1. The Celebration in heaven. 19:1-10 Verses 1-6 are a response of rejoicing to the exhortation to rejoice over Babylon’ s fall. 18:20 V.1 a) Great multitude proclaims - I. This is the last occurrence in Revelation of the word “ After this” (Gr. Meta tauta). II. The Multitude praise God in heaven in a 4-fold way. The Great multitude Gives Glory to God. III. The Meaning of Halleluiah. Alleluia is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Hallelujah. A. Hallelu means praise. B. Iah or Yah is a short word for Yahweh, which is God’ s name given to Moses. Ex.3:14 IV. Halleluiah occurs only 4 times in the New Testament and that is in Rev.19:1, 3, 4, 6, the word has been reserved for the final victory. V. V.1-5 is the last song of praise in the book of Revelation. V.2 b) Great harlot judged - The 3-fold reasons of why the multitude praises God: I. Because God’ s judgments are righteous and true. Deu.32:4, 41 II. Because God has judged the great harlot. III. Because God has avenged the martyrs. The Righteousness of God Repays. IV. The false bride - The harlot is destroyed and now in verse 7 the true bride of Christ is prepared. V.3-4 c) God is worshipped - I. The Worshipping Crowd Repeats their Saying of Halleluiah, The Wicked City Rises in Smoke. II. The smoke of Babylon will always be remembered as a great victory of God. III. The multitude said halleluiah, the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures join in the praise and worship and says halleluiah. IV. Heaven agrees with the judgment of God on Babylon. V. This is the last reference to the 24 elders in Revelation; they are now the bride of Christ. V.5 d) Great & small are exhorted to praise - I. An angel exhorts all heaven to praise God. II. Everyone are Exhorted to Exalt God. V.6 e) Great God is praised - Reigning God. I. The sound of the great Multitude of heaven A. Many waters (Waterfall), B. Mighty thunders. II. They praise God because He is Omnipotent and He reigns. V.7 f) Glory to God for a marriage has come - Ready bride. I. Rejoice - A marriage mood is exhorted in heaven: Be glad, rejoice and give Him glory. II. Readiness - Every believer that is in Christ is His bride and a wedding is prepared in heaven. Rev.21:2, 9; 22:17; John 3:29; 2.Cor.11:2; Eph.5:25-32 III. The bride of Christ on the earth is not yet married with Him but only engaged. V.8 g) Gown of the bride - Righteous saints. Psalms 45:14; Isaiah 61:10 I. Arrayal of the bride - The bride is given a gown to wear. II. Acts of the saints - The gown is made of the righteous acts of the saints, which is imputed to believers in Christ. 1.Cor.1:30; Rom.3:21-22; Phil.3:9; Eph.1:4; 5:26-27 III. The clothing of the bride contrasts the clothing of the harlot. 17:4; 18:16 V.9 h) Greatest wedding of all time - I. Invited Saints are blessed, Inspired Sayings are true. II. Those who are invited to the marriage supper are the bride of Christ and the guests (Old Testaments saints and tribulation saints). Matt.22:11-14; 25:1-13; Luke 14:15-24; Psalms 45:9, 12 III. The greatest banquet ever seen or experienced will be the marriage feast of the lamb. IV. According to Matt.25:1-13 the marriage supper will take place on the earth. V. Where is the honeymoon? It’ s the Millennium period, a 1000 thousand year honeymoon. VI. The Jewish marriage tradition. 1. Jewish marriages were arranged marriages, the fathers met together and decided, sometimes even before the children were born, that these children should marry each other. The Church is chosen before creation to be married with Christ. Eph.1:4 2. THE The Jews were betrothed (engaged) before marriage, the man went to the woman’ s house and asked her father for his daughter, often they don’ t see each another until the time comes for them to be married. The Church on earth doesn’ t see Jesus until He takes her home to the marriage ceremony. 3. The bridal price The bridegroom and his father should pay a bridal price for the bride. Christ and His Father paid the price for the Church His bride. Eph.1:14; Acts 20:28 4. The marriage contract They made a marriage contract when they paid the price. The Jewish nuptial contract (Heb. Ketubah) has mutual obligations, the husband promises to provide for her and the bride promises to be faithful at home. The new covenant is the marriage contract where Jesus’ promises are written and it is sealed with His blood. 1.Cor.11:25 5. The formal acceptance The formal acceptance is the bride agreeing upon marrying the man. Gen.24:57-59; Rev.22:17 6. The unity The husband and wife were now one flesh. Gen.2:24; 1.Cor.6:16-17 7. The bathing A part of the bridal process involves a “ Mikvah” bathing in water for cleansing and consecration at the betrothal stage. Jesus is also bathing His wife with water. Eph.5:25-26 8. The spreading of his garment The groom spread his garment over the bride. (Covering her in a protective and redemptive way) Ruth 3:9; 12-13; Ezek.16:8 Christ has also covered His Church with grace, love and the Holy Spirit. 9. The Covenant Cup (1st cup) During the betrothal ceremony they drank from the same cup together but would not drink it all, they waited until they were brought together at the marriage supper. At the last supper Christ and His disciples drank from the same cup together. Mark 14:23 (Christ would not drink the cup before he entered the kingdom). Matt.26:29 10. The veiling The woman began wearing a veil, as a sign of that she was betrothed and not available to another. The Church wears the veil of grace. Gen.24:65; Ps.5:12 11. The gown Often the groom supplied her a gown (Christ is the Church’ s gown) Rev.19:8 12. The mansion The groom began building a mansion for them and the Father would regularly come out to look at how far the groom had come. Christ prepares mansions for His bride. John 14:1-3 13. The coming The groom didn’ t know when he should get his bride that was his father’ s decision. Christ does not know when He is going to return. Mark 13:32 14. The waiting stage They were now married but they did not yet live together. Matt.1:18-19; 2.Cor.11:2 They are a married man and woman but not yet a married couple. 15. THE WEDDING STAGE (The full marital status) This betrothal service is called in Hebrew the “ kiddushin” . 16. The wedding day Wedding happened normally on a Wednesday evening (Tuesday evening - our time) So the bride took notice every Wednesday for the groom’ s arrival for she didn’ t know when he would arrive. Christ will come as a thief in the night to get His Church. Matt.24:42-44; 1.Thess.5:2 17. The wedding season It usually happened during the fall (because of the outdoor celebration). 18. The groom’ s golden crown The groom would put a golden crown on his head, (Christ cometh with many crowns Rev.19:11-12) as he was to get his bride (the bride would also wear a crown at the wedding). 19. The groom’ s arrival with his friends The groom came with his friends and best friend. 20. The proclamation of the groom’ s coming The groom would come with proclamations and the sound of trumpets. Christ cometh with a shout and with a trumpet. 1.Thess.4:16 21. The meeting place The groom met the bride who was ready outside her house in the street. Christ meets His ready bride in the air outside of earth. 1.Thess.4:17 22. The march They march through the city to the canopy. 23. The chanting At Jewish betrothals the words “ blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” is chanted as the bridegroom approaches the “ Chuppah” (Canopy). Christ too would not be seen until the Jews were chanting the marital words. Matt.23:37-39 24. The “ Chuppah” The groom first enters the canopy to welcome his betrothal. 25. The Tallith A Tallith is draped over the couple to symbolize his provision and protection of his wife. The Tallith’ s tassels represent the commandments and the blue cords in each corner that they are heavenly. 26. The father’ s blessing The father blessed them in the canopy. Gen.24:60; 1:28; Eph.1:3 27. The ring In ancient Jewish betrothal ceremony the groom puts a ring on the brides right index finger and says “ behold, you are consecrated (Heb. Mekudesheth) to me with this ring according to the Law of Moses and Israel” . After the ring is put on then the ceremony is completed. 28. The intimacy They enter the mansion to confirm their marriage sexually. 29. The Covenant Cup (2nd cup) After the matrimonial blessing is spoken over them they sipped wine at the same cup together. Christ would not drink the cup before he entered the kingdom. Matt.26:29 30. The length of the wedding A. The wedding is a 7-day celebration. Gen.29:27-28 From the rapture to the marriage supper is perhaps 7 years. B. They stayed 7 days in the mansion while the guests celebrated outside. The Church is perhaps in the mansion of heaven for 7 years and will then return with Jesus at His 2nd coming. 1.Thess.3:13 C. During the 7-day period the groom would come out of the home to the door to receive gifts and greet the guests. D. During the 7-day period the groom would give gifts to his wife and serve her. 31. The checking the sheets of the bed The groom’ s best friend checks the couple’ s bed sheets for blood to confirm her virginity. Christ is the Church’ s shared blood and has given His virginity to the bride. 32. The marriage supper The marriage supper occurs at the end of the 7-day period. (After the 7-year period of Antichrist). Rev.19:9 33. The appearance After the 7th day the groom brings out his bride from the mansion. Christ brings us back to the earth during His 2nd coming. 1.Thess.3:13; Rev.20:4 34. The inheritance The bride inherits all things that the groom has. The Church also inherits with Christ. 2.Cor.1:20; Eph.1:22; Phil.3:21 V.10 i) God alone is to be worshipped - I. At this moment the apostle John is so overwhelmed that he dos not act in a proper way, he begins to kneel before the angel in worship. II. Worship God Freely - The angel Response by pointing to God. III. Worship of angels Forbidden - The angel gives a Reason for not worshipping him: Col.2:18 A. I’ m a servant: A being under God. Heb.1:14 B. I’ m a brother: A created being. C. I have the testimony of Jesus: He is a messenger not the message. IV. Every prophetic word of the Spirit is a testimony from Jesus. John 16:13 V. The Word of God orbits around Christ. John 5:39; Heb.10:7 VI. The Servant and People of the testimony of Jesus, the Spirit of Prophecy of the testimony of Jesus.