Read Revelation 19:1-6
So here we are: Christmas Morning.
The day that is so highly anticipated by children all over the world.
But there is always a bittersweet ending to Christmas
Because kids realize, they just went from being one day away
To being 365 days away.
Christmas is anticipated.
And so we have been focusing on the anticipation
That we each must have for the second coming of Christmas.
It is a sign of a Christian t0 eagerly await the coming Savior.
1 John 3:1-3 “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
The second coming of Christmas is the natural hope of the redeemed.
There is a real problem in our hearts,
If we don’t have an eager longing for His return.
WHAT WOULD YOU ASK YOUR KIDS IF THEY HADN’T BEEN EXCITED THIS MORNING?
We ought to be anticipating Christ’s return.
AND SO HERE WE ARE CHRISTMAS MORNING.
The anticipation that we have been experiencing,
The satisfaction that many just experienced
Is but a small glimpse of what the real one will be like.
Our little Christmas’s are but a sample,
Compared to the buffet that is to follow.
This morning I want us to take a look at what that day will be like.
There is one passage in the Bible that shows us
The response of heaven to the 2nd coming of Christmas.
We have already read it a couple of times.
The song this passage inspired is known as the “Hallelujah Chorus”
And so this morning, let’s take a look at Christmas Future
And see how great that day will be!
We find heaven worshiping on that day because of 3 things.
#1 SALVATION
Revelation 19:1-2
Now before we get into this text much at all,
You have to notice the first three words.
“After these things”
What we are witnessing is a response.
They watched something unfold, and then responded to it.
WHAT DID THEY SEE?
Chapters 17-18
These chapters are parenthetical chapters.
Meaning they take a break from the unfolding chain of events
To give you further insight into what is specifically happening.
At this point in the book of the Revelation,
All of God’s wrath has been poured out.
We have seen 7 seals opened
False peace
World War
World Famine
Death of a ¼ of the earth
Cries of the martyrs (motivation)
Great earthquake (mountains & stars disappear, sun blackened)
7th seal brings seven trumpets
We have seen 7 trumpets blown
Hail and fire thrown to the earth 1/3 of the earth burned up
Great burning mountain tossed in the sea – 1/3 of the sea to blood
Great burning star (wormwood) turned 1/3 of the fresh water bitter
1/3 of the sun, moon, and stars were struck
Bottomless pit opened, taste of hell
4 evil angels released 2 hundred million demonic army
7th trumpet brings seven bowls
We have seen 7 bowls poured out.
Loathsome malignant sore on the followers of the beast
The rest of the sea becomes blood
The rest of the fresh water becomes blood
The sun begins scorching men with fire
Great pain on the kingdom of the beast (gnawed their tongues)
Euphrates dried up so that men could come be destroyed
Final judgment – 100 pound hail stones.
That is what has occurred.
Chapters 17-18 then tell that same story from earth’s perspective.
It shows how people responded.
Chapter 17 reveals the destruction of the beast’s false religious system.
Chapter 18 reveals the destruction of the beast’s commercial system.
And the earth is mourning over the loss of the two.
Revelation 18:9-10 “And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘ Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.”
And the chapters end with a very dramatic picture.
Revelation 18:20-24 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.” Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. “And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. “And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.”
So we have basically seen God judge sin,
And overthrow the rule of the usurper.
When heaven sees this angel sink the stone in the sea,
They can’t help but respond, and that is where our text comes in.
“After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven…”
And the first thing they rejoice for is salvation!
At this point, salvation has finally come.
Salvation has finally been made complete.
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned the 3 stages of salvation, and have had several people ask me about it, so we’ll look at it real quickly to see why they are worshiping.
Salvation comes in three stages.
Even in the Bible, you will find three different types of phrases in regard to salvation.
Some verses say we have been saved.
Some verses say we are being saved.
And some verses say we will be saved.
That’s because salvation is a process.
STEP #1 JUSTIFICATION
Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Romans 3:23-24 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;”
This is what happened to us in the past.
And in a sense is when we were saved.
Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”
2 Timothy 1:9 “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,”
Titus 3:5 “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,”
STEP #2 SANCTIFICATION
Philippians 2:12-13 “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
Romans 6:22 “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.”
This is what is happening to us right now.
And in a sense is how we are being saved.
1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
2 Corinthians 2:15 “For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;”
STEP #3 GLORIFICATION
Romans 13:11 “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.”
1 Peter 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
This is what we are waiting for. This is when salvation will be complete.
Romans 5:9-10 “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
Paul summed it all up in Romans.
Romans 8:28-30 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”
Now that was just a simple lesson.
We sing hallelujah when we are justified,
Because we know our sins are forgiven.
We sing hallelujah as we are sanctified,
Because we start becoming more like Jesus.
But the ultimate Hallelujah will come when we are glorified,
When sin is gone, and is no more.
Then will our salvation be complete, and we can fully sing Hallelujah!
That is what heaven is doing here.
They sing hallelujah because salvation is finished!
#2 SMOKE
Revelation 19:3-4
DO YOU SEE WHY THEY ARE SINGING HALLELUJAH HERE?
Because they see here smoke rising.
They see her fire burning.
They are looking at the judgment of sinners and singing hallelujah.
This is no different than what they asked for.
Revelation 6:9-11 “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ” How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.”
This is even how God said heaven would respond.
1 Chronicles 16:31-33 “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.” Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD; For He is coming to judge the earth.”
Now we look at that and wonder,
HOW CAN THEY REJOICE OVER OTHERS BEING JUDGED?
Notice who is rejoicing.
It is all those in heaven (vs. 1)
We are troubled by this because to some degree,
We all still like sin a little bit.
To some degree, we all still understand the motivation of sinners.
But those who are in heaven don’t. Their flesh has been removed.
Their lusts are gone. They know look on sin as God does.
And when God pours out judgment, He knows it is fully justified.
He was even pleased to crush Jesus when He took our sin.
You see heaven rejoices because sin is being judged.
Heaven rejoices because no longer is deception reigning.
Now holiness is reigning.
What a relief it will be when we live in a world
That no longer makes faulty judgments.
Heaven sings Hallelujah when they seek the smoke of judgment
Rightly falling on those who have rejected Jesus.
#3 SOVEREIGNTY
Revelation 19:5-6
You see here why they are singing praise.
“For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.”
The Bible has long promised this day.
Right now we live in a day when Christ is Lord
In the hearts of those who accept Him,
But His Lordship has not been global.
There is coming a day when it will be.
Philippians 2:10-11 “so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
1 Corinthians 15:20-28 “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.”
Psalms 2 “Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'” Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”
Heaven is worshiping because God reigns!
This is why we anticipate the 2nd Coming of Christmas.
The First Coming began salvation
The 2nd Coming will complete it.
The 1st Coming promised justice
The 2nd Coming will enforce it.
The 1st Coming introduced a kingdom
The 2nd Coming will see it established.
Isaiah 9:6-7 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”
Heaven’s Hallelujah’s can be found by you at Christmas
If you will partake in this wonderful salvation of our God.
If you will fall in love with His holiness
And seek His righteousness.
And if you will fully submit to His sovereignty.
Christmas is about the anticipation of the day
When Christmas is what God fully intends it to be.
The day when His King comes to earth to sit upon David’s throne
And rule with justice and righteousness.
Let us worship and sing Hallelujah,
For when Christmas comes, our God will reign!
Pray
