Two weeks ago we began a two-part series entitled “Facing
the Music” that decided to look at two songs found at a pivotal moment in the Book of Revelation. The first of these was the song of Revelation 18:9-24—a song
that mourned the loss of the fallen world order with its temporary powers and
corruptible sources of wealth. Facing the music for those singing in chapter 18
meant recognizing their doom after having placed their hope in the wrong thing.
We learned in the pitiful singing of the world that our hope must be found in
something beyond this world as it currently exists and placed in someone outside of ourselves. Today, as we turn to the next chapter in Revelation, we
hear a new song that celebrates the reign and power of the One who is lacking
in nothing and is eternally sovereign over all. Facing the music for those in
chapter 19 means acknowledging the ultimate authority already in place and
extending him all praise,
a. First Verse:
HALLELUJAH, GOD IS A RIGHTEOUS JUDGE-19:1-2
Once again, in
chapters 17-18 the long sad song of a world in the process of being destroyed
is heard, illustrating how futile it hope in temporary powers or material
wealth is. In chapter 19, a new song is sung—a celebration song consisting of
four verses. This tune, which sharply
contrasts the one in the preceding chapter, is introduced with “After these
things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven”
(19:1a). This great multitude is the same group of saints envisioned earlier in
chapter 7:9. There, as here, they are seen standing before the throne, praising
God for his salvation.
The first verse of
the song that this multitude sings is introduced with “Hallelujah! Salvation
and glory and power belong to our God” (19:1b). It might surprise you to learn
that Revelation 19 records the only four uses of “hallelujah” in the New Testament.
However, this familiar exclamation comes from a Hebrews word meaning “Praise
the Lord!” that is found frequently in the Book of Psalms. One Old Testament
song that celebrates the greatness of God following the eradication of sin is
found in Psalm 104:35-“Let sinners be consumed from the earth and let
the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!”
(i.e. “hallelujah”). This Old Testament reference appears to run parallel to
what is celebrated here in Revelation 19 in both the words used (hallelujah) and
reasons for their expression (victory over sin).
God is to be
praised, according to the multitude as “salvation and glory and power belong to
our God” (19:1b). This is another example of a triad (group of three things,
people, or ideas that are connected contextually and/or grammatically in the
Book of Revelation). While some of these triads accentuate three separate but
related theological ideas/personalities, others are used to demonstrate or
emphasize a sentiment or quality of a single entity. Here something of
greatness of God is emphasized by three characteristics connected to his being
and ministry. First God can and has provided salvation for his people. Following
the destruction of the world, he will also bring about ultimate salvation for
those who belong to him. Second, God is and has always been glorious and
deserving of all glory. And third, God is powerful (and certainly his power has
been witnessed in amazing ways through the vision given to John).
Salvation, glory,
and power have been on display in a couple of specific ways in the book thus
far. These are presented as reasons offered by the multitude for God’s
worthiness to be praised. First, he is
praised “because His judgments are true and righteous” (19:2a). This is quoted,
nearly verbatim, from Revelation 16:7 and in both passages. God’s justice is
described as “true” because it is based on his own faithfulness and “just”
because it is based on his own holy character. “In other words, his judgments
are both morally true and legally just” (Osborne, Revelation, 664).
The recipient of his
morally true and legally just punishment is the coming world order (Babylon the
Great)—“For he has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with
her immorality” (19:2b). There is an interesting juxtaposition of verbal tenses
here that is worth exploring in detail. God is said to “have judged” the power
that “was corrupting.” It is a vivid way of saying that God has put a decisive
end (see the culminative aorist function of “has judged”) to an
ongoing/continuous process (see the progressive imperfect function of “was
corrupting”). The visions in Revelation have already revealed that the world’s
corruption has and will continue to involve rampant idolatry (the worship of
something/someone other than God), either of the economy in overt materialism
(see Rev 18:9ff), of the temporal powers in place (see Rev 18:1ff), or seen in
the pagan worship of the Beast (see Rev. 13). This multi-pronged program of
corruption will continue to the end when God will put a sudden end to it in his
final judgment of the fallen world.
In addition to
putting an end to corruption, God will “avenge the blood of his bond-servants
on her” (19:2c). He will finally answer the cries of the martyred saints in
heaven heard in Revelation 6:10-“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?’”. The wait for retribution is over and the same world that
stopped at nothing to silence God’s people will itself by silenced once and for
all.
This important
conclusive note on evil in the world is an important truth to keep in mind when
considering the problem of sin that we deal with on a daily basis. Evil
certainly exists. However, this truism, if accepted in isolation, leads to a
number of problems that one might expect in an incomplete reading of Scripture.
Evil exists, but the Bible also teaches that evil is limited, will be judged,
and will ultimately be eradicated. You cannot read Genesis 3 (the account of
the fall of man) and skip 3:15 (the proto-euangelion/first gospel). Nor can we
read Revelation 13-18 and skip Revelation 19. Be encouraged--God is greater
than your sin and the evil in this world! Hallelujah!
b. Second Verse: HALLELUJAH, GOD’s JUDGMENT
ENDURES-19:3-“…And a second time
they said, ‘Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever,…”
The second verse of the song sung is voiced by the same
multitude as the first—“and a second time they said, ‘Hallelujah! Her smoke
rises up forever and ever’…” (19:3). This short refrain celebrates the extent
of the punishment that was identified in the first verse against the wicked.
The language reflects Revelation 14:11-“And the smoke of her 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.” There is a lot of
smoke in the Book of Revelation that indicates the presence of difference
things. There is the smoke of the prayers of the saints that rises as incense
to the throne room of God (see Rev. 8:4). There is also the smoke of the glory
of God that fills the temple (Rev. 15:8). However, in contrast to these images is
the smoke of war (Rev. 19:14-21) and the smoke of torment that accompanies the
lake of fire to be described later (Rev. 19:20; 20:10, 14-15). The latter is
probably what is in view here, indicating the judgment of God endures forever
against his enemies.
c. Third Verse: HALLELUJAH, GOD IS WORTHY
OF WORSHIP-19:4
The third verse of
the tune is sung by a different group of choristers—“and the twenty-four elders
and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne”
(19:4a). Throughout the Book of Revelation in these moments of worship we often
see this collection of singers. They were first introduced in Revelation 4.
Revelation 4:4ff-“Around the throne were twenty-four
thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in
white garments, and golden crowns on their heads,…and before the throne there
was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around
the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind”
In Revelation 4,
these worshipers praised God for his unmatched holiness and ability to create
the universe. In Revelation 5, the same group sings a new song to the Lamb who
emerges onto the scene. There, they praise Christ for his ministry of redemption
and his ability to set in motion those things that will end the world as we
know it (see 5:14 and 7:12). In Revelation 14:3, these same beings sing a song that
no one else knows—looking forward to the victory of the Lamb. Here, in
Revelation 19, this victory is secured and the twenty-four elders and four
living creatures once again voice their praises to God who sits on the throne. It
is his absolute authority that is most in focus here. After all it is his sovereign
plan that has created the world, saved the world, and now judges the world so
as to usher in a new world for his people.
Their posture before
the throne says it all and rather than elaborate on their reasons for praising
the Lord, they simply agree with what the multitude has already voiced “saying,
‘Amen. Hallelujah!’…” (19:4b). This simple affirmation is similar to what was
voiced after a prayer for deliverance in Psalm 106:47-“Praise be to the Lord,
the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, ‘Amen,
hallelujah!’”. As in this Old Testament context, those singing in Revelation
recognize the Lord’s unique ability to deliver his people from whatever threats
they face. This is certainly fitting given the tribulation described in the Book
of Revelation and the persevering power of God that sustains his people
therein.
d. Fourth Verse:
HALLELUJAH, GOD REIGNS-19:5-6
The final verse of
the song found in Revelation 19:1-6 begins with a call to worship—“And a voice
came from the throne, saying, ‘Give praise to our God, all you His
bondservants, you who fear Him, the small and the great’…” (19:5). Though
exactly who this voice belongs to is unmentioned, it can be assumed that whoever
issues this command has the authority to do so (Aune, Revelation 17-22,
1027). This voice extends an invitation or request for those on the earth to
join in the celestial worship of God. “all you his bondservants, you who fear
Him, the small and the great” are those believers on the earth who have come to
faith during the tribulation period described in Revelation 6ff. With the dead
in Christ (the multitude) and a host of heavenly beings (elders and creatures)
already worshiping, there are few left who can join the chorus. What is implicit
in this call is a desire to see the worship of God that exists in the heavenly
realm echoing in the earthly realm among all who belong to him (his
bondservants), fear him (the obedient and reverent), no matter who they are (small
and the great). After all, everyone in Christ is equal before the throne of
God. Along with this shift from the heavenly to earthy realm is a shift in
tone. Though the judgment of Babylon the great has been celebrated up to this
point in the song sung, the final verse celebrates the anticipated reward of
the saints (see also 11:18) (Wilson, ZIBBC, 353-54).
“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” (19:6a). The same group that opened
the song in verse 1 now closes it in verse 6. Here, added descriptive phrases “like
the sound of many waters” and “like the sound of mighty peals of thunder” highlight
the volume of this climactic refrain. In Revelation 1:15 the voice of “the one
like a son of man” was “like the sound of many waters,” and in 14:2-3 the
harpists singing the “new song” were as loud as “many waters and loud thunder”
(Osborne, Revelation, 672). The
decibels associated with this final verse are in keeping with the great message
it communicates.
“Hallelujah! For the
Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns” (19:6b). This is the last “hallelujah” of
the four. A lofty title for God is employed once again—“Lord God Almighty” to
highlight the Father’s omnipotence and sovereignty. It is He who reigns—a present
progressive verb demonstrating an ongoing and consistent activity. Here, the
activity involves ruling “as a king with the implication of complete
authority…” (Louw & Nida). The
change of tense is significant when one considers what is happening in this
pivotal chapter. While ongoing continuous corruption characterized the planet
in verse 2’s description of the fallen world (“was corrupting”) because of God’s
culminative and decisive act of judgment (see verse 2) a new existential
reality pervades the planet—God reigns. Hallelujah!
So What?
Revelation 18 and 19 reveals that there are two kinds of
people in existence: the people of the world and the people of God. These two types
of people are illustrated by the songs they will sing in the end. The question
today is this: What tune will be on your lips when you are made to face the
music? Will your confidence in what this world can provide you or what you can
provide for yourself have you singing a song of doom and gloom prior to being
judged by the God you either denied or ignored? Or will your trust in Christ
and the salvation he alone can provide have you singing a song of praise to a sovereign
Lord who is on the throne and working all things out for an ultimate good to
those who love Him and are called according to his purposes?
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