eschatology, Celebration and Preparation (Rev.19:1-9)

The celebration described below will take place just before the Second Coming of Jesus and the Battle of Armageddon...

(Revelation 19:1-6)  After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2 because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her.” 3 And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever.” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And a voice came from the throne, saying,

“Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” 6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns..."

All of heaven will be prepared for the wedding feast!  Remember at this point, Christ will have already collected His bride (the Church) at the rapture and those believers will have been given glorified bodies.

The seven years in heaven parallel the time of consummation for a bride and groom.

And then, according to Jewish wedding tradition, the groom leads his bride out and brings her to his house to celebrate.  All of the invited guests who are ready and waiting, will follow them to the wedding festivities.

This parallels when Jesus (the Groom)  comes back to earth, with all the believers who have been given glorified bodies (the bride).

The people who become believers during the Tribulation and remain alive until the end will enter the Millennial kingdom (in their physical earthly bodies).

The Millennium is also called "the thousand year reign", the "marriage supper of the Lamb" as well as "the Wedding Feast"...

(Revelation 19:7-9)  “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

9 Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”

Today's takeaway:  I love how God is not against celebrating!...

(Luke 15:3-7)  So He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

(Philippians 4:4)  Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 

(Psalm 150:1-6)  Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty expanse.
2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness.

3 Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with harp and lyre.
4 Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

(Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)  I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; 13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God. 

(John 15:2-11)  “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit [c]of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."