Introduction:

President Franklin Roosevelt prior to World War II set up his administration with heads of government, science research teams and developmental offices. The President needed a full-time staff devoted to domestic and foreign policies, with expertise in many areas. Theses eventually led to major advances in atomic energy, radar, and synthetic rubber – all critical to the war effort. The War Production Board played an important role in mobilization for the war. Pearl Harbor and the declaration of war soon brought about further changes in government and new imperatives to manufacturers.

The President was preparing a nation and its people for a coming war. This war would impact civilian life. The Presidents’ WPA forced the conversion and expansion of factories, and ban the production of “nonessential” goods. Soon, items such as refrigerators, bicycles and waffle irons were largely out of production for the duration of the war. In an even bigger disadvantage to civilian life, automobile production plants were converted to the production of jeeps, airplanes, tanks, guns and other war products. For all of the inconvenience, the conversion to war production was very critical to winning the war.

We find in Chapter 19 that Jesus prepares His church, His bride for the coming administration after the war of Armageddon. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is the inauguration of His Church administration. His administration will be unlike any other… And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Mat 24:22

This new era is ushered in by an inspired heavenly hallelujah chorus which John hears.

I The Four Hallelujah Choruses (19:1-6)

1. This chapter starts with “after these things.” What things?, the complete destruction of religious and material Babylon. All of chapters 17 and 18 are John’s vision of God’s destruction of Babylon, which stands for the final, climactic expression of rebellious civilization ruled by Satan in the person of the anti-christ. Babylon is the end-time center of human power, glory and wealth. The city that had spread wickedness throughout the whole world and murdered thousands, if not millions, of God’s people was now history.

2. In chapter 19:1-6 John hears the worship service in heaven celebrating God’s triumph over Babylon. In verse 1, we have our first group: “After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying, `Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just.'”

This is heaven’s greatest praise. The saints of heaven are praising God. The word alleluia is the Greek counter part of Hallelujah, which is Hebrew and found in the Psalms 24 times. Only here is it found in all the New Testament. It has been reserved for this great occasion. We should have a greater appreciation for our hymn alleluia when we sing it.

You can’t help also but be struck by the fact that this rejoicing is in stark contrast to what we have just heard in chapter 18 which is lamenting and weeping and crying over the destruction of the system of the world. We find in verse 9 the leaders of the world weeping and lamenting.

3. In verse two we note that judgment has come and His judgment no matter how great is just. We live in a society where we’re constantly disturbed and distressed about its injustice. Saints throughout all of history have been distressed and so disturbed and pleaded with God for a righteous world, a righteous society. It finally comes.

4. In verse three we have a second group singing praise. These are the tribulation saints those under the altar…note in verse # 2 – and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. they repeat their praise in verse three for the great whore has been judged and God has avenged them. Look back with me at chapter 8:18-20. Now they can rejoice!

5. In verse four we have a third group- the elders and the four beast, remember them from Chapter four. These are the great patriarchs of the Old and New Testament and the four Cherubim Angels. They too worship and praise God with this unique phrase alleluia which simply means praise the Lord.

4. In verse six we have the church, the bride of Christ who now awaits…

II The Marriage Supper of the Lamb (19:7-9)

1. The wedding of the Lamb has come. The lamb is Jesus and he is to wed His bride the church, therefore He is the Bridegroom. There are fourth analogies of Jesus Christ and His Church made in the New Testament. In I corinthians 3:9-11, jesus is The “Foundation” of our faith, in ephesians 5:23 he is the “Head of the Church” and in I Peter 2: 4-8 He is compare to the Chief cornerstone. The fourth analogy is found in Ephesians 5:25-31, where the church is described as a bride destined to be married to the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.

a) Jesus early in His earthly ministry, when He was asked why His disciples were not fasting like the Pharisees and the followers of John the Baptist, He describes Himself as the Bridegroom. And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. Matthew 9:15

3. The clothing of the bride is described in Revelation 19:7b-8 and his bride made herself ready. We are all part of this wedding. It is the only marriage made in heaven. Most everybody loves a wedding. It is a festive time, a wonderful time when Bride & bridegroom with their bridal parties are anticipating all the excitement, splendor of love and marriage.

Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Then the angel said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.”
The church’s garments are fine linen, clean and white, in contrast to the clothing of the great mother of prostitutes, who was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour (17:4). The bride’s clothing is explained as the righteousness of saints 19:8. The Greek word translated righteousness is in the plural and conveys the idea of “righteous deeds.”

a) This means the wedding garment will be made up of the righteous deeds performed in life. The bride is given the wedding garment, but she had made herself ready. This does not imply a “works” salvation, but rather a delicate balance between God’s grace and our obedient response to it. How do we earn these righteous deeds? Salvation is first and then we do good works, not for works sake but as the fruit of our labors.

4. Verse nine contains the fourth of seven beatitudes found in the book of Revelation: Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. (The other beatitudes are found in 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 20:6 & 22:14.) The marriage of the Lamb is mentioned in verse seven, and the marriage supper is here in verse nine. The supper followed the wedding, and apparently all the hosts of heaven were invited to join in the celebration. The certainty of this beatitude is emphasized by the phrase, These are the true sayings of God (19:9).

a) And at the end all this overwhelming revelation of what would happen to Babylon and how heaven would celebrate, John is so stunned that he falls down (in verse 10) and starts to worship the angel who had come to him with all this revelation. But the angel stops him and says (see the middle of verse 10), “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus. “Worship God.”

application: We do not worship angels we do not worship men, nor dead saints!

That’s the goal of everything the angel has been revealing. All God’s plans for history from beginning to end have this one goal — WORSHIP GOD! Don’t worship the wealth of Babylon, don’t worship the power of Babylon, don’t worship the pleasures of Babylon, and don’t even worship the holy messenger who brings you the news that Babylon has fallen forever. WORSHIP GOD!

Conclusion:

I’m sick of an unrighteous world. We battle it all the time. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a leader, a president, a king who did only what was righteous? We will have such a King, the Lord Jesus Christ.