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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 72

TITLE: THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS IN HEAVEN

TEXT: REVELATION 19:1-6

INTRODUCTION: (1) IN 1712, THE BRILLIANT AND GIFTED GERMAN COMPOSER GEORGE FREDERIC HANDEL MOVED TO LONDON, WHERE HE LIVED UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1759.

* AROUND 1727 HE BECAME A PRACTICING MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND AFTER BEING A PART OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH.

** HANDEL ACHIEVED GREAT FAME AS A COMPOSER OF ITALIAN OPERA, BUT ABANDONED OPERA FOR THE ORATORIO IN 1741.

** AN ORATORIO IS DEFINED IN THE WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY AS AN EXTENDED MUSICAL WORK USUALLY BASED UPON A RELIGIOUS THEME, FOR SOLO VOICES, CHORUS, AND ORCHESTRA, AND PERFORMED WITHOUT ACTION, COSTUME OR SCENERY.

*** TO ADD TO THAT DEFINITION, THE ORATORIO ORIGINATED AS A MUSICAL DRAMA TO BE PLAYED WITHOUT STAGING IN AN “ORATORY” OR MEETING ROOM.

**** PRINCIPAL SINGERS REPRESENTED BIBLICAL CHARACTERS OR SAINTS FROM CHRISTIAN HISTORY, WITH A CHORUS INTERPRETING THE EVENTS.

(2) HANDEL BEGAN TO WORK ON HIS FAMOUS MESSIAH IN 1741, USING WORDS FROM SCRIPTURE COMPILED BY HIS FRIEND CHARLES JENNENS.

* HANDEL COMPOSED THE MUSIC FOR ALL 53 NUMBERS OF THE MESSIAH IN AN UNBELIEVABLE 24 DAYS!

** HE CONDUCTED THE FIRST PUBLIC PERFORMANCE OF THE MESSIAH IN DUBLIN ON APRIL 13TH, 1742.

*** HE GAVE HIS LAST PRESENTATION THE DAY BEFORE HE DIED ON APRIL 13TH, 1759.

**** THE THRILLING AND MAJESTIC HALLELUJAH CHORUS IS HANDEL AT HIS BEST AND THE TRADITION OF THE AUDIENCE STANDING WHILE IT IS SUNG BEGAN IN HANDEL’S OWN LIFETIME WE ARE TOLD.

(3) NOW WHILE MANY PEOPLE ASSOCIATED THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS AND THE MESSIAH WITH CHRISTMAS, IN HANDEL’S DAY THE MESSIAH WAS AN EASTER PRESENTATION.

* THE REASON BEING, THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS IS REALLY NOT ABOUT CHRISTMAS, BUT ABOUT CHRIST’S FINAL VICTORY.

** FOR CHARLES JENNENS’ WORDS WERE TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE ONLY CHAPTER IN THE N.T. THAT USES THE WORD HALLELUJAH.

*** AND I’LL GIVE YOU TWO GUESSES WHAT CHAPTER THAT IS AND THE FIRST DOESN’T COUNT, IT IS WHAT CHAPTER? REVELATION 19.

**** AND REVELATION 19 AND SPECIFICALLY OUR TEXT TODAY REVELATION 19:1-6 USES THE WORD HALLELUJAH 4 TIMES, AN EXCLAMATION OF PRAISE TO GOD.

(4) IN FACT THE GREEK WORD FOR HALLELUJAH IS A TRANSLITERATION OF THE COMBINED HEBREW WORDS HALLEL MEANING PRAISE AND JAH MAKING REFERENCE TO JEHOVAH OR THE SHORT FORM YAHWEH.

* THUS COMBINED MEANING “PRAISE THE LORD!”

** NOW IN OUR TEXT TODAY WE HAVE THE HEAVENLY HALLELUJAH CHORUS.

*** AND HANDEL’S MESSIAH AND THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS ARE CONSIDERED BY SOME AS THE SUPREME EXPRESSION OF PRAISE IN THE FIELD OF MUSIC.

**** BUT THIS GREAT HUMAN WORK WILL BE TOTALLY ECLIPSED BY THE MAGNIFICENT HEAVENLY HALLELUJAH CHORUS OF THE FUTURE DESCRIBED IN REVELATION 19:1-6.

(5) FOR GOD’S JUDGMENT OF BABYLON IN REVELATION CHAPTERS 17&18 WILL LEAD TO AN UNPRECEDENTED HALLELUJAH CHORUS IN HEAVEN AS GOD ALMIGHTY WHO IS ON THE THRONE REIGNS, NOT SATAN, NOT ANTICHRIST, AND NOT THE FALSE PROPHET.

* THUS, I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE TODAY, “THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS IN HEAVEN.”

** AND WITH NO DISRESPECT TO HANDEL, THIS HALLELUJAH CHORUS WILL TOWER OVER EARTH’S RENDITION AND WILL BRING THE ROAR OF HEAVEN, AN OVATION OF WORSHIP, PROSTRATION AND PRAISE TO THE ALL-MIGHTY WHO REIGNS FOREVER AND EVER, AS HE SHALL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.

*** AND TO HELP US WORK THROUGH REVELATION 19:1-6, I’VE COME UP WITH 3 MAIN POINTS.

**** NO. 1 THE REJOICING IN HEAVEN, V. 1; NO. 2 THE REASON FOR THE REJOICING, VV. 2&3; AND NO. 3 THE REIGN OF GOD, VV. 4-6.

(6) AND WITH THAT OUTLINE AS OUR PATH TO FOLLOW, LOOK AT V. 1 WHERE WE’LL SEE THE REJOICING. LOOK AT REVELATION 19:1 PLEASE.

I. THE REJOICING, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW THE PHRASE “AFTER THESE THINGS” NORMALLY IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION INDICATES A NEW VISION BY JOHN OR A CHANGE OF SUBJECT.

* BUT IN THE INSTANCE, SETS UP FOR US THE CONTEXT AND THE WHY THERE WILL BE SUCH REJOICING IN HEAVEN.

** IN A SENSE “AFTER THESE THINGS” LEAD US BACK TO THE JUDGMENTS OF ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL BABYLON IN CHAPTER 18 AND GIVES US THE REASON FOR ALL THIS REJOICING IN HEAVEN, THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS IN HEAVEN. THIS RESPONSE WILL SEE A RESULT.

*** AND BABYLON’S DOOM ON EARTH CAUSES DELIGHT IN HEAVEN. THE SOMBER EVENTS OF JUDGMENT IN REVELATION 18 GIVE WAY TO A SONG IN HEAVEN.

**** FOR WHAT FOLLOWS THE PHRASE, “AFTER THESE THINGS?”

1. WELL, JOHN HEARS SOMETHING LIKE A LOUD VOICE OF A GREAT MULTITUDE IN HEAVEN.

* AND THIS GREAT MULTITUDE, WHICH ARE NOT IDENTIFIED, SOME SPECULATE ANGELS, OTHERS THE HOST OF ALL THE REDEEMED IN HEAVEN FROM ALL TIME–ALL THE SAVED FROM ALL TIME.

** WHILE OTHERS SUGGEST THE MARTYRS OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

*** AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE AN ARGUMENT FOR WHICH GROUP IT IS, BUT SAY WHATEVER GROUP IT IS OR A COMBINED GROUP, THE NUMBER OF THEM IS LARGE AND WHAT THEY SAY IS LOUD!

**** AND THE FIRST WORD THEY EXCLAIM HERE IN V. 1 IS HALLELUJAH.

2. AND AS I SAID IN MY INTRODUCTION, THIS IS THE FIRST OF FOUR HALLELUJAHS IN THIS TEXT WHICH ARE THE ONLY TIMES THIS WORD IS USED IN THE ENTIRE N.T.

* AND AGAIN IT LIT. MEANS PRAISE THE LORD.

** NOW IN THE O.T., THIS HEBREW PHRASE WHICH IS TRANSLITERATED PRAISE THE LORD IS USED 24 TIMES.

*** ITS FIRST USE IS FOUND IN PSALM 104:35 WHICH SAYS: “LET SINNERS BE CONSUMED FROM THE EARTH AND LET THE WICKED BE NO MORE. BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL. PRAISE THE LORD!”

**** NOW GET THIS, IN IT’S FIRST O.T. USE AND IT’S FIRST N.T. USE IN V. 1 OF REVELATION, THIS WORD EXPRESSES PRAISE FOR GOD’S JUDGMENT ON WICKED PEOPLE.

3. AND THAT IS A PATTERN FOR IT’S USE IN THE O.T., FOR GENERALLY IT’S USE IS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PUNISHMENT OF THE UNGODLY.

* FOR EXAMPLE THE FEASTS OF PASSOVER AND TABERNACLES, AND PASSOVER COMMUNICATED GOD’S GREAT DELIVERANCE OF GOD’S PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT, THEIR ENEMIES, WE’RE THE MAIN OCCASIONS, THE MAIN REASON FOR SINGING THE GREAT HALLEL (HALLELUJAH, PRAISE THE LORD) IN PSALMS 104-109.

** AND THEN WHAT WAS CALLED THE HALLEL OF EGYPT, WHICH COVERED PSALMS 113-118 WAS SUNG BECAUSE OF ITS ASSOCIATION WITH ISRAEL’S DELIVERANCE FROM EGYPT.

*** AND GUESS WHAT WORD IS USED REPEATEDLY? PRAISE THE LORD OR HALLELUJAH HERE IN REVELATION 19.

**** IN PSALM 113-118, THE HALLEL OF EGYPT, THE PHRASE IS USED 7 TIMES IN MY COMPUTER PROGRAM IN THE NAS, AND 4 TIMES IN THE GREAT HALLEL (PRAISE, HALLELUJAH) IN PSALMS 104-109.

4. AND GOD IS PRAISED FOR SALVATION AND DELIVERANCE OF HIS PEOPLE.

* AND AN ARGUMENT CAN BE MADE, THAT THE DELIVERANCE TALKED ABOUT IN REVELATION 19 IS A FAR GREATER DELIVERANCE THAN THE ONES TALKED ABOUT IN THE HALLELS.

** BUT SPECIFICALLY AS WE GO BACK TO REVELATION 19 A GREAT THRONG IN HEAVEN LOUDLY PRAISE THE LORD.

*** AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE REST OF V. 1, HEAVEN REJOICES BECAUSE SALVATION HAS COME FOR GOD’S PEOPLE AND WITH IT THE GLORY AND POWER THAT BELONG TO GOD HAVE BEEN PUT ON DISPLAY FOR ALL TO SEE.

*** TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY IN THE END OF V. 1, 3 MAJESTIC NOTES OF PRAISE ARE SOUNDED BY THIS HEAVENLY HOST.

**** NO. 1 SALVATION. AND I’M GOING TO QUOTE 3 COMMENTATORS HERE TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THE WORD SALVATION IN THE CONTEXT.

5. JOHN MACARTHUR IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 12-22 SAID AND I QUOTE: “THE WORD SALVATION DOES NOT FOCUS ON JUSTIFICATION OR SANCTIFICATION (HERE), BUT CELEBRATES THE FINAL ASPECT OF SALVATION HISTORY, THE GLORIFICATION OF THE SAINTS IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST.” (END QUOTE)

* JOHN RITCHIE IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION AGREES WITH JOHN MACARTHUR WHERE HE SAID AND I QUOTE: “SALVATION IS MUCH MORE THAN THE PERSONAL SALVATION OF INDIVIDUALS AND INCLUDES THE WHOLE PROGRAMME OF GOD BROUGHT TO THE MOMENT OF REALIZATION.” (END QUOTE)

** AND THEN FINALLY ROBERT THOMAS IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 8-22 SAID AND I QUOTE: “TWO EARLIER SONGS HAVE CELEBRATED THE NOTE OF VICTORY BASED ON DIVINE JUSTICE THAT ‘THE SALVATION’ SUGGESTS. THE VICTORY THAT RESULTS IN GOD’S KINGDOM COMING ON EARTH COINCIDES WITH THE REMOVAL OF ALL THAT STANDS IN ITS WAY, INCLUDING THE BEAST AND BABYLON. THIS IS THE FIRST MOTIVE OF PRAISE TO THE LORD.” (END QUOTE)

*** SO SALVATION HERE IS DELIVERANCE FROM THE BEAST AND BABYLON AND THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROGRAM WHICH IS PERFECTLY ON SCHEDULE.

**** THEN WE HAVE THE WORDS GLORY AND POWER. AND GLORY IS THE GREEK WORD DOXA FROM WHICH WE GET OUR WORD DOXOLOGY AND HERE COMMUNICATES THE GLORY THAT BELONGS TO GOD AS A RESULT OF WHAT HE HAS DONE TO BABYLON, HE IS TO BE GLORIFIED.

6. AND POWER HERE IS THE MIGHT, THE STRENGTH THAT GOD USED TO DISPOSE OF BABYLON AND BRING PEOPLE TO SALVATION.

* AND THESE 3 WORDS TAKE US TO DAVID’S PRAYER IN I CHRONICLES 29:11 WHICH WE SING HERE AT FAITH WHICH SAYS: “YOURS, O LORD, IS THE GREATNESS AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY AND THE VICTORY AND THE MAJESTY, INDEED EVERYTHING THAT IS IN THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH; YOURS IS THE DOMINION, O LORD, AND YOU EXALT YOURSELF AS HEAD OVER ALL.”

** AND ONE LAST WORD IN V. 1 OF REVELATION 19 TO HELP WITH CONFUSION, A FOURTH WORD IS USED IN THE KJV AND NKJV HERE, THE WORD HONOUR.

**** AND CERTAINLY GOD IS ALWAYS WORTHY OF HONOUR, BUT THE WORD IS NOT FOUND IN THE EARLY GREEK MANUSCRIPTS FROM WHICH THE HAS, NIV AND THE ESV ARE TRANSLATED.

7. BUT THE THEME OF V. 1 IS REJOICING WHICH THE REASONS FOR THAT REJOICING BECOME EVEN CLEARER IN VV. 2&3. LOOK AT V. 2 TO BEGIN WITH PLEASE WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE REASON.

II. THE REASON, (READ V. 2)

A. NOW THE FIRST WORD OF V. 2 GIVES ME THE WORD FOR MY 2’D POINT HERE, THE REASON, FOR THE WORD BECAUSE OR FOR WHICH CAN BE TRANSLATED SINCE OR HOW THAT OR HOW, POINTS US TO THE REASONS FOR THE REJOICING.

* AND THE GREEK PREPOSITION HO-TEE IS USED AGAIN IN V. 2 TRANSLATED FOR THE 2’D PART OF V. 2 IN THE NAS.

** SO WE HAVE TWO REASONS FOR THE HALLELUJAH, BECAUSE AND FOR.

*** NO. 1 BECAUSE GOD’S JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS.

**** AND GOD’S JUDGMENTS ARE ALWAYS TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS. WHY? FOR PSALM 145:17 SAYS: (READ IT).

1. AND BECAUSE GOD IS HOLY, PERFECT, PURE AND IMMUTABLE (HE DOES NOT CHANGE) ALL HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE, FOR HE IS A GOD OF TRUTH AND ARE ALWAYS RIGHTEOUS FOR HE IS HOLY AND PERFECTLY RIGHT AND RIGHTEOUS IN ALL HIS RESPONSES OF JUDGMENT.

* AND BELOVED, BANK ON IT, WHEN GOD JUDGES, IT IS ALWAYS TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS.

** GOD’S ETERNAL JUDGMENT IN HELL IS TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS, GOD’S JUDGMENT OF NATIONS IS TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS, GOD’S JUDGMENT ON PEOPLE IN THEIR LIFE IS ALWAYS TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS.

*** AND OUR STANDARD IS ALWAYS TOO LOW AND BLURRED BY OUR EMOTIONS, FEELINGS AND SINFULNESS.

**** BUT GOD’S IS ALWAYS TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS, HE IS ALWAYS THE STANDARD. AND IT MAY NOT LOOK RIGHT FROM OUR STANDARD AND VIEWPOINT AND MAY NOT MAKE SENSE, BUT REMEMBER OUR STANDARD IS ALWAYS TOO LOW.

2. IN COMPARISON, GOD’S STANDARD IS GOLD AND OURS IS COPPER, IT’S TOO LOW. (AND WE NEED TO PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS IS ALWAYS TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS).

* NOW MOVING ON THE 2’D HO-TEE OR FOR OR BECAUSE GETS MORE SPECIFIC IN THIS CONTEXT, “FOR HE HAS JUDGED THE GREAT HARLOT WHO WAS CORRUPTING THE EARTH WITH HER IMMORALITY.”

** AND WHO IS THE GREAT HARLOT HERE? BABYLON.

*** AND WHAT DID SHE DO? SHE CORRUPTED THE EARTH WITH HER SPIRITUAL IMMORALITY.

*** AND FROM OUR STUDY IN REVELATION 17&18 WE LEARNED THAT HER SPIRITUAL HARLOTRY CONSISTED OF RELIGIOUS PROSTITUTION, PROMOTING FALSE RELIGION AND ECONOMIC PROSTITUTION CONTROLLING AND CORRUPTING COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE TO MANIPULATE PEOPLE.

3. BUT THERE IS A FURTHER REASON FOR HER JUDGMENT, FOR “HE (GOD) HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BONDSERVANTS ON HER.”

* AND THE VERB “AVENGED” DESCRIBES AN ACTION ARISING OUT OF JUSTICE, GOD’S JUSTICE. AND ONLY GOD HAS THAT RIGHT FOR ONLY HE IS PERFECTLY JUST, AND TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS IN HIS JUDGMENTS GOING BACK TO V. 1.

** SO GOD’S JUDGMENT OF BABYLON CALLS THEM TO ACCOUNT FOR THE WAY SHE TREATED HIS SERVANTS, AND KILLED THEM, HOW THEY SHED THE BLOOD OF HIS SERVANTS SPEAKING OF MARTYRS DURING THE TRIBULATION.

*** AND BELOVED GOD HAS ANSWERED THE PLEA OF REVELATION 6:9&10 HERE WHICH SAYS:

V. 9 – WHEN THE LAMB BROKE THE FIFTH SEAL, I SAW UNDERNEATH THE ALTAR THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAD BEEN SLAIN BECAUSE OF THE WORD OF GOD, AND BECAUSE OF THE TESTIMONY WHICH THEY HAD MAINTAINED;

V. 10 – AND THEY CRIED OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE, SAYING, “HOW LONG, O LORD, HOLY AND TRUE, WILL YOU REFRAIN FROM JUDGING AND AVENGING OUR BLOOD ON THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH?”

**** SO GOD NOW HAS SETTLED THE ACCOUNT WHICH LEADS TO A 2’D HALLELUJAH IN V. 3. LOOK AT V. 3 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 3. NOW A SECOND HALLELUJAH LIKE A HEAVENLY ENCORE ECHOES AROUND HEAVEN AS THE MULTITUDES IN HEAVEN SEE THE VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF THE JUDGMENT OF GOD UPON BABYLON.

* AND WHAT IS THAT EVIDENCE?

** HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER.

*** NOW NO DOUBT THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE SMOKE OF BABYLON BURNING TALKED ABOUT IN REVELATION 18:9&18.

**** FOR REVELATION 18:9 SAYS: “AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH, WHO COMMITTED ACTS OF IMMORALITY AND LIVED SENSUOUSLY WITH HER, WILL WEEP AND LAMENT OVER HER WHEN THEY SEE THE SMOKE OF HER BURNING.”

1. AND THEN REVELATION 18:18 SAYS: “AND WERE CRYING OUT AS THEY SAW THE SMOKE OF HER BURNING, SAYING, WHAT CITY IS LIKE THE GREAT CITY?”

* SO LITERALLY THERE IS SMOKE ASCENDING UP FROM BABYLON, RISING TO THE HEAVENS, WHICH WAS VISIBLE.

** BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE ANOTHER COMPONENT TO BABYLON’S SMOKE RISING UP, FOR IT SAYS: “FOREVER AND EVER.”

*** AND HERE WE HAVE THE ETERNAL FATE OF INDIVIDUALS CONNECTED WITH THE CITY.

**** IN OTHER WORDS BABYLON THE CITY IS BURNING PHYSICALLY, WE KNOW THAT FROM REVELATION 18, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT MADE UP BABYLON, THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY FOLLOWING THE BEAST WILL BE FOREVER IN THE LAKE OF FIRE IN REVELATION 20:11-15.

2. ETERNAL DAMNATION IS IN VIEW HERE, ESPECIALLY AS WE COMPARE THIS TO REVELATION 14:11 WHICH SAYS: “AND THE SMOKE OF THEIR TORMENT GOES UP FOREVER AND EVER; THEY HAVE NO REST DAY AND NIGHT, THOSE WHO WORSHIP THE BEAST AND HIS IMAGE, AND WHOEVER RECEIVES THE MARK OF HIS NAME.”

* ALSO READ REVELATION 20:10.

** NOW GOD’S JUDGMENT AND GOD’S AVENGING THE BLOOD OF HIS MARTYRS LEADS THE HEAVENLY HOST TO A HALLELUJAH CHORUS AND GOD’S JUSTICE AND THAT HE IS TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS IS ELEVATED.

*** AND GOD WILL BE PRAISED FOR HIS ETERNAL JUDGMENT OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE BEAST.

**** AND ONE QUICK APPLICATION HERE WHICH IS SOBER AND FRIGHTENING AS WE THINK OF HELL AND THE LAKE OF FIRE, IT WOULD BE TERRIBLE TO RECEIVE THE WRATH OF GOD FOR A SECOND, A MINUTE, AN HOUR, A DAY, A MONTH OR A YEAR.

3. BUT TO THINK THAT THIS JUDGMENT WILL GO ON FOREVER IS MIND BOGGLING TO ME. FOR IF IT WERE ONLY A YEAR OR EVEN A DECADE, THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

* BUT TO REALIZE IT IS FOREVER IS INCONCEIVABLE. GOD’S ABHORRENCE FOR SIN WILL BE DEALT WITH FOREVER WITH THOSE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST.

** BUT I REMIND YOU AGAIN, HIS VENGEANCE IS PERFECT AND HOLY AND HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS.

*** AND THESE TRUTHS LEAD TO HALLELUJAHS IN HEAVEN WHICH LEADS US TO OUR THIRD AND LAST POINT TODAY. THE REIGN. LOOK AT V. 4 PLEASE.

III. THE REIGN, (READ V. 4)

A. NOW IN V. 4, A THIRD HALLELUJAH-PRAISE THE LORD IS GIVEN BY THE 24 ELDERS IN HEAVEN AND THE 4 LIVING CREATURES.

* AND THE 24 ELDERS POSSIBLY REPRESENT THE CHURCH GLORIFIED IN HEAVEN AND THE 4 LIVING CREATURES COULD BE CHERUBIM OR SERAPHIM OR A GROUP OF HIGH RANKING ANGELS. (WE’VE DISCUSSED BOTH GROUPS EARLIER IN REVELATION AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THE TIME HERE AGAIN TODAY.)

** BUT TO SAY THIS IS THEIR LAST APPEARANCE IN REVELATION, THE 24 ELDERS AND THE 4 LIVING CREATURES, AND THIS LAST APPEARANCE COMMUNICATING AGAIN WHAT THEY PREOCCUPY THEMSELVES WITH. THE ANSWER IS WORSHIP.

*** FOR WHAT DO THEY DO HERE? THEY FALL DOWN, THEY PROSTRATE THEMSELVES AND WORSHIP GOD WHO SITS ON THE THRONE.

1. SO THEY ARE AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD, PROSTRATED BEFORE GOD, WORSHIPPING HIM. AND THEIR RESPONSE TO GOD’S JUDGMENT ON BABYLON IS AMEN. HALLELUJAH!

* AND HERE THE WORD AMEN IN RESPONSE TO WHAT GOD HAS DONE IS “SO BE IT” OR “TRULY MAY IT BE”, IT IS A RESPONSE OF WORSHIP TO AFFIRM GOD’S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS.

** AND IN DOING THAT, BY SAYING AMEN, THEY ARE BOWING TO GOD’S WILL AND PURPOSES AND FOLLOWING IT WITH PRAISE THE LORD.

*** AND IN A SENSE, TRUE WORSHIP IS PRAISE THE LORD, BUT IT IS ALSO BOWING TO GOD’S WILL. THINK ABOUT THAT.

**** FOR WORSHIP IN THE BIBLE IS BOWING TO THE WILL OF GOD, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WHAT HE SAYS AND DOES IS TRUE AND RIGHT.

2. SO A COMPONENT OF WORSHIP IS NOT ONLY PRAISE BUT OBEDIENCE. AND YOU CAN SING LOUD AND LONG BUT UNLESS YOU ARE SAYING AND LIVING AN AMEN TO GOD’S WILL AND SUBMITTING TO IT AND PRAISING HIM FOR IT, YOU ARE JUST MAKING A BUNCH OF NOISE.

* AND SO MUCH OF THE EMPHASIS TODAY IN WORSHIP IS ON EMOTION AND FEELINGS, BUT LISTEN, IF IT DOESN’T AFFECT YOUR MIND AND WILL, IT’S JUST A BUNCH OF NOISE!

** BELIEVER, BOW DOWN TO THE WILL OF GOD AND MAKE HIS WILL SUPERIOR TO YOUR WILL. ASCRIBE GLORY TO HIM THAT HIS JUDGMENTS ARE RIGHT AND PRAISE HIM WITH YOUR LIPS AND LIFE!

*** AND THAT GOD REIGNS AND IS ON THE THRONE AND IS WORTHY TO BE WORSHIPPED CONTINUES IN V. 5. LOOK AT V. 5 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 5. NOW THE TEXT HERE DOES NOT IDENTIFY THE VOICE THAT CAME FROM THE THRONE, IT COULD BE AN ANGEL, OR ONE OF THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES, I CANNOT SAY FOR SURE.

* BUT WHOEVER IT IS, THIS VOICE GIVES AN AUTHORITATIVE COMMAND TO GIVE PRAISE TO OUR GOD.

*** FOR THE VERB PRAISE IS IN THE IMPERATIVE MOOD – A COMMAND, AND THIS VERB MEANS TO EXTOL, TO SING PRAISES IN HONOUR TO GOD CONTINUOUSLY. (FOR THE VERB PRAISE IS NOT ONLY AN IMPERATIVE, BUT A PRESENT IMPERATIVE MEANING IT IS TO CONTINUE, TO KEEP PRAISING.

*** AND THE SPECIFIC GROUP THAT THIS COMMAND IS GIVEN TO IS THE “BOND-SERVANTS” OF GOD, WHICH IS PROBABLY A REFERENCE TO THE REDEEMED BELIEVERS IN HEAVEN.

**** FOR WHAT IS ADDED HERE, THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.

1. THOSE WHO HAVE A REVERENTIAL FEAR OF GOD, THE SLAVES OF CHRIST SAVED FROM THE EARTH, HUMAN BEINGS.

* AND TO ADD WEIGHT THAT THESE BONDSERVANTS ARE HUMAN BEINGS, SAINTS, THE CALL IS TO THE SMALL AND THE GREAT.

** AND THE PHRASE TRANSCENDS ALL HUMAN CATEGORIES SPEAKING OF EVERY STRATUM OF SOCIETY, EVEN THE RICH TO THE POOR, FROM PAUPERS TO KINGS, ETC., EVERY BONDSERVANT OF CHRIST IS TO PRAISE THE LORD.

*** AND IN V. 6 WE SEE THE EXPLOSION, THE CRESCENDO OF THIS PRAISE GOING ON IN HEAVEN. LOOK AT V. 6 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 6. NOW THIS HALLELUJAH CHORUS IN HEAVEN CONTINUES, IS NOW RISING TO A GRAND CLIMAX AS THE REALIZATION OF A WONDERFUL TRUTH IS ACKNOWLEDGED.

* FOR IT APPEARS THAT ALL OF HEAVEN BREAKS FORTH, THE VOICES OF THE GREAT MULTITUDE IN V. 1, THE 24 ELDERS AND 4 LIVING CREATURES IN V. 4 AND THE BONDSERVANTS OF GOD IN V. 5.

** IT APPEARS THAT THIS GLORIOUS CHOIR EXPLODES.

*** FOR JOHN HEARS SOMETHING LIKE THE VOICE OF A GREAT MULTITUDE, LIKE THE SOUND OF MANY WATERS AND LIKE THUNDERBOLTS.

1. NOW PUT THOSE THINGS TOGETHER AND YOU HAVE A SONIC BOOM IN HEAVEN-A GREAT MULTITUDE, THE ROAR OF A MIGHTY WATERFALL AND THUNDER CLAPS, A DEAFENING CRESCENDO OF DECIBEL LEVELS WE HAVE NEVER HEARD.

* AND NOW HEAVEN STAND TO THE REAL HALLELUJAH CHORUS, FOR THIS FITTING FINALE TO THIS HEAVENLY ORATORIO OF PRAISE IS A FOURTH HALLELUJAH.

** AND WHAT FOLLOWS IS THE MOTIVE FOR THAT FINAL HALLELUJAH: “FOR THE LORD OUR GOD, THE ALMIGHTY REIGNS.”

*** AND FOR THE SEVENTH TIME OF NINE USES IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION THE LORD GOD IS CALLED THE ALMIGHTY, THE ALL POWERFUL OMNIPOTENT RULER OF THE UNIVERSE.

**** THE ONE WHO HOLDS SWAY OVER ALL THINGS, THE RULER OF ALL.

2. AND THIS ALMIGHTY ONE REIGNS! HE IS ON THE THRONE SEATED AS THE POTENTATE, THE KING, THE SOVEREIGN OF ALL CREATION AND THE ONE WHO RULER HIS UNIVERSE.

* BELOVED THE ALMIGHTY REIGNS AS SHOWN BY HIS TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT OF BABYLON, WHO HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS SAINTS AND SOON HIS PERFECT WILL WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN AS HIS KINGDOM COMES.

** THE ALMIGHTY REIGNS – HALLELUJAH!

IN WRAP UP: (1) THAT THE ALMIGHTY REIGNS IS ONE OF THE GRANDEST AND MOST GLORIOUS TRUTHS IN SCRIPTURE.

* AND AS I’VE SAID BEFORE, IT’S ONE OF THE MOST COMFORTING, REASSURING AND BLESSED TRUTHS I KNOW OF.

** FOR HOW CAN WE PRAISE THE LORD TODAY IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING, PAIN, TRIALS AND DEEP HURT?

*** WE CAN ONLY BY ACKNOWLEDGING AND LIVING OUT THE TRUTH THAT THE ALMIGHTY REIGNS!

**** AND BECAUSE GOD IS ON THE THRONE WE PRAISE HIM.

(2) WE PRAISE HIM BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS.

* WE PRAISE HIM BECAUSE HE WILL AVENGE ALL WRONGS AND EVIL.

** WE PRAISE HIM FOR HIS KINGDOM IS COMING AND THERE WILL BE A BETTER DAY.

*** WE PRAISE HIM AS HIS BONDSERVANTS BECAUSE WE FEAR HIM.

(3) WE PRAISE HIM BECAUSE WE TRUST HIM.

* WE PRAISE HIM FOR HIS SON OUR SAVIOR.

** WE PRAISE HIM FOR HIS MERCY, LOVE AND GRACE.

*** WE PRAISE HIM FOR HE WILL JUDGE THE WICKED.

**** AND WE PRAISE HIM FOR SO GREAT SALVATION AND THE BEST IS YET TO COME.

(4) AND BELOVED, THE TRUTH I DESIRE THAT WILL IMPACT US TODAY IS, WE CAN LIVE THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS IN OUR LIVES TODAY AS WE SEE AND THINK AND SUBMIT TO THE TRUTH THE ALMIGHTY REIGNS.

* AND OUR RESPONSE WILL BE HALLELUJAH AS WE WORSHIP TO HIM BY BOWING TO HIS WILL AND PUTTING HIS OVER OURS.

** I CLOSE WITH THE LAST VERSE OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS WHICH SAYS IN PSALM 150:6 (READ IT AND PRAY).

V. 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;

V. 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.”

V. 3 – AND A SECOND TIME THEY SAID,

“HALLELUJAH! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOR EVER

AND EVER.”

V. 4 – AND THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS AND THE

FOUR LIVING CREATURES FELL DOWN AND

WORSHIPED GOD WHO SITS ON THE THRONE

SAYING, “AMEN. HALLELUJAH!”