Easter 20002 INI Rev. 19:1-9

In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Lamb that was slain, and behold, He lives!

A Christian married couple believes that their marriage is made in heaven — that God appointed their union in eternity. We teach those who are still unmarried to pray that God would lead them to the person He desires for them in marriage. Sometimes we may think it would be much easier for the unmarried if God had somehow revealed the name and address of the mate He has chosen in eternity. But this was done only in the case of one marriage: the marriage of the Son of God to His Church.

This was no ordinary marriage. Paul calls it a “mystery,” because only some of the details have been revealed to mankind in the Holy Scriptures.

I.

Let’s begin with a look at the uniqueness of this heavenly marriage of Christ. We go back to the O.T. days when a father chose the marriage partner for his son. Since the bridegroom-to-be would be received into the son’s family, his parents and relatives were deeply concerned that she be a virgin — pure and suitable in every way, lovable and of good reputation. Normally, it was NOT the love of the son for a woman which brought them together. It was God’s choice, determined through prayer and the arrangement of the parents. That’s why we read that Isaac, who had never seen Rebecca before, took her into his mother’s tent, married her, and THEN “he loved her.”

Now let’s go back even further — past time into eternity. Consider the great wonder of the marriage of the Son of God! The plans for His marriage were worked out by the Triune God! There was no “Father of the Bride.”

And what about God the Father’s choice for His only Son? As He looked ahead to the future of fallen mankind, He saw a huge mass of sin-blackened putrid souls — not one pure and godly virgin among them! What earthly Father would choose the most corrupt and abominable woman for his son to marry? Yet this Father in heaven chose not merely one, but countless thousands of ungodly people to be the Bride of His Holy Son! How could the Father do such a thing?

God’s choice was made “in connection with Christ,” according to Ephesians chapter 1. The Son had to cleanse His bride in order to release her from captivity to sin which condemned us all. We know from Holy Scripture how this was done. In eternity God’s love decided to give His Son into death as a blood payment for the sins of the world. By His grace He chose some to believe in the redeeming work of His Son and to die in that faith. By this faith in Christ the Father declared His chosen ones free from the condemnation of their sins, and fit to become the Bride of His Beloved Son. So great was Christ’s love for His undeserving Bride that the Apostle Paul writes in Eph. 5: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Strange marriage, isn’t it? The holy Son of God has given Himself as a LAMB to be slain for the sins of the world, so that out of the world He might present Himself with a holy bride — washed clean through the word and baptism, without the spot or blemish of sin!

Today we celebrate the victory of our Beloved Bridegroom over our enemies — Satan, sin, and death. For our Savior is RISEN! Death could not hold Him Who was entirely free from sin. Death’s power is limited to those whom the law of God condemns as sinners! Having removed the barrier of sin, the Bridegroom calls to His Bride: “Because I live, you shall live also!” “I will come again that I may receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also!”

II.

The marriage feast is ready and prepared in heaven for every believer. But we aren’t there yet! Each of us is threatened by a world of antichristian teaching and seduction, symbolized in Revelation chapters 17,18, and 19 by “the great harlot.” Why is it that three whole chapters of Revelation deal with the great harlot of antichristian seduction? Because our own sinful flesh is so inclined to accept her “works-righteous” attitude regarding the way to heaven and acceptance with God. The flesh is always trying to get us to count on what we do, the impression of being religious that we make on others, even how much we suffer. This is the antichristian teaching of the great harlot! And it will threaten us all until we die!

If we are seduced by her in our lives, it makes no difference what church we belong to, or how pure our doctrine and confession is. If there is in our hearts the hypocrisy of the Pharisee who said, “I thank you, God, that I am not like other men are,” then we have become victims of the harlot and the teaching of the spirit of antichrist. Whatever does not point to Jesus Christ as our ONLY hope of salvation and acceptance with God, is antichristian and part of the great harlot!

We are not at the marriage feast yet. The Lord has betrothed His Bride. He is calling to ALL of us from heaven through the voice of His gospel. May each of us be prepared by true repentance of sin and faith in the forgiveness of our sins when He comes!

III.

The words of our text are a song from heaven. The word ALLELUIA is sung four times in these verses. This is the only place in the N.T. Where this particular word is used. What’s the great occasion? Notice that John heard the ALLELUIA-song “after these things.” (v. 1) After what things? In chapter 17 the city of Rome is pictured as “Babylon the great,” and “the harlot who rules over many peoples,” and who causes people to commit idolatry by its antichristian teachings, and who “makes war with the Lamb” and His believing people. In chapter 18 the judgment of this great city, the great harlot, is pictured. It’s after these things

that the “ALLELUIAS” are sung in heaven in chapter 19.

Why does all of heaven sing? Verse 2 tells us that “God has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and avenged on her the blood of His believing servants who were killed by her.” The words of v. 3 — “her smoke will rise up forever,” means that she will never again threaten a member of the Church — the Bride of Christ.

Our verses tell us that all of heaven is joining in the song of praise and triumph. The four living beings, the twenty-four elders and the thunderous waters of the great multitude join in giving honor and praise to God, Who made the marriage of the Lamb possible!

Now notice at the end of v. 7, the announcement that “His wife has made herself ready.” . . . It’s necessary that you and I be ready for the Bridegroom’s coming with repentance of sin and a living faith in Him. Of these, who possess a LIVING AND REAL faith in Christ, it is said in v. 8: “to her it was granted to be arrayed (clothed) in fine linen, clean and bright, for the linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” In Revelation 14 it is said of those who “die IN THE LORD,” that “their works DO follow them.” These are the works of faith in Christ that on the day of our marriage supper in heaven will be set forth as visible evidence of our saving faith.

Many hypocrites claim to be Christians because they once were baptized, or made some kind of confession of Christ or because they “know” about Him, and they “love” God. Their so-called faith is like a “white hat” that may be worn on the forehead, or a badge that may be pinned on the chest, or like a ticket one gives to an usher at a movie theater.

But true faith is not a thing! True faith is not dead, head knowledge. True, living faith is a creation of the Spirit of the living God! The works of true, living faith are RIGHTEOUS before God because God Himself calls them forth from faith’s genuine love for Christ, the Savior. The true works of a true faith are NOT DONE because of the threats of the Law, nor in order to impress others, nor in order to earn salvation from God. For this reason Paul writes: “We are God’s workmanship, created unto good works, which works God has before ordained, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:9, 10)

Verse 8 of our text agrees. Notice that the Lamb does NOT REWARD the believing saints with “fine linen” because of their works. The fine linen, we are told “IS the righteous acts of the saints” — those who are already counted holy by faith in Jesus! Although our best works are tainted with sin here on earth, and we Christians do not keep a record of our righteous acts, they are made pure in Christ and will be seen in heaven!

How blessed are they who have been brought to such a living faith and shall be preserved in that faith until the Bridegroom comes. The promise of the Lamb that because He has risen and lives we too shall rises to life, is completed in this vision! The Marriage Supper of the Lamb” is ready! The saints are standing before the Lamb. And the angel commanded John to write: “Blessed are they who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb! These are the true sayings of God.”

We have gone the whole way from eternity to eternity in considering the marriage of the Lamb. In between, the resurrection stands to us as the great beacon of hope, since our greatest enemies — sin, death, and hell — have been conquered! Between His burial and His appearance to His disciples on Easter morning, Jesus “descended into hell”, as Scripture teaches, and as the Christian Church has confessed in the Apostolic Creed for many centuries. The cartoon “B.C.” in Yesterday’s State newspaper has it exactly right: Jesus did descend into hell to suffer for the sins of the world, but “to cancel our reservations” in hell! All those who believe that He did this for the world, have new reservations, where they will sit down to heavenly cuisine, not hellish.

Our Bridegroom now calls to each of us: “Trust in ME!” I have redeemed you lost and condemned creatures. I have won you by My blood, and the Father has declared by my resurrection from the dead that you shall be my Bride at the marriage supper in heaven. Therefore you shall be! Cling to Me as your life forever — I AM YOUR BRIDEGROOM!” Amen.