Millennium Superworld
Chapter 6: Millennial Government
In Revelation 19 is recorded a breathtaking foreglimpse of one of the greatest events ever to take place on planet Earth. It is the union of Christ and His faithful Bride, the one hundred forty-four thousand who are “called, and chosen, and faithful.” One of the first events to follow Christ’s return to earth and the judging of His servants, we might think of it as a “welcome banquet” for the new administrators.
These are John’s notes on what he saw, as recorded in Revelation 19:
“After these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven”—who were the “people in heaven” that John heard? Who could they be but angels!
“I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his judgments.…” Imagine hearing a host of angels shouting “Alleluia…unto the Lord our God”!
Then “the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia” (19:4). “God that sat on the throne” is Christ, Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matt. 1:23), the new and glorious King. After the salute “Amen, Alleluia,” comes a voice out of the throne saying, “Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.”
Then John heard even more: “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” Whose voice did John hear? Again it is the voice of the angels, sounding as “the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings.” And what are they singing? These angels have gathered to celebrate the supreme accomplishment of the members of Christ’s faithful Bride, to give the newly crowned immortals the honors of the high courts of heaven. Hear them as they sing: “Let us be glad, and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” It is the greatest wedding in the history of the earth.
Then follows the ceremony: “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (19:7-8). That righteous character which each of these super-accomplishers attained is now granted them as an eternal garment; never again will they be tempted by evil. It is the reward for right living—“fine linen, clean and white,” linen which can never be soiled.
John does not tell much about the ceremony; he says only that the angel told him to write this down: “And he [the angel] saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Can we not imagine that John was so engrossed in the magnificent drama that his pen lay motionless? All who were partaking of this glorious marriage feast were blessed! The angel was thinking of others who would like to be informed—including us?—and so he told John specifically: “Write.” Then the angel did more: he gave to John’s words the final seal of surety: “These are the true sayings of God.”
The angel had said so much that John was overwhelmed. It was enough. He fell at the feet of the angel to express the awe and reverence he felt. But the angel stayed this act of worship. “See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God” (Rev. 22:9). Can we imagine how John felt as this great angel from heaven said in effect, “Don’t worship me, John; you are one with me. Both of us are members of God’s family; let us worship God together.”
Did John ever feel lonely on Patmos? Patmos was no more a prison; it was the portal of heavenly revelation!