"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; 2 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.” 3 And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever.” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 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.” 6 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,
Eventually, the preacher gathered his thoughts and found where he had been reading in his manuscript when he was startled, and he began again to deliver what he had prepared. Again, the preacher made a good point about Jesus, and the old farmer shouted, “Hallelujah! Praise God!” The poor preacher was thrown off his game again and struggled to find where he had been and what he had been saying. Clearly, that large congregation was discomfited and distracted by the shouts of that old farmer.
After moments of trying to find his place, the preacher began to again deliver the message that he had prepared, and he again he said something about Jesus the old farmer liked. Well, the old farmer simply could not contain himself, and he just lifted his hands in the air and shouted, "Glory to God!"
Apparently, it was just too much for many who were seated in the congregation that day, immediately an usher hurried to where the old farmer was seated, and tapped him on the shoulder.In a soft but firm voice, the usher said "You just do that here!" The old farmer was taken aback that anyone would be offended by his praise, and he explained, "All I’m doing is praising Jesus." To which the usher replied somewhat more aggressively, "You're disturbing the preacher! You've got to be quiet." Stuttering, the old farmer tried to explain, "But…but..but,"he stammered, "I’ve got religion." The usher finally exploded and said "Well, you didn't get it here, so shut up!
You know, I believe that when the Holy Spirit moves, it is impossible for those who truly know God, to simply remain unmoved when He is glorified. When the Living God is honored, His people will find that their hearts are overwhelmed with joy and their praise cannot be contained. God’s people should be spontaneous in their joy and praise when God is being honored.
In our text today, we see that Heaven’s perspective stands in stark contrast to the weeping and mourning of Babylon’s worshipers. The climax of the Revelation of Jesus Christ and His glorious return to earth. Oh, beloved, we only imagine what that will be like.
Let us pray
Heavenly Father,
"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."
If you will remember, that was what was going on in heaven before the seven seals were broken open and the judgments of the time of tribulation happened. Then, in chapters 17 and 18, we were able to see what was happening from a different perspective. Now, in chapter 19, we go back to heaven and we find that heaven is filled with praise. In fact, four times in these verses, the word "hallelujah" is used. Verses 1, 3, 4 and 6. The Hebrew word "hallélouia," means an adoring exclamation. By the way, in this chapter, this is the first and only time the word "hallelujah" is used in the New Testament. Now, it's time for the hallelujah chorus to sing!
Let's look at verse 1, "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."
Once again, John's vision begins with the phrase "After these things." As we noted a number of time, this phrase indicates a shift, it is a textual marker. In other words, after the destruction of religious and commercial Babylon. All who belong to God have longed for this glorious moment when Jesus Christ returns to rule the world. We can't but help to be struck by this rejoicing. Again, this is in stark contrast, to the weeping and lamenting in chapter 18. The same destruction of the world brings this lament on earth, brings joy to heaven. Now, here is heaven’s response to that call and the fall of Babylon.
Since chapter 6, God’s messengers and His people have been faithfully preaching the truth, warning of judgment, condemning sin, extolling forgiveness in God’s grace. However, the world has always ignored them, mocked them and hated them. It's time for Christ to come, shouts of joy are to be expected. This is the hope that the prophets, the saints and apostles, evangelists and pastors have always believed and always proclaimed. Heaven is rightly jubilant.
Bear in mind, John, in his nineties, is on the Isle of Patmos languishing in that penal colony as he is having all of these things revealed to him. After these things, the destruction of Babylon at the end of the great tribulation, demons are leading the armies of the remaining lamenting world to the final battle of Armageddon. That battle is about to start.
In verse 2, "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." Notice, "because His judgements are righteous and true, " the grounds for God’s judgment demonstrated in the fall of Babylon was the immorality by which the great harlot seduced and corrupted the earth. Furthermore, God does not allow His people who suffered unjustly under the harlot to go unavenged. God’s judgment should evoke our praise that He might be glorified and His glory would shine forth throughout the world.
Notice, God judges the great harlot here for "corrupting the earth with her immorality." Let's not forget, this was a religious system spawned by Satan himself. Through redemptive history, she has plied her trade of her whoredom through countless false religious systems. Millions of believers down through history that have been persecuted, tortured and martyred for their faith. Today, that estimate is about 1000 a day! Considering this, how can heaven not rejoice knowing that their murderers will one day face God’s vengeance. Hallelujah, then is a special word reserved for the joy of those who are delivered from their enemies by God’s saving might.
In the Old Testament to be used primarily to celebrate God’s salvation and destruction of the enemies of Israel, And, in here in the New Testament it is used to express God’s saving deliverance of His people, and the destruction of the ungodly across the face of the world. God will avenge the wrong that was done to them.The word avenge, is the Greek verb "ekdikeó," meaning carrying a judgment completely through. Almighty God, displays His might and His glory in a saving deliverance and destruction of the ungodly. Throughout centuries, many righteous have died in battles with unrighteousness. Now, all the unrighteous will die in the triumph of the Righteous One.
In II Thessalonians 1, Paul addressed this "For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus."
As Christians, we love justice because it exalts God. By the same token, we hate sin because it mocks God. God has long promised there would be vengeance!
Then, in verse 3, "And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever."
Here, is the second "hallelujah" is given in this chapter. Notice after the hallelujah, we learn the reason, "her smoke rises up forever and ever." This is reminiscent of the language used to describe the judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. In this commercial, political system today, we are witnessing to some degree, an element of this harlot church mixed in with it. Just look at all the "spirituality" being mixed in with all of the chaos of politics today. Their profession of faith in God contradicts their policies and political agenda.
It's interesting that the first hallelujah was in response to the judgment on Babylon, and now, the second is in response to it as well. The righteous are sick and tired of the unrighteous world. Her destruction is final and her punishment is eternal. Because she seduced the world into the false system of Satan and corrupting them with her immorality. Rebellion against God is ended. False religion and persecution is over. Injustice and unrighteousness, it's all over. Only salvation, justice, righteousness, praise and worship remain. Can you even imagine it? A world with no more corrupt politicians. No more tyrannical dictators, no terrorists threatening to blow anybody up. No murder, no crime.
Then, in verses 4-5, upon hearing the hallelujahs of the great multitude, the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures respond with their own hallelujah and worship of God. "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."
God, with His great power and steadfast love for us, sits permanently on the throne. In the Greek, it says who sits continually on the throne. Too often today, many Christians want to usurp God’s right to rule and reign in our lives. Allow me to remind you, when we do, it is always our loss.
I'm sure you will remember, the twenty-four elders and the angelic beings were associated with praise through the book of Revelation. Here, again, they add their praise. "Give praise to God" is a present imperative. It's a command to keep on praising God. The term "all you His bondservants," refers to all the believers , those who are in heaven. Meaning the church and those who were saved during the Tribulation. In addition to the great multitude of redeemed saints, added are the twenty-four elders, then those unique four living creatures. This statement, transcends all social and economic distinctions
The term the small and the great," means all of you, no matter who you are, join in giving God the praise. Romans 14 teaches us, "For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God."
That brings us to verse 6, "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."
John describes this as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty peals of thunder. This is a majestic expression of praise from the hearts and mouths of the saints of God. It implies that the sound is deafening, it is intended to illustrate here, by the way, the loudness of praise, as millions of holy angels and redeemed souls are singing praise to God. And then, the last hallelujah states, "for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns." Christ has become King; He’s taken over. By the way, this reference to the Hallel takes us right back to Psalm 113 to Psalm 118. God is now dramatically establishing His reign upon earth by the previous judgments and especially by the return of the Lord, which is to be announced shortly.
Allow me to point out, that nowhere in the New Testament epistle does the word reign represent the present ministry of Christ. It always references His reign as one in the future. Here Revelation 19, we see the fullness of His reign coming to fruition. It is for this reason, heaven is going to explode in praise. But, there's yet another reason, that is praise for the love of God for his bride.
We'll get to that next time.
In Closing..
The world is full of pretenders, charlatans, who have crept into the pulpits of our Lord, prostituting the gospel. They are hired hands, using the people of God as steppingstones to gain their own ends. They serve with a personal agenda. The Apostle Peter exposed the motives of false prophets, in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Every false shepherd, no matter how polished and charismatic he may appear, shall also give an accounting of all that he has done when he at last appears before the Great Shepherd.
Sadly, even many "Christians" are following their own sensuality, rather than obeying the commands of God, living immoral lives.
If you do not yet know Christ as your Lord and Savior, today's there's still hope. Romans 10:9-11, Paul says "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed."
I would like you to understand the simplicity of salvation, testifying, "Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved."
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen