Author: Charlie Garrett

Sunday, 4 July 2021

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Revelation 19:6

John had just noted the “voice from the throne.” It called out saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” In response to that comes a stunning reply. John says, “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude.”

The meaning conveyed is like that at a pep rally. The great multitude in heaven was calling out in verse 1. They again called out in verse 3. Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures joined in as well in verse 4. After that, the Lord prompted the multitudes as was just cited above. With His words spoken, the great multitude breaks forth “as the sound of many waters.”

This is the same terminology used of the Lord’s voice in Revelation 1;15. Such a voice was again heard in Chapter 14 –

“And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.” Revelation 14:2

So great is this cry that it has the same effect, as if many waters were crashing and flowing in a beautiful harmony. Such a din of noise is recorded by Isaiah in a negative sense at the rebuke of God –

“Woe to the multitude of many people
Who make a noise like the roar of the seas,
And to the rushing of nations
That make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!
¹³ The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters;
But God will rebuke them and they will flee far away,
And be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind,
Like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.” Isaiah 17:12, 13

Rather than a rebuke, however, this noise is one of elation, joy, and triumph. In addition to this, John says, “and as the sound of mighty thunderings.” This is now the fifth and final time that such thunderings are recorded in Revelation. They are a reflection of the power and glory of the Lord as He visits His people. Such thunderings were also recorded at Sinai at the giving of the law.

With this appeal for praise of God being responded to, it is as if everything in creation has come to a culminating expression of elation, “saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!’”

This is the fourth and final Alleluia recorded in Revelation. It is one that acknowledges the omnipotence of the Lord God, meaning Jesus. The Greek reads emphatically, “the Lord God, the Almighty.” He has destroyed Babylon the great. Now, purity of worship will cover the earth. And so, this tremendous shout rounds out the promises of God foreshadowed all the way back at the time of the exodus.

With this realized, the verses from Exodus 6 looked at in a previous verse can be reviewed again –

“Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. ⁷ I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” Exodus 6:6, 7

This fourth “Alleluia” is the consummation of the thought “I will be your God.” It corresponds to the fourth cup of the Passover, the Hallel (meaning “praise”), and accompanies the thought “I will take.” Thus, it is the cup of adoption or consummation. This was prefigured by the joining of God to His people at Mt. Sinai. As He told them then –

“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. ⁶ And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Exodus 19:5, 6

This is only truly realized in the final destruction of Babylon the great when God’s people will live free from her oppression and reign as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

Just as God dwelt among His people in a tabernacle of material, so He will forever dwell among His people in a tabernacle of flesh – in the Person of Jesus the Lord. The fourth cup prefigures the establishment of Christ’s eternal kingdom, and it is realized in the delivery of the people from the very presence of sin.

Hallelujah, for our Lord, our wonderful Lord Jesus, reigns!

Life application: Through Christ’s sacrifice, man has been freed from the penalty of sin. In the sanctification of His people, we are freed from the power of sin. Someday, the presence of sin will be removed from us forever. This is the hope of the redeemed. We will be returned to the state we were intended to be in from the beginning.

This marvelous place and state is only available because God intervened in the affairs of man by sending His Messiah to bring us back to Himself. Without Him, there would only be ever-increasing wickedness. But through the tender mercies of our God, He has sent our Lord to restore us to Himself. Let us thank God for this gift of love and grace. Let us thank God for JESUS.

O God, the beauty of Your word, and how it reveals what You are doing in human history, is beyond imagination. Stir up in us the desire to read it and peer into its mysteries all the days of our lives. Help us to understand the meaning of the symbolism given throughout it which reveals to us Your workings in and through Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Saturday, 3 July 2021

Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”  Revelation 19:5

In the previous verse, the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, saying, “Alleluia.” With that in mind, this verse now says, “Then a voice came from the throne.” As the voice is from the throne itself, there is no need to assume it is any voice other than Jesus. It is He who sits in the position of power and authority, and it is He who has the right to say, “Praise our God.”

He is both fully God and fully Man. In this, He calls forth for the praise of God, beginning with “all you His servants.” They are words similar to those that open Psalms 134 and 135 –

“Praise the Lord!
Praise the name of the Lord;
Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord!” Psalm 135:1

He next says, “and those who fear Him, both small and great.” That is reflected in Psalm 115:13 –

“He will bless those who fear the Lord,
Both small and great.”

One can see how the book of Revelation relies so heavily on the Old Testament writings, again and again calling forth the notion that the Lord, Yehovah of the Old, is the Lord Jesus of the New. He is the fulfillment of all Messianic anticipations, and He is the incarnation of the Lord – fully revealed to His people to behold the great things God has done by His own mighty power.

Life application: This verse is an introduction to the fourth Alleluia pictured by the fourth cup of the Passover. Before arriving at it, think on what this fourth “Alleluia” cup will represent.

As far as what has been said in this verse, there is the note that God is to be praised, and we are to forever keep on praising Him. He is worthy of great honor and glory because He is the Creator, the Sustainer, our Savior, our Deliverer, our Redeemer, and our Hope. We are to give Him all the praise and honor we can, and we should never let it end!

All people, both small and great, who have called out to God through Christ have been freed from the bondage of sin and unrighteousness, and have moved to an imputed state of righteousness. In this, we have been granted eternal life. No wonder the voice from the throne asks us to praise God! We are being reminded of the most significant part of our existence – the conversion of our soul from condemnation to salvation.

Surely God is worthy of all praise for that! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord for the coming of JESUS!

Who is like You, O God? You are great and greatly to be praised. We mope over the things that cause us temporary grief. We get frustrated and wish that things were clearer in our daily walk. We show bitterness when things don’t go right. But You have already taken care of the greatest issues of all. You have directed us from death to life. What more could we ask for? Thank You, O Lord – thank You for Jesus. Hallelujah and Amen.

Friday, 2 July 2021

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” Revelation 19:4

The praises to the Lord God are seen to continue in this verse. In the previous three verses, it mentioned the great multitude in heaven. Now, it says, “And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures.”

These twenty-four elders and the four living creatures mentioned first in chapter 4 are brought back into focus one last time. As in verses such as 5:8, when there is an exclamation of the Lord’s glory, it says they, “fell down and worshiped God.”

This is an act of praising God who accomplished the victory and He alone is ultimately to receive the credit for what has occurred in the destruction of Babylon the great.

The word is written in advance to show His intent and purpose for that to come about, regardless as to the way in which it happens (meaning an invading army, a nuclear blast, a naturally occurring catastrophe, or so on). Ultimately, the judgment on the harlot is of God, and He is to be worshiped for it. Of God, however, it says, “who sat on the throne.”

This then is referring to Jesus. It says in Hebrews 12 –

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1, 2

The “right hand of the throne of God” means the position of authority and power. It is not a physical location, but rather a designation. Further, God is Spirit and therefore doesn’t have parts. The Bible tells us that no man has seen God at any time (1 John 4:12), it also says that no man has seen nor can see God (1 Timothy 6:16).

Even Moses could only see the Lord’s glory as it passed by Him. He had to stand in the cleft of a rock, and that rock is Jesus. We can only see God’s glory if we are hidden in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, this verse in Revelation is referring to the Person of Jesus. He is the image of the invisible God according to the book of Colossians and He is the one who reveals the unseen Father to us. He is the God/Man. Therefore, the praise is directed to Him, “saying, ‘Amen! Alleluia!’”

The words speak of surety and praise. “Amen” can be paraphrased as “So let it be.” “Alleluia” means “Praise the Lord.” It is Jesus who is the Amen and to Him our praises are to be directed. The heavenly scene before John confirms this to us, setting the pattern for our own worship and praise.

For now, when the elders and living creatures fall down in worship, they first exclaim “Amen!” This is in response to the statements which come in combination to the first two “Alleluias.” Their proclamation of “Amen” is meant to emphatically confirm what has been said. This then is a resounding approval of the cries of the great multitude.

After this word of confirmation, the third “Alleluia” is uttered. This corresponds to the third cup of the Passover ceremony – the Birkat Hamazon (Grace after meals). It accompanies the thought “I will redeem.” Thus, it is the cup of redemption. Redemption is the act of re-purchasing something that was sold. Man was sold to sin through the disobedience of Adam. But God, through Jesus Christ, has redeemed man from that fallen state.

This was prefigured by God’s redemptive act on Israel when they were brought through the waters of the Red Sea, but it is realized in its fullness in the act of removing the saved believer from Babylon the great – redeeming them to God. Thus, the penalty of sin has been paid and man stands justified before God because of Jesus.

The third cup is realized in the delivery of the people from the problem of sin. As the smoke of Babylon rises forever and ever, so the greatness of the work of the Lord rises even higher.

Life application: At times, we hear people complain about God being unfair for letting little children die, for allowing cancer to take a spouse, or for some other reason that affects someone personally. But the fact is that we got ourselves into the mess that we are in. God owes us nothing. On the other hand, God has given of Himself to bring us out of this fallen state, and to restore us to Himself.

To blame God for the tragedies of the world is a foolish and selfish way of looking at our situation. When we realize that God has set forth the plan, seen it through, and will continue to see it through until restoration is realized, how can we do anything but praise Him. It is through His mighty work that man is redeemed from his fallen state. Hallelujah! Thank God for what He has done for us! Thank the Lord for JESUS!

Lord God, it is wonderful to look back on the Exodus account and see that all the things You did for Israel only prefigured what You would do for all of humanity. The state of sin which had us in bondage is removed from us when we call on Jesus. Someday we will even be from its presence when we dwell in Your presence forever! Hallelujah and Amen!

Thursday, 1 July 2021

Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” Revelation 19:3

The rejoicing over Babylon the great continues now with the words, “Again they said.” The Greek reads, “And a second time they said.” There is specificity to the word because what is said is forming a pattern that will be explained in a minute. For now, what they said is, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever.” The Greek reads “to the ages of the ages.”

The rejoicing over Babylon is great as her burning reaches skyward. It is as if her destruction is an offering before the Lord as the billows rise. The thought of smoke rising in this manner takes the reader back to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah –

“And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. ²⁸ Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. ²⁹ And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.” Genesis 19:27-29

Concerning these “Alleluias,” they are forming a pattern that corresponds to the four expressions of deliverance promised by God in Exodus 6:6, 7 which state –

“Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. ⁷ I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”

These two verses, given by God to His people form the basis of the works of Jesus in redemptive history and which culminate in the joyous expressions found in Revelation 19. Though not found in Scripture, it is worthy of note that during the Passover ceremony, the people of Israel have four cups of wine present during the rite. The first cup is the Kiddush (meaning “sanctification”). It accompanies the thought “I will bring out.” Thus, it is the cup of salvation.

It was prefigured in the “taking out of the people from Egypt,” but it is realized in the act of removing from God’s people Babylon the great, the system of false religion, and into the kingdom of Christ. Thus, believers are “sanctified” in the presence of a holy God. When the first “Alleluia” was given, along with it the great multitude proclaimed, “Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!”

The first cup is realized in the salvation and thus “sanctification” of the people as they are removed from the penalty of sin.

Now, we see the second “Alleluia.” This corresponds with the second cup of the Passover, the Maggid (meaning “preacher”). It accompanies the thought “I will deliver.” Thus, it is the cup of deliverance.

This was prefigured by the “delivery from Egyptian slavery,” but it is realized in the deliverance from slavery to sin and the oppression of Babylon the great. When this “Alleluia” is given, the great multitude proclaims, “Her smoke rises forever and ever.” Just as the Egyptians were destroyed and unable to recapture the Israelites, Babylon the great is destroyed and will never again be able to harm God’s people – her smoke rises forever and ever.

The second cup is realized in the delivery of the people from the power of sin.

There are two more cups that come during the Passover ceremony, and they continue to prefigure the heavenly chorus as the people of God move closer to their ultimate state in His presence.

Life application: The Bible is a marvelous book, filled with patterns and typology. And it is all centered on the Person and work of the Messiah. Be sure to read it daily, contemplate it always, and let it fill your heart and soul with the hope that it provides to man. The restoration of all things is coming, and it is the Bible that gives us the grand plan in how that is being worked out.

God is doing a great thing for His children. To become one of them, call out for God’s offer of peace and reconciliation. Call out for JESUS.

Thank You Lord for the surety that we are not waiting on the coming of the Messiah, but on the second coming of the Messiah! We have in Jesus complete freedom from the penalty of sin. We can grow in holiness because the power of sin has been removed from us. How we long for the day when we are removed from the presence of sin as well! Yes, how we look forward to that day! Amen.

Wednesday, 30 June 2021

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.” Revelation 19:2

The loud voice of the great multitude in heaven that began to cry out praise to God in the previous verse now continues with the words, “For true and righteous are His judgments.” The word translated as “true” has already been seen five times in Revelation. It is an adjective that connects what is true with its source of origin. It is thus that which is genuine.

The word translated as “righteous” speaks of that which conforms to God’s own being. As these describe His judgments, it means that they are made in connection with His character and nature. What has been determined by Him is in perfect accord with who He is. Of His judgments, they next cry out, “because He has judged the great harlot.”

This takes the reader back to Chapter 17 –

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, ² with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’” Revelation 17:1, 2

From there, Chapters 17 and 18 detailed the state of Babylon the great, exposing her wickedness, and then detailing the Lord’s judgments upon her. These came in complete accord with His perfect and holy nature. She reaped what was deserving because it was she “who corrupted the earth with her fornication.”

The word translated as “corrupted” is in the imperfect tense (literally “was corrupting”) demonstrating the continuous nature of her fornication. Through her actions, the earth was continuously being corrupted.

One can think of the false teaching of Roman Catholicism. Instead of sharing the gospel, which is by grace through faith, she is teaching a false works-based gospel. Instead of revealing Christ to the world, she is consolidating power and setting forth agendas. In her actions, there is only a corrupting influence, hidden behind the guise of religion. The corrupting nature of Babylon the great brought only corruption, “and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.”

These words demonstrate that, above all, the judgment against her is because of the great blood guilt she bears. She has been behind the death of innumerable martyrs through “holy wars,” inquisitions, neglect of the gospel to those who should have heard it, and on and on. In Revelation, one can see that idolatry and persecutions stand as her most eminent traits as her influence has spread out and corrupted the earth.

The words of this verse witness against Babylon the great, but they also are a fulfillment of the promise made to the martyrs recorded in Chapter 6 –

“When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. ¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ ¹¹ Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.” Revelation 6:9-11

The Lord is the Avenger of Blood of those who were slain by this harlot, and He acted to right the wrongs done against them. Of note is that the Hebrew word for “kinsman redeemer” and for “avenger of blood” is the same, goel. In other words, Jesus Christ is both our Redeemer and our Avenger.

As such, His judgments are both true and righteous. His judgment of Babylon is the obvious outcome for her because of her violations against His redeemed. She was judged in righteousness and her judgment is both complete and final.

Life application: God’s nature is seen in many more moral virtues, love, holiness, righteousness, truth, and so on. Love is one of them, but to proclaim the love of God only, without proclaiming His other moral qualities, is to proclaim a heretical view of His nature. It is like denying the Trinity because God’s nature must be considered in its fullness, or one has created a god in his own mind and to fit his own desires.

This verse proclaims two of his moral virtues – righteousness and justice. As these express His very nature, it means that judgment for wrongdoing must come from Him. He cannot arbitrarily overlook offenses. All must be met and judged according to His perfect nature.

As there are many chapters between the saints call for their blood to be avenged, and the actual record of that having been done, we can understand other aspects of God’s nature. He is orderly because He has a predetermined concept of when His justice and righteousness will be displayed. He is patient, not wanting any to perish, but to come to a saving knowledge of His work through Jesus. He is merciful, not taking vengeance immediately on the sins committed by the people of the world. In fact, if He did, no person would be alive because we are all fallen, and we would all be destroyed immediately. He is also holy, full of grace, and truthful. Each of these qualities is revealed in the pages of Scripture.

God is great, and so it is of the utmost importance that we do not lose sight of any of His moral virtues or attempt to place one above the others. They are a part of His very nature. To skew His nature can only lead others to a false understanding of Him. As you read the Bible, think on how God’s nature is revealed in His actions and in how those actions are presented. In this, you will get a much fuller sense of what God is truly like. When you get this better grasp of Him, you can then more fully appreciate the incarnation. God’s expression of Himself through the incarnation gives us the fullest sense of who He is. What you understand concerning God is perfectly revealed in our Lord, JESUS.

Lord God, You have given us a detailed and accurate revelation of Yourself in the pages of the Bible. Help us to contemplate who You are, what You are like, and to then always act in accord with what we see recorded there. Help us to be faithful followers of You. May we emulate our Lord Jesus who is the full expression of who You are. Thank You for our Lord Jesus. Amen.