This chapter opens with a great worship and praise
service in heaven in celebration of the destruction of Babylon in consequence
of her evil influence on man throughout millennia and in vengeance for the murder
of God’s servants.
Revelation 19:1–4 “And after these
things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia;
Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 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. And
again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the
four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that
sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.”
“After these things” – After the pouring out of
the final judgments and the revelation of the destruction of Babylon
John hears a great voice (indicates that the sound
is in unison) of much (a very large number) people in heaven. That truth is
a real comfort. I often think of the words of Matthew.
Matthew 7:13–14 “Enter ye in at the
strait gate: for wide is the
gate, and broad is the way,
that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,
and few there be that find it.”
Although few relative to whole will make it to
heaven, there will be a great number of people who do respond in faith to God’s
provision for them and who reject the deceptions of Satan. The voices of
the believing multitude are unified in spirit as they worship and praise the “Lord
our God.”
They go on to affirm the rightness of God’s judgment of
the “great whore” (Babylon) and His actions to avenge the blood of his servants
“at her hand.” He was totally aware of her actions all along, contrary to
the impressions of many on earth throughout history. Many interpret God’s
actions through their own lens of right and wrong and their own reasoning as to
how and when He should act. They refuse
to acknowledge that God’s wisdom and His ways are beyond our
understanding.
Isaiah 55:8–9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts.”
I also can’t help but think of the words of
Peter: 2 Peter 3:3-4 “Knowing this first, that there shall come in
the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the
promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue
as they were from the beginning of the creation.
God was totally holy and just in His judgment.
Those judged brought that judgment upon themselves. They made the choice
to reject God and His provision for them.
John 3:17-19 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn
the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that
believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son
of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
What does it mean to avenge something? To retaliate for unjust
treatment; to carry out justice. Webster’s puts it this way: “to
exact satisfaction for by punishing the injuring party; to vindicate by
inflicting pain or evil on a wrongdoer.”
This brings back to mind the pleas of those under the altar in Revelation 6.
Revelation
6:10-11 “And they cried with a loud
voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge
our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto
every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a
little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should
be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”
Again, it jumps out that they weren’t rebuked for wanting vengeance to
be taken. It was a right attitude because they were expecting that
vengeance to come from God; they weren’t expecting to accomplish it for
themselves. The true servants of God/Jesus had suffered, and many were
killed under the authority and direction of the leaders of false religion that
found its roots in the power and deceptions of Satan.
“her smoke rose up” – Who and what is this
referring to? Babylon, the great whore, the smoke of her judgment (from
hell) will be there for eternity. This brings back to mind the verses in
chapter 14.
Revelation
14:10-11 “The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured
out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence
of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and
ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image,
and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
Again, I take comfort in the fact that this
constant reminder of eternal judgment, which may include some we love and care
for, is for the eyes of the Lamb and the holy angels. I think we are
going to be so absorbed in our relationship and service to our Father and
Savior that we will be oblivious to anything that would distract from that.
John reminds us once again of the 24 elders and
the four creatures whose purpose it is to worship God before the throne
continually. This is definitely an appropriate time for that praise and
worship. They are giving their exclamation point to the praise expressed
by the multitude of the redeemed.
(to be continued…)
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