“Revelation 19:1-6”

Sunday, January 21, 2018

“After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her.’ And a second time they said, ‘Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever.’ And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’ And a voice came from the throne, saying, ‘Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.’ Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.’”

---End of Scripture verses---

We read earlier in Revelation 18:20, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.” In today’s verses we are shown a detailed vision of the jubilation that reverberates in the heavens when God’s righteousness triumph’s over the wickedness and ungodliness that reigns on earth from Satan’s influence. “The rejoicing stands in bold contrast to the helpless weeping and wailing of the kings, merchants and mariners who mourned the fall and destruction of the great harlot city. The first voice John heard is that of ‘a great multitude in heaven,’ which probably was the voice of the victorious multitude that had triumphed in the great tribulation and was before the throne singing the praise of God and the Lamb (7:9ff.).” (Hailey)

“Hallelujah!” literally means “Praise Jehovah!” and is only found these four times in these six verses in all of the New Testament. A number of the Old Testament Psalms begin or end with the exhortation to “Praise the Lord!” “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the Lord, or can show forth all His praise? How blessed are those who keep justice, who practice righteousness at all times! Remember me, O Lord, in Your favor toward Your people; visit me with Your salvation, that I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance.” (Psalm 106:1-5)

God alone is worthy of all praise and “glory and power” and honor because He is perfectly holy and powerful and “His judgments are true and righteous” (verse 2). When He “judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality,” and “avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her,” He was only doing so in complete consistency with His perfectly righteous and intrinsically just and ethical character. We can patiently and confidently wait on the vengeance of the Lord in full knowledge that His word and will and people will be vindicated. “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:19-21)

“And a second time they said, ‘Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever’” (verse 3). In the words of Robert Harkrider, “The multitude in heaven…wore the white robes of victory and now rejoice and praise God. Their future in the spiritual realm is eternal life, whereas the future of the beast and those who worshipped him and his image is a smoke rising up for ever and ever, eternal punishment (14:9-11; 20:10; Matt. 25:46).” “And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’” (verse 4). Homer Hailey wrote, “At the last mention of these…(14:3) they were before the throne… From the time the angels were given the seven bowls of wrath, no one was able to enter the sanctuary of Jehovah’s presence until the seven plagues were completed (15:8). These had been finished (16:17), and now again the throne and those who stand before it come into view. The marvelous creatures and elders before the throne can add only their ‘Amen’ (Be it so!) and their ‘Hallelujah’ to what is being said.”

The sounds of praise and rejoicing and triumph grow to a crescendo with “something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns’” (verse 6). All you, His chosen and faithful saints rejoice and be of great cheer! The Lord God Almighty sits upon His perfect throne of power and justice, and all who love and serve Him will forever reign victorious in heaven with Him! Hallelujah!

Please read Revelation 19:7-10 for tomorrow.

Please come worship and praise Jehovah with us today at the Taylorsville Road church of Christ.

“Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord; they are studied by all who delight in them. Splendid and majestic is His work, and His righteousness endures forever.” (Psalm 111:1-3)

Have a blessed Lord’s Day!

-Louie Taylor

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