Revelation 18:20-19:10 (July 29, 2025)

20 Rejoice over her, O heaven,

and you saints and apostles and prophets,

for God has given judgment for you against her!”

21 Then a mighty 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 be found no more;

22 and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters,

will be heard in you no more,

and a craftsman of any craft

will be found in you no more,

and the sound of the mill

will be heard in you no more,

23 and the light of a lamp

will shine in you no more,

and the voice of bridegroom and bride

will be heard in you no more,

for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,

and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.

24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,

and of all who have been slain on earth.”

Rejoicing in Heaven

19:1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

2 for his judgments are true and just;

for he has judged the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth with her immorality,

and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

3 Once more they cried out,

“Hallelujah!

The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying,

“Praise our God,

all you his servants,

you who fear him,

small and great.”

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God

the Almighty reigns.

7 Let us rejoice and exult

and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his Bride has made herself ready;

8 it was granted her to clothe herself

with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Revelation 18_20-19_10

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Summary

Revelation 18 ends with a heavenly call: “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!” (18:20). The corrupt city of Babylon, which is the symbol of worldly power, wealth, and rebellion against God, has fallen. What follows in 19:1–10 is a heavenly chorus of praise, rejoicing over God’s justice and the coming marriage supper of the Lamb.

19:1-2, After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.

Heaven’s worship grows louder as the twenty-four elders and four living creatures join in (19:4), and a voice from the throne calls all God’s servants to give praise (19:5).

Then John sees the climactic vision of the wedding feast:

19:6-8, Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

The Bride is clothed in fine linen, bright and pure—representing the righteous deeds of the saints (19:8).

Finally, John is told, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (19:9). Overcome by the glory of the revelation, John falls to worship the angel, but the angel corrects him, saying, “Worship God!” (19:10).

Who is God

God is the righteous Judge whose judgments are “true and just” (19:2). He is not indifferent to the corruption of Babylon or to the suffering of His people. His justice vindicates the saints and brings history to its rightful end.

He is also the Bridegroom who lovingly redeems His church. The marriage supper of the Lamb reveals the intimate, covenantal nature of salvation—God’s people are not merely spared from judgment, but united forever with Christ in joy and glory.

What is our Guilt

Our guilt is seen in how easily we envy Babylon rather than rejoice over her fall. We often admire the wealth, power, and pleasures of the world, forgetting that they are destined for destruction.

We also forget our identity as the Bride of Christ. Too often, we live unprepared for the wedding feast, neglecting holiness and giving our hearts to lesser loves. Like John bowing before the angel (19:10), we sometimes give worship to created things rather than the Creator.

How does Grace Shine

Grace shines in God’s righteous judgment. Evil will not have the last word—Babylon falls, and God vindicates His people. This is not cruel but good, for justice is part of God’s grace to the world.

Grace also shines in the invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb. The Bride is made ready not by her own merit but by the righteousness of Christ (19:8). The wedding feast is not earned—it is a gift.

Finally, grace shines in the reminder to “Worship God!” (19:10). Our hearts are reoriented away from false worship toward the One who redeems and reigns.

Prayer

Righteous and Loving Father,

we praise You for Your true and just judgments. You are the King who vindicates Your people and brings down every proud power that opposes You.

Forgive us for loving the world more than Your coming kingdom. Forgive us for forgetting that we are the Bride of Christ, called to be holy and ready for His return.

Thank You for the invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Thank You that our place at the table is secured by the righteousness of Christ. Strengthen us to live in joyful hope and faithful worship until the day we are united with Him forever.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.