REJOICE: REUNION AND RELIEF
REVELATION 19:1-21
Big Idea: Salvation is not something; it is Someone!
Supporting Scripture: Psalm 23:5;
REVELATION 19:1-21
1After 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, 2for 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."
3Once more they cried out, Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever."
4And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" 5And from the throne came a voice saying, "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great."
6Then 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! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." 10Then 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." For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
11Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.12His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.13He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
17Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great." 19And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
INTRO
Jesus. The name means “the Lord saves!” There is an understandable preoccupation with this name. Attention is drawn to this name. Everyone can and should know this name. Indeed, this entire book has been about this name. The name is also the testimony. Jesus, not Rome and not Caesar, is King of kings and Lord of lords; the ultimate ruler of all creation. This is the name that conquers … but it is also the name that believers are persecuted for proclaiming. It is the name that Rome tries to commandeer.
Jesus. St. John begins and ends the book (Rev. 1:1 and 22:21) with emphasis on this name. Jesus is indeed “the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Rev. 18:21:6; 22:13). John authored this book to fixate on nothing other than Jesus Christ and when we look elsewhere for the book’s purpose we turn off-course and into dangerous terrain.
The book is, even more literally, about “the Lord saves!” The meaning of His name says it all and this chapter, in particular, is about that declaration.
SERMON
Twice now, John has taught us “salvation songs” that celebrate the triumph of God’s work (Rev. 7:10 and 12:10). This third and final salvation song does double duty: it concludes the judgment vision of the previous chapters and introduces the salvation vision.
Salvation is the answer to catastrophe. The dimensions of catastrophe are understood, biblically, to exceed human capacity for recovery. According to the Scriptures, nothing is exempt from the catastrophe. Nothing is innocent in the catastrophe. The catastrophe is beyond calculation.
The catastrophe was caused. The popular belief is that however bad things seem from time to time, there is no catastrophe. To face the fact of a catastrophe would involve, at some point or other, dealing with God. Anything seems preferable to that. So the devil doctors the report; the world edits the evidence. Humans add to the evil of this catastrophe by ignoring or circumventing or denying its magnitude. As long as we can rationalize, fantasize, or interpret the catastrophe as something considerably less than catastrophe, we can deny our need of God for salvation.
What I am saying is, humanity wants to down play catastrophe. We want to reduce it to something manageable – something that we can optimistically solve by ourselves. But the Scriptures, from beginning to end, are about a catastrophe; a catastrophe so enormous that no amount of human effort or time can solve it. We are in the eye of the storm – we are at the heart of the catastrophe. We do not stand outside it. We cannot observe it objectively. Any human attempt at solution is a contribution to its damaging effect.
The only positive contribution we can offer is a prayer. “Deliver us from evil.”
This brings us back to the solution. Jesus. “The Lord saves!” Rev. 19:1 says it like this: “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.”
Is this not the exclamation that all who experience the deliverance of God participate in?
Aren’t you numbered among the great multitude that declares this?
As I said, there is no accurate perception of catastrophe. Therefore, there can be no adequate perception of salvation, for salvation is God’s action that deals with catastrophe.
There has been nothing puny in John’s perception of catastrophe-it requires a strong stomach to stay on the scene while the seals are broken, the trumpets blown, and the bowls poured out.
The salvation is the plot of history. It is the most comprehensive theme of scripture; it overtakes and surpasses catastrophe. SALVATION IS GOD’S DETERMINATION TO RESCUE HIS CREATION: IT IS HIS ACTIVITY IN RECOVERING THE WORLD. IT IS PERSONAL AND IMPERSONAL. IT AFFECTS SOULS AND CITIES; IT TOUCHES SIN AND SICKNESS; IT REDEEMS YOUR CRIES AND THE COSMOS. AND GOD ALONE TAKES ON THE ENTIRE CATASTROPHE.
God’s salvation has two sides. It is double edged. Both are disclosed in chapters 19 & 20; both find Jesus at the center. SALVATION IS NOT SOMETHING – IT IS SOMEONE!
Salvation is about a meal and a war. SALVATION IS REUNION AND RELIEF.
Salvation is about a supper and a struggle. SALVATION IS REUNION AND RELIEF.
Salvation is about a feast and a fight. SALVATION IS REUNION AND RELIEF.
Psalm 23:5 says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” SALVATION IS REUNION AND RELIEF.
Why a meal? Because the bride has been united with the groom. It’s a marriage supper. In Luke 22:14-19 we read: 14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” 17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
Why a war? Because the enemy of the soul (introduced in chapter 12) is finally put down! Jesus is revealed as the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (v.16). He has no rival and with only His word He puts the enemy down (v. 15)!
Defeat of catastrophe. Salvation. This is why we have been reading this book! This is what we have been waiting for! In the midst of the struggle that these first century Christians were enduring John gives them hope. He shows them the victory that only God can bring.
This is one of the most dramatic moments in Revelation-the emergence of the conquering Christ. He is faithful and true (v.11). In Jesus Christ, we meet reliability and reality!
“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God”
• THE SALVATION OF GOD AWAKENS OUR GRATITUDE.
• THE GLORY OF GOD AWAKENS OUR REVERENCE.
• THE POWER OF GOD AWAKENS OUR HOPE.
Gratitude, reverence, hope - these are the elements that make up real praise.
WRAP-UP
The microcosm of this world that is your life consists of catastrophe that only finds solution in Jesus; “The Lord saves!”
To downplay the catastrophe only exacerbates it. The prayer, “Deliver us from evil” opens the door to gratitude, reverence and hope as you experience REUNION with God (Feast) and victorious RELIEF from the enemy (Fight).
Let’s worship Him with gratitude, reverence, and hope this morning.
Let’s allow verses 6 & 7 to set our tone.
"Hallelujah! (Chapter 19 is the only place this word is used in the New Testament and it means “praise the Lord”) For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory …”
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Special thanks to Eugene Petersen’s book, “Reversed Thunder: The Revelation of God and the Praying Imagination” for this sermon idea.
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
REJOICE!
Rev. 19 (Portions)
{Part 1}
Leader: Rejoice!
People: Hallelujah!
Leader: Rejoice!
People: Salvation and glory and power belong to our God!
Leader: Rejoice!
People: His judgments are true and just!
Leader: Rejoice!
People: Praise God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.
{Part 2}
Leader: Rejoice!
People: He is Faithful and True!
Leader: Rejoice!
People: Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory
Leader: Rejoice!
People: Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns!
