A TIME FOR GREAT CELEBRATION

Revelation 19:1-10
Bob Bonner
April 23, 2006

Before we know it, summer will be here. With summer, comes many seasonal joys, such as backyard BBQ’s, outdoor games and sports activities for the family. Probably the most meaningful seasonal joy of summer is the many weddings that take place. Great excitement and hope springs forth as two families are knit together through their children’s love and commitment to one another. It is truly a time to celebrate.

This morning, we are going to look at what will be the greatest marriage celebration in history, the marriage reception of the Lamb, something that God had planned before His creation of this world. This celebration is spelled out for us in Revelation 19.

To really appreciate this celebration of the marriage of the Lamb, one must keep the bigger picture in mind, and specifically, I refer to the seven years of Tribulation that precede it in Revelation 4-18 which dealt primarily with the events that began with the Rapture of the Church and the beginning of the seven- year period known as the Tribulation and chapter 18 concludes with the seventh and final judgment of God against this world, and the world as we know it comes to an end. 

Beginning in Revelation 19 there is a noticeable change in content, tenor and focal point. One really sees this change when we compare the previous two chapters, 17 and 18, with chapter 19, which we want to begin looking at this morning. Let’s take a moment to do just that. All three of these chapters focus upon the results of the same events, however their viewpoints are different.  The scene taking place in chapters 17-18 was on earth; this scene in chapter 19 is in heaven, in the throne room of God. Chapters 17-18 spoke of a somber lament over the destruction of Babylon; chapter 19 begins with a song of praise for the long- anticipated judgment of God against Babylon.  Whereas chapter 18 ends with the world’s business leaders declaring “Woe, Woe, Babylon is fallen!” chapter 19, in stark contrast, opens with rejoicing over Babylon’s fall and total destruction. As we look at chapter 19 as a whole, there are two great suppers recorded: the marriage supper of the Lamb, in verses 1-10, which we will look at today, and the cannibalistic feast of the birds that follows the final battle of Armageddon, in verses 11-21. The first half of the chapter focuses on a “wedding,” while the second half focuses on a “war.”  

Let’s begin our reading at Revelation 19:1-5 where we hear the response of the citizens of heaven to the destruction of Babylon. We read, “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; 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.’”

Beginning in chapter 19 a scene change and chronological development is indicated by the phrase “after these things,” and refers to the events of chapter 18. Accordingly, John heard what sounded like the roar of many voices in heaven praising God, obviously because of the judgment on Babylon. You will recognize those voices mentioned in verse 4 as being one and the same voices of those personages mentioned back in Revelation 4, 5 and 7. They are the four living creatures (cherubim and seraphim) the 24 elders, the other raptured believers, those martyred saints of the Tribulation period.

The song found in these first four verses is primarily one of praise for God and specifically praise given for His character.  But there is also a sense in which the heavenly chorus is rejoicing over the destruction of Babylon, which has been at the center of and therefore represents the religious, political and economic systems of the world. 

For some readers of this chapter, these few words of rejoicing over the destruction of Babylon and the ultimate damnation of millions upon millions of humans left on the earth at that time appears to be rather callous, insensitive or at the very least uncaring. If you happen to feel that way, I would challenge you to keep the following in mind: 

First, throughout history God’s people have been disturbed by the inequity, injustice and unrighteousness the world has brought against them. Hence, the true believers for thousands of years have longed for God’s justice to come against those who have oppressed them.  Passages, like Isaiah 9:6-7 and Jeremiah 23:5 have given those who have suffered for their faith, hope, in that they anticipated the Messiah’s coming and bringing justice and righteousness to the earth. In Revelation, the martyred saints also cried out in 6:10 for the same thing. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 makes the point that it is only fitting and just that those who caused moral ruin and persecution of God’s people should face His vengeance.

Yet, for thousands of years, God appears to many as having done nothing by way of justice. Instead, God, in His love and patience, has for several millennium withheld His hand of discipline and justice against wickedness, leaving some to wrongly conclude that God does not care at all about the injustices that have occurred on earth. It seems to those who stand by and watch wickedness giving birth to more wickedness, that God is either impotent or too long-suffering, or worse, unjust. However, in the end, we see that God always does act at His perfect time. The severity with which He will bring justice, although it will proceed along the lines of truth and fairness, will undoubtedly shock some. But for the others, who have suffered and long awaited justice, the only natural response will be to rejoice, when God’s glory and justice is revealed.

Second, if one would think that this judgment of God against these people may be too harsh, keep in mind the reality that those sinners who will be living on the earth during the Great Tribulation and who will be the first to face the wrath of God, will have had the greatest opportunity to repent, or turn to worship God, of any people who have ever lived. Let’s recall what they will have witnessed by this time, and that which should have caused them to fall to their knees and worship Jesus Christ, rather than remaining stubbornly defiant against God. They will have experienced: the unprecedented disasters of the Great Tribulation, which they will acknowledge to be God’s judgments not some freak of nature or simply the results of political and economic wars. These disasters alone should have caused them to realize that God had meant what He said He would do and that they needed to trust in Jesus as the only way for them to be saved and approved of by God. 

They will also have heard the most powerful preaching of the Gospel from the 144,000 converted Jews and the two witnesses, whom they will kill and see resurrected before their eyes. 

In addition, they will not miss the fact that these same 144,000 saved Jews will be the only ones to escape personal harm from all of the seal, trumpet and bowl judgments because they are protected by Jesus Christ. No attempt by the beast to kill these 144,000 Jewish believers who refused the mark of the beast will be fulfilled.

Despite being warned and witnessing all of this, those who have submitted to the rule of the beast will remain stubbornly defiant against God, clearly standing against Him. In short, more than any human beings who have ever lived, these individuals who make up Babylon will rightly deserve God’s judgment.

Having said all that, let me remind you that the focus of these verses measured by the amount of Scripture committed to the subject in this passage is not the heavenly rejoicing over the damnation of those who reject God, but that God will finally and properly be honored for who He is.

Now let’s look more closely at this section describing praise of God by heaven’s citizens. There is a key word found in these verses that needs to be highlighted. “Hallelujah” in Greek is the transliteration of the Hebrew term for “Praise Yah!” which is short for “Praise Yahweh,” God’s personal, intimate and covenantal name. “Hallelujah” appears only in this chapter of the New Testament, and it appears a total of four times in the first six verses . It’s first appearance in the Old Testament is Psalm 104:35. In both its first and present appearance, as throughout the Old Testament, it expresses praise for God’s deliverance as well as His destruction of the wicked oppressors of His people. In fact, there is a series of psalms, Psalms 113-118 known as the “Hallel psalms” or the Hallelujah psalms because over and over those psalms mention “Hallelujah!” for God’s rescuing them from their enemies and destroying their enemies. Those particular psalms were regularly sung by the Jews at Passover to celebrate God’s deliverance of Israel from the Egyptians.

Likewise in our passage, the future saints and martyrs in heaven will sing a “Hallel psalm” to God for His deliverance from and the destruction of the Antichrist, the Beast of Babylon. In verse 1, the chorus mentions three specifics about God. First, He is the God of “salvation.” He is a God who safeguards His people and delivers them into His kingdom.

Second, they point to His “glory” that is, His moral excellence, which is revealed in His destruction of sinful Babylon.

 Third, God is praised for His “power,” which acknowledges His exalted position above all, His authority, His right and His ability to rule over all events in human history. In the end, this chorus is praising God because He alone has the right and the power to do what He is about to do.

Beginning with the word “because,” verse 2 introduces further explanation for this heavenly chorus’ praise for God. It underscores two specifics about God’s actions. First, we are told that God’s judgments are “true,” which means they were faithful to what He had promised. In other words, God has done what He promised He would do as a righteous judge.

Next, they praise God for His judgments being “righteous” meaning they were well deserved. No one is being treated unfairly. They knew what they were in for and they are receiving their just due. The punishment fits the crime.

Before we move on to verse 6, don’t miss God’s instruction to us the readers found in verse 5. This command to “praise our God” is addressed to all of us. We are commanded today to join with those in heaven, who are out of the realm of time, to praise our God for these very same truths about Him and for His righteous victory that will indeed come. For certainly, once the Rapture comes, one day in the future, we will be with them in heaven, around the throne, praising God for His work on earth. 

In the next section of this chapter, verses 6-10, we hear another great pronouncement coming forth from heaven. This time, it’s announcing, not the marriage of the Lamb, as so many understand, but really the wedding festivities that follow the marriage of the Lamb. We read, ^“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. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.’ It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”

Marriage was the single greatest celebration and social event of the biblical world. Wedding preparations and celebrations in ancient times were even more elaborate and involved than those of today and also lasted longer. They consisted of three distinct stages. 

The first stage was that of the betrothal.  This stage was a legally-arranged marriage, typically shortly after the birth of the bride and groom. The arrangement was finalized when a dowry was paid. From that point on, for that engagement to be broken required a writ of divorce, because even though they were children and not married in any technical sense, the commitment to marriage was considered as good as them being married.

At a suitable time, when the children had grown of age, the second stage of the ceremony took place, that of the procession and the wedding. The bridegroom, joined by his friends in a procession, would go to the bride’s house and then escort her back to either his home or to the home of his parents, where the actual ceremony, the exchange of vows and the consummation of the marriage would take place. 

Following the consummation of the marriage and the bride proving that indeed she was a virgin, the third and final stage ensued, the marriage feast or celebration. At this feast, the new wife would attend the party no longer in her wedding garb, which she had taken off to consummate the marriage, but now she would be dressed in fine fresh linens, most probably provided for her by her new husband. This wedding feast would be a great celebration, typically lasting as long as a week.

The New Testament uses this familiar wedding picture to illustrate the relationship between Jesus Christ and His bride, the Church. Ephesians 5:25-27, 32 are particularly important and well-known verses concerning this. But there are others. For instance: In 2 Corinthians 11:2, it is mentioned that the Church was betrothed to Christ as His bride. When did that happen? According to passages such as Ephesians 1:4 and Romans 8:29-30, the beginning of the negotiations for this betrothal began before the foundation of this world. The names of those who would make up the Church, the “bride of Christ,” were written down long ago in the “Lamb’s book of life.” However, this betrothal stage was not technically complete until the marriage dowry was paid. And that was accomplished on the cross, when, according to Ephesians 5:25, “Christ...loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Jesus sacrificially gave Himself up as the dowry for His bride, the Church.

By the way, notice in Revelation 19:7 that the bridegroom in this marriage is not identified as “the marriage of the Creator,” or the “marriage of Jesus Christ,” or the “marriage of the Lord,” or the “marriage of Lion,” or the “marriage of the King.” He is identified as “the Lamb.” This image of the sacrificial Lamb more than any other, draws attention to the truth of Ephesians 5:25, “that Christ...loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Elsewhere, in 1 Corinthians 5:7, He is called, “Christ our Passover.” Jesus is the Passover Lamb.

In marriage, a man and a woman are united in a relationship for companionship, fellowship, and intimacy—the sharing of thoughts, purposes and life. When God chose marriage to picture the relationship between Christ and His people, He chose the most precious picture possible to illustrate His desire for personal intimacy with us.

The second stage of the marriage was the procession, the going and getting the bride, bringing her home and exchanging vows and consummating the marriage. Symbolically, that will take place when Jesus Christ comes in the clouds to meet His bride the Church in the air, at the Rapture and takes her to His Father’s home to be wed, where she will be united with Him forever. Remember Christ’s words in John 14:2-3, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

The third stage of the marriage is the marriage feast. This feast will take place at the beginning of the Millennium. This is the feast of which Jesus spoke when He said in Matthew 26:29, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” In Luke 22:16, Jesus said of the Passover feast, “I shall never again eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 

An interesting observation concerning this wedding: The Lord’s first miracle was at the wedding in Cana, where he turned ordinary water into wine. Now, it is His wedding feast, and He drinks new wine, for the first time since the last supper when He announced that He would not drink this wine until He came again to establish His kingdom on earth. This wedding feast signals the beginning of His kingdom being established on earth. As in the first wedding miracle thousands of years ago, Jesus has reserved His best wine till last. 

Although some of your Bibles in verse, 7, use the word “bride,” it actually is not the Greek word for bride that is used there, but the word for “wife.” That is significant because it supports the conclusion that the marriage of the Church and Christ will have been consummated by then, in heaven after the Rapture. Furthermore, as her reward for “righteous acts” as stated in verse 8, she wears fine linens. This follows the sequence of the Jewish marriage, that after the consummation of the marriage, the new wife wears her new linens. These “righteous” linens were probably provided to her by her groom, just as Christ promised to pass out eternal rewards to those in the Church for their faithful acts of obedience and service on earth after they were saved. 

Beginning with verse 9, we notice, in our modern day parlance, that the invitations to the wedding reception are being sent out. We read, “Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’”

Notice that one must be “invited” to this celebration. It is not something you crash or gain entrance by your own means. This invitation comes only to those who have put their trust in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Also, take note that these who are invited are not the bride, the Church, but the resurrected Old Testament believers as well as those martyred during the Great Tribulation. Jesus told us about these attendees when He said in Matthew 8:11, “Many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.”

One of these unique Old Testament believers who will be an attendee at this feast is John the Baptist, who lived and died before the church was birthed at Pentecost. However, before he died, he declared himself, as an Old Testament saint, in John 3:29 to be a “friend of the bridegroom” and expected to be present at this wedding feast held at the beginning of the Kingdom.

The confidence that we have today, that we can be part of the “bride of Christ,” is mentioned in verse 10. There, we are reminded that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” What does that mean? The phrase “of Jesus” in the original language is written in a form that tells us that the content of the “testimony” is about Jesus. Jesus is the message, the Gospel. Furthermore the expression “spirit of prophecy” refers to the central theme of all prophecy, both Old Testament and New Testament prophecy. And that central theme is the good news about Jesus Christ. More specifically, the purpose of this book reveals this point as is seen in its title: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” 

For us today, the driving force behind all we do today, is declaring the testimony of Jesus, inviting people to trust Him as their Lord and Savior.

After reading these verses, one cannot help but draw three conclusions:

First, is that no sin will go unpunished or unjudged, unless the individual falls upon the mercy of God, by putting his trust in Jesus Christ as his Savior and sacrificial lamb. Hence, the inescapable consequences of unforgiven sin will be God’s promised judgment.

Second, we clearly see from these verses that God has warned us ahead of time as to what will happen to those who refuse His free gift of salvation in Christ. His judgment, therefore will be “true and righteous,” or to put it another way, God’s punishment will fit the crime.

The third conclusion is truly a positive one. For this passage ends with a word of hope. Because the “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy,” because you and I have been given the commission, the assignment to speak to others about trusting Christ to be their Lord and Savior, many still have the opportunity to be blessed as being part of the ‘Bride of Christ.” 

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