BOOK OF REVELATION: Rejoice For Salvation Has Come - Rev.19:1-6

Okay, we are off to a brand new year. Happy New Year to everyone. And we're back studying the book of Revelation. We're looking at Revelation chapter 19 verses 1 through 6. We're talking about rejoice for salvation has come. And as we're looking at this, it's a continuation from what we had studied before. Hang on, I'm gonna pull a Bible off the shelf. Sometimes I forget these things. All right. So in this segment, I also want to get where I can see some of the comments too. Give me one more second. Okay, I see a few more have joined us. Good morning to you, Deb, Tyrone, Richard. And it looks like that's it for now. I've already spoken to Robin and Eric, but again, welcome. We're looking at Revelation 19, 1 through 6. Rejoice for salvation has come. And John begins this section with after these things. As we look at the verse, or at least he starts this dialogue with after these things. And, you know, often through the book of Revelation, you will see that phrase repeated. But it's a clear transition that he is about to speak of the next event. Even though he's kind of summing up what has taken place in what we consider as chapter 18. He has just written about the vengeance taken on Mystery Babylon, which we spoke about on last week. And as he said, you know, rejoice over her, heaven and you holy apostles and prophets. Those who were in heaven and on earth were commanded to rejoice over the vindication of God's judgment of the great harlot. We have spoken repeatedly, but, you know, it deserves mentioning again that the great harlot is Jerusalem. So many people have failed to see that in the book of Revelation. You know, they want to tell us that it's Rome. Some people go so far as to say it's America, New York, or some other major city. And they're confusing cities with countries and everything else. But it refers to Jerusalem in the first century. We have the text in Revelation chapter 11 and verse 8, which is, you know, as descriptive of a verse that you could find that says their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And you may recall from Luke chapter 13, verse 33, Jesus said it was not possible that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. And when it speaks about Jerusalem and prophets perishing there, we have the authority from the chief priests in Jerusalem who were responsible for those persecutions and for the deaths that occurred there, and particularly for the death of Christ. We've also cited Matthew chapter 23, verses 32 through 37. And in that latter verse, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her, how often I would gather you as a, or would have gathered you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling and therefore your house is left to you desolate. Paul talked about them in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 14 through 16. He spoke of them as those who had killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets. They have persecuted us and were contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved and bringing upon themselves the wrath of God to the uttermost. So over and over again, in the New Testament, the scripture pointed to Jerusalem as the ones who killed the prophets. Luke 21, 20 through 22, sums it up in this way that at the time that the Romans were surrounding Jerusalem, he says, these were the days of vengeance that all things written would be fulfilled. And so we've shown from Deuteronomy chapter 32 and verse 35, verse 41 and verse 43 in the latter verse where God tells him that he would, you know, avenge the blood of his servants and that he's saying, rejoice, O Gentiles with his people. And so from that perspective, we're looking at a text that is focused on Jerusalem and in the latter verses of Revelation chapter 18, as he spoke in verse 20, which we talked about last week, he says, rejoice over her, O heaven and you holy apostles and prophets for God has avenged you on her. And then he says in verse 24, and in her was found the blood of prophets and saints and of all who were slain on the earth. And you won't find another city that the Bible talks about other than that, which is Jerusalem in the first century. And this is why we apply the text to the city of Jerusalem and why it's important for us to see that in scripture so that we are applying these events in the book of Revelation to the correct timeframe historically, as well as to the correct events that took place. Now, as we see this great multitude in heaven responding in obedience in chapter 19 and verse 1, because the text says after these things, I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven. So this is a response to the command that had been given before in verse 20, as we discussed on last week. And so they were saying, hallelujah, salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgments because he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication. And he has avenged on her the blood of his servants shed by her. So that tells you that, you know, this is a direct response regarding those things that had been stated in verse 20, and they were being fulfilled from that perspective. And so here is the fulfillment of this command to rejoice over the fall of Jerusalem because God is taking vengeance for his apostles, for his saints on her, for crucifying the Lord, for persecuting them and for their rebellion and refusal to obey after, you know, almost 40 years of long suffering to them. As the scripture says, even when the scoffers came in second Peter chapter three saying, where's the promise of his coming? And they were thinking that the Lord was not going to come. And Peter said, this was the long suffering of God. In Romans chapter two, he talked about God's forbearance and long suffering and they're despising of the goodness of God when they should have in fact obeyed. And so this was their refrain, salvation and glory and honor and power belong to our God. Now that's the same phrase that was used to proclaim salvation in chapter 12 after the overcoming of the serpent who was cast down to the earth, which means that he suffered defeat. The text says, therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them, woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea for the devil has come down to you having great wrath because he knows that he has a short time. But let's look at the verse that leads into that. And you will know that in that text, he talks about salvation has come. And this is after the war that occurred in heaven between the Lord and his saints or Michael and his angels, as the text says, or messengers, and also against the devil and his angels. I think I got some pages sticking here for some reason, but looking at that in verse 12, he says, therefore rejoice over them. Let me make sure that I have the right verse here. Nope, that's the one that we read before. In verse 10 is what I'm looking for. It says, then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ have come for the accuser of our brethren who has accused them before our God day and night has been passed down. So notice that that is pretty much the same statement that was made in Revelation 19 too, which shows that there is some recapitulation in the book of Revelation regarding these events. This occurred after the war that took place in Revelation 12, 7 and following, and it took place at the defeat of Satan. And so from that perspective, and it's the time that the kingdom of God comes. You can also recall from Revelation chapter 11 and verse 15, that after the victory of the two witnesses, we find again, there was this announcement at the time of the seventh angel, which of course was the last trumpet to sound. And so at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, you find that there is an announcement that the kingdom of God has come again. We have so many people who deny that the kingdom is present because they want to look out and see things going on in the world and fail to look in the scripture to see what God says. And so they deny that the kingdom of God is present. They're looking for some type of physical kingdom to be manifested in some way, or to be set up in a certain location on earth. When that is not the case, the Bible says the kingdom of God does not come with observation. And so it's Luke 17 and 20, but in verse 15 of Revelation 11, it says, then the seventh angel sounded and there were voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, that he shall reign forever, et cetera. And so again, when you put all three of these passages together, you see that they're dealing with the time of the coming of the kingdom of God. So it says that salvation has come. That means that the kingdom has come. And therefore it's letting us know that the kingdom and salvation should be considered as one in the same in terms of what's taking place in the scriptures. And that would be, of course, at the time of the end. And so this is all happening when Jerusalem fell in 70 AD. And so we have to get away from this futurism, looking for the coming of the kingdom, looking for the coming of Christ. And by the way, the scripture says that Christ comes in his kingdom. So there is no coming of the kingdom apart from the coming of Christ. There is no coming of Christ apart from the coming of the kingdom. In Matthew 16, 27 and 28, well, the son of man was about to come in the glory of his father with his angels. And then the scripture says he will reward each one according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here. That means in the presence of Christ at the time he uttered the statement, who will not taste death till they see the son of man coming in his kingdom. And Mark's gospel in Mark 9 1 says till they have seen, which means that they would be there and look on the past event as having occurred in their lifetime. That is before they died. You can also see correlations here with Revelation chapter 20. And we'll get to that, I guess, in relatively short order now because we're in chapter 19. So we'll be in chapter 20, not too far distant from here, but you can see where Satan was released a little for this little season. And that compare somewhat with the short time where it says in Revelation 12, he knows that he has a short time. So these statements about Christ and his coming being at hand, the events of the book of Revelation being at hand, Revelation 1 verse 1, also verse 3, the time is near for these things to shortly come to pass. In chapter 22, verses 6, verse 10, and also verse 12, all indicate the eminence of this message. And when it's shown that the book of Revelation was written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, as it's indicated in Revelation 11 verse 2, it's showing us that these things were about to occur. Now, as they acknowledge this righteous judgment of God, as we said in verse 2, for true and righteous are his judgments because he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication and has avenged on her the blood of his servants shed by her. And so he judged the one who had corrupted the earth with her fornication. He avenged on her the blood of his servants. And as we mentioned, the blood here is the blood of the prophets and the saints throughout the old covenant era, as Matthew said, God would avenge on Jerusalem the blood of all his prophets from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Barakiah, whom they had murdered between the temple and the altar. And yet he was going to send to them righteous men, and they were going to continue to do that. So there was this very evil element among the Jews who refused to obey the Lord, and they were responsible for this shedding of blood. It's also the blood of those who were martyred for not worshiping the beast or his image and who refused his mark, according to Revelation chapter 20 and verse 4 and also chapter 6 verses 9 through 11. And you may recall there when they asked the Lord, you know, how long will you not avenge our blood by those who were on the earth? And he told them to rest for a little while because some of their brethren who were about to be killed, and the word mellow is very, very important, not only in the book of Revelation, but also in the New Testament as well, in terms of indicating the eminence of these verses. And oftentimes it's mistranslated. I can't remember, I think some 111 times the word mellow is used in the New Testament and the variation of translations that will translate that word as about to be or about to is very, some translations only do it about twice out of 111 times in which it occurs. And I guess when you get into the higher numbers, you might have about 50 times. So there's so many times they will translate it as a real future, as a, to indicate a far distant future because of their preconceived opinions that these things have not yet occurred. And in that they will view it as something that is often to our future when they were all talking about things that were about to come. And so he was saying that we're about to suffer as they had suffered. And as a result of that, it indicates that these things were imminent and God's judgment was imminent in the book of Revelation. And so from that perspective, you have them who had refused to take the mark of the beast. Now, the judgment that was marked or this judgment marked the end of the seven plagues that also resulted in victory over the beast, over his image and the mark and number of his name. Even though it doesn't say that in these verses, we have to conclude that from what we study in Revelation chapter 15, back there and look at a couple of verses in Revelation chapter 15. And you'll see some correlations in that chapter. Now, these judgments that were mentioned in verse four of Revelation 19, let's look at that real quick. It says, and the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worship God who sat on the throne saying, hallelujah. And then this voice came from the throne. So now let's kind of compare some things that we find. When we look in Revelation chapter 15 verses one through four, it says, then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues. Now we've just looked a few moments ago at the seventh trumpet and these seven flags are related to that. But nevertheless, he says for in them, the wrath of God is completed. Now in Revelation 10 and verse seven, the scripture talks about in the days when the seventh angel sounds, the mystery of God would be finished as he has declared to his servants, the prophets. So you can see with the seven angels and with the seven plagues that marks the end of this vengeance upon them. It marks the time of the coming of the salvation, the coming of kingdom of the kingdom, and therefore the completion of the wrath of God. And so these have to be correlated because they are related. And so he says, the seven angels having the seven last plagues for in them, the wrath of God is complete. And I saw something like a sea of glass. And by the way, speaking on Revelation 10 and verse seven, if you look at the context in chapter 10, and particularly in verse six, you will find a quote that is mentioned in Daniel chapter 12, right before Daniel is right before the angels asked, when will these things be? When the power of the holy people has been completely shattered. So he tells them, you know, that it's going to happen at the time of the fall of Jerusalem. And he mentions this angel who raises his hand and swears by God. Now that's also found in Deuteronomy chapter 32, which again was a prophecy for the last days of national Israel. And so we can't be pushing national Israel beyond 70 AD as well, because of these prophecies that are found in Deuteronomy in Daniel chapter 12, and also being up here in Revelation chapter 10 and verse six or throughout the book of Revelation, but particularly that shows the context of when this seventh angel would sound. And so he says in verse two, and I saw something like a sea of glass mingle with fire and those who have the victory over the beast. So that's the time when they would receive victory over the beast. It's in connection with the sounding of that seventh angel in connection with the time when God's wrath would be complete against Jerusalem, against mystery Babylon. And he says over his image, over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having the hearts of God, they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God and the song of the lamb. So this is all about their victory. There are themes and echoes from Exodus and the Exodus, particularly when they sing the song of victory, having crossed the Red Sea and the Pharaoh's army drowned in the Red Sea. And so that's kind of taking you back to that scene as well. But notice now he's saying that at the time of the seventh angel sounding, when we're talking about the fall of the city, the vengeance on mystery Babylon, the harlot, which is old covenant Jerusalem. He's saying that's when they have received the victory over the mark of the beast, over his image, over the mark of his name, the victory over the beast. The beast was only to continue for 42 months, a time, times and half a time, like Daniel said in Daniel seven and again in Daniel 12. That's the three and a half years that the city was being trod down. That's the time of the war against the saints. So it all correlates. The time here is very clear in terms of what was taking place. And that means that the events of Revelation 20, when it talks about the saints having received a victory being raised up to thrones, that's indicative of the fact that they've received this victory during that time. Now, when we get to talk about the millennium, we'll say a little bit more about that, because in that context, it says they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. And that would tell you that the millennium was already in progress prior to that victory that they achieved and indicated in these particular verses. Now, it also indicates the time when the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony was opened. The text says out of the temple came the seven angels or messengers, seven, of course, being a number of perfection, a number of completeness. But in the old covenant, it was the Levites who had the charge over the tabernacle of the testimony. They were to serve in the tabernacle to carry its furnishings and camp around it to set it up and to take it down. They were to camp around it so that there would be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel. The Levites were not numbered among Israel in Numbers chapter 1, verse 47 and verse 49. And I believe that's what's being referred to in Revelation 7 and verse 9 when he talks about the multitude that no man could number. I think that's a representative of the priests of God who were innumerable from that perspective, who were not allowed to be numbered. Nevertheless, these seven angels, of course, are dressed as priests. They're clothed in pure, bright linen. They have their chests girded with golden bands, and that refers to the ephod worn by the priest of Exodus 28, verses 1 through 8. Now, as the priests continue or the praises continue, the smoke of Jerusalem and Mystery Babylon rises forever. But let's note something here in these judgments. In verse 3 of chapter 15, it says, Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are your ways. You see how they're repeating the statement that we read in Revelation 19, through and righteous are your judgments, because we're dealing with the same time frame. And he says, just and true are your ways, O king of the saints, who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name, for you alone are holy, for all nations shall come and worship before you, for your judgments have been manifested. And so he says, After these things, I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened, and out of the temple came the seven angels, having the seven plagues clothed in pure bright linen, having their chests girded with golden bands. Then one of the four living creatures that we see mentioned in Revelation chapter 4, then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. And so again, that's, you know, sort of recapitulating the events that are found in the earlier chapters, as I mentioned, when he announces that the time of salvation had come when that wrath had been poured out. It also points back to the time of the temple when they were allowed to enter after the glory cloud as well, but no man could enter before that time. And so it was not until the wrath of God was completed. That also sort of suggests the statements in Hebrews chapter 9 verses 8 and 9, where it says, As long as the first tabernacle stood, the way into the holiest of all, that is, the most holy place was not made manifest. But now that Jerusalem has fallen, then that way has been opened for the saints to enter into it. And so here we are. Now, as the praises continue, the smoke of Jerusalem, Mystery Babylon rises forever and rose up, as the text says, into the age of the ages, into the age to come in perpetuity. So there's never a reestablishing of Jerusalem. So all this talk about a temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem and people trying to pawn that off on, you know, either innocent people of God or people who are contemplating that idea should recognize that that is not according to the scripture. The Bible says this Jerusalem, the torment of it even rises into the age of ages. So as long as the age to come is present, and it has been since 70 AD, there will be no rising of a old covenant city of Jerusalem. And so we have to get that concept totally out of our minds, totally out of our ideas and concepts and doctrine. I'm trying to see what the time is here. I think we're getting very close to being out of time now. I'm going to pretty much wrap up here. The next point that we wanted to talk about was the voice of God from the throne, which issues another command of praise. And, and that's, that's very, very important, because the throne of God was in the tabernacle of the temple, or, or the temple. And in Exodus chapter 25, and also Psalm 15, we can see that God speaks from his throne in the temple. And he repeats the command saying, praise our God. It is here that we see this reference to the praising of God, and it was universal to all the saints and to those who feared him, both small and great. Now, that resulted in a huge waterfall like sound of many waters. It was the voice of a great multitude in response to that command. And it also sounded like mighty thundering. They praise God saying, hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent reigns. You can see that also in Ezekiel 1, 24. And again, in Revelation 1, verse 15, the father and Christ reigns in, or reign is in the most holy place, the holy of holies. And that shows the character and the nature of their reign, which was about atonement. It was about redemption. It's about reigning in righteousness. It's not about military warfare and going out and taking people down using all this modern warfare that we see and hear them talk about in this Russia-Ukraine war, these hypersonic missiles, et cetera. But that's not what it's about. God's reign is about righteousness. Romans chapter 14 and verse 17, the kingdom of God is not in meat and drink, but is in righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit. And so Romans 1, 16, the gospel was the power of God for righteousness to everyone who believed. And again, in chapter 10, verses one through four, which is what the Jews were ignorant of. They were ignorant of how God was making men righteous through the gospel. Now, the opening of the tabernacle, of course, was the opening of access to the holy of holies. And this is wedding terminology. So these verses in Revelation chapter 19 are leading us into the subject of the wedding because the holy of holies is wedding typology. It's where Christ and his espoused bride meet in consummation of the marriage. In Matthew 25 and verse six, it is in the bride chamber where the virgins meet the Lord to consummate the marriage. Now, we're going to have to stop here because we're out of time, but I'm going to pick up at this point as we talk about it. But that's sort of an introduction into their entrance into the holy of holies and the subject of marriage, which is what comes up next because it's something taking place within the holy of holies, which is the bridal chamber. So from that perspective, we hope that you got some insights from what we have discussed this morning concerning the book of Revelation, concerning rejoicing for the time of salvation had come. And having looked at that, that it continues to show how Jerusalem, the historical Jerusalem that was destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans fits within this particular picture. Now, at this point, we are going to acknowledge those who are with us this morning. I know that several joined us after we began. So let's go ahead and take a look at some of those of you who are here. Let's see. Again, we have Robin. We have Eric. There is also Deb, Tyrone. And it was good speaking with you yesterday. Tyrone had a great conversation with you, Richard. And let's see who else is here. There's Hebrew Hood. It's been a long time, man. It's good to see you. And hope you're doing well. Dale, Edith, Stephen, Phillip. And let's see. Did I miss anyone? Richard. I think that's everyone. So with that, and Rod, of course, is here. So with that, we want to say good morning to you. And we will see you on next week. God bless you all. Have a great, prosperous, happy, safe new year.