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In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:
“Amen, Hallelujah!”
Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
“Praise our God, all you His servants, you who fear Him, both great and small!”
Revelation 19:4-5
This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
After the fall of the Mother of Prostitutes, we see in Revelation, chapter 19 where great rejoicing breaks out in the form of a trifecta of hallelujahs.
In yesterday’s first message in this series, we learned that the word “hallelujah” actually means “praise the Lord” and that praise was focused on three main qualities of God.
First, He was lifted up His salvation, glory, and power.
Next, He was exalted for the true and just nature of His judgments.
Finally, He was shown adoration for the way He avenged His persecuted followers, many of which were martyred for the cause of the Gospel.
As we turn to today’s passage and the second Hallelujah, we are once again given a glimpse inside Heaven’s throne room where the first proclamation of praise gains the favor of the holy figures in the presence of the Lord God Almighty. Look again at those words here:
The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:
“Amen, Hallelujah!”
Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
“Praise our God, all you His servants, you who fear Him, both great and small!” Vv. 4-5
We were first introduced to the twenty four elders and four living creatures back in chapter 4 of this book. Let’s go back and revisit the beautiful worship scene they create together:
Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being.” Vv. 4, 6b-11
Fast forwarding to our text for today, we read that the “twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne”, and as they did, “they cried” out:
“Amen, Hallelujah!”
One of the meanings in the Bible for the word “amen” is “So be it” and it’s that translation that fits here as the elders and living creatures affirm the previous praises delivered from the “great multitude” in Heaven. And so we could rephrase their words using the translations of “amen” and “hallelujah” which would give us this:
“So be it, praise the Lord!”
Immediately after they proclaimed this, we find a “voice” coming “from the throne, issuing the following command:
“Praise our God, all you His servants, you who fear Him, both great and small!”
Here, we find the heavens calling for all of God’s servants, those who respected and revered Him, to bring their praises to Him, no matter their stature in the world. Whether great or small, His followers were to raise up hallelujahs to their God and given that we are in and of Him through our belief in Jesus as Savior, we Christian brothers and sisters are included in this number.
Given this, today and every day, let us give our deepest devotion and adoration, our mind’s attention and heart’s affection to our God, the One who made us, reigns over us, and most importantly, made the way to save us through Jesus, His Son. To Him be all honor, glory, and praise, now and forever more.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.
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