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Revelation 19:5-9 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Four Hallelujahs

What is the backdrop for one of the greatest celebrations of all time, a spectacular party in the glory that we call Heaven? It is the destruction of Babylon the Great Whore. Babylon was the false religious system that lead so many away from Christ. Babylon was the commercial system that demanded the Mark of the Beast or the Number of His Name. Religion and Money, Idolatry and Mammon joined together to bring as many to Satan as possible. That is why the first few verses of Revelation 19 read:

Revelation 19:1-2 (KJV)1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

Heaven is rejoicing! It is:

A Voice – Unified in praise!
A GREAT Voice – Unashamed and Unrepentant in praise!
A Great Voice Of Much People In Heaven – The world weeps, but we praise!
A Great Voice Of Much People In Heaven Saying Alleluia!

The word HALLELUJAH (Greek ἁλληλουϊά) is actually from the Hebrew language. The Hebrew HALAL (הָלַל) means “Praise, honor, glory, to boast or brag upon” and in the Hithpoel stem means “to act like a madman”. It is exuberant praise! It means to praise without concern of what others may think, to magnify, to lift up! The Hebrew YA (יָהּ) is the ancient name of God. The word HALLELUJAH means “Praise and honor unto our God!”. This word HALLELUJAH has been carried into many of earth’s languages without translation. It’s root is in Israel, God’s first chosen and elect people, but it is carried forward into Heaven by God’s second chosen people the Church.

The word HALLELUJAH occurs only in this chapter
in the New Testament!

The word in the Old Testament is often translated “Praise the Lord”, and is found 24 times in the Psalms alone. In Revelation the HALLELUJAH is repeated four times:

1. To praise God for His REDEMPTION and RIGHTEOUS judgment (vs 1-2)

2. To praise God for the eternal destruction of infernal Babylon (vs 3)

   And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.

   HALLELUJAH! Her smoke rose up forever and ever. Her destruction is eternal. Babylon shall never rise again.
   

3. To praise God for His worthiness (vs 4)

   .. the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
   

4. To praise God for His reigning power (vs 5-6)

   … Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

Though Babylon and the devil have often had the illusion of control, God was and will always be in control. The Lord God OMNIPOTENT REIGNETH! He has proven He is in control by the destruction of Babylon. He hath judged the Great Whore. Having judged and destroyed the devil’s mistress, the people praised God once more:

Revelation 19:7 (KJV)7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

In the ancient world one of the greatest of all celebrations was when a young man – the Bridegroom – would present his Bride to his family. When the wedding occurred it was not just a one day event. Families would come together as one, and the Bridegroom’s Family would provide enough food and drink to carry the celebration out for a week. It was a joyous, happy time. It was the greatest party of the Bride and Groom’s lifetime.

The Marriage Supper Is A Celebration

When we think of “marriage” we think of “sex”. Marriage is not first and foremost about sex. It is about civilization, stability, and family. The goal of marriage is not to have sex, but to unite with our God given spouse in harmony, glorifying God.

The Bible tells us in Ephesians that Biblical Marriage is patterned after Christ and His Church. These are God’s Words:

Ephesians 5:22-33 (KJV) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

The clear meaning of the text is to define what we call “Marriage”. Biblically “Marriage” is the union between one man and one woman. The husband loves the wife as Christ loves His Church. The wife follows her husband as the Church follows Christ. Looking at the text we see a picture where Christ is likened to the Bridegroom, and the Church His Bride. In the Ephesians text:

The Church is alluded to as the BRIDE of Christ
The Church is alluded to as the BODY of Christian

The Apostle Paul often used marital language when addressing Christ’s Church. In …

2 Corinthians 11:2 (KJV) For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

The Church is “espoused” (ἁρμόζω harmozō) or to be given in marriage to. Paul “wed” the Church at Corinth to Christ,
not to the world.

The Apostle uses similar language to the Church at Rome, saying:

Romans 7:4 (KJV) Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

We who are saved and of the Church are as a group “married” to Christ, not to the Law. We are of His Body. He bled and died for us. As His Elect people we shall one day come to the celebration that we read about today.

The Wedding Feast is a celebration because those who are there are the SAVED!

(Revelation 19:1) I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God:

We Will Praise God For The Wonderful Gift Of His Salvation. God did not have to save us … but He did. God was never under any obligation to reach out to us in love … but He did. Salvation Belongs To The Lord. I do not think that we truly understand what God has done for us in Christ. The Bible says:

(Psalms 37:34-40) Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

God will save whosoever will, but does not have to save any. He reaches out to the wicked, but the wicked, following their false gods, will not be found. Yet God reaches and reaches. Salvation of the righteous is of the Lord – He is their strength in time of trouble. The LORD – Eternal JAH – shall help them and deliver them from the wicked. Blessed be the Name of God!

When the Redeemed are gathered for we shall praise God for what He has done. In Christ the Father redeemed to Himself a Family of love. Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone – the Architect of salvation. We are told in Hebrews:

(1 Peter 2:6-10) 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

When we who are redeemed gather around the Throne of God at this Marriage Supper we shall give God the glory He deserves. We shall be unreserved in our praise of Him! We shall not be looking AROUND to see who’s watching us, but will be looking UP at our Bridegroom Jesus Christ!

He BOUGHT us with His Blood.

(1 Corinthians 6:19, 20) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

We are SAVED because of Him. But not only SAVED, but …

The Wedding Feast is a celebration because those who are there are the SECURED!

Babylon has been destroyed. Her smoke rose up forever and ever. She shall no longer try and hurt the Bride of Christ, but as His people we shall be eternally protected by our Superman.

A grandfather sat on the front porch with his little grandson watching the traffic go by, the sun setting just over the horizon. The little boy said excitedly: “Look Grandpa at the shadows the cars and trucks are making!” Grandfather said, “They do cast long shadows! Those shadows can’t hurt us, though. They’re just shadows!” The Redeemed at the Marriage Supper will see the shadows of evil Babylon, but it’s smoke rises up forever and ever. It cannot hurt us anymore. God is in control, and we are in God’s hands.

We are secure because the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. He reigns now, but often we cannot see His hand. We are to trust His heart when we cannot see His hand. The Bible says:

(Daniel 7:14) … his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

(2 Chronicles 20:6) 6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?

Our God reigns! Our God reigns! When we come together at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb we will know that He is in control, and has always been in control. God reigns!

Revelation 19:7-8 (KJV) Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

The Bride is dressed in white – the righteousness of the Saints.
The Groom is the Lamb – by Whose Blood we are made righteous.

Because it is He that caused us to be arrayed in fine linen. It is He Who made us acceptable unto a holy and righteous God. It is Jesus Who saves us, and calls us with a holy calling. We are His because of His Blood. The Blood of God was shed for us. The Apostle spoke of …

Acts 20:28 (KJV) … the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

The Bride of Christ is His Redeemed, those who have received Him by faith.

Ephesians 1:7 (KJV) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Hebrews 9:13-14 (KJV) For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

It was His Blood shed on Calvary that saved a wretch like you and me. When we gather at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb the Church and Israel – the saved of Christ – shall gather not to honor ourselves but to honor the Lord Jesus Christ Who saved us.

Over the last 22 years of ministry I have done many weddings where the Bride is the center of attention. All eyes are on her.

At the Marriage Supper of the Lamb
all eyes will be on Jesus.

All eyes were on Jesus when He walked this earth.
All eyes were on Jesus at His trial before sinners.
All eyes were on Jesus as the crowd cried out “Crucify Him”!
All eyes were on Jesus as He bore His Cross to Calvary.
All eyes were on Jesus as they threw Him to the ground.
All eyes were on Jesus as they nailed Him to the Tree.
All eyes were on Jesus as they mocked Him, and naked gambled for His clothes.
All eyes were on Jesus as He suffered, and bled.
All eyes were on Jesus as He said “It is Finished”.
All eyes were on Jesus as a soldier pierced His side so that blood and water ran out.
All eyes were on Jesus as He was taken from the Cross, and laid in the Tomb.
All eyes were on Jesus as He rose again the third day.
And all eyes were on Jesus as He ascended into Heaven.
If you are saved, your eyes are on Jesus.
And one day you will be at this Marriage as all eyes are on Him!

Revelation 19:9 (KJV)9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

This is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The ones who are there, the redeemed, the Angels, the Godhead, they shall all love Him Who gave everything to redeem this lost world.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

What a glorious day this shall be! Will you be there? I pray that you will, but you will not get to that place in your own power, but by receiving the Bridegroom, by receiving Christ as both Lord and Savior. May God move your hearts to do so today!