One theme we see throughout the Scripture is the idea of living our lives now in light of what will one day be. So, for example, Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:19-20 not to store up treasures on earth but to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven. That is, hold loosely our treasures we have and give generously of them so that we might one day realize treasure in heaven. In similar fashion, Jesus motivates us to become servants now so that one day we can experience true greatness (Matt. 20:26-27). In another instance Jesus reminded his hearers that they should not flaunt their giving so as to receive the praise of men, but rather sacrifice such praise in this life and be rewarded by our Father in the next (Matt. 6:1-4). Even the Son of God himself, we are told in Hebrews 12:2 endured the cross because he looked to the joy set before him. Again, the Bible repeatedly reminds us to live certain ways now in light of what will one day be.
It is therefore helpful for us to look at Revelation 19:1-10 this morning because the text is filled with images of what one day will be. I think these ten verses function in the book as an encouragement to persecuted, tempted, weary believers in the first century to keep persevering, keep holding on, and keep fighting for purity in light of what is coming. And by virtue of the Scripture not being for the original hearers only but also for all people throughout the ages, I think it is to function the same way for us this morning.
Therefore, what I want to do this morning is show you from this text three things that one day will take place, three things that are coming and certain, and then give you an exhortation of what we should do in light of these truths. With that said, then, the first thing I want us to see is that:
In the first three verses of chapter 19, we see a scene in which great praise is being offered to God. John writes, “After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.’ Once more they cried out, ‘Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever’” (19:1-3).
The word, “Hallelujah” means “Praise the Lord.” And one reason why they’re praising the Lord is because God is glorious and powerful and has used his glory and power to bring salvation to his people. That’s why they begin, “Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.” They praise him because his judgment is just. Again, we see that in the first “for” clause. That is, they praise him for “his judgments are true and just.” This is not an unjust scene of judgment but one in which God is showing himself to be perfectly just and righteous. And finally, they praise him because he specifically has judged the great prostitute, which has been identified in early chapters as “Babylon.”
Now, again, just as a reminder, “Babylon” represented the worldliness of the state that was used by Satan to lure believers toward sin and death and which provided a basis for their persecution when believers refused to indulge in the worldliness around them. And now, this prostitute is being judged. She brought about suffering and even martyrdom to believers, and now she is being judged so that she might harm them no more.
I think we could sum up this scene of salvation, just judgment, and the judgment of the prostitute specifically as praise for the Lord beginning his uncontested reign. You see, right now God reigns. Right now Jesus reigns over the earth from the Father’s right hand. This theme of the Lord’s reign has been seen throughout the book of Revelation. We’ve seen Jesus described to this point as “the ruler of the kings on earth” (1:5), the one who has “glory and dominion” (1:6), the one who is the “Alpha and the Omega” (1:8), and who holds the churches in his hand (1:20). These things were made clear right out of the gate in the first chapter of this book. And they were supposed to be a source of comfort toward his people as they suffer at the hand of the enemy. Yes, they were to understand, Satan is like a roaring lion, devouring believers on occasion, but nothing he does is outside of Christ’s sovereignty, dominion, and reign over this world and our lives.
So, we’ve seen that the Lord reigns from the very outset of this book. But we’ve also seen that he allows his reign to be contested throughout this age, haven’t we? I mean, he could simply allow no one to oppose him. But rather he has allowed the dragon, the beast, the false prophet, and the great prostitute to oppose him. He has allowed Satan to torment and persecute his people, bringing some even to death. Jesus allows his people to suffer at the hands of wicked men. He even told his disciples that he was sending them out into the world as sheep in the midst of wolves (Matt. 10:16).
This contested reign of Christ by his enemies is why the author of Hebrews can say that though we see Jesus crowned with glory and honor, reigning as the God-man from the Father’s right hand, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him (Heb. 2:8-9). We know Christ reigns, but we still live in a day when he allows his enemies to rail and rage against him.
But one day that will be no more. One day Satan and sin and death will be fully and finally judged. One day the sin that so easily entangles us and lures us away from devoting ourselves to Jesus Christ in obedience to him will be no more, and that’swhat is being celebrated here in Revelation 19:1-4. One day we won’t have to deal with death anymore. One day we won’t have to worry about sin any more. One day we’ll no longer have to pray, “Lord, keep us from the evil one.” One day, as another pastor has often said to me, “It will have been millions and millions of years since we last had to deal with sin and death.” One day Christ will reign and all his enemies will be completely judged, no longer allowed to rage against Christ and oppose his people.
That day is coming, and it is certain.
And that brings us to another truth in this text.
The scene of judgment against God’s enemies eliciting praise from God’s people can be a bit unsettling, can’t it? I mean, the idea of Babylon symbolizing the worldliness of the culture that bring great temptation, distress, and even death to God’s people is carried out throughout the ages in concrete examples, just like the beast in this book. That is to say, God’s enemies, tempting, persecuting, and killing God’s people are people, aren’t they? This past week, if you were able to go down town, you could have seen an art exhibit, helping us to remember the number of believers who give their lives for the cause of Christ every day. And it was moving. But how are they martyred? By people, who are in rebellion against Christ and his people.
So, when we think of God judging his enemies, yes it includes Satan and the concepts of sin and death. But it also includes people, who are his enemies. Therefore, the idea of a great multitude in heaven rejoicing and praising God because the smoke from his enemies goes up forever and ever can feel odd. The twenty-four elders and four living creatures, these heavenly beings, agreeing with the praise in verse four and calling all of God’s servants to praise him for judging his enemies can feel odd. We feel a tension, don’t we? After all, right now some of God’s enemies are friends and family whom we love deeply.
So, what do we do with this? Well, let me make a few observations from the broad scope of Scripture and then try to apply it to this text.
1) God himself reveals that we’re not to delight in the death of the wicked in this age because he doesn’t delight in the death of the wicked in this age.
In Ezekiel 18:23 and 32 we read, “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? . . . For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord GOD; so turn, and live.” Therefore, if we were to make it our aim to be characterized by delight when the wicked die in rebellion to Christ in this age, I do not think we’re rightly modeling the heart of the Lord.
2) Moreover, we can add that the Lord wills for men not to perish but to come to repentance, and therefore we should as well.
We already saw that in Ezekiel 18:23, when the Lord said that he would rather men turn from their wicked ways and live. And we know from 2 Peter 3:9 that the Lord continues to delay final judgment because he is patient toward sinners, “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Therefore, we align ourselves with the heart of the Lord when we pray, labor, and long for the repentance of unbelievers in this age.
3) It is also good and right to long and pray for the deliverance of God’s people from the hands of wicked men, which will require, on occasion, their judgment.
That is, if we were to see a believer suffering at the hands of wicked men, it is good and right to pray for the Lord to stop that by whatever means necessary, even if that includes the death and judgment of the wicked man.
4) We know that the saints who had died and were with the Lord in Revelation 6:9-11, crying out for the Lord to judge and avenge their blood on “those who dwell on the earth” (which is a phrase for unbelievers throughout the book of Revelation), were not rebuked for having a wrong attitude, though they were told to wait a little while longer.
One reason they obviously weren’t rebuked is because their prayers are answered in Revelation 19:1-4, as we were told that the Lord indeed “has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
5) Finally, we see that Revelation 18:20 commands the saints to rejoice over the judgment of God’s enemy.
There, the Scripture commands, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!”
So, how do we put this all together. I think perhaps the best way to put it together is to say that until final judgment occurs, we are to long for the repentance of all men, praying and laboring to see them repent of their sins and confess their faith in Jesus Christ. And because this is our desire in this age, we are not to rejoice in the death of wicked men. However, there will be times in this age when we get glimpses of the need for judgment, such as when we see believers suffering at the hands of wicked men, and we will be right to long for justice in the end. And, finally, when we are no longer living in this age but have died or are in the age to come, we will finally be able to see the judgment of God’s enemies from God’s perspective and will rightly see it as good, just, right, and a reason to praise God. On that day, we will have no problem rejoicing over everything God does, for we will know and feel that it is good and right.
Therefore, it’s okay not to find yourself rejoicing in the judgment of God’s enemies right now. In fact, I don’t think we’re supposed to if we are to mirror the revealed will of God in this age. However, rest assured that one day you’ll be enabled to see the judgment of God’s enemies in an entirely different light – from God’s perspective – and on that day you’ll find it good and right to praise God for his righteousness.
But the text not only shows us that one day the Lord will reign uncontested and one day we’ll be able to see God’s judgment from his perspective but also:
Beginning in verse 6 John hears another roar in heaven like the voice of a great multitude and the sound of many waters, like mighty peals of thunder against praising God, crying out, “Hallelujah!” But on this occasion they’re rejoicing in him because the “marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (19:6-7).
One day we will be with Christ forever. And on that day we’ll be vindicated before all. Notice verse 8 where the text says, “It was granted to her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”
You’ll remember the prostitute, the city of Babylon in chapters 17-18, how she was arrayed in beautiful splendor? We were told that the prostitute, that “great city . . . was clothed in fine linen, in purpose and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls” (18:16). However, though she looked attractive, she was full of “abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality” (17:4).
Now, we see another woman, the bride, representing all of the Lord’s people, and she too is clothed with fine linen. But, we are told, her linen is the “righteous deeds of the saints.” What’s going on here?
Well, I think this shows us the idea of vindication. That is, the saints give themselves to pursuing righteousness in a world that mocks them for it, persecutes them for it, and even kills them for it. But on that final day when Babylon has been laid bare, it will be the saints which are clothed in fine linen. God’s people will be shown to have been right, vindicated before all.
But note something else about this. The fine linen God’s people are clothed with, we are told, are the righteous deeds of the saints. Therefore, it’s a reminder to us to pursue righteousness, isn’t it? However, notice that verse 8 begins “it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen.” Or, if we were to supply what the fine linen represents, we could say, “it was granted her to clothe herself with righteous deeds.” That is, this text reminds us that it is God who supplies us with the grace for righteous living.
In other words, the Bible constants exhorts us to pursue righteousness with the motivation that God will provide what you need for righteousness. Think, for example, of Philippians 2:12-13, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling [an exhortation to continue in righteousness], for it is God who is at work within you both to will and to do of his good pleasure [the motivation for righteousness based on God’s provision].” Or think of the many texts that exhort us to persevere and then remind us of God’s preserving grace.
So we see here, it is the Lord who grants grace for righteousness. To use the language of Ephesians 2:10, the Lord prepared righteous works before the foundation of the world that we should walk in them. Then, in this life we pursue righteousness and walk in such works. Finally, at the wedding feast of the Lamb, we get to be clothed in those righteous works that we walked in that were prepared for us by God. In other words, even our righteous deeds are a gift from God and reason to praise him. This is why I said on that final day that we’ll be clothed with the Lord’s righteousness, for even our righteous works are gifts of his grace from his hand.
Therefore, believers, know that day is coming when you’ll be with Christ forever as his bride, never having to battle sin again, never having to face death again, and rejoicing in the one who poured out his grace on you.
What then shall we do in light of these truths? I’ll list three things:
The section ends with John being told to write that those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb are blessed. That is, all who know the Lord are blessed. And then John falls down to worship this angel. Why? It seems perhaps that this is simply the opposite of the case of “shooting the messenger.” That is, haven’t you ever wanted to get angry at the auto mechanic who delivers you bad news about your vehicle? When he says, “You need new tires, and that’ll cost you a few hundred dollars,” don’t you want to show your frustration toward someone? Just last week I was told by an mechanic that I needed new tires, and I put my head down on the counter and muttered something, expressing my disappointment and frustration that my tires didn’t last longer. And he laughed and said, “Just remember I’m just the messenger.”
Well, I think that’s a similar and opposite picture of what’s going on here. Unlike the bad news that makes you want to shoot the messenger, John has seen good news. He’s given a glimpse of the wedding feast of the Lamb, and he’s so overwhelmed that he’s drawn to worship. But just as we can focus on the messenger instead of the message, so John does here, moving to worship the one who has given him such good news.
Therefore, the angel refuses his worship, reminding him that he’s just a servant with John, holding to the testimony of Jesus. Then, he reminds him to worship God.
For this reason, one response we need to have is to hold fast to our testimony that Jesus Christ is the Lord. The angel even reminds him that the “testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy,” which I think is his way of saying that those declaring the testimony of Jesus are being prophetic. You’ll see that the ESV takes “spirit” not as the Holy Spirit (since it’s starts with a lowercase “s”). Thus, the idea is that the heart of being a prophetic people is declaring the truth about Jesus Christ.
We must do this and persevere in it. Despite all the difficulty of holding fast to our testimony of Christ, remember what one day is coming. One day Jesus will begin his uncontested reign, and we’ll be with him, as his bride, never having to face Satan, sin, and death again. Hold fast.
Second, see difficult obedience as a gift from the Lord. Remember that your righteous deeds that you walked in during this life will vindicate you in the end. The Lord will clothe you with the acts of your righteous obedience. And remember that those righteous deeds are granted to you. That is, they are gifts from the Lord. Therefore, putting this together, remember that the difficult obedience that the Lord has placed before you is a gift from the Lord which has wants to clothe you with as a garment on that final day.
Therefore, as the Lord has called you to walk a difficult road in life in order to obey him, adopting a child in difficult circumstances, caring for your sick and elderly parents, picking up your family and moving them across the globe for the sake of the gospel, giving away much of your income so that it causes you great sacrifice, etc. each of these things which can seem so difficult and which might make you wonder why the Lord has laid this specific task at your feet should be looked at as a gift from the Lord, a righteous deed that he wants to clothe you with on that final day.
And finally, let us give thanks for God’s grace. As the angel said to John, “Worship God,” so we see throughout this text. We are told, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great” (19:5). We are told to rejoice and exult and give glory to the Lord in verse 7. But every time we see the word “Hallelujah,” we are being commanded to praise God.
This text is filled with the command to praise God. Praise him because he’ll deliver you from your enemies on that final day. Praise him because he’ll get rid of Satan, sin, and death so that they can torment you no more. Praise him because he’s saved you by his grace and given you works of righteousness to walk in. Praise him because he’ll clothe you one day in those works of righteousness. Praise him because he has made you his bride and will one day come and get you so that you might be with him forever. Praise him because he’s opened your eyes to the gospel so that you can hold fast to the testimony of Jesus. Praise him that when we were sinners under God’s wrath that God the Son took on flesh, lived a perfect live, died to pay for our sins, and was raised from the dead so that we could be justified through faith in him. And we could go on, couldn’t we?
But let us praise him and give him thanks. That’s how we should respond to this text. And one way we get to do that is by coming to the table. As we come to the table, it is an opportunity to praise God by giving thanks. Therefore, let us remember what is certainly coming on that final day, declare Christ as our Lord, persevere in righteous obedience, and give thanks as we eat of this bread and drink from this cup. Amen.