We see a dramatic shift here. We have left the horrors of the earthly judgments behind and moved from earth to heaven. The Tribulation Period has ended. All that remains is one final event which concludes this chapter, the Battle of Armageddon. Simultaneous to that event, is the return of Christ to set up His 1000 year reign. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is the most anticipated event in history. It is a time when heaven breaks out in celebration and praise.
A. Praise the Lord for His Salvation. (1)
In America we write and pronounce "Alleluia" as HALLELUJAH. With the J sounding like a Y. It means "Praise Ye the Lord." This word only appears in this chapter in all of the NT.
Full and final deliverance from sin is something to rejoice about.
B. Praise the Lord for His Severity. (2,3)
(2) They rejoice over the downfall of Babylon and the godless civilization led by the Antichrist. It is representative of all rebellion of men against God throughout history.
God doesn’t let anyone get away with wickedness. The saints of God have longed for this moment because it proves God’s justice. The Christ haters have been given every opportunity to repent and believe but they refuse and God must act. (Ps. 104:35) "Let the sinner be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul, Praise ye the Lord."
They can rejoice because God will receive honor as the future will prove out what His prophets have proclaimed all throughout history.
(3) Judgment is permanent. Not one heart will be turned toward God in repentance from hell. They will be gnashing their teeth in anger.
C. Praise the Lord for His Sovereignty. (4)
The 24 elders are the Church mentioned for the last time with this symbol. When the Hallelujah Chorus of heaven sings out God’s praise, the church affirms its agreement. "Amen." This word is also translated "verily, verily" meaning "that is true." Now how do you pronounce it? Aaaamen not ahhhmen.
"fell down and worshipped" All the plans of God have one purpose; that we might worship Him. That will be our full time occupation in heaven.
There are 2 words that are the same in all languages. Hallelujah and amen. There is a story told of a missionary who got on a cruise ship. He felt very much out of place with the normal revelry and rowdiness of the passengers, so he decided to go up on deck to read his Bible. As he strolled the deck, he encountered another man also carrying a Bible. He greeted him in English, but the man just stood uncomprehending. Finally, looking at the Bible, he said; HALLELUJAH. To which the other man replied; AMEN. They may not have had the ability to communicate in any language but they could fellowship together as brothers in Christ.
D. Praise the Lord for His Supremacy. (5,6)
God has been reigning in heaven. Now He will reign on earth as well.
E. Praise the Lord for His Supper. (7-10)
One of the pictures that Scriptures gives us of the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Church is that of a BRIDEGROOM and His Bride. The church, or the Bride, is made up of those who have accepted Christ as their Savior from Pentecost until the Rapture. It is the WHOSOEVER WILL.
In order to understand this passage we need to know something about the Jewish wedding. The wedding consisted of 3 parts: the betrothal, the ceremony, and the supper.
1. The Betrothal.
(7) The Jewish bridegroom went to the brides home carrying 3 things: a dowry, a contract, and a skin of wine. He spoke to the father of the bride. The bride was summoned by the father and if his proposal was accepted, they drank the wine and immediately a trumpet was sounded to announce their betrothal. (II Cor. 11:2) "..for I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."
The bridegroom left the bride’s house and went to the father’s house to prepare a place for his bride. (John 14:2,3) "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
When was the wedding to be? The father of the bridegroom set the date and no one knew that date but him. (Matt. 24:36) "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels in heaven, but my Father only."
So the bride had to be in a constant state of readiness.
The DOWRY has already been paid. (I Cor. 6:20) says the bride, the church, has been "bought with a price." The price was the blood of Jesus shed at Calvary.
The CONTRACT has been sealed. (Eph. 1:13) "..in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." This seal is the Holy Spirit.
When the father of the bridegroom decided it was time for the wedding, a second TRUMPET was blown. This is called "the last trump."
Then the bridegroom came for his bride and took her to his father’s house. When christ comes for His church at the RAPTURE, it is as a bridegroom coming for His bride.
2. The Ceremony.
(8) a. Who will be there? The bridegroom, the bride, the Father, the holy angels, all of the OT saints and (John 3:29) John the Baptist "the friend of the bridegroom."
b. What will the bride wear? W. A. Criswell contends that the NT saints (the bride) will have on 2 garments: an inner garment of positional righteousness. (Isa. 61:10) "..he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself, with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels." and an outer garment of practical righteousness.
"righteousness" is plural. The outer garment is the righteous acts of the saints. The wedding fown of the bride will be determined by the life of the believer.
The marriage must follow the Bema Seat or Judgment Seat of Christ because those works which are unworthy are burned up. The filthy rags of deeds done for the wrong reason are disposed of. All that remains is "the fine linen..righteousness of saints."
There will be a significant difference in this wedding than the ones we are accustomed to. Who is the focus of the wedding in our culture? The bride. Hardly anyone notices the groom. He is just a necessary accessary.
Not so at the wedding in heaven. The focus is upon the Bridegroom - Jesus Christ. It is interesting that of the hundreds of titles used for Christ in Scripture, it is the title of the Lamb that He chooses for His wedding. It is the Lamb that we love who bought us with His blood, who loved us enought to die for us, who promises a place for us with Him forever.
3. The Supper.
(9)While the marriage takes place in heaven, sometime during the earthly Tribulation, the festivities that follow the marriage take place on earth during the Millennial Kingdom. In fact, some suggest that the festivities of the Marriage Supper will last for the whole 1000 years.
Israel has been invited to this event. Remember that Israel as a nation will be restored to God when they see Christ as who He really is and realize that they crucified the Son of God. In addition, the Gentiles saved during the Tribulation will be there.
It is a time when Christ will introduce His bride and put her on display. She will be redeemed, transformed, and pure. Again let me emphasize, the bride will not be the focus. It is the bridegroom who will be the center of attention. They will marvel at how Jesus Christ could love an unlovely group of humans enough to buy them out of their sinful depravity, clean them up, clothe them in His own robe of righteousness and give Himself to them in an eternal love relationship.
(10) John was overcome by what had been disclosed to him and makes a terrible blunder.
You and I should be overcome by what lies ahead. It is almost to much to absorb. Jesus Christ is waiting now for you and I with open arms of love. What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see.
