A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): Looking ahead to the second coming of Christ. Here's Pastor John.

John Randall: When he comes a second time, he will come as the King of kings and the Lord of lords with power and glory to rule and reign forever. You see, the second coming is the climactic moment in the redemptive history of mankind. It will be the culmination of all the hopes of God's people throughout the ages. It will be the answer to the prayer, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Amen.

Guest (Male): Yes, it's fun to gather together and celebrate with family and friends at a wedding with a feast. Maybe you have plans to attend one here this summer. But today, on A Daily Walk, we'll look forward to a beautiful gathering with Jesus. It is a glorious celebration, and you can be a part of it. We'll hear all about it and what we can expect at this wedding feast as we join Pastor John Randall now in Revelation chapter 19.

John Randall: If you would open up your Bibles with me now to the book of Revelation, chapter 19, with a message entitled "The Return of the King." And there is no problem that could not be solved with the return of the King. Looking forward to that day. Revelation chapter 19 this morning, beginning in verse 1, if you'd follow along with me.

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. 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." Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever." And the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you his servants and those who fear him, both small and great."

I wonder if this morning you could imagine a world without war and without violence. A world where disease no longer exists. A place with no fear of crime, terrorism, nuclear threat, or masks. A world with complete, unending peace and joy. It's hard for us to fathom a picture like that given the present circumstances within our world. However, the Bible tells us that one day these things will come to pass when the Lord comes again and establishes his kingdom upon the earth.

Many people are familiar with the first coming of Jesus. We celebrate it during the Christmas season. When Jesus came the first time, he came as a suffering Messiah. But friends, when he comes a second time, he will come as the King of kings and the Lord of lords with power and glory to rule and reign forever. You see, the second coming is the climactic moment in the redemptive history of mankind. It will be the culmination of all the hopes of God's people throughout the ages. It will be the answer to the prayer, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

It was back in Revelation chapter 11 where we read that powerful prophetic announcement where it declared, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." Now, in Revelation chapter 19, we arrive at the fulfillment of that prophecy. This chapter takes a sharp turn in the narrative and is filled with worship and majesty. It reveals the ultimate good triumphing over the worst kind of evil. It shows the truth vanquishing a lie. It shows God destroying the devil.

And there are several reasons for this united chorus of praise and hallelujah. For one thing, God demonstrates his righteous judgment. We saw it here in verse 1. It says, "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.'" Why? Verse 2: "For true and righteous are his judgments because he judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication and avenged on her the blood of the saints."

When John says "after these things," it means he's seeing another vision. This vision follows the fall of Babylon. And within the vision, John hears a loud voice, a great multitude proclaiming the first of four hallelujahs. And when we read that there was a great multitude that joined in the chorus of praise, the text doesn't necessarily clarify who this great multitude is. It could possibly be a host of angels. It could be all of heaven. Others suggest that it may be martyrs that were mentioned back in Revelation chapter 7. But here's what we know for sure: it's a great multitude, and they are very loud.

The reason for their praise is that salvation has come, deliverance has arrived along with the anticipation of the Lord's coming kingdom. God is about to establish his kingdom upon the earth. John mentions in verse 2 that the first hallelujah was due to the fact that the harlot he mentions, that we talked about back in Revelation 17, represented the one-world religious system who corrupted the earth with her fornication or her false teaching. Her false teaching has been judged. Not only has she been judged for her corruption but also for the death of the saints. That is those who were left, who missed the rapture, who got saved during the tribulation period, who would not bow to the beast or his image. They were put to death because they would not take the mark.

The second "Hallelujah" as the smoke of the city begins to rise up forever and ever means that the destruction of the political center of the Antichrist, known as Babylon, is complete. It's final, and it's never to be seen again. The rebellion of man that began all the way back in the beginning of man's existence in the Garden of Eden and has lasted throughout history is now finished. The last empire of man, the last governing structure of mankind that rebels against God, is no more because the kingdom of God has come, and it will last forever.

But then another "Hallelujah" breaks out. The 24 elders and four living creatures break forth in verse 4. They worshipped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" And then a voice came from the throne saying, "Praise our God, all you his servants, those who fear him, both small and great." You may recall that we saw this group back in Revelation chapter 4, and in previous studies, we pointed out that the 24 elders represent the church that is in heaven. The four living creatures, the angelic beings that don't rest day or night, they are around the throne singing of the worth of God and the holiness of God. Throughout the entire tribulation, that group is worshipping around his throne. That's because the church is gone before the tribulation comes.

Then the fourth and final "Hallelujah" there in verse 5. You're getting better every time. Great job. Then a voice came from the throne saying, "Praise our God, all you his servants, those who fear him, both small and great." And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, the sound of many waters, and the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Amen!" Another voice, probably an angel with an exhortation for all of God's servants to collectively praise him in this chorus. The response to the call to praise and worship was so strong and so powerful that the Apostle John said it was like the sound of many waters. It was thundering. The noise of the multitude was deafening.

The sovereign, unstoppable, all-powerful God has put an end to all evil, and he reigns. The atrocities of this world will be abolished. The perpetration of evil negated. The wicked schemes of men cancelled. And the violence in the streets ended for good. When? When Christ comes again. Presently, the earth groans, but there is coming a day when it will rejoice. For the Bible says in Psalm 97 and verse 1, "The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice." What a high and holy time of worship that is going to be. And friend, if you're a Christian, you're going to be there. You're going to be singing that chorus right alongside of the multitudes.

As the chapter continues, there is yet another reason for rejoicing, and this time, the rejoicing comes because of an event that's going to take place. It's called the marriage supper of the Lamb. In verse 7, it says, "Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory because the marriage of the Lamb has come and his wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints." And then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."

In biblical times, a marriage celebration was extremely important, and there were several stages that went along with this process of a couple coming together as one. The preparation came in three stages. First of all, there was a marriage contract. It was signed by the parents of the bride and the bridegroom. And the parents of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself would then pay a dowry to the bride and her family to secure this marriage.

This caused them to enter into what was called the betrothal period. It meant they were as good as married. They were engaged, and the only way to break this off was actually to have a divorce. And by the way, this is the very same spot that Mary and Joseph are in prior to the birth of Christ. They were as good as married, but they had not yet consummated the marriage when Mary let Joseph know that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. But then the second step in this process usually came later. That is when the bridegroom went to the house of the bride to bring her back to his father's house for the wedding ceremony. And the bride would know in advance that the groom was coming, but not when he was coming.

But then the third phase, as he took his bride and brought her back to his father's house, the marriage ceremony took place. And then there was a celebration for seven days with your family. Not just a few-hour reception. No, this DJ works seven days the whole time as you celebrated with your family. The atmosphere of the marriage and that supper with all of the family was a time of rejoicing and celebration. Bible says that in his presence there is fullness of joy and at his right hand pleasures forevermore.

This is a picture for us symbolically. The church is referred to as the bride of Christ, and the bridegroom, of course, is Jesus himself. And the marriage symbolizes this relationship with Christ and his church. The wedding contract for us with Jesus, we were sealed by the Holy Spirit. He paid the price for us. The dowry was paid to secure his bride. What was it? It was his own blood. We are the blood-bought bride of Christ. When it came time to purchase us to be his own, he shed his own blood so that he could secure our salvation there on the cross. That was the guarantee. The Holy Spirit was given to us like an engagement ring placed upon our finger, as it were.

And then he went away to make preparation for the third phase, and that is when he comes from his father's house. He comes to get his bride. And we have to be ready. And we have to be watching and prepared because when he comes, it's going to be instant. And then he takes his bride to his father's house. Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, you may be also." He comes for his bride. He takes his bride to his father's house, and there we enter into this marriage supper of the Lamb. It doesn't last for seven days. It lasts for seven years during the tribulation period on this earth. The bride is safely tucked away in the Father's house, celebrating with her bridegroom.

After seven years of being safely tucked away with our bridegroom, Jesus Christ, the church comes back with the bridegroom, and every eye sees. What a celebration that will be. John tells us here what the bride will be wearing. It says in fine linen, verse 8, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Fine linen, an expensive cloth. Clean, it means pure. There is a purity to this bride. Bright, it speaks of the radiance of the bride.

It's always amazing when you attend a wedding, and as you stand there alongside of the groom and you watch as the bride comes down that aisle. Every bride I've ever seen in a wedding is always beautiful. There is a radiance. There is something pure. There is something wonderful as they walk down that aisle and the groom's waiting there. And I always love to watch the groom and just watch the face and the anticipation and often the tears. Sometimes ugly cries. It's just powerful to watch this thing happen, and you see the connection and the moment that they've been waiting for. It's finally here, and here she comes, and he's there. It's just the most beautiful experience, and it's just like something so wonderful that God does, and you're there and you get to see it. Friends, I want to tell you something: that pales in comparison to how the Lord feels about you, his bride. He is waiting there. He is waiting for you. He's waiting for us. It's a matter of time before we're reunited with our groom. What a day that's going to be.

The only righteousness that God will receive when you stand before him is the righteousness of Christ. Every single person has an appointment with God when your life ends here. You will stand before God. And the only righteousness that he will receive that gives you access into heaven is the righteousness of Christ. All of our righteousness, the Bible says, is as filthy rags. Any works that I've done to try to attain righteousness, they pale in comparison to the righteousness of Christ that is imputed to me and given to me when I accept Christ as my savior.

You can't get into the wedding celebration without the wedding garment. And the wedding garment that's provided is the righteousness of Christ. And if you don't have that, you can have that today. In fact, before our time is over here, I'm going to give you a chance from wherever you are. If you want to get right with God, if you want to know that you're saved, if you want to participate in this marriage supper of the Lamb. Friend, listen, you want to be a part of this marriage. I got your invitation. It's found right here, but you gotta receive it. Ever get one of those invitations and thought, "Who's getting married? Where's it at? Where'd they register? I can't make it." You disregarded the invitation and you're not going. But listen, you don't want to miss this invitation. This goes out to the world. He's inviting you to the marriage. It's up to you.

Guest (Male): That is Pastor John Randall on A Daily Walk. We're going through the New Testament at the present time. You can listen to today's message from Revelation again or catch up on what you may have missed at adailywalk.org or onepace.com. And you can hear Pastor John's messages shortly after they're delivered by getting our app. It's free. Just do a search for Calvary South OC to download our app and start listening to the latest teachings from Pastor John.

Pastor John, by the way, records encouraging video daily devotionals, and they are accessible at adailywalk.org. Start the day with Pastor John, a cup of coffee, and your Bible. Our offer offered to you throughout the month of August is Ensnared by Jack Marino Chen. Astrology, crystals, tarot, witchcraft—they promise spiritual power and peace, but behind the appeal is darkness and a snare. Only Jesus can overcome. As you read Ensnared, you'll come to understand the basics of New Age and occult teachings and see what really happens behind closed doors. Learn how to identify the demonic elements behind practices involving numerology, alien contact, witchcraft, and more. Discover how to compare popular spiritual claims with the truth of the Bible and learn how to speak with compassion to loved ones caught up in deception.

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