GREAT JOY IS COMING
Opening Prayer
“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.” Revelation 19:6
Read Revelation 19:1–10
Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon’s Fall
19 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
3 And again they shouted:
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:
“Amen, Hallelujah!”
5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
“Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both great and small!”
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
We live in a fallen world that has rejected God and His goodness. What aspects of life in this fallen world distress you most?Spend time watching any news channel, or reading any newspaper, and it can all get quite depressing. Wars, disasters, terrorism, corruption, injustice and increasing opposition to Christian beliefs and values. When will it all end?
Well, as we’ve seen, God will put an end to it all. Revelation 19 gives us a glimpse into the end of all wrong – the end of evil. But the most striking element is the great joy of ultimate justice (1–3). Do you long for the final unfolding of God’s justice and rule? Sin is often described in the Bible as “adultery” (Hosea 1:2). It’s giving the devotion, which is due to God alone, to other things, valuing created things over the Creator who made us for his love. This rejection of God’s love is the root of all evil and one day those who reject God’s love will face his judgment (3).
That day will be for all God’s people – the martyrs and the mocked, the heroes and the little people (5). All of us. We will wear wedding robes (8). These represent both the complete forgiveness of sin (7:14), and the “righteous acts” that naturally flow from our faith in Jesus (James 2:22 and 1 Corinthians 3:12–15).
Apply
Today, when you see bad news in the media, remember God’s promise of eternity. How can you encourage someone else with this blessed hope today?
Closing prayer
Lord, this world is so broken, but I praise You that one day justice will reign!
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