Hallelujah
In Revelation 19 a multitude in heaven is shouting Hallelujah! The Antichrist and False Prophet have been cast into hell. Now it is satan’s turn.
This is a Bible Study. Have your own Bible handy to look up the references I mention.
If you do not have a Bible, I recommend Biblegateway.com or search for an online Bible.
1. Imagine a sporting event. A goal is scored! The crowd goes wild!!!
In many sporting events, especially a championship game, there is a great multitude watching. Whither it be at the event or on broadcast media. [NIV]
What do they do to cheer on their team?
Shout. The great multitude is shouting! [NIV]
Here a heavenly choir is shouting! [NIV]
What are they shouting?
Hallelujah! [NIV] Alleluia [KJV]
In the Old Testament Hallelujah is translated as Praise the Lord!!!
“Heavenly hallelujahs ring out in chapter 19 over the final destruction of the evil world system and glorious victory of the returning Messiah (cf. 5:9-14).” MacArthur, John. New Testament Commentary: Revelation 12-22. [Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2000], 195)
“This chapter is “the only New Testament chapter to borrow hallelujah from the Old Testament.” (Easley, Kendell H., Holman New Testament Commentary: Revelation. [Nashville: B&H, 1998], 346)
“This word [Hallelujah] occurs four times in the first six verses.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume V: [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983], 1045)
“Hallelujah! Hallelujah because God is coming to judge, and the wicked are going to be removed from the earth.” (McGee, 1045)
Salvation
Instead of justification and sanctification, salvation “celebrates the final aspect of salvation history, the glorification of the saints in the kingdom of Christ.” (MacArthur, 197)
“The imminent coming of Jesus Christ prompts this praise as the angels anticipate the glory of His Kingdom.” (MacArthur, 197)
Glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God.
Here, Glory and power “are offered to God the Father.” [NIV] (Easley, 347)
2. “This suggests strongly that God’s judgment on the great prostitute city actually began with the pouring out of the bowls in chapter 16.” (16:7) (Easley, 346)
The difference is in 16:7 it says: true and righteous are thy judgments. In 19:2 (above) it says his judgments.
Babylon is the great whore judged by God.
“God’s righteous wrath is always especially severe against those who lead others into sin (Romans 1:28,32; Revelation 18:3).” (Easley, 347)
God avenged the blood of his servants.
“It is martyrs for whom divine justice must be served.” (Easley, 347)
Luke 18:3,5 Romans 12:19 2 Corinthians 10:6
3. And again they shouted:
Hallelujah! [NIV]
The WIN is still being celebrated!
How long does the victory celebration last?
Until the next game or championship.
Again, Alleluia is being shouted.
Her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
“This indicates that this judgment is final, permanent, and irreversible.” (MacArthur, 199)
“Wicked humans, wicked organizations, and wicked spirits alike will one day go into eternal destruction.” (Easley, 347)
Four and Twenty Elders
4. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts were first introduced to us in Revelation 4:4-8.
Read the discussion in Throne in Heaven.
What did they do?
They fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying,
Amen; Alleluia.
“That phrase comes from Psalm 106:48 and indicates their solemn agreement (cf. the use of Amen, ‘so let it be,’ in 5:14; 7:12) with the heavenly rejoicing over Babylon’s downfall.” (MacArthur, 200)
5. And a voice came out of the throne
We are not told who is talking.
It did “come from the throne of God, because the Lord Jesus Christ is preparing to take control of this world.” (McGee, 1046)
Saying
“Praise our God
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both great and small!” [NIV]
“The heavenly voice calls them all, both small and great, rich and poor, male and female, young and old, to praise God for who he is and what he does.” (Easley, 348)
Do you praise God? God wants our praise.
Hallelujah
6. And I heard
The prostitute has been the focus of Revelation so far but will not appear again. (Easley, 348)
“Her judgment is complete.” (Easley, 348)
“Beginning with this verse and proceeding through Revelation 20:15, John’s attention will be drawn to the events connected with the great victory of Christ at his Second Coming.” (Easley, 348)
John could not see what was going on.
And it sounded as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying.
It must have been loud!
Shouting:
Hallelujah! [NIV]
This is the last Hallelujah in the Bible! [NIV]
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
“The evil world system has been completely destroyed, and God’s kingdom has come in its fullness.” (MacArthur, 200)
Marriage of the Lamb
7. Rejoice, be glad and give him glory.
This is because of the wedding that is coming:
For marriage of the Lamb is come
From MacArthur:
There were three distinct stages in a biblical wedding:
First was the betrothal, or engagement.
This was an arrangement by both sets of parents.
Second was the presentation, a time of festivities just before the ceremony.
The third and most significant stage of a wedding was the actual ceremony, during which the vows were exchanged.
At the end of the presentation festivities, the groom and his attendants would go to the bride’s house and take her and her bridesmaid to the ceremony.
Then there would be a final meal (201).
2 Corinthians 11:2 Ephesians 5:25-27
“The bride has made herself ready in the power of God, by the grace of God, through the work of the Spirit of God. Purged from all sin and impurity (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15).” (MacArthur, 203)
“The church—that is, the body of believers all the way from Pentecost to the Rapture—will be presented to Christ as a bride for a marriage.” (McGee, 1046)
8. She should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white,
Philippians 3:9 1 Corinthians 3:12-14
Fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Blessed
9. The angel will tell John what to write.
Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
This blessing is “from the viewpoint of God’s sovereignty into all matters of Salvation: blessed are those who are invited.” [NIV] (Easley, 351)
“On the one hand, the church is the bride of the Lamb; on the other hand, individual Christians are the guests invited to participate in the wedding supper.” (Easley, 351)
“Although the angelic interpreter was ‘just’ an angel, his message must be recognized as the true words of God. [NIV] (Easley, 351)
“Here is an important reminder about the authority of every word of Scripture. If the message is authorized by God, then the messenger’s word—whether spoken or written by prophet, apostle, or angel—is the same as God himself spoke. What God speaks is always true (Psalm 33:4; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 2:15).” (Easley, 351)
10. John felt “compelled to worship the angelic messenger: However, he is restrained from doing so. The angel is but a creature. Only God is to be worshiped.” (McGee, 2048)
The angel told John: See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus:
Worship God!
“Worship is the theme of redemptive history, and the purpose for which believers were redeemed (John 4:23).” (MacArthur, 207)
For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy
We must be faithful to the testimony of Jesus.
“Christians are those who affirm that everything Jesus said and did was true (John 8:14). (Easley, 351)
References
Unless otherwise noted; Scripture quotations from the Holy Bible, King James Version
Scripture quotations taken from the NIV. Copyright by Biblica, Inc.®
Easley, Kendell H., Holman New Testament Commentary: Revelation. Nashville: B&H, 1998
MacArthur, John. New Testament Commentary: Revelation 12-22. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2000
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume V: Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983
Babylon Thrown Down White Horse
