Revelation 19:1-5 (NKJV) After these things, I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! 2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” 3 Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” 5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”
V1 “After these things, I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!”
In contrast to the worshippers and followers of the antiChrist, those in heaven scream out their praise, joy, and excitement at the evil which is being destroyed by the victorious King. Salvation is deliverance, whether from the wrath of God and forgiveness of sins to deliverance from situations that people and nations experience. Compare Acts 7:25 (deliver Israel from slavery), Acts 27:34 (deliver from hunger), Romans 13:11 (deliverance from evil and, as I believe, refers to the Rapture), and 1 Peter 1:9-10 (deliverance from God’s wrath by believing in Jesus alone).
V2 “For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” God’s decisions, whether concerning things pleasant (blessings) and unpleasant (punishment), are always done in wisdom, love, and holiness. These punishments in Revelation are true (deserved and adjusted to the level of evil) and righteous (in accordance with God’s character traits, worldview, and laws). The great harlot is Babylon, the city. Babylon corrupted the earth with her fornication (all sins, whether thoughts, desires, words, and/or deeds), breaking and encouraging all types of sins. Compare Romans 1:18-32, especially the last verse: Romans 1:32 (20cNT) “Well aware of God’s decree that those who do such things deserve to die, not only are they guilty of them themselves, but they even applaud those who do them.” Our actions have consequences. If we do what is pleasing in God’s eyes, there are blessings (Psalm 115:13). If we do what is displeasing in God’s eyes, there are curses. Compare the contrasts in Deuteronomy 28. Compare how God treats people differently—Psalm 37:22, Psalm 119:21, Proverbs 3:33, and Leviticus 11:47 (showing God’s principle in differentiating).
V3 “Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” So, comforted and overjoyed at evil being destroyed, the inhabitants of heaven rejoice again.
V4 “And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” Falling (kneeling or lying prostrate) down is an action recognizing God’s authority as the King. They are overjoyed that the antiChrist had no power to stop God’s judgment. Our God is truly King over all.
V5 “Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” The command comes again. It is unknown who is speaking.
Revelation 19:1 (Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary (7 Vols.)) “One day we shall hear those four Alleluias, vs. 1, 3, 4, 6. They will reverberate to the farthest limits of the universe. They will not be inspired by vindictiveness or revenge, but will be jubilant with the conviction that God has vindicated himself and has proved that right can conquer wrong; truth, falsehood; and love, hate. One of our chief anticipations when we think of the future is that God’s character and government of the universe will be amply vindicated.”
Revelation 19:5 (Holman Commentary) “The heavenly voice calls them all, both small and great, rich and poor, male and female, young and old, to praise God for who He is and what He does. (Remember that the entire Book of Revelation was written to benefit all servants [bond slaves] of Christ, 1:1.)”
We learn:
- Evil will be destroyed.
- God’s servants will rejoice and rejoice.