But what is also of consequence to observe is, that John saw souls the souls of those beheaded on account of the witness of Jesus, and on account of the word of God. All redeemed are told to praise God. They broke up the beast yet more than Babylon. come (verse 15; 2:27; 12:5). There are thrones filled with certain persons, who reign along with Him. Clearly the same saints whom we have seen first set forth by the elders in heaven, subsequently by the elders and the living creatures, next, by the bride and the living creatures at the marriage-supper, and finally by the armies that followed the Lord out of heaven. This testimony here is not Jesus giving it, but we believers who testify of the Salvation is simple. It is suggested that it is actually written on his thigh, because it was sometimes the custom to engrave the titles of statues on the thigh. A fourth century A.D. * Idolatry is the awful stamp that she bears, and this too both in what she gives to man, and in what is written on her forehead before God. But the church consists of souls called out from the earth, and is not of the world: consequently to the church the time is always at hand. First, he came from a world in which there were many gods--Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Aphrodite and the rest, What was easier than to keep the old gods in the form of angels? Gods deliverance of His people from their enemies (verse 1); (2) He uses a "staff" to gently nudge or guide his sheep. Isaiah says of the heavenly king: "He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked" ( Isaiah 11:4). The same imagery of a wedding picture's the Lord's relationship with His Church. only place in the Bible where the word "omnipotent" occurs. Can anything be less reasonable (even taking that ground, low as it is) than that the various rulers of the western powers, Catholic kings, join the Pope in destroying his own city, or his own church, whichever Babylon may be made? "Crowns and thrones may perish Kingdoms rise and wane But the Church of Jesus Constant will remain. This is a metaphor of the power of the gospel or of Gods spoken word (cf. On his head he has many crowns. The armies of heaven are the hosts of the angels. article . No sooner was the marriage solemnized between Christ and his church by the conversion of the Jews than the glorious head and husband of the church is called out to a new expedition, which seems to be the great battle that was to be fought at Armageddon, foretold Revelation 16:16; Revelation 16:16. This is the Messiah of Jewish apocalyptic expectation far more than the Messiah whom Jesus claimed to be. Again this is a picture taken directly from the Old Testament, from Ezekiel's picture of the slaughter of the forces of Gog and Magog. Now we see the tree of life again. Revelation 1:16; Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 49:2). And the twenty-four elders [representing the church] and the four beasts [cherubim] fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia ( Revelation 19:4 ). First, then, this is the praise of the prophets and the martyrs who have witnessed for God with their voices and with their lives. It is partly because of this that many excellent men have endeavoured to apply the vision to Romanism; and I admit that there is found a measure of analogy. There stands the solemn brand graven, not on the blasphemous beast, but on the forehead of its rider, "Mystery, Babylon the great." The ambiguity springs from the fact that the testimony of Jesus can bear either of two meanings. Never again will there be more false religions, worldly philosophy, injustice or That is religion. We saw that the twenty-four elders represent the twelve patriarchs and the twelve apostles, and, therefore, stand for the totality of the Church. The actual picture comes from Isaiah: "The streams of Edom shall be turned into pitch, and her soil into brimstone; her land shall become burning pitch. "And he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." It was a unit of energy charged with power. He is praised for judging religious Babylon and avenging the martyrs. It is the eternal state; and also, in fact, the fullest description of that state which is furnished in the Bible. the wilderness, the High Priest wore a very ornamented robe with a breastplate Then the word is, "Award her even as she awarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she mixed, mix to her double. 11:25-27). Let us rejoice and let us exult, and let us give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has prepared herself, and it has been granted to her to clothe herself with fine linen, shining and pure." My righteousness is not on such a tenuous thing as my faithfulness to devotions or works or whatever. For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come"( Isaiah 63:3-4 ). In the Revelation two kinds of people are specially called the servants of God; the prophets ( Revelation 10:7; Revelation 11:18; Revelation 22:6), and the martyrs ( Revelation 7:3; Revelation 19:2). The "word" that comes from Gods mouth is to be used to conquor! What is the sword? Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.". Rev. Those that do rise at the same time rise, no doubt, in a moment; but that there are to be various acts of resurrection is not only not contrary to scripture, but required by its own descriptions. I will tell thee the mystery of the woman." Lastly was the wedding ceremony during which time the vows were exchanged. distinctions. (i) He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, not his own but that of his enemies. This is most important, because it might be (as it has been) forgotten by some who make the gospel and the corresponding presence of the Spirit to be the same at all times; as others have thought, because Revelation 4:1-11 and sequel treat of Jew and Gentile, and the state of the world under God's judgments, that this cannot be a testimony of Jesus at all. A mystery clearly points to something undiscoverable by the natural mind of man a secret that requires the distinct and fresh light of God to unravel, but which when revealed thus is plain enough. The angels are never "called," although they may be "chosen;" and though termed holy, I do not recollect that they are ever spoken of as "faithful." Then, when the Lamb and His purchase by blood are celebrated in heaven, the four living creatures join the elders, though each is distinct. believers at salvation, but the practical results of that righteousness in "The second coming of Christ is an absolutely essential theme in New Testament theology. . The Bible forbids the worship of angels (Col. With this we may compare Jesus' words at his arrest, when he said he could have had twelve legions of angels to fight for him ( Matthew 26:53). reign with Christ in the millennial kingdom. The church is the bride, Babylon was the spurious church as long as it was a question of the church, and the final corrupter when it could be no question of this longer, and there went forth the closing testimony of God. These angels are going to be interesting creatures to meet, aren't they? Just hope the Lord doesn't come Friday night. He accepts us plain and simple. "Come," he said, "assemble for the great feast which God will give you, that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those who ride them, and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, both small and great.". The worst of all sins is to teach others to sin. Worship is for God alone. Men have been beguiled here and there, and from an early date, to set aside the true bearing of this chapter. Man alone is to blame who has misapplied it. They were in three distinct stages which first involved the betrothal or They begin to worship, in a sense, the instrument that God has used. What a solemn and weighty fact in the government of God! And because of this there is great rejoicing in heaven. Be wise now therefore, O you kings, be instructed, you rulers of the earth; kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way,Psalms 2:10; Psalms 2:12. bring the climax of the Book of Revelation: the return of Christ to establish For there follows another company of martyrs who suffered when the beast set up his worst and final pretensions. In the Ascension of Isaiah ( Isaiah 9:5) there is a saying: "Thou canst not bear his name until thou shalt have ascended out of the body." Still God does not forget His ways with His people; and the angels here are only in the quality of porters, if we may so speak; they are at the gates. After these things: This is a time key. There is a contrast with the scarlet and gold of the great harlot. man's day. In one sense it would be an eighth, and in another sense it would be of the seven; the eighth perhaps because of its extraordinary resurrection character, yet one of the seven because it is outwardly old imperialism again. You can trust in this. here. - Utley, Isaiah 63:1-3; (Source of imagery for the Battle Hymn of the Republic.). and others give , "of her." Whoever this angel is, he too had the testimony of Jesus. Never worry about the righteousness of God's judgments. Bringing in history here embroiled the subject; and those who appeal most to its evidence are the very men who seem in this to ignore its facts. great affection and vehemence of spirit, which will be raised hereby. That religious system has an incomparably nearer connection with this mysterious harlot than anything we have yet spoken of. This verse reports that the heavenly multitude shouted another "hallelujah," which translates to "praise the Lord!" The residents of heaven declare that Babylon's smoke ascends "forever and ever." We should not interpret this declaration to mean the physical smoke from God's judgment on Babylon is eternal. I do not suppose that many words are required by the present audience to show that we are not to understand the scene as a mere figure of Christianity. "I will betroth you to me for ever," Hosea hears God say, "I will betroth you to me in righteousness" ( Hosea 2:19-20). "And so here we see Him, clothed in a vesture dipped in blood. The ten horns with the beast are all to receive authority the beast of course wielding the imperial power, they as kings, all during one and the same time before the end comes. 22:2-14; John 3:29; 2 Cor. But the most ordinary knowledge suffices; for who does not know from the Bible that there was a Roman empire when Christ was born, one emperor, and no such state as that empire divided into ten kingdoms? This is predicted in Numbers 24:17 and on account of this the nations will be angry under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, with which this vision is contemporary, Revelation 11:18. Five reasons for their praise emerge: (1) The strange thing to me, is that Jesus Verse Revelation 19:15. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Jesus found Himself at opposition with the religious forces of His day and it was the religious people who prompted the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 19:2 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. Their doom was awful, but by no means after the same sort as their two leaders. Thus the name of Christ, not merely as the root and the offspring of David, but as the bright morning star, calls out responsively the heart of the church, and this too under the guiding activity of the Holy Ghost. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. Wars were matters of ambition and tyranny and oppression rather than of justice. As R. H. Charles puts it, it is essential to remember that the Heavenly Leader is this time, not the Slain One, but the Slayer. We will in that day when He returns and all of the vast military might of the world gathered and assembled together to destroy Him at His coming and He just speaks the Word and it is all over. The chief difference is that in man's case it is God who raises him, whereas in the empire's not God but the devil will raise it again. In Hebrew writing there were no vowels; the vowels had to be supplied by the reader. 4:13-18). Ephesians 6:17; smite the nations . When Christ at God's right hand was announced, even from the very beginning, He was ready to judge the quick and the dead. 227-28.] Again the righteousness of His judgment attested to. (This takes you to our other website), News Links, Recommended Books, News Sites, and Bibles Past history therefore in no way suits the prophecy. | Old Testament prophecy and New Testament preaching is the gospel of the Lord symbolizes the permanence of Babylon's destruction (Isaiah 34:8-10). When The enemy falls on with great fury, headed by the beast, and the kings of the earth; the powers of earth and hell gathered, to make their utmost effort, Revelation 19:19. Even man himself when he was innocent in Eden was not called. *It is the more strikingly characteristic, because of such language as Psalms 149:6-9, which speaks of all the saints contemplated on earth for the day of Jehovah. (John 12:48). It is a picture of final judgment. And then those men who have chosen to cast their lot with Satan in rebellion against God. God uses them for this object,-the setting aside of her, the great religious corruptress, whose centre is found at Rome. 19:3 And again they said, Alleluia And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. "Upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth.". God is sovereign. essence of all true prophecy. giving God glory for a fifth reason, the marriage of the Lamb has come. ", All things are thus made new; and, further, "these words are faithful." millennial kingdom and last throughout that 1000 year period (compare 21:2). These are the martyrs of Revelation 6:1-17, those long since seen under the altar, poured out like burnt-offerings to God. After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Though the divine vengeance will chiefly fall upon the beast, and the false prophet, yet it will be no excuse to those who fight under their banner that they only followed their leaders and obeyed their command; since they would fight for them, they must fall and perish with them. Yes, all my gold stars, but Friday you blow it and you didn't get your prayer time in. We do not mend matters by hasty conclusions, we only complicate the truth. In the . The description of the great Commander, 1. He guards his people, allowing the wicked to exercise their power only within the limits that he has set according to his eternal plan. After so long a tarrying how blessed! Revelation 19:13; Revelation 14:8; Revelation 14:10; Revelation 14:19-20; Revelation 16:19; Isaiah 63:1-6). See note at Revelation 1:16 and note; Revelation 2:12, Revelation 2:16. goes . The series of Psalms from Psalms 113:1-9; Psalms 114:1-8; Psalms 115:1-18; Psalms 116:1-19; Psalms 117:1-2; Psalms 118:1-29 were called the Hallel (compare H1984) , the Praise God, and were part of the essential education of every Jewish lad. You worship God. Go To Previous Section | "That day" does not mean a time when everybody will be converted, but when the Lord Jesus will govern righteously when overt evil will be judged, and good be sustained perfectly for a thousand years. He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be to him God, and he shall be son to me. The Bible with its 66 books can be compared to a novel having 66 chapters. Not because any of their names were written therein, but in proof that they were not. This is of great importance, because if the new Jerusalem be, as I have no doubt it is, the bride the Lamb's wife, then we have her separate condition asserted in eternity. unrighteousness. In other words, it is too He is saying (throw them out), they are not part of the elect. 12:10; 13:9; and Roman Nor is there any real reason to wonder at their deriving help from partial light. That is prophecy centers around the person of Jesus Christ. Religions tell you that you have to do certain things in order to please God. Gods communion with His people (verse 7). There is therefore much to be said for the ]Protestant application of the chapter as compared with the Praetorist theory of pagan Rome. Revelation 20. heaven. We can easily understand that the overthrow of the ecclesiastical power is necessary to leave a full field unimpeded for the imperial power to develop itself in its final form of violence and rebellion and apostacy against the Lord. Presentation (the festivities, often lasting several days, that preceded the I have examined Him. It is a Hebrew word that has become universal, "Allel", "u", "yah", which means, "praise to Jehovah" or Yahweh.
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