Heaven's Great Praise

Revelation 19:6 ~ "Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, 'Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.'"

The gathered hosts of all of heaven, in resounding chorus of adoration and praise, cries out a word of exaltation that has found its way into every major language of human speech: "Hallelujah!" The word means "Praise the Lord" and it is the heart-cry of every believer who understands the grandeur of God's greatness and the glory of His goodness. 

It is the "great multitude" that are shouting God's praise. 

It is the angels of heaven who know God in His glory and serve Him day and night before the throne. It is the angels who are ministering spirits sent to serve the redeemed of the Lord (see Hebrews 1:14). It was angels who attended to the Lord after His temptation (see Matthew 4:11). It was angels who comforted Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (see Luke 22:33). And the host of angels will be gathered in praise.

It is the redeemed in Christ who will also be there in that great multitude. Who else can shout the praises of God for the forgiveness of their sins? Consider what 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." And there, in the presence of the King of kings, all those who know the salvation of Christ will proclaim His praise.

In Revelation 19 there are four different cries of "Hallelujah!" In verse one, the Hallelujah is proclaimed for the Salvation of God. In verse three it is shouted for God's righteous judgement against the world. In verse four, it is the twenty-four elders falling down in honor and praise. And in our text, verse six, it is the pinnacle, the peak of the Hallelujahs--"For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns!"

Many have tried to unseat the Lord God, the Almighty. The enemy of the Lord rose up against Him in prideful expectation of elevating himself above God--and the enemy failed (see Isaiah 14:12-15). Mankind, throughout the ages, have rejected the authority of God and attempted to cast off His rule. Psalm 2:1-3 reveals this, "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." And yet, God still sits upon His throne and reigns forever. 

Philippians 2:9-11 illuminates the sovereignty of Jesus, "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." My friends, shout the hallelujah! Our Lord God will reign forever--His kingdom will never end!

So, beloved, Has God been good to you? Have you found Christ as Savior and your sins forgiven? Then, let your voice join the chorus of heaven and cry out with humility and gratitude that great word--hallelujah! Though the full judgement of God has not yet been fulfilled, do you believe that God will justly judge? Then even now you can rejoice with the Hallelujah. And, knowing the sovereignty of the Almighty, that His kingdom knows no end (see Luke 1:33), if you belong to His kingdom--then let your heart and your voice shout with the great expression of praise--Hallelujah!

In His Grace,
​Pastor Michael

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