When Jesus comes, there will be a grand celebration by the bride, the people of God:
6And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. 8She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints. 9Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:6-9).
The apostle John hears a great multitude so loud that it sounds like a vast waterfall—a rushing of many waters. One more Hallelujah rises to God at the realization that the evil age has ended and that the Messiah of Israel sits on the throne of His father, David (v. 6). There will be heavenly rejoicing because the marriage of the Lamb has come. What glorious fine linen robes we will be wearing on that day! (v. 8). Believers in Christ will be changed into His image and show forth His glory (2 Corinthians 3:18), “For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10). Fine bright, pure linen was the priests' clothing who ministered before the altar; they were the only ones who could draw close to God.
When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen clothes; they must not wear any woolen garment while ministering at the gates of the inner court or inside the Temple (Ezekiel 44:17).
Nothing of wool was to be worn by the priesthood because wool brings forth sweat, and no man shall draw near to God by the sweat of his brow, i.e., the work done under the curse placed on the earth: “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground” (Genesis 3:19). The fine linen clothes, bright and pure, given to her (v. 8), speaks of believers becoming the new priesthood. God has made His bride kings and priests: “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10).
In contrast to the lament coming from those on earth who mourn the falling of Babylon the Great, we witness a triumphant shout of joy arising from the saints of God. Four hallelujahs ring out (vs. 1, 3, 4, 6). The word Hallelujah is a transliteration into Greek of the Hebrew words Hallel and Yahweh, which means "Praise the Lord." The word Hallelujah is used in the New Testament only four times, and all four are found in this chapter. The Hebrew word Hallel is used in Psalms 113-118. Jewish people sang these Psalms as they ascended to the heights of Jerusalem and the Temple for the yearly Passover celebration. They praised God for His glorious deliverance of the nation in the Book of Exodus from Egypt's slavery (Psalms 111:1; 112:1; 113:1;).
We read of a second deliverance from slavery in the Book of Revelation. The first was Pharaoh and Egypt, but in the end-times, God will deliver His people again from slavery to Antichrist, and this time, it will not only be Jewish believers in Jesus but also believing Gentiles (Jeremiah 16:14-15). Messiah will come to save and deliver all who have trusted Him. They praise God for His salvation, His glorious appearance in light, His power to destroy the enemy, and His bringing to nothing all earthly kingdoms set up in opposition to the Lord. Keith Thomas
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Taken from the series called The Book of Revelation, found in the All Studies box on the Home Page. The study is number 20. The Appearance of Heaven’s King
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