The Doxology
The Revelation of Jesus Christ • Sermon • Submitted
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· 12 viewsThe next two chapters, 19 and 20, describe the return of Jesus the Christ and the establishment of His 1,000-year reign on earth.
Notes
Transcript
Revelation 19:1-4
Revelation 19:1-4 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
Introduction
Introduction
In our journey so far, we were introduced to Jesus the Messiah, seven churches in Asia, the Tribulation, three sets of judgments (Scroll, Trumpet, and Bowl), an introduction to the Antichrist and false prophet. We were also introduced to Babylon, a political, socio-economic, and religious system.
In the two previous chapters (17 & 18), we saw in great detail the judgment and fall of the Babylon of the Tribulation period. The opening verses of chapter 19 are a continuation of the celebration in heaven of God’s judgment of the great whore.
Great empires have come and gone throughout history. The empires spoken of in the Bible are the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Macedo-Grecian and the Roman. At the time of the writing of the Revelation, the world was under the rule of the Roman Empire.
In his book, “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” , Edward Gibbon reviews the history of the demise of the Roman Empire. His whole book comes down to these five general reasons.
• The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis for human society.
• Higher and higher taxes; the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace.
• The mad craze for pleasure; sports be coming every year more exciting, more brutal, more immoral.
• The building of great armaments when the real enemy was within—the decay of individual responsibility.
• The decay of religion; faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life, losing power to guide the people.
The similarities to where we find ourselves in the 21st century in the United States of America is today is mind numbing. You can almost read each one of these bullet points as headlines in today’s news.
The next two chapters, 19 and 20, describe the return of Jesus the Christ and the establishment of His 1,000-year reign on earth.
Of this period, Wiersbe writes:
How will it all end?” has been mankind’s major question for centuries. Historians have studied the past, hoping to find a clue to understanding the future. Philosophers have tried to penetrate the meaning of things, but they have yet to find the key. No wonder perplexed people have turned in desperation to astrology and spiritism!
The prophetic Word of God shines like a “light … in a dark place” (2 Pet. 1:19), and on that we can depend. Here in Revelation 19–20, John has recorded five key events that will take place before God “wraps up” human history and ushers in His new heavens and earth.
Paige Patterson writes:
The revelry of heaven, which is inaugurated in the concluding verses of chap. 18, reaches crescendo level in chap. 19. The rejoicing spills over the battlements of heaven and penetrates the environment of Patmos, from which John records his observations. The initial 10 verses record the revelry of heaven but give way to an introduction to the wedding of the Lamb and to a brief sighting of the Lamb’s bride, the church. Suddenly, the scene changes and the Lamb is depicted as avenging warrior. Once again, Armageddon, the final conflict of the tribulation period, is unveiled, accompanied by an invitation to the birds of carrion to gorge themselves on the carcasses of enemies of the Lamb.
Let us leave this most terrible time of judgment and for a little while enjoy the moment.
WHAT IS A DOXOLOGY?
WHAT IS A DOXOLOGY?
The title of today’s message is, “The Doxology.” However, what is a doxology? Doxologies are an expression of praise to God. In the Christian church, we often hear them sung or chanted. They are a tradition that has meaning and importance for all Christians. Since the early church, doxologies have been a way for Christians to express their love and thankfulness for what God has done in their lives.
The book of the Revelation contains seven doxologies. Seven times there are expressions of praise to God that cannot be restrained or suppressed!
A doxology the Apostle John and by association so do the Seven churches in Asia give praise.
Revelation 1:5-6 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
A doxology by the four beasts and the twenty-four elders give praise.
Revelation 4:8-11 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
All of heaven, the angels, beasts, and the elders give praise.
Revelation 5:11-12 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
All creatures in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth give praise.
Revelation 5:13-14 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
A great multitude which no man could number of all nations give praise.
Revelation 7:9-12 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
The angels, elders, and four beasts give praise.
And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
A great multitude in heaven gives praise.
Revelation 19:1-2 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
THE FIVE-FOLD DOXOLOGY
THE FIVE-FOLD DOXOLOGY
Revelation 19:1 ¶ And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
“And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven”
In unison, a great multitude is in heaven, before the throne of God, lifting up their voices. It would appear that their joy is a continuation from the previous chapter where the angel said, “Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets” (18:20).
“…saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:”
“Alleluia”
The first word of adoration and worship is “alleluia.” This Greek word has its origin in the Hebrew word “halal” meaning to praise, and “yahh” meaning “JAH” which is the shortened form of the word Jehovah or LORD as translated in the King James Version. Therefore, their praise of “alleluia” means to “Praise the LORD.” This word only occurs in this portion of scripture. (19:1, 3, 4, 6)
The Hallel consists of six Psalms (113–118), which are recited as a unit, on joyous occasions including the Three Pilgrimage Festivals mentioned in the Torah (Deuteronomy 16:16)
Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:
The Feast of Passover/Unleavened Bread (Pesach), Feast of Weeks (Shavuot), and Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot).
“…Salvation…”
The second word of praise is Salvation. The Greek word “soteria” which means, “to rescue, a way or means of safety, deliverance or preservation.” What a wonderful way to worship the God who delivers His children and keeps them safe.
“…Glory…”
Glory has several meanings including; “splendor, brightness, amazing might, praise.”
“…Honor…”
The word for honor in the Greek means “that which is paid in token of worth or value.”
“…Power…”
The Greek word for power means that the one has the strength, power and ability to do the task.
“…unto to the Lord our God.”
The focus of all this worship from the multitude points to the Lord our God.
“Lord” is the Greek word “kurios” meaning the person having power or authority over.
“God” is the Greek word “theos” meaning a supreme divinity. Translated as the “the Godhead, trinity. 2a God the Father, the first person in the trinity. 2b Christ, the second person of the trinity. 2c Holy Spirit, the third person in the trinity. 3 spoken of the only and true God. .
So if we were to praise the LORD, like those in heaven we could sing the same song, and expanded paraphrase might look like:
“Praise the LORD, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which rescued, delivered, and preserves us. He is the splendor and brightness of heaven. He has paid for our salvation as He is the only one who had the strength, power and ability to complete the task.”
Perhaps we should take a moment, right now, to sing this praise with the redeemed in heaven.
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Revelation 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
“For true and righteous are his judgments…”
God’s judgments on the enemies of the followers of the Christ are true and just.
“…for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication”
Babylon corrupted the earth under the careful eye of the Antichrist and the false prophet, with her actions.
Note: there is a consistent theme of Babylon as a prostitute. Notice, Babylon is called “the woman”, “harlot”, “great whore”, “her” and Babylon’s actions as one indulging in fornication. She also considered herself “a queen” meaning she was above the law and be afforded a lofty position in the new world order.
God has looked upon the worship of idols and false religion as prostitution. (Lev. 20:5; 2 Chron. 21:13; Jeremiah 3:9, etc.)
“…and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.”
There are two crimes which God judged Babylon: 1) corrupting the earth with false worship, and 2) she killed anyone that did not worship the beast.
Revelation 19:3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
“And again they said, Alleluia.”
See notes on verse 1 concerning Alleluia.
“And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.”
Her judgment could be seen at great distances by the smoke of her destruction. The smoke is the visible result of burning (17:16; 18:8)
Revelation 19:4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
The last time we saw the twenty-four elders and the four beasts was in the eleventh chapter. Their actions were the same; they fell down and worshiped God (4:9-11; 5:8-10; 11:16). They say “amen” and “Alleluia.” Remember that “amen” means “surely, I agree, to be firm, or so be it.” And “alleluia” means Praise the LORD. The twenty-four elders and the four beasts join in the chorus of the redeemed.
God is not indifferent to human suffering—to tyranny—to idolatry. Everything in the life of mankind is grappled with by God. This grappling is the judgment of the God who cares.
Now the heavenly chorus sings praise to God for that faithful judgment. They praise God because the foundation cornerstone of truth has won the battle against the storm of the devil. Therefore, the promises are founded upon a sure foundation. That is the importance of this song. The river has broken its banks and fallen upon the house, but the house has withstood the storm (Matt. 7).
CONCLUSION
The Hallel
Psalm 113-118.