Rev 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: 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. 3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia."

Typically the great voice is associated with God in the scriptures (Due. 5:22; Rev. 1:10; 11:12; 16:1, 17; 21:3). However, in the above passage it is associated with the much people in heaven. The much people in heaven refer to God's people in the kingdom of heaven or church. They are speaking in unison by the Spirit of God, so indeed it is the great voice of God being sounded through the praise of God's people by the working of the Holy Spirit.

Let us consider what this great voice of God's people were saying. First, they said "Alleluia." Alleluia means praise ye Jah. Jah or Jehovah is the name for God characterizing him as a covenant keeping God. Our praise for God often centers around his covenant of redemption stated for us in Rom. 8:29, 30 and made before the foundation of the world.

Second, they were giving praise to God for their salvation. Salvation from sin includes salvation from the condemnation of sin, the bondage of sin, and the corruption of sin. Timely salvation includes salvation from ignorance, false worship and false worship systems, an untoward generation, timely pitfalls, false teachers and false doctrines, and providential salvation. God is the ultimate and only cause of our salvation from sin. He also works in us and leads us in our timely salvation. Thus to him belongs praise for all of our salvation.

Third, to God belongs all glory. The glory of salvation, the glory of creation, the glory of his character and qualities, the glory of his works, etc. all belong to God. Ps. 115:1 "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake." All glory and praise belongs to God.

Fourth, the word, honour, is defined as follows: 092. time, tee-may'; from G5099; a value, i.e. money paid, or (concr. and collect.) valuables; by anal. esteem (espec. of the highest degree), or the dignity itself:--honour, precious, price, some. The honour or dignity of our salvation and eternal life belongs to God and not unto man. There is no room to share that honour with others.

Fifth, all power belongs unto God. There are two main words that are translated in the New Testament to the English word power. One means authority and the other means strength. The word translated above means strength. All power or strength belongs to God. The covenant of redemption is executed by the power of God and God alone. Those things that pertain to our eternal salvation from sin and eternal life are brought about because of God's power and his alone. Thus, we praise him for his power.

True and righteous are God's judgments. God's judgments are according to truth, i.e., his word. They are also just or righteous judgments. This includes both his eternal judgment of sin and his timely judgments. His judgment of the great whore was according to that which God had prophesied (true), and was altogether just (equal to that which was proclaimed and worthy). What the whore received was according to what the whore had committed in corrupting the earth with her spiritual fornications, and what she had done in murdering the servants of the Lord. In other words, she got what she deserved and it was altogether just.

This judgment of the whore was also God's vengeance because of her killing of the servants of the Lord. She (Mystery Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth) received her just desserts at the destruction of Jerusalem because of her deeds and God's wrath was appeased on her because of her murderous ways.

"Again, they said alleluia." The second time praise is given to Jehovah for his covenant work. Not only has he saved us according to his covenant of redemption, but he has remembered his covenant of worship and avenged the enemies of God's people.

"And her smoke rose up for ever and ever." God's judgment of Mystery Babylon was complete and finished. God's people in his church throughout this New Covenant age will remember her judgment (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." Recall that previously four and twenty elders have been identified as being representative of God's people both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. In addition, the four beasts are typical of the four gospels showing forth the Kingship of Jesus Christ, the labor of Jesus Christ, the man Christ Jesus, and the Deity of Jesus Christ. In addition, we noted in Chapter 4 that when the four beasts give glory and honor to Christ, then God's people (four and twenty elders) fall down and worship Christ. The third time they said "Alleluia." They were giving praise to Jehovah for his completing the work of Salvation (sat down on the throne) and for his reigning in the Kingdom of God.

Rev 19:5, 6  "And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

"And a voice came out of the throne." While this voice is not specifically identified, it certainly is typical of God's gospel ministry. The true gospel ministry will call for the children of God to give praise, honor, and glory to God for all his wonderful works and for his covenant love toward his people.

Notice that they did not call for people to praise him who did not fear his name. They called upon only the servants of the Lord and those that fear his name to praise him. A person who has not been born of the Spirit has no fear of God before his eyes and therefore will not and cannot praise God. Only God's spiritually born people can praise him and they ought to do so. They called upon both small and great to praise him. Regardless of what station a child of God has in this natural world, he ought to praise God and he has every reason to do so.

"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude." We see a great multitude in Chapter 7 giving praise and glory to God. Rev. 7:9 "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; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." This multitude was so great that it was innumerable. Certainly all the elect will give glory and praise to God for their salvation from sin in the resurrection. Yet we should not wait until the resurrection to give praise and glory to God. While our salvation from sin is a great reason to give praise and glory to God, yet it is not the only reason. There is a multitude of reasons to give praise and glory to God.

"And as the voice of many waters" is a phrase depicting God's children as being in many nations:

1. Num. 24:5 "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! 6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. 7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted."

2. Ps. 29:3 "The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters."

3. Is. 17:13 "The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind."

4. Jer. 51:12 "Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon. 13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness."

"And as the voice of mighty thunderings" is a phrase used to depict a people that have been judged by the Lord. When the ten plagues came upon the land of Egypt, one of the judgment had within it mighty thunderings: Ex. 9:28 "Entreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer." Likewise at the giving of the law there were thunders and lightning at Mt. Sinai. Ex. 19:16 "And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled." Also, in Hannah's prayer she associated the thunders with God's judgment: 1 Sam. 2:10 "The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed." Consequently, thunders are associated with God's judgment and God judged his people for their sins at the cross of Calvary when Jesus was made to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Therefore, the voice of the people whom God has redeemed is the voice of mighty thundering.  "Saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

For the fourth time in this chapter the word "Alleluia" appears meaning praise ye Jehovah. Once again, praise is given to the covenant keeping God. The God who redeemed his people according to the covenant of redemption he made with himself before the world began. This covenant is set forth for us in Rom. 8:28-30: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

Next, the word "the" in "the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" indicates that there is only one. Truly, there is only one Lord God omnipotent. There is no other God besides him.

The term "Lord" refers to God as being the Master. He is the Master and we are his servants. We honor him for being the Good Master who not only provides for us, but also gives us our directions and orders. The term "God" refers to God as being the divine or supernatural being. He has created us and given us everything that we have. We owe our very existence to him both naturally and spiritually and because of this, He deserves all of our praise.

The term "omnipotent" refers to the fact that God is all-powerful. He who has created all things certainly has all power over all things that he has created. It is by his power that we were created. It is by his power that we are sustained. It is by his power that we are preserved in Christ Jesus. It is by his power that we will be resurrected from the graves. It is by his power that our vile bodies will be changed and fashioned like unto his glorious body. It is by his power that he provided for our every need. It is by his power that we are enabled to believe on Him. Certainly we should praise him because of his omnipotence.

The term "reigneth" refers to the reign of Christ as King in his kingdom. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Having such a king to reign over us and having such a spiritual kingdom that he has given us should be cause of great rejoicing and subsequently great praise to his very worthy name.

Rev 19:7-9  "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him." We can be glad, rejoice, and give honour to God for our salvation from sin's condemnation. For Christ died on the cross to deliver us from sin's condemnation. We can be glad, rejoice, and give honour to God for our salvation from sin's bondage. For the Holy Spirit quickened us unto spiritual life when we dead in trespasses and sins and thus delivered us from the bondage of sin.

We can be glad, rejoice, and give honour to God for our salvation from sin's corruption. Christ will come in the morning of the resurrection and change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto Christ's glorious body and we shall ever be with the Lord.

We can be glad, rejoice, and give honour unto God because of our timely deliverances. We can be glad, rejoice, and give honour unto God for his word that he has given us. We can be glad, rejoice, and give honour unto God for his church that he has built in which we can worship and serve him.

We can be glad, rejoice, and give honour unto God because of the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the church. The list of things for which we can be glad, rejoice, and give honour to God for is very great.

"For the marriage of the Lamb is come." The book of Ephesians tells us plainly that the wife of the Lamb is the church:

Eph. 5:22 "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

The 22nd Chapter of Matthew tells us of the time that the marriage had come: Matt. 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage." The time that the marriage feast had come is when the oxen and fatlings were killed. This signifies that the marriage feast was come when the Lamb died on the cross.

"And his wife hath made herself ready." There are things that the Lord had done to make the wife ready for the marriage and there are things that the bride does to make herself ready. First, the Lord prepared his bride according to Ephesians Chapter 5. Eph. 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." The Lamb sanctified and cleansed the church from her sins. The Lamb made her a glorious church, which has neither spot nor wrinkle. The Lamb made her holy and without blemish. Furthermore, the Lamb prepared her ordinances, government, gave her ministers and gifts, and her manner of service.

The bride makes herself ready when she reverences her Lord and submits herself unto his government and wears the apparel that he has provided and eats his provision. She does this in belief and obedience to the gospel.

"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." The saints have no righteousness of their own. Is. 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." The Lamb made us righteous. 2 Cor. 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Through the shed blood of the Lamb, he has cleansed us from our sin and made us righteous before God. We wear the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.

The Lamb has cleansed us:

1. Acts 10:15 "And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."
2. Tit. 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
3. 1 Cor. 6:11 "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
4. Heb. 10:22 "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."
5. Rev. 1:5 "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."

"Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." Supper is a sign of fellowship and rejoicing when it is associated with a marriage. Again we go to the 22nd Chapter of Matthew to notice this calling unto the marriage supper:

Matt. 22:2 "The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests."

The calling unto the marriage supper of the Lamb is the gospel call to the kingdom of God. This is not a call to eternal glory, but rather a call to enter into the fellowship and service of God in this time world in this timely kingdom. The gospel calls us to worship God in Spirit and in truth and to be his servants. Through the gospel calling, God blesses us in our fellowship with Him and his servants and blesses us to know the truth. God also blesses us in our service to God as he tells us "Well done thou good and faithful servant."

"And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God." These, being the true sayings of God, certainly exhort us to believe and be obedient unto them. God help us to do this.