Scriptural text: Revelation 19:1-8
The Lesson Background:
While a prisoner on the Island of Patmos for his faith in Jesus Christ, the Apostle John was given some revelations about the present and the future. The Scriptures say that he was “in the Spirit” (Revelation 1:10) when he saw a vision of the glorified Christ (Revelation 1:10-20) who gave him messages for the seven churches in Asia Minor. The messages were given for their spiritual welfare. Once the messages were completed, John was taken to heaven where he would receive visions of what would take place in the future (see Revelation 4:1). John referred to what would take place in heaven.
Heaven’s People (Revelation 19:1-3).
The fall of Babylon being, fixed, finished, and declared to be irrecoverable in the foregoing chapter, this begins with a holy triumph over her, in pursuance of the order given forth: Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, ch. 18:20. They now gladly answer the call; and here you have,
- The form of their thanksgiving, in that holy and most comprehensive word, Alleluia, praise you the Lord: with this they begin, with this they go on, and with this they end (v. 4), their prayers are now turned into praises, their hosannas and halleluias.
- The matter of their thanksgiving: they praise Him for the truth f his word, and the righteousness of his providential conduct, especially in this great event-the ruin of Babylon, which had been a mother, nurse, and nest of idolatry, lewdness, cruelty (v.2), for which signal example of divine justice they ascribe salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto our God.
- The effect of these their praises, when the angels and saints cried Alleluia, her fire burned more fiercely and her smoke ascended for ever and ever, v.3. Praising God for what we have is praying in the most effectual manner of what is further to be done for us, the praises of the saints blow up the fire of God’s wrath against the common enemy.
- The blessed harmony between the angels and the saints in his triumphant song, v.4. The churches and their ministers take the melodious sound from the angels, and repeat it, falling down, and worshipping God, they cry, Amen, Alleluia.