Rejoice! Reunion And Relief

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.