Heaven’s Hallelujah Chorus

REVELATION 19:1-10

Main Idea: The just judgment, righteous character, and perfect plan of God should lead us to passionate worship of and witness to Jesus Christ.

1. Praise God for His Salvation (19:1-5).
2. Glorify God for His Bride (19:6-8).
3. Worship God for the Witness of Jesus (19:9-10).

In this “tale of two cities” that is the book of Revelation, Babylon represents the evil world system that focuses on earthly and temporal values (Rev 17–18), while the new Jerusalem focuses on heavenly and eternal values (Rev 21–22). Of course, Revelation may also be called “a tale of two women”: the prostitute of Babylon and the bride of the Lamb. The two come together in REVELATION 19:1-10. Their future destinies could not be more radically different. Choosing which one you love and belong to is crucial.

A single word captures the heart of this text: “Hallelujah.” It appears in verses 1, 3, 4, and 6. Surprisingly, the word appears nowhere else in the New Testament. In 1741 George Friederich Handel (1685–1759) wrote Messiah, the most famous oration of which is the “Hallelujah Chorus.” It is a tradition around the world that when it begins the congregation stands and remains standing until its completion. In heaven, however, they respond differently. There they fall down and worship (19:4). They worship “God, who is seated on the throne” because He has judged “the notorious prostitute” (19:1-5), prepared the bride (the church) for the marriage supper of the Lamb (19:6-8), and directed all of heaven and earth to keep their attention on Jesus (19:9-10). Heaven’s “Hallelujah Chorus” is a response to the command of 18:20, and it anticipates the second coming of Jesus (19:11-21), His millennial reign (20:1-6), Satan’s final judgment (20:7-10), the great white throne judgment (20:11-15), and the establishment of the new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem (Rev 21–22).

There has been a lot of bad news in the Apocalypse, but praise be to God, good news, great news, has arrived! The response of those who love and follow the Lamb is nothing less than unabated, unhindered, enthusiastic praise and worship. This is a day we have all longed for, and it is finally here!

Praise God for His Salvation

REVELATION 19:1-5

Verse 1 begins with the connecting phrase, “After this.” In light of God’s judgment of Babylon in chapters 17–18, the following celebration and worship take place “in heaven.” John heard “something like the loud voice of a vast multitude.” This multitude may be angels or the church triumphant or both. Their worship is anything but quiet and reserved. It is loud and enthusiastic. They sing “Hallelujah,” which means “praise Yahweh” or “praise the Lord.” Mounce notes, “The Hebrew form introduces a number of Psalms (106, 111–13, 117, 135, 146–50)” (Revelation, 337).

Six items are cited in verses 1-2 for this praise of Yahweh, this praise of the Lord: His salvation, His glory, His power, His true and just judgments, His judgment of the notorious prostitute (i.e., Babylon), and His avenging the blood of His servants. Verse 3 records the second hallelujah as “a sort of heavenly encore that heightens measurably the dramatic quality of the scene” (ibid., 337–38). God is praised because the notorious prostitute’s “smoke ascends forever and ever!” God is not vindictive or capricious in His judgment of Babylon. He is totally true and just. John Piper is right when he says,

If God turned a deaf ear to sin and evil and injustice and suffering in this world, He would not be true, and He would certainly not be just. God here is rightfully and wholeheartedly praised for His justice.” (“Worship God!”)

Verses 4-5 record the third hallelujah and add to our heavenly choir “the 24 elders and the four living creatures.” Clearly angels and humans are of one mind and heart in their adoration and worship of God. Here they fall down and worship together “God, who is seated on the throne” (see Rev 4–5). They cry, “Amen!” So be it! We agree! They cry, “Hallelujah!” Praise the Lord! This exclamation of praise is the last we see of the 24 elders and the four living creatures. They exit the scene worshiping the One who is worthy.

From the throne a voice speaks. It could be an angel, one of the four living creatures, or even one of the elders. The text does not specify who, but it records what: “Praise our God, all His slaves, who fear Him, both small and great!” There is no discrimination or segregation in this worship. John Piper captures powerfully the praise and worship resounding throughout heaven for the awesome and all-encompassing salvation that belong to our God and all His servants, all His sons and daughters. It is the same praise and worship that should resound in our churches anytime we gather in the name of our great God. He says,

Corporate worship . . . is the declaration in the midst of Babylon that we will not be drawn into her harlotries, because we have found in God the satisfaction of our souls. In his presence is fullness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures forevermore. Corporate worship is the public savoring of the worth of God and the beauty of God and power of God and the wisdom of God. And therefore worship is an open declaration to all the powers of heaven and to all of Babylon that we will not prostitute our minds or our hearts or our bodies to the allurements of the world. Though we may live in Babylon, we will not be captive to Babylonian ways. And we will celebrate with all our might the awesome truth that we are free from that which will be destroyed. (“Worship God!”)

Glorify God for His Bride

REVELATION 19:6-8

In verses 1-5 we have glorified a God of salvation, glory, and power (19:1), a God whose judgments are always true and just, a God who judges evil, corruption, and immorality, a God who avenges the blood of His servants (19:2), and a God who welcomes all who fear Him, small and great (19:5). Now our text moves to glorify God for two additional reasons: He is an almighty God who reigns as sovereign Lord over all things (19:6), and He is “a God who arranged from all eternity for the marriage of his Son Jesus to a countless host of saved sinners, purified and beautified by his own blood” (19:7-8) (Piper, “Worship God!”)

John again (see 19:1) “heard something like the voice of a vast multitude.” He further describes it as something “like the sound of cascading waters, and like the rumbling of loud thunder.” The sound is deafening. It was like a mighty waterfall, an awesome cascade of thunders. They shout or sing the fourth and final hallelujah. And why do they shout their praise as loud as they possibly can? Because “our Lord God, the Almighty, has begun to reign.” Once again this great title, which appears nine times in Revelation, is used to identify God by His power and might (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7,14; 19:6,15; 21:22). Mounce notes, “The previous ‘Hallelujahs’ (vv. 1, 3, 4) pointed back to the destruction of Babylon in chapter 18. The ‘Hallelujah’ of v. 6 points forward in anticipation of the coming wedding of the Lamb.” He further notes that the title “Almighty” literally means “one who holds all things in his control” (Mounce, Revelation, 339). This is an omnipotent, all-powerful God who is inaugurating His universal, visible, and permanent reign over all things. What is a reality in heaven is now about to become a reality on earth. The prayer of Matthew 6:10—“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”—has been granted!

With the arrival of the reign of God comes also the long-awaited day of the marriage of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus, and His bride, the church. This is the occasion for rejoicing, exultation, and the giving of glory to “our Lord God, the Almighty.” The image of marriage symbolizing the relationship of God and His people appears several times in the Scriptures (Isa 54:5-7; Hos 2:19; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:21-33). Providing helpful historical context, Mounce again notes:

In biblical times a marriage involved two major events [or three if you count the processional], the betrothal and the wedding. These were normally separated by a period of time during which the two individuals were considered husband and wife and as such were under the obligations of faithfulness. The wedding began with a procession to the bride’s house, which was followed by a return to the house of the groom for the marriage feast. By analogy, the church, espoused to Christ by faith, now awaits the parousia when the heavenly groom will come for his bride and return to heaven for the marriage feast that lasts throughout eternity. (Revelation, 340)

Verses 7-8 speak of the preparation of the bride for her wedding day. Through sanctification by the Word and Spirit, she has made herself ready (see Eph 2:10). This is the only time in Revelation where the saints are described as making themselves ready, preparing themselves as the bride of Christ for His coming. How do we prepare ourselves and get ready for that day? I believe the book of Revelation itself provides the answer.

• The bride prepares herself by remaining faithful to Christ in a fallen and evil world.
• The bride prepares herself by enduring hardship in the midst of suffering.
• The bride prepares herself by trusting God in the face of martyrdom.
• The bride prepares herself by obeying God to take the gospel to all tribes, languages, peoples, and nations.

As Philippians 2:12 says, we are to “work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling.” But don’t miss what Philippians 2:13 says, for it matches up perfectly with Revelation 19:8. Philippians tells us, “For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.” And in Revelation 19:8 we read, “She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure. For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.” Who, we might ask, granted her the permission to clothe herself in this way? God did! This is what is called a “divine passive,” where God is the implied agent behind the action. Ladd says it perfectly:

While the bride must make herself ready for the marriage, her glorious raiment is not something she can acquire for herself; it must be granted her, i.e., given to her as a divine gift. . . . The fine linen, bright and pure, stands in sharp contrast to the brilliant robes of the harlot. The wedding garment is a simple white garment which has been washed and “made . . . white in blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:14). (Commentary, 249)

Worship God for the Witness of Jesus

REVELATION 19:9-10

John Piper is again spot-on when he says,

[Worship] is what the whole book of Revelation is about. That’s the point of all God’s judgments, all God’s dealings with the world. All God’s plans for history from beginning to end have this one goal—WORSHIP GOD! Don’t worship the wealth of Babylon, don’t worship the power of Babylon, don’t worship the pleasures of Babylon, and don’t even worship the holy messenger who brings you the news that Babylon has fallen forever. WORSHIP GOD!

[The church] is an alien outpost in Babylon. And we exist to reassert God’s rightful place wherever it has been prostituted to secular commerce or secular education or secular entertainment or secular media or secular arts or secular sports. All the people of God, exiled in Babylon, are called to be filled with the Spirit of prophecy (Acts 2:17f), and the Spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 19:10)—the testimony that Jesus is the Lord of the universe and that means Lord over every area of secular life in Babylon.

But as an alien outpost in Babylon we know what’s coming. And we know what the worship of heaven is going to be like when Babylon comes down, and God stands forth to vindicate his Son. And we know from verse 10 that the reason this has all been revealed to us ahead of time is that we might WORSHIP GOD. God lets John hear the celebration of heaven so that in his exile and his suffering he might join in and worship God. And John wrote it down in a book so that we might listen to the worship of heaven and join in. (“Worship God!”)

John is given a command by an angel to “write.” He is to record the fourth of the seven “blessings” in Revelation (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14). Those who participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb are “fortunate” or blessed. This stands in striking contrast to those who are judged at the “the great supper of God” in verses 17-18 at the second coming of Jesus. The angel adds his own words of affirmation and confirmation: “These words of God are true.” There is no deceit, deception, falsehood, or lying in these words. As is always true of God’s words, these words are true.

John is overwhelmed by all of this. He falls at the feet of the angel to worship him (19:10). This is sin. This is idolatry, even if the being is an angel. John receives a quick and stiff rebuke: “Don’t do that.” Three reasons are given. First, because “I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the testimony of Jesus,” who hold also to the faithful witness given by Christ. Second, because you must instead “worship God.” The clear implication is we are to worship God and only God. As 1 John 5:21 says, “Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”

Third, because “the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” The idea, I believe, is that the true spirit of prophecy always bears witness to Jesus. The true spirit of prophecy always points to Jesus. MacArthur says,

The central theme of Old Testament prophecy and New Testament preaching is the Lord Jesus Christ. Until the coming of His Kingdom, all who proclaim the gospel must be faithful to the testimony of Jesus, the saving gospel message, which was His message. (Revelation 12–22, 207)

David Levy adds,

In this book, prophecy is designed to unfold Christ’s character, glory, purpose, and program. Therefore, ‘Worship God’ alone (v. 10)! With these words, the scene is set for the manifestation of Jesus Christ as the glorified King of king and the Lord of lords. Hallelujah! (“Marriage Supper,” 26)

Conclusion

Scott Duvall provides nine excellent theological observations that capture the key themes of Revelation 19. I believe they serve us well as concluding truths on which we should meditate and reflect. I hope they will inspire even greater worship for “our Lord God, the Almighty.”

• God’s people are called to rejoice at the demonstration of God’s righteous judgments.
• Evil power centers are guilty of arrogance, deception, and murder.
• God will avenge the suffering of His people.
• God is to be praised for His just and true judgments as reflections of His righteous and faithful character.
• God deserves praise and glory for beginning His universal reign.
• Jesus relates to His people like a husband to his bride.
• God’s people, in contrast to the notorious prostitute, are clothed in righteous acts.
• Angels, like believing humans, are fellow servants who hold to the testimony of Jesus.
• God alone deserves worship, for He (by His Spirit) is the source of the prophecy [the prophetic message] about Jesus. (Revelation, 251)

Once more we see, it really is all about Jesus. That has always been God’s plan. Nothing will keep it from coming to pass.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What attributes of God lead you to worship?
2. Why is it right to praise God for His judgment?
3. In what ways does corporate worship in local churches reflect the worship of God in heaven?
4. What role do corporate worship gatherings have in God’s cosmic plan? How should this shape your attitude toward gathering with the church? Your preparation?
5. How does Revelation 19 show us that Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 6:10 is being granted?
6. How does marriage in the Bible reflect the gospel? If you are married, what aspects of your marriage need to conform to this pattern?
7. Consider the suggestions in this chapter for how the bride of Christ readies herself for marriage. In which of these aspects do you see the most victory in your life? In which aspects do you see the most need for growth?
8. What does Revelation 19:8 reveal about our role in remaining faithful to Christ? about God’s role?
9. In what sense is the entire book of Revelation about worship?
10. Based on Revelation 19:10, how can we tell if worship is true and right?