigning today with Christ; see Ephesians 2:6) and continues as God gives opportunity, be it in this life or perhaps on judgment day. Finally, it is striking to notice that the prostitute had controlled kings
(see also Revelation 17:10) as tools to accomplish her purposes; here God’s people are instructed to act as kings must act.
6 Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.