1 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God:
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
And after these things - The things particularly that were exhibited in the previous chapter. See the notes on Revelation 18:1.
I heard a great voice of much people in heaven - The voice of the worshippers before the throne.
Saying, Alleluia - The Greek method of writing "Hallelujah." This word - ἀλληλούΐα allēlouia - occurs in the New Testament only in this chapter, Revelation 19:1, Revelation 19:3-4, Revelation 19:6. The Hebrew phrase - הללוּ יה haleluw Yah "Hallelujah" - occurs often in the Old Testament. It means, properly, "Praise Yahweh," or "Praise the Lord." The occasion on which it is introduced here is very appropriate. It is uttered by the inhabitants of heaven, in the immediate presence of God himself, and in view of the final overthrow of the enemies of the church, and the triumph of the gospel. In such circumstances it was fit that heaven should render praise, and that a song of thanksgiving should be uttered in which all holy beings could unite.
Salvation - That is, the salvation is to be ascribed to God. See the notes on Revelation 7:10.
And glory, and honour - notes on Revelation 5:12.
And power - notes on Revelation 5:13.
Unto the Lord our God - That is, all that there is of honor, glory, power, in the redemption of the world belongs to God, and should be ascribed to him. This is expressive of the true feelings of piety always; this will constitute the song of heaven.
I heard a great voice of much people in heaven - The idolatrous city being destroyed, and the blood of the martyred saints being avenged, there is a universal joy among the redeemed of the Lord, which they commence with the word הללו יה Hallelu-Yah, praise ye Jah or Jehovah; which the Septuagint, and St. John from them, put into Greek letters thus: Αλληλουΐα, Allelou-ia, a form of praise which the heathens appear to have borrowed from the Jews, as is evident from their paeans, or hymns in honor of Apollo, which began and ended with ελελευ ιη, eleleu ie; a mere corruption of the Hebrew words. It is worthy of remark that the Indians of North America have the same word in their religious worship, and use it in the same sense. "In their places of worship, or beloved square, they dance sometimes for a whole night always in a bowing posture, and frequently singing halleluyah Ye ho wah; praise ye Yah, Ye ho vah:" probably the true pronunciation of the Hebrew יהוה, which we call Jehovah. See Adair's History of the American Indians.
Salvation - He is the sole author of deliverance from sin; the glory of this belongs to him, the honor should be ascribed to him, and his power is that alone by which it is effected.
And (1) after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, (a) (2) Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
(1) This chapter has in summary two parts, one transitory or of passage to the things that follow, to the tenth verse, (Revelation 19:2-10), another historical of the victory of Christ over both the beasts, to the end of the chapter (Revelation 19:11-21), which I said was the second history of this argument, (Revelation 17:1). The transition has two places, one of praising God for the overthrow done to Babylon in (Revelation 19:4): and another likewise of praise and prophecy, for the coming of Christ to his kingdom, and his most royal marriage with his Church, thence to the tenth verse (Revelation 19:5-10). The former praise has three parts, distinguished after the ancient manner of those that sing: an invitation in (Revelation 19:1-2), a response or answer in (Revelation 19:3), and a close or joining together in harmony in (Revelation 19:4), all which I thought good of purpose to distinguish in this place, lest any man should with Porphyrius, or other like dogs, object to John, or the heavenly Church, a childish and idle repetition of speech.
(a) Praise the Lord. (2) The proposition of praise with exhortation in this verse, and the cause of it in (Revelation 19:2).
And after these things,.... After the angel had declared the fall of Babylon, a voice from heaven had called the people of God out of her, and had ordered them to take vengeance on her; after the mournful lamentation of the kings, merchants, and seafaring men; after another voice had called upon the saints to rejoice at her overthrow, and a mighty angel had described the manner of it, and had expressed her ruin in the strongest terms, with the reasons of it, John heard the songs of the righteous, as follow:
I heard a great voice of much people in heaven: not literally taken, for these are not the innumerable company of angels, who are never called people; nor the spirits of just men made perfect, or the souls of departed saints, but men on earth; wherefore heaven designs the church, as in Revelation 18:20 and frequently in this book; the people are the same with the 144000 seen with the Lamb on Mount Zion, Revelation 14:1 and with those on the sea of glass, who had got the victory over the beast, Revelation 15:2 and are no other than God's covenant people, who are given to Christ, and made willing to be his in the day of his power; and though they are but a seed, a remnant, a small company, when compared with the world and carnal professors; yet are a large body of themselves, especially they will be at this time, when the nation of the Jews shall be born at once, and the fulness of the Gentiles will be brought in: and their voice on this occasion, the downfall of Rome, is said to be "great" partly on account of their number, who will join together in acclamations of praise, and partly on account of their great affection and vehemency of spirit, which will be raised hereby:
saying Alleluia; an Hebrew word, which signifies "praise ye the Lord". The Jews say (n), that the book of Psalm consists of ten sorts of songs, but Hallelujah is the greatest of them, because it comprehends the name (Jehovah) and praise in one word: and it is observable that this word, which is often used in the Psalm, is first used when the Psalmist desires the utter consumption and destruction of sinners and wicked men on earth, and is here taken up by the saints at the destruction of the man of sin and son of perdition; see Psalm 104:35 and its being an Hebrew word shows that at this time the Jews will be converted, and that Jews and Gentiles will become one church state, and will worship and praise the Lord together; for the word is a call upon the saints to join together in solemn praise and thanksgiving; who is to be praised for the perfections of his nature, for the works of his hands, both of nature and grace; and for his righteous judgments on his and his church's enemies; and this is to be done in concert:
salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: salvation, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, is of God; "salvation" from antichristian power and tyranny, and from all enemies, and the everlasting salvation of the soul; and the "glory" of it belongs to all the three Persons; they are glorious in themselves, and deserve all glory to be ascribed to them by man, and especially by the saints: "honour" is also their due; God the Father is to be honoured because he is the Father, and the Son is to he honoured as the Father is, and the Holy Spirit is not to be grieved, but to be highly esteemed and valued, and equally with the other two Persons: and "power" belongs to them all, and is seen in the works of creation, redemption, and sanctification.
(n) Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 89. 1. T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 117. 1.
Praising God for what we have, is praying for what is yet further to be done for us. There is harmony between the angels and the saints in this triumphant song. Christ is the Bridegroom of his ransomed church. This second union will be completed in heaven; but the beginning of the glorious millennium (by which is meant a reign of Christ, or a state of happiness, for a thousand years on earth) may be considered as the celebration of his espousals on earth. Then the church of Christ, being purified from errors, divisions, and corruptions, in doctrine, discipline, worship, and practice, will be made ready to be publicly owned by him as his delight and his beloved. The church appeared; not in the gay, gaudy dress of the mother of harlots, but in fine linen, clean and white. In the robes of Christ's righteousness, imputed for justification, and imparted for sanctification. The promises of the gospel, the true sayings of God, opened, applied, and sealed by the Spirit of God, in holy ordinances, are the marriage-feast. This seems to refer to the abundant grace and consolation Christians will receive in the happy days which are to come. The apostle offered honour to the angel. The angel refused it. He directed the apostle to the true and only object of religious worship; to worship God, and him alone. This plainly condemns the practice of those who worship the elements of bread and wine, and saints, and angels; and of those who do not believe that Christ is truly and by nature God, yet pay him a sort of worship. They stand convicted of idolatry by a messenger from heaven. These are the true sayings of God; of Him who is to be worshipped, as one with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
THE CHURCH'S THANKSGIVING IN HEAVEN FOR THE JUDGMENT ON THE HARLOT. THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB: THE SUPPER: THE BRIDE'S PREPARATION: JOHN IS FORBIDDEN TO WORSHIP THE ANGEL: THE LORD AND HIS HOSTS COME FORTH FOR WAR: THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE: THE KINGS AND THEIR FOLLOWERS SLAIN BY THE SWORD OUT OF CHRIST'S MOUTH. (Revelation. 19:1-21)
As in the case of the opening of the prophecy, Revelation 4:8; Revelation 5:9, &c.; so now, at one of the great closing events seen in vision, the judgment on the harlot (described in Revelation. 18:1-24), there is a song of praise in heaven to God: compare Revelation 7:10, &c., toward the close of the seals, and Revelation 11:15-18, at the close of the trumpets: Revelation 15:3, at the saints' victory over the beast.
And--so ANDREAS. But A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic omit.
a great voice--A, B, C, Vulgate, Coptic, and ANDREAS read, "as it were a great voice." What a contrast to the lamentations Revelation. 18:1-24! Compare Jeremiah 51:48. The great manifestation of God's power in destroying Babylon calls forth a great voice of praise in heaven.
people--Greek, "multitude."
Alleluia--Hebrew, "Praise ye JAH," or JEHOVAH: here first used in Revelation, whence ELLICOTT infers the Jews bear a prominent part in this thanksgiving. JAH is not a contraction of "JEHOVAH," as it sometimes occurs jointly with the latter. It means "He who Is": whereas Jehovah is "He who will be, is, and was." It implies God experienced as a PRESENT help; so that "Hallelujah," says KIMCHI in BENGEL, is found first in the Psalm on the destruction of the ungodly. "Hallelu-Jah" occurs four times in this passage. Compare Psalm 149:4-9, which is plainly parallel, and indeed identical in many of the phrases, as well as the general idea. Israel, especially, will join in the Hallelujah, when "her warfare is accomplished" and her foe destroyed.
Salvation, &c.--Greek, "The salvation . . . the glory . . . the power."
and honour--so Coptic. But A, B, C, and Syriac omit.
unto the Lord our God--so ANDREAS. But A, B, C, and Coptic read, "(Is) of our God," that is, belongs to Him.
After these things. Following the preceding scenes.
I heard a great voice of much people. These songs of rejoicing and thanksgiving are seen in Revelation whenever any great triumph or blessing is about to come. See Revelation 5:13; Revelation 7:12; Revelation 11:15; Revelation 12:10.
For true and righteous are his judgments. This is shown by the judgments on the spiritual Babylon.
And the four and twenty elders. See Revelation 4:4, Revelation 4:6, and notes at close of that chapter.
And a voice came forth from the throne. Not "out of the throne," as in the Common Version. The speaker is not indicated. It is a call to praise the Lord.
I heard a loud voice of a great multitude - Whose blood the great whore had shed. Saying, Hallelujah - This Hebrew word signifies, Praise ye Jah, or Him that is. God named himself to Moses, EHEIEH, that is, I will be, Exodus 3:14; and at the same time, "Jehovah," that is, "He that is, and was, and is to come:" during the trumpet of the seventh angel, he is styled, "He that is and was," Revelation 16:5; and not "He that is to come;" because his long - expected coming is under this trumpet actually present. At length he is styled, "Jah," "He that is;" the past together with the future being swallowed up in the present, the former things being no more mentioned, for the greatness of those that now are. This title is of all others the most peculiar to the everlasting God. The salvation - Is opposed to the destruction which the great whore had brought upon the earth. His power and glory - Appear from the judgment executed on her, and from the setting up his kingdom to endure through all ages.
*More commentary available at chapter level.