Scripture: After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.”
Revelation 19:1-5 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, a heavenly angel contends the harlot harbors demons and evil spirits and entices the nations to follow her licentious and luxurious lifestyle. Another voice commands God’s people to leave her lest they suffer with her in judgment, for this harlot glorifies herself, boasting of her invincibility. Thus, her fall will be sudden and swift. Simultaneously, those who profited from the harlot’s commerce and shared in her extravagant lifestyle (merchants and haulers alike) will watch in fear of her demise, mourning the end of their lucrative trade with her while acknowledging that God’s saints (i.e., martyrs), apostles, and prophets have reason to rejoice because God has meted justice. Finally, with the conclusion of this pronouncement of judgment, another angel acts, throwing a massive monolith into the sea, washing away the harlot/Babylon (that represents perpetrators of evil) from the face of the earth—exposing her murderous acts against the saints.
Today’s reading continues the divine revelation of our Triune God with heaven’s response to Babyon’s fall. John hears cries of joy from many heavenly hosts who praise God for his salvific and glorious cleansing of the earth by rightfully judging the harlot (i.e., those who corrupted the world). They further declare the smoke of her ashes wafts to heaven eternally (indicating finality). Lastly, the twenty-four elders and four living creatures prostrate and worship God seated in majesty and glorify him, prompting a voice from the throne to command all the saints to praise God.
Takeaway: The word “Hallelujah” (hallēlouia) transliterates the Greek, which transliterates the Hebrew halelû yāh, which means “praise the Lord (or God).” Only in John’s Revelation do we see the Hebrew form of Hallelujah, but it appears often in the Psalms. Thus, John links his readers to their Jewish heritage, particularly concerning the Hallel Psalms (comprising Psalms 113-118), which harken to God rescuing Israel from bondage in Egypt. Jesus would have likely sung the Hallel with his disciples at the conclusion of their Passover meal—foreshadowing his soon salvific defeat of Satan with his sacrificial death. Thus, the implication is that while Christ defeated the devil at Calvary, rescuing us from the penalty of sin, here, the saints are emancipated from sin’s power and soon from its presence.
The final command to praise comes from the throne but is not the voice of the Father or Son since the receiver of praise is “our God” (implying subordination rather than triunity). The expression “Praise our God, all you his servants” (v.5) echoes Hallel Psalm 113:1. At the same time, “you who fear him, small and great” (v.5) harkens to Hallel Psalm 115:13. With this latter clause, we hear the united transcended worship of the world’s socio-economic strata—pointing us to Paul’s declaration that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28 ESV).
Our takeaway? Christ’s substitutionary death has set us free from the penalty of sin (which otherwise results in condemnation for those unredeemed by Christ’s blood). Thus, he is worthy of all our praise. Moreover, John’s Revelation that the Father and Son will crush Satan and his minions, freeing us entirely from the power of sin, gives us even more reason as servants of the King to praise our God. We can also celebrate that Christ’s kingdom’s economics has leveled the socio-economic hierarchy. Indeed, our Triune God is worthy of all our praise. Hallelujah!
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who delivered us from the power of sin and will deliver us from its presence. We also thank you for the Holy Spirit, who rescues us from sin’s power by redirecting our focus from ourselves to you and your Son, who are worthy of all our praise. So please help us cooperate with your Holy Spirit to look out and see all your mighty salvific works and look up and see your glory so that we might wholeheartedly praise you, Father and Son. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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