That ascendancy of praise
So I want to recap this scene here. The sin-ridden, rebellion-styled world, that is the world as we have known it is not done. Babylon as ring-leader, globe-leader of evil is kaput. With her influence dramatically erased those she had influenced were all standing around with their jaws hanging agape. Large swaths of lamb-defying humanity remain having yet to face the armies of God. So the world as we know it remains.
In heaven, though, worship rose from the lips of the rescued, to a group of human worship leaders, to the Spirit of God and then Jesus himself. I hope you can see how this praise service arrived.
Jesus Christ is the pinnacle of this scene. He stands before this great people group who are his very own, eager to do what is good 1 and says, “Praise our God.”
If you have ever felt troubled or edgy in a human-led worship service you won’t be troubled that day. Like nothing else will be Jesus’ call to worship. It will absolutely be worth being there.
Look what happens
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) (Revelation 19:6-8–ESV-The phrase in parentheses about fine linen is part of the scriptures, not an addendum I have placed)
Another roar ensued come from the Jesus sanctioned climax of the people’s words. Here reverberates back the climax of relationship. It is almost like a roller-coaster. The coming experience builds as it clack-clack-clacks up the slope then it hits the pinnacle and comes racing back down the other side.
Look at the words said and compare them to the earlier ones of this group. The first praises (mainly back in verse 2) represented God’s glory because of his judgment. Each part relates to Babylon. The second praises (verses 6b-8) have no mention of Babylon. The old has gone and the new has come.
Babylon does not reign. God does. Condemnation and judgment, prostitution, adultery, corruption and vengeance all the topics of the first part of this ascending service are gone. They are no longer. They have no role and are not worth being mentioned. By the time this scene arrives the wicked simply have no relevance. The redeemed have all of it.
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