Revelation 19:1-10
The End Times

In my last post, we completed Revelation 18 by examining Fornicators Lament; Apostles and Prophets Avenged. In this post, we explore Revelation 19:1-10 ~ The Marriage of the Lamb Has Come.  I’m excited that we have made it this far in our verse-by-verse study of Revelation.  Chapter 19 begins with the Marriage Feast of the Lord and ends with the Second Coming of Yeshua.

“After these things, I heard what sounded like the roar of a huge crowd in heaven, shouting, ‘Halleluyah! The victory, the glory, the power of our God! ² For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great whore who corrupted the earth with her whoring. He has taken vengeance on her who has the blood of his servants on her hands.’ ³ And a second time they said, ‘Halleluyah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever!’ ⁴ The twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshipped God, sitting on the throne, and said, ‘Amen! Halleluyah!’ ⁵ A voice went out from the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all you His servants, you who fear Him, small and great!’ ⁶ Then I heard what sounded like the roar of a huge crowd, like the sound of rushing waters, like loud peals of thunder, saying, “Halleluyah! Adonai, God of heaven’s armies, has begun his reign! ⁷ ‘Let us rejoice and be glad! Let us give Him the glory! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and His Bride has prepared herself — ⁸ fine linen, bright and clean has been given her to wear.’ (“Fine linen” means the righteous deeds of God’s people.) ⁹ The angel said to me, ‘Write: ‘How blessed are those who have been invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb!’ Then he added, ‘These are God’s very words.’ ¹⁰ I fell at his feet to worship him; but he said, ‘Don’t do that! I’m only a fellow-servant with you and your brothers who have the testimony of Yeshua. Worship God! For the testimony of Yeshua is the Spirit of prophecy.’” ~ Revelation 19:1-10 (CJB)

The Halleluyah Chorus

Before getting to the Marriage Feast (beginning in verse 7) we are treated to the original Halleluyah Chorus in verses 1-6.  The Halleluyah Chorus comes as a breath of fresh air after the depressing activities of the previous chapters. Now there is cause to celebrate, as this passage is an encouragement not to quit, not to give up, to know that whatever befalls the Believer in this life, there is ultimately a victorious pay off for those who remain faithful.

After these things, I heard what sounded like the roar of a huge crowd in heaven, shouting, ‘Halleluyah! The victory, the glory, the power of our God! ² For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great whore who corrupted the earth with her whoring. He has taken vengeance on her who has the blood of his servants on her hands.’ ³ And a second time they said, ‘Halleluyah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever!’ ⁴ The twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshipped God, sitting on the throne, and said, ‘Amen! Halleluyah!’ ⁵ A voice went out from the throne, saying, ‘Praise our God, all you His servants, you who fear Him, small and great!’ ⁶ Then I heard what sounded like the roar of a huge crowd, like the sound of rushing waters, like loud peals of thunder, saying, “Halleluyah! Adonai, God of heaven’s armies, has begun his reign!

Though the general reference of a huge crowd in heaven may be to all people in heaven, the allusion seems to be to the martyred dead of the Great Tribulation.

Halleluyah is Hebrew for “Praise Yah!“ (“Praise the Lord!”), rendered in the Greek text as Allelouia, and found in the Bible 22 times in Psalms 104-150 and four times in these six verses. The huge crowd in heaven praises God by declaring Halleluyah! Adonai, God of heaven’s armies, has begun his reign. God’s universal rule is a major theme of the Tanakh (Psalms 103:19, 145:13; Isaiah 2:2-4, 9:5-6(6-7), 11:6-9; Micah 4:1-4; Zechariah 14:9). On the one hand, the Brit Hadashah presents the “Kingdom” or “rulership” of God as a reality present at this moment through trusting in Yeshua HaMessiah (Matt. 5:3, 10; 11:11; 12:28; 25:34; 26:29; Luke 17:21; Romans 14:17; 1Corinthians 4:20; Colossians 1:13). On the other hand, it also describes the Kingdom as a future promise yet to be fully manifested (Matt. 6:10, 7:21; Luke 22:30, 23:42; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:21; 2 Kefa 1:11).

The present passage inaugurates God’s kingly reign, although its establishment requires several stages: first is the wedding feast of the Lamb (vv. 7-9), climaxed by the return of the Messiah (vv. 11-15); then HaSatan must be chained (20:1-3, 7-10), judgment must take place (20:11-15), and only then does Yeshua actually rule (21:3-4, 22:3-5); compare 1Cointhians 15:23-28.

Ray Stedman gives additional light to this passage of Scripture: [1]

You may be surprised to learn that this chapter marks the first appearance of the word Halleluyah—not only in the book of Revelation but in the entire New Testament! There are many Halleluyahs in the Psalms and throughout the Old Testament, but this exhilarating shout of praise does not appear in the New Testament until the last few chapters. But at this point in Revelation, the shouts of Halleluyah become thunderous, resounding, even deafening. The final and utter destruction of Mystery Babylon precipitates a Halleluyah Chorus in heaven that brings the entire heavenly host to its feet in a standing ovation of praise. Gone is the adulterous institution that wrapped up God’s truth in a tissue of demonic lies, that set deadly snares for unwary believers, that introduced error and abomination into the world in the name of God. Verse 3 confirms that the destruction of Babylon is not merely an earthly catastrophe of an evil society of human beings. “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever,” a statement which demonstrates that it is not merely an event in time that we are witnessing, but an event in eternity, in the realm of “forever and ever.”

Keep in mind what they have just witnessed! The most corrupt and evil system that ever invaded this planet, always seeking to control humanity through politics and religion has been destroyed. HaSatan’s kingdom has come to an end making room for the kingdom of Yeshua. The forthcoming marriage festival is cause for thanksgiving and celebration. The Bridegroom and His bride enjoy a private marriage ceremony in Heaven which is followed by a public party.

The Marriage Feast of the Lamb

Let us rejoice and be glad! Let us give Him the glory! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and His Bride has prepared herself — ⁸ fine linen, bright and clean has been given her to wear.’ (“Fine linen” means the righteous deeds of God’s people.) ⁹ The angel said to me, ‘Write: ‘How blessed are those who have been invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb!’ Then he added, ‘These are God’s very words.’”

There are at least a couple of questions that always come up when discussing this event. One needs to realize that there are two events taking place; first, there is the wedding and then begins the wedding feast. The first question has to do with the Bridegroom Himself. The Scriptures point to the fact that the person of Yeshua is the Bridegroom. In Matthew 9:15, Yeshua is talking about Himself as the Bridegroom. In Matthew 22:1-3, Yeshua speaks a parable; however, it is a reference to Himself and a marriage that will one day take place. In Matthew 25:1-10, Yeshua speaks of the ten virgins, but the close study reveals He is the Bridegroom expressed of in verses five, six and ten.

The second question that arises has to do with the identity of the Bride. The Kehillah is the Bride of Yeshua. This includes all who have been saved, from the establishment of the Kehilah until the Rapture and the Tribulation saints. Sha’ul in writing to the saints at Corinth says For I am jealous for you with God’s kind of jealousy; since I promised to present you as a pure virgin in marriage to your one husband, the Messiah. 2 Corinthians 11:2.

When Yochanan sees this glorious celebration, note his reaction! I fell at his feet to worship him; but he said, ‘Don’t do that! I’m only a fellow-servant with you and your brothers who have the testimony of Yeshua. Worship God! For the testimony of Yeshua is the Spirit of prophecy.’ Some groups take the phrase, Spirit of prophecy, to mean there will be future revelations. Such an interpretation is sought only to support those who want to convince themselves that they are some prophet! Nothing could be more wrong. The very nature or purpose of prophecy is to testify of Yeshua. Yeshua is the Spirit of prophecy, and all prophecy points only to Yeshua. Believers who have in them is the Spirit of prophecy that is, the Ruach HaKodesh, may speak forth God’s truth whenever they live a godly, Messianic life and communicate the Besorah to others.

Special Comparative Note on Chapter 19:1-10 ^[2]

Historicist Approach:

Historicists believe that with the fall of the papal system, the church is prepared to join Yeshua in further conquests of the nations through the Gospel message and celebrate His triumphal reign.  The marriage of the Lamb is variously understood, depending on the millennial leanings of the scholars.  Matthew Henry has an interesting paraphrase to For the testimony of Yeshua is the Spirit of prophecy.  He writes:

“I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren which have the testimony of Jesus; I also have the testimony of Jesus, but you as an apostle has the Spirit of prophecy.”

Preterist Approach:

Preterists view this passage as parallel to the last five verses of Chapter 11.

Futurist Approach:

Futurists see this first reference to the marriage of the Lamb as figurative of the ultimate union of Yeshua with His people ~ the saints of past and future ages.  But like the Historicists, they are divided by their dispensational leanings.

Idealist Approach:

Idealists see in this passage an excellent portrayal of the Jewish marriage customs of the apostolic era.

In my next post, we’ll examine Revelation 19:11-21 ~ The Rider on the White Horse.

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[1] A Layman’s Commentary on Revelation by Don Jones.

[2] Material in this post is taken from “Revelation: Four Views, Revised & Updated” by Steve Gregg. Notations in brackets, if any, are my comments.