Revelation 19:1-21 Part 3
REVELATION 19:1-21 Part 3
1) After these I heard as a great sound of a multitude in the heaven saying “halleluia the salvation and the glory and the power of our God,
2) for His judgments are true and just; for He judged the great harlot that corrupted the earth in her fornication and avenged His servants’ blood at her hand.”
3) Then again they declared “halleluia! Her smoke ascends into the ages of ages.”
4) Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped The God seated over the throne, saying “Amen! Halleluia!”
5) Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, “all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!”
6) Then I heard as sound of a multitude and as sound of many waters and as sound of mighty thunders saying “halleluia! Kurios the Almighty God reigns!
7) Rejoicing and celebrating we will give Him the glory, for the wedding feast of the Lamb did come! And His betrothed did ready herself!
8) And it was given to her that she be arrayed in pure, bright linen; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the holy ones.”
9) Then he says to me, “write: ‘blessed the ones called to the wedding feast of the Lamb’”; and says to me, “these true words are from God”.
10) And I fell before his feet to pay homage to him, and he says “see you not do that, for I am the fellow servant of you and your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
11) Then I saw the heaven opened and, lo, a white horse; and seated upon it One called Faithful and True, and He judges and wages war in righteousness,
12) His eyes as flaming fire, many diadems on His head, having a written name that is known by no one but Him.
13) He was clothed about – the raiment blood-spattered, and His Name called The Word of God,
14) the armies in the heaven – clothed in pure white linen - following Him on white horses,
15) a sharp sword proceeding from His mouth, that with it He would smite the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron. And He treads the winepress of the wine of the wrath – the vengeance of Almighty God.
16) And He has a name written on His raiment and on His thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
17) Then I saw one messenger standing in the sun; and it cried out – a great sound – saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven: “Come! Gather to the great feast of God
18) that you may eat the flesh of rulers, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of the strong, the flesh of horses and of those sitting upon them, the flesh of all – both free and slave, small and great.
19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to wage war with the One sitting upon the horse and His army;
20) and the beast was seized (and with it the false prophet that did the signs before it by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and paid homage to its image); both were cast alive into the lake of fire, being burned in brimstone;
21) and the remaining ones were killed with the sword of the One sitting upon the horse – that which proceeded from His mouth; and all the birds were gorged from their flesh.
As we continue with this text this morning, please listen carefully to the psalmist:
1) Oh give thanks unto YAHVEH; for he is good; for his lovingkindness endures for ever.
2) Let Israel now say, that his lovingkindness endures for ever.
3) Let the house of Aaron now say, that his lovingkindness endures for ever.
4) Let them now that fear YAHVEH say, that his lovingkindness endures for ever.
5) Out of my distress I called upon YAHVEH. YAHVEH answered me and set me in a large place.
6) YAHVEH is on my side; I will not fear; what can man do to me?
7) YAHVEH is on my side among them that help me. Therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
8) It is better to take refuge in YAHVEH than to put confidence in man.
9) It is better to take refuge in YAHVEH than to put confidence in princes.
10) All nations compassed me about. In the name of YAHVEH I will cut them off.
11) They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about. In the name of YAHVEH I will cut them off.
12) They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: In the name of YAHVEH I will cut them off.
13) You did thrust sore at me that I might fall; But YAHVEH helped me.
14) YAHVEH is my strength and song; and he is become my salvation.
15) The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of YAHVEH doeth valiantly.
16) The right hand of YAHVEH is exalted. The right hand of YAHVEH doeth valiantly.
17) I shall not die - but live, and declare the works of YAHVEH.
18) YAHVEH hath chastened me sore; but he hath not given me over unto death.
19) Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them; I will give thanks unto YAHVEH.
20) This is the gate of YAHVEH; the righteous shall enter into it.
21) I will give thanks unto thee; for thou hast answered me, and are become my salvation.
22) The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.
23) This is YAHVEH's doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
24) This is the day which YAHVEH has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25) Save now, we beseech thee, O YAHVEH; O YAHVEH, we beseech thee, prosper now!
26) Blessed be he that comes in the name of YAHVEH. We have blessed you out of the house of YAHVEH.
27) YAHVEH is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
28) Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee: Thou art my God, I will extol thee.
29) Oh give thanks unto YAHVEH; for he is good; for his lovingkindness endures to the ages.
In the Psalter there are six Psalms – Psalm 113 through Psalm 118 – called the “hallel”. You’ll recognize “hallel” as the first part of the word “halleluia”… its translation being “praise YAHVEH”.
The six Psalms praise YAHVEH for His mighty deeds and His truth and His justice and His lovingkindness… especially in the light of the “One coming” in the Name of YAHVEH.
These Psalms were to be used especially during a seven-day festival which ended with the feast of tabernacles on the eighth day. As with all of the feasts prescribed by God for Israel, this one is prophetic of an eighth day (first day of the week) Lord’s Day in which, by God’s enduring lovingkindness, salvation is created.
The Psalm I just read (Psalm 118 – the last of the six “hallel” Psalms) is called the “hosanna”, a Hebrew word which means “save now!” “This is the day which YAHVEH has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, we beseech thee, O YAHVEH; O YAHVEH, we pray thee, prosper us now!”
Now listen to Matthew and Mark in their Gospels:
Matthew 21:9 “And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
Mark 11:8 “And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!"
Jesus had told His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem where He would suffer and die at the hands of the priests and scribes and pharisees. And as they entered, before Him and behind Him were the thousands from all over Israel and beyond that were following Him into the city.
They were singing and shouting the Hallel! Halleluia! Praise YAHVEH! Hosanna! Save now! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of YAHVEH!
A thousand years is as a day. And a thousand years before, David was inspired to write the very words being shouted at the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. And the words they were shouting were from the Hallel. The Word of God is true and just; for here was the promised King Who comes in the name of YAHVEH. “Extol our God”, for He is true to His Word into the ages. “Halleluia!”
Nearly forty years later (here in our text) John writes what he sees and hears in God’s tabernacle. And he hears the words of the Hallel from the feast of tabernacles. And the connections between a thousand years of Revelation are made between the Psalms of the hallel (the words that were shouted at Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem) and all that John hears here at the beginning of chapter nineteen.
All the creatures in God’s tabernacle in the heaven burst out in cosmic halleluias, for YAHVEH is true to His Word, and judgment has been rendered as prophesied. And YAHVEH has answered the shouts of “Hosanna” (save now!). Fear YAHVEH; extol our God, for the harlot of the world – the very one that was betrothed to YAHVEH, and the very one that has shed the blood of all of God’s holy ones upon the land – has been judged! And her smoke ascends into His nostrils as incense – into the ages. And His vengeance will be satisfied. Amen! HALLELUIA!
Never once does the Halleluia appear in the New Testament Scripture until John hears it in God’s tabernacle. And that’s because this is where the prophesied judgment is pronounced! There are many allusions to the judgment; and there are warnings throughout the Gospels and the letters of the apostles. But this is where it’s pronounced, you see… right here in our text.
In the older testament Scripture the halleluia is found in the prophesied judgment of Israel… and in connection with the fear of YAHVEH and the coming salvation of God’s people in His promised Messiah/King.
These are mighty things… fearful things!
This is from Psalm twenty-two:
You who fear him praise YAHVEH; all you seed of Jacob, glorify him; fear him, all you seed of Israel.
And so we see in our text! John hears the judgment pronounced on the harlot nation that has shed the blood of the righteous (as was prophesied); and there are jubilant halleluias shouted by the host of heaven.
Then comes this in verse five:
“Then there came forth a sound from the throne saying, “all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!”
Exactly the way the Psalmist puts it in Psalm 118. The judgment of God has been rendered; and He has, indeed, saved His people in response to the “hosannas”. So all you His servants who have been caused to fear, extol (magnify) our God… the insignificant and the mighty, the poor and the rich, the sick and the strong….
He is true and just in His judgment of the harlot that poured out the blood of His holy ones! And whether you His servants are great or small – be afeared… and extol our God. Sing Halleluias! Your “hosanna” has been answered.
Whether His servants are kings or paupers, the extent of the flood of wrath upon His betrothed nation (a true and just judgment) brings great fear – not of man, but of YAHVEH! And that fear is the beginning of wisdom; for He is able – not only to kill the body, but to destroy life forever in the lake of fire.
No one else, nothing else, is able to do that… only Him! No emperor, no king, no mad-man can do that. Not even Satan. That dragon itself will be thrown into the fire and brimstone.
And since all mankind is cursed and depraved, that judgment would be true and just! Save for the lovingkindness and mercy of God upon the promised seed, all would be due that ultimate judgment!
And since His Own Word is proved to be true and just, in that He has pronounced judgment upon His Own paradise land of Israel, all His servants (i.e., those who are “afeared”) are to extol our God as did the host of God’s tabernacle!
As you can see, according to Scripture, fear isn’t “inimical” to our worship of God; but, rather, it is at the “core” – the beginning – of true worship. The full realization that He alone is able – and indeed does – terminate life itself in an eternal lake of fire, is the source of wisdom!
The ones “caused to fear” know that He is YAHVEH – GOD! He is IS; He is WAS; He is SHALL BE; and this creation WILL BE for His glory.
The apostle Paul, you remember, used an analogy that was directly out of the older Scripture. He said, in essence, how could a pot refuse to be that which its creator made? What could possibly cause it to perform some other function other than that of a pot? And if, somehow, it did that, then the potter would just crush it into a thousand pieces and start over!
The issue there is whether a creation (in this case a pot) could self-determine its own existence and function, and therefore do things that it wants to do, and be what it wants to be – having NO FEAR of its creator’s ability to shatter it!
Paul’s analogy is imminently sensible, isn’t it? For cursed and depraved mankind – creatures of God – won’t acknowledge Him as Creator, preferring self-determination… and, in fact, being rebellious toward the One Who made them! And one who won’t even acknowledge his own creaturehood won’t acknowledge a fearsome Creator!
Why would a creature be in fear of his Creator if he won’t acknowledge that there IS a Creator. And if he won’t acknowledge that there is a Creator, then he won’t know the mighty, fearsome deeds of his Creator!
He won’t know that God brought this creation into existence by the Word of His Power… and for His Own glory. He won’t know that all of history is God’s history. He won’t know that God preserved a Seed for Himself through all the machinations of cursed mankind and the vengeance of a dragon. He won’t know that that Seed was birthed in a nation that would soon be destroyed with the sword and burned in fire and brimstone… its smoke ascending forever to God’s pleasure and satisfaction. He won’t know that the love of God for His people and for His creation required Him to pour out His wrath upon that Seed and abandon Him as a sacrifice to Himself for the sin of the world!
These are fearsome things, you see.
But as our verse five says, “all you His servants, the small and the great who are afeared, extol our God!”
John hears the mighty sound from the throneroom of God’s tabernacle; and it addresses His bondservants – there are ones of high rank and there are those of low rank – and they have all been caused to fear. They are all to “extol” our God (same word as was used in Psalm 118).
His servants are those who “fear”. The ones caused to fear are His servants. They have heard the judgment pronounced upon Jerusalem and the land; and it is fearsome! And they are to extol our God, for He is holy and just and true!
What can be more fearsome than this… the Seed promised to Abraham – the Seed of the woman – was preserved though history and brought forth from the harlot with the pangs and agony of childbirth. The Savior of the world (and those In Him of the twelve tribes of Jacob) was born from the harlot that had poured out the blood of the righteous from the beginning… and then poured out the blood of the Son of God. The salvation of the world was born out of Israel – the harlot, you see. Then Almighty God pronounces judgment on her for her harlotry and for the murder of God’s holy ones. And all the nations are beneficiaries of that judgment!
These are most fearsome things to know!
The fear of God isn’t just something that’s “healthy”. Rather it’s the beginning of wisdom. Fear makes us wise; for who are His servants who would deign to disobey? Who among His servants would return to his cursed, adamic heritage?
Listen to Hebrews chapter six:
4) For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in Holy Spirit,
5) and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6) and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying the Son of God afresh and holding him up to contempt.
7) For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.
8) But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
Fear of God is good in that it makes us wise in the ways of God – His judgments, His justice, His truth. Who is it that would “fall away” (as the writer to the Hebrews said) if he was “afeared” – caused to fear - God’s judgment?
Those who know and fear our God restrain themselves from any evil way. Certainly we are to love God – for He first loved us and gave Himself for us that we might have life. That love, however, mustn’t be used to negate the fear that makes us wise in our walk before Him; for should we become arrogant and disobedient (cultivating those thorns and thistles), we place ourselves at great risk. His judgment is, indeed, fearsome. Love for God and the fear of God exist side-by-side for His bondservants, you see.
It has been asked thousands of times: “how can we know we’re saved?” My response to that is my question: “do you know?”
Formerly, in the text of the Revelation, it was said that those who belonged to Him were the ones holding the testimony of Jesus and keeping His Commandments. That’s the identifying evidence. The present tense there is a continuous state. Under the most severe of circumstances there in the first century – persecution, torture and death, those who our Lord held on to were in a continuous state of holding His testimony and keeping His Commandments! They didn’t consider the fear of man to be consequential in comparison, since man can only kill the body!
Please note that I said “those who our Lord is holding on to”. Those who belong to Him, He keeps! He is the Rock upon which all things hold together; and He is able to keep us from falling. We don’t hold onto Him; He holds onto us!
Here in the text of chapter nineteen, those who are His bondservants (those belonging to Him) are caused to fear due to the justice and truth and judgment of Almighty God; and they (whether of high rank or low) were to extol (magnify, praise) God for His pronounced judgment of Jerusalem and the land.
Jerusalem and the land of Israel proved itself to be a worthy subject for execution. And there was an incredible, fear-producing destruction of the harlot. And the desolation produced by Almighty God in all His wrath was to cause fear in all of His people… that they not prove themselves worthy of His judgment!
All of the ones who our Lord is holding on to (i.e. His bondservants) are afeared of the judgment of God; and therefore they restrain their feet from any evil way. They refuse to return to the old heritage in Adam. And thus they “make their election sure”… they are assured, and they assure themselves, as they remain in “the way”. And that assurance grows day by day and year by year.
This is the way the apostle Peter put it in his second letter:
8) for these things being worked in you and abounding, do make [you] neither inert nor unfruitful with regard to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,
9) for he with whom these things are not present is blind, dim-sighted, having become forgetful of the cleansing of his old sins.
10) Wherefore, the rather, brethren, be diligent to make sure your calling and election; for doing these things, you may never fall away,
11) for so, the entrance into the age-enduring reign of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly added unto you.
So, to the question: “how do we know we’re saved”, comes the answer from the Scripture itself. Assurance of your place in the age-enduring Kingdom of Jesus Christ (assurance that He is holding onto you as His bondservant), is abundantly provided you as you fearfully walk in the way – holding the testimony of Jesus and keeping His Commandments.
The “hosannas” (save now!) in the hallel; the “hosannas” (save now) shouted by the multitude following Jesus into Jerusalem before His crucifixion, are answered in verses six through nine as the host of the glory cloud breaks out once more in halleluia! For the One prophesied to come has come; and He has saved; and He will reign forever. We’ll take up these four verses next time.
But since it’s the time for celebrating the birth of Jesus, let’s just spend a couple of minutes with some of the things that happened seventy years previous to John’s Revelation.
And since I’m over seventy years old, it’s all fascinating to me since the events prophesied in Scripture – including John’s Revelation – all happened in a period of time that was shorter than my age! It was truly one generation!
There was one event that marked the beginning of “the end of the age”. Here it is from Luke chapter two:
8) And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9) And a messenger from the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.
10) And the messenger said to them, "be not afraid, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the peoples.
11) For unto you is born this day a Savior who is XRISTOS KURIOS – in the city of David.
12) And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
13) And suddenly there was with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14) "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those with whom he is well-pleased!"
There is much here; and perhaps we’ll see more next Lord’s Day (and remember that next Sunday is The Lord’s Day – the only “holy day”.) But let’s mention two things here.
The first one has to do with the words XRISTOS KURIOS. The two words are equal proper nouns. In the declension of nouns, they are the same. And the translation is “Christ Lord”; XRISTOS KURIOS is His Name! (That’s why He’s called “Kurios” in the apostles’ letters… including verse six of our chapter nineteen text!) God the Son – the promised Anointed – has been born. And, as promised, He has been born in the city of David. And He is Savior of “all the peoples”.
Note that the messenger from the mouth of God doesn’t say that Christ was Israel’s Messiah! He says that Christ is the Savior of the peoples! It’s no wonder that the king in Israel sought to kill Him; and it’s also no wonder that among the first to bring gifts and worship Him were Gentile magi!!
Secondly, let’s see that there was a single messenger sent to deliver a message to these shepherds; and as in every case throughout Scripture, the message directly from God to these shepherds caused them great fear and dread. And as in our chapter nineteen text, they were “afeared”. It’s passive. God’s message puts them at ease, though: “be not afraid”.
But then the entire host of the glory cloud/tabernacle of God was revealed to them (just as with the prophets of old), including all the messengers of the glory cloud and the twenty-four elders and the cherubim at the throne/room – mercy seat in the tabernacle! The entire tabernacle of God was opened up to them.
After all, this is the announcement of the appearance of the promised Anointed One – the Savior of the world. And, therefore (since the promised Anointed One has appeared) it is the appointed time! It is the fullness of the time… as promised in the prophetic Word. It is the last days – the end of the age.
And seventy years later, here in our text, the host of the tabernacle in the heaven bursts forth in multiple “halleluias” to The God Who sits over the throne; for the end of the age has come; and He has pronounced the judgment: the Sword of YAHVEH – and the burning… the aroma of which will ascend to the nostrils of God into the ages.
And God the Son will proceed to His work as King of Kings and Lord of Lords – to subdue the peoples … with the Sword of His mouth and the rod of iron.