A Study of Eschatology

Revelation 19

The battle has been long and hard, for seven years God has judged sin and Satan and He has judged mankind for following the path of good and evil, and from departing from Him. We are at the end of the battle, the victory of the Cross and the victory of the Tribulation will usher in the next step.

The Marriage Supper of the LAMB Without the Cross and without the Tribulation there can be no Marriage. In other words, it is the marriage that binds the saints to heaven and sets up the Millennial Reign of Christ on earth. So Revelation 19:1-10 will reveal a dramatic change in the theme of the book. From solemn and somber to a jubilant wedding song of celebration. It is the song sung by the Bride. Of Salvation, of Glory, of Honor and Power, it is sung to the Bridegroom to the LORD our God.

The multitudes of heaven have waited for this day since the fall of mankind. The number of angels and saints are identified in these few verses as multitudes. A vast number of men, women, children. As people began dying on earth and as time moved forward, more and more were added. Until this moment no one knew when the day would come. But each person has a personal invitation. The invitations are not sitting on a table at the entrance of heaven so that a saint could grab one as he or she enters heaven. Each one is prepared for each person personally as they cross the threshold of heaven's door.

I am reminded of times and events that I have waited for in my life. Some have been with great anticipation, like waiting for the day when a deployment overseas would end and I would be back home. Waiting for children to be born and seeing them for the first time. Life is waiting, but it is also living for what we wait for. There is this event on God's calendar called, “The marriage supper of the Lamb. It is a wedding celebration that should not be missed. Invitations are prepared on the spot. So why have I repeated this statement. John 3:16 and 2 Peter 3:9. So this is a celebration that does not have to be missed. If you miss it, it will be by your own choice.

The Celebration: Revelation 19:1-6

It is very hard for us to understand events in heaven. One of the main reasons is that while we do have a great anticipation of being there with the LORD we have daily distractions. Distractions that sometimes carry us for months or years in directions that are far away. Some of this distraction could be the result of living life in Christ on earth. We certainly need to know how to live as a saint of God and this, in and of itself keeps us very busy. Also there is a fear of trying to understand prophesy, but these distractions can be overcome by faith. One thing that could help, is to know is that prophesy about heaven is not complicated and as far as we know there is just not a lot of it since in heaven the coming marriage of the Lamb is the only event being waited for, or worked on by the LORD Himself. John 14:1-3

One thought that needs a little consideration is that the Jewish people are looking for a city who builder is God. Since the epistle to the Hebrews in found in the New Testament we what to believe that the entire epistle is devoted to the saints of God who are other than Jewish. This would not be true. There are many applicable and transferable truths in Hebrews for all saints, but the epistle is mainly for the “born again” Jew who sees his or her home as the New Jerusalem in heaven and temple worship centered around their Messiah, the LORD Jesus Christ.

Also as you well know through the past year we have focused on the Jewish understanding of biblical events because the church of Jesus Christ has not been in the picture at all since the first four verses of Revelation 4. However, we are winding things up, the Tribulation is over and the Millennial Reign of Christ is fast approaching. With the Tribulation over, the church becomes the subject of heaven again and it is through this marriage supper that the Jew and the Gentile Saints become united to Christ the Lamb for eternal purposes. We have been united to Him in Salvation and Sanctification and through the Holy Spirit we have experienced a partial inheritance of Glorification. Now as scripture reveals we shall be fully glorified like Him. 1 John 3:2. If you want to shout hallelujah right now – go ahead. Hallelujah is (Praise God) the word is Hebrew by origin but it is written in all languages the same. There is only one biblical way to praise God and that is by shouting the word “Hallelujah”!

The Four Hallelujahs:

• Salvation: God, provides; Permanent deliverance from Sin, Satan and Death

The message of the cross is salvation to who so ever will believe in the Son of God who is the the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world and who is risen from the dead. Everyone who has believed in Him for salvation will experience at this moment total and permanent deliverance from sin, Satan and death. All in heaven will shout Hallelujah!

• Glory: God provides; Permanent praise the absence of Sin, Satan and Death

With the judgment of God over, the grace of God will enable His Glory to be experienced in full, mercy will give way the full glorification of grace since sin and death are no longer an experience to be dealt with. So all in heaven will shout, Hallelujah!

• Honor: God has; Permanent dignity in our full inheritance of Eternal Life

To this hallelujah one additional word is added and it is also a word in Hebrew that is translated in all languages the same and that is the word, Amen. Amen is a word for binding, or making a vow. If it were translated it would equal three English words. “So be it” In order for us to see what the twenty-four elders are doing by making this hallelujah a vow at the Throne of God is to make salvation a sovereign eternal and permanent pillar of law. Sin and Death are over for this phase and plan of salvation. Satan con no longer penetrate the hearts and minds of the saints of God. God rules in heaven, so we see this affirmed by the vow from the twenty-four elders. Amen! Hallelujah!

• Power: God has; Permanent majesty among all the choirs of heaven.

This final hallelujah is of the loudest, as the attributes of God's saving grace rings in praise to God throughout heaven, all of creation raises it's voice. The corridors of heaven shouts as the supremacy of God is revealed in unchangeable splendor.

Hallelujah, for the LORD God Omnipotent reigns!

The Ceremony: Revelation 19:7-9

All through the gospels and epistles the LORD has swooned us with His love. In pursuit of our soul, He has sought an intimate connection between Himself and the Church. He is:

• The Shepherd; we are the sheep (John 10:1-5)

• The Vine; we are the branches (John 15:1-5)

• The Cornerstone; we are the building stones (Ephesians 2:19-22)

• The High Priest; we are kingdom priests (1 Peter 2:4-10)

There are other connections too, but these help us to understand that the LORD Jesus loves us and has made us His Bride and from the passages here in Revelation we can see that we are purely happy to be married to Him. The picture of this Church wedding with Christ will be revealed more and more as we travel through the rest of Revelation.

• A Wedding Most Holy – Revelation 19:7-9 It is easy for us to forget that in ancient Oriental marriage customs, the bridegroom was the focus of attention. In our western world we focus on the bride. But in biblical Israel it is the bridegroom who takes center stage. Thus if we choose as some theologies do here in the West to focus on the bride we will miss the wedding feast. This is not about us, to focus on us is sinful and selfish. So we will avoid the misunderstandings of the marriage of the Lamb to His Bride, the church.

As students of the Word of God we know from past studies that we were legally redeemed to become the Bride of Christ and that this purchase was completed by God Himself when we were included in the ranks of the universal church of God, the Lamb's Book of Life reveals our membership. It is not about us but about Christ. Luke 20:10.

The phases of this marriage began when we were saved, the next phase for us is when we meet the LORD in the air, the rapture as we read earlier in John 14. The final stage is when we return with the LORD to the earth in a glorious bridal procession, as the Marriage supper of the LAMB is consummated.

Even the judgment seat of Christ is pictured here in verse 8 explaining that we will be dressed in fine linen. When we are saved we are given the white robe of the Righteousness of Christ to wear. Here at the Feast we are given a new set of clothing. These are the righteous acts of the saints.1 Corinthians 3:10-15 and 2 Corinthians 5:9-11

• A Supper Most Sacred – Revelation 19:10 Are you ready, one way to know is if you are focused on religion, you are not ready. If your focus is on the Risen Christ, you are ready.