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| Earl Gillespie |
CHAPTER NINETEEN
There Is Rejoicing In Heaven Over the Judgment of Babylon.
There Is Rejoicing In Heaven Over the Judgment of Babylon.
Revelation 19:1-6:
Babylon symbolizes all that is Anti-God, politics, religion, business and anything contrary to righteousness, holiness and purity. She has perverted and polluted the Word of God. She professes to be the bride of Christ, but she has corrupted the earth with her fornication. Babylon is representative of an Apostate religion that has used the word of God to turn people away from the true God. (????) Is not this what the devil did? He delivered a message from the Word of God, to the Son of God, but he twisted the Word of God. The message from the pulpit is becoming more and more twisted and our younger generation find it hard to believe in what is being taught. The concept of serving God for the richness and pleasure of the world will soon be put to shame by an angry God.
The message from the pulpit is a message of God’s love, based upon John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This verse is used to show God’s great love for his creation, that verse also could be used to promulgate one of the greatest threats made by God, “If you do not believe in my son I will send you to Hell”. At some point during the religious service, an offering is collected. In todays society, the ten percent that has been assessed under the Mosaic law by threats of damnation is no longer sufficient to meet the high cost of operation and merchandising. Other means are implemented to increase the offering take, such as the selling of prayer and God's favors. Prayer has become a saleable asset, many types of schemes are brought into play under the guise of planting a seed. We are indoctrinated into believing that God responses to how much money we pay. Grab a scripture, take it out of the context in which it was spoken and make it work, 'God loves a cheerful giver". The prophets prophecies of all of the blessings that God has in store, and promise earthly goods to the faithful and the money givers.
The perversive religious system has been in effect since man’s first encounter with Satan. In this chapter God has destroyed the great whore, all of Heaven rejoices and the judgment of God proceeds on schedule.
The message from the pulpit is a message of God’s love, based upon John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This verse is used to show God’s great love for his creation, that verse also could be used to promulgate one of the greatest threats made by God, “If you do not believe in my son I will send you to Hell”. At some point during the religious service, an offering is collected. In todays society, the ten percent that has been assessed under the Mosaic law by threats of damnation is no longer sufficient to meet the high cost of operation and merchandising. Other means are implemented to increase the offering take, such as the selling of prayer and God's favors. Prayer has become a saleable asset, many types of schemes are brought into play under the guise of planting a seed. We are indoctrinated into believing that God responses to how much money we pay. Grab a scripture, take it out of the context in which it was spoken and make it work, 'God loves a cheerful giver". The prophets prophecies of all of the blessings that God has in store, and promise earthly goods to the faithful and the money givers.
The perversive religious system has been in effect since man’s first encounter with Satan. In this chapter God has destroyed the great whore, all of Heaven rejoices and the judgment of God proceeds on schedule.
1. 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:
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.
3. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and
ever.
4. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and
worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
5. 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 oice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia:
for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
In this chapter we will study the marriage of the Lamb and the
judgment of the rebellious nations. The term “after these things” is a formula
used in Revelation. It appears in chapter 4:1, 18:1, and in our present verse.
It refers here to the fall and total destruction of Babylon, that perverse religious system as recorded in
Revelation chapters 17 and 18. The same event is viewed very differently in
Heaven from upon the earth.
On earth, the cry of sorrow and mourning is heard, while in Heaven we
hear praises and “alleluias.” It was announced in Heaven the moment Babylon
fell. This signifies the righteous will have a ringside seat in the
sky and will be eyewitnesses to the entire affair between Christ and
Antichrist. All Heaven praises God for the mighty victory.
In verse 1 we hear much people
in Heaven saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power,
unto the Lord our God!” He is due all praise, all honor, all glory, and He is
all-powerful. God has never had the praise and honor due Him, but at this point
and throughout eternity to follow He will be praised by the heavenly host, and
His enemies will be in the lake of fire.
In verse 2 the multitude cries out, “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.”
In verse 3 we hear a second “Hallelujah!” There are four of them in
the first six verses of this chapter: “And again they said, Hallelujah! And her smoke rose up for ever and
ever.” This is not only physical burning and smoke as we know fire and smoke,
but this is spiritual burning, judgment from Almighty God, the smoke of everlasting destruction.
The judgment poured out on Babylon will not be as if Paris, London or
New York were burned after a great bombing by the enemy. It will not be just a
big city going up in smoke, burned to an ash-heap, with that being the end of
the city. The burning here is the judgment of Almighty God on a kingdom of
ungodliness, a system of debauchery, a gigantic organization both political and
religious - the system of Anti-God, made up of politics, business and religion.
The smoke of a literal city like New York could not ascend up forever and ever
as does the smoke of Babylon.
In verse 4, the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fall down
and worship God, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!” Here is the third “hallelujah.”
Yes, all Heaven - every creature from the least to the greatest - will join in
the praises.
In Revelation 4, the four and twenty elders represent
the Church, made up of all born again people. The Bride will be happy, for it
will be time for her to return to earth with Jesus, to reign in the glorious
kingdom of righteousness.
Verse 5: “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.”
The throne of God puts its stamp of approval upon the rejoicing that
is in progress in Heaven when Babylon is totally destroyed. All the wicked are
in terror; all the saints are filled with joy! All who serve and fear God are
invited, small and great, to join in the glad song and the praises - a great
relief after the dark, dark picture unfolded on earth during the reign of the
counterfeit trinity. Here the terms are sufficiently broad to embrace every
soul and every creature in Heaven, angels, servants, cherubim, seraphim,
whosoever abides in the land of the celestial. This call is not addressed to an
unwilling host. All are ready and anxious to praise Jehovah, who is worthy of
all praise.
Verse 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!”
John uses symbolic terms that all can clearly understand. Many of us have been to the ocean or to great falls, and have heard the continuous roar of “many waters” breaking against the shore or rushing over the rocks and through the rapids. Even a little child knows the voice of “mighty thunderings.”
John uses symbolic terms that all can clearly understand. Many of us have been to the ocean or to great falls, and have heard the continuous roar of “many waters” breaking against the shore or rushing over the rocks and through the rapids. Even a little child knows the voice of “mighty thunderings.”
On that glorious day, in that glorious hours the praises in
Heaven will be such as no mortal has ever heard! The noise will be beyond human
imagination. Think of it! millions of the redeemed, billions of angels, and all
the heavenly host will all be shouting in thunderous voices “Hallelujah! For
the Lord God omnipotent reigneth!”:
All Heaven thunders out, “Hallelujah!” four times. The ground for the
Hallelujah’s and praises are clearly stated: “For true and righteous are thy
judgments!” In chapter 15:3 we saw the harpers on the sea of glass singing
“Righteous and true are thy ways.”
And in chapter 16:7 the altar is heard saying, “True and righteous,
are thy judgments.” In the former, God’s ways are, In view, while In the latter
(as also in our present Scripture) the judgment of God on His enemies is in
question. It is a fundamental truth of the Word of God and one to be firmly
believed and maintained, that all the Lord God’s dealings with His creatures .
. . whether in grace or in judgment, are characterized by holiness, truth
and righteousness. God cannot do wrong.
These essential attributes of the divine being have been conspicuously
displayed in the judgment of the great harlot whose two great sins are named
once again (and for the last time).
Her sins were that:
(1) she corrupted the earth with her fornication,
(2) she was the instigator of the shedding of the Blood of many, many
saints.
In this chapter God has already avenged the
Blood of the saints "and hath avenged the blood of His servants (bondmen)
at her hands.”
Next
THE MARRIAGE
OF THE LAMB
Revelation
19:7-10:
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