Revelation 19:1-10: The Marriage Feast

Introduction

Outline

Revelation 1 - Introduction

Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction

Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction

Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man

Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches

Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus

Revelation 2:8-11 - The Letter to Smyrna

Revelation 2:12-17 - The Letter to Pergamum

Revelation 2:18-29 - The Letter to Thyatira

Revelation 3:1-6 - The Letter to Sardis

Revelation 3:7-13 - The Letter to Philadelphia

Revelation 3:14-22 - The Letter to Laodicea

Revelation 4-5 - The Throne Room

Revelation 4:1-11 - A Vision of the Throne Room

Revelation 5:1-14 - The Lamb is Worthy

Revelation 6-8:5 - The Seven Seals

Revelation 6:1-8 - The First Four Seals

Revelation 6:9-17 - The Fifth and Sixth Seals

Revelation 7:1-17 - Who can Stand on the Day of the Lord?

Revelation 8:1-5 - Anticipation of Further Judgment

Revelation 8:6-11:19 - The Seven Trumpets

Revelation 8:6-13 - The First Four Trumpets

Revelation 9:1-21 - The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets

Revelation 10:1-11 - The End is Near

Revelation 11:1-14 - The Two Witnesses

Revelation 11:15-19 - The Seventh Trumpet

Revelation 12:1-15:4 - The Seven Visions

Revelation 12:1-17 - The Woman, Child, and Heavenly Hosts Versus the Great Dragon

Revelation 13:1-10 - The Beast out of the Sea

Revelation 13:11-18 - The Beast from the Earth

Revelation 14:1-5 - The 144,000

Revelation 14:6-13 - The Proclamations of the Three Angels

Revelation 14:14-20 - The Harvest and Judgment

Revelation 15:1-4 - The Glory of God fills the Heavenly Sanctuary

Revelation 15:1-4 - The Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb

Revelation 15:5-16:21 - The Seven Bowls

Revelation 15:5-8 - The Glory of God fills the Heavenly Sanctuary

Revelation 15:5-8 - The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

Revelation 16:1-21 - Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

Revelation 17-19 - Judgment

Revelation 17:1-18 - The Great Prostitute is Judged

Revelation 18:1-24 - Babylon Falls

Revelation 19:1-10 - The Marriage Feast

Revelation 19:1-5 - Rejoicing Over Babylon’s Fall

Revelation 19:6-10 - The Great Supper of the Lamb

Purpose of Book

The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.

Main Point

The covenant people of God rejoice over Babylon’s judgment. Upon her destruction the Lamb and the Bride are wed!

Revelation 19:1-5 - Rejoicing Over Babylon’s Fall

1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah!

1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out

John hears the covenant people of God crying out in worship upon Babylon’s fall

Revelation 18:20 ESV

20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!”

Revelation 7:9–10 ESV

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

“Hallelujah!

Taken from the OT meaning “Praise Yahweh”

The question must be asked - Is God worthy to be praised when Babylon is destroyed?

The answer is a resounding - YES!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 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.”

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God

Salvation has arrived as Babylon the evil, great prostitute that has murdered the people of God has been destroyed

2 For his judgments are true and just

All the lies and injustices by Babylon are exposed and made right by God

God is a just God does and will put injustice to an end

For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Here we see God’s good judgment - He has judged Babylon as guilty for two reasons:

Corrupted the earth

Murdered the saints

Revelation 17:5–6 ESV

5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly.

If God failed to rightly judge and destroy Babylon, He would prove to be an unfair and unjust God thus revealing that salvation, honor, and power do not belong to Him

3 Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah!

The covenant people of God once again rejoice at the judgment of God upon the great prostitute

The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

God’s judgment has been issued and it will be for eternity

Revelation 18:21 ESV

21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more;

4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!”

4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying

The 24 elders and 4 living creatures (celestial beings) make a reappearance and worship God once again - both human and celestial servants of God worship Him

Revelation 4:10 ESV

10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

Revelation 5:8 ESV

8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 5:14 ESV

14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

“Amen. Hallelujah!”

Agreement and a praise from those surrounding the throne

5 And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.”

5 And from the throne came a voice saying

We are not entirely sure who the voice from the throne is - God? A spiritual being? The most likely answer is one of the 24 elders or one of the 4 living creatures

What we do know for sure is the voice has divine authority

“Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.”

The command to praise God is given after judgment has been given to Babylon the great worldly, evil empire

The great God of the earth has delivered His people from her enemies once again - this time in an eschatological manner

Regardless of the servants status, small or great, they are commanded to praise God

Revelation 19:6-10 - The Great Supper of the Lamb

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah!

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude

Like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out

The sound is deafening

“Hallelujah!

The people of God cry out Praise Yahweh!

For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.

Why do the covenant people of God rejoice? He reigns - UNIVERSALLY! He holds all things together

Certainly not Domitian who claimed himself as “Our Lord and God”

Notice as well OUR God… Not an abstract God who reigns at a distance, but one who is personal

7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory

For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready

This is the reason why everyone rejoices, exalts, and gives God glory

A wedding is a joyous occasion where two come together in lasting covenant - here is it is the same between the Lamb and His Bride

The Lamb’s desire to be with His people is fulfilled!

8 It was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

First, it is clear that God has clothed His covenant people because salvation is a gift of God not relying on any works

Second, they must walk in actual righteous deeds as a result of their justification

She has lived a holy life unto the triune God where Babylon has lived in debauchery

A holy and transformed life is the proper/expected response of those who have been justified

Remember the seven churches - holiness was a key issue

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this:

Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

Blessed - 4th of the book

Isaiah 25:6–8 ESV

6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. 7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.

In Isaiah 25:6-8, we see that that dictators and human sufferings come to an end at the messianic feast

Luke 14:15–24 ESV

15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”

And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

The angels affirms that one day the marriage supper will happen - the promise will be fulfilled

10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.”

10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that!

John’s response to the angel’s command is to fall down and worship - mistakenly?

Worship is NOT to be given to any angel or celestial being - to God alone!

I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Worship God.”

Here is the center of the book - GOD

Revelation is centered on God Himself and ultimately ALL worship belongs to Him - not Babylon, not the beast, not the false prophet, not the dragon, and not any of the celestial beings - GOD ALONE

For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

The Holy Spirit inspired prophecy points to testimony given by and about Jesus

The centrality of the prophecy is not about us, but about Jesus, the Lamb of God!

Main Point

The covenant people of God rejoice over Babylon’s judgment. Upon her destruction the Lamb and the Bride are wed!

How Should we Live in Light of Revelation 19:1-10?

Praise God because He is the only just and true God!

The day will come when God finally and fully Babylon is finally and FULLY judged. Until then, persevere to New Jerusalem. Do not get caught up in Babylon!

One day… One day, the kingdom will be fully consummated, we will be wed to Christ, and we will glorify Him by enjoying Him forever