Three Hallelujahs for the Fall of Babylon!
1After these things I heard a roar in heaven. It sounded like a huge crowd shouting,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.
2The way he judges is true and fair.
He has judged the great prostitute.
She made the earth impure with her terrible sins.
God has paid her back for killing those who served him.”
3Again they shouted,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her fire goes up for ever and ever.”
4The 24 elders and the four living creatures bowed down. They worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out,
“Amen! Hallelujah!”
5Then a voice came from the throne. It said,
“Praise our God,
all you who serve him!
Praise God, all you who have respect for him,
both great and small!”
6Then I heard the noise of a huge crowd. It sounded like the roar of rushing waters and like loud thunder. The people were shouting,
“Hallelujah!
Our Lord God is the King who rules over all.
7Let us be joyful and glad!
Let us give him glory!
It is time for the Lamb’s wedding.
His bride has made herself ready.
8Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given to her to wear.”
Fine linen stands for the right things that God’s holy people do.
9Here is what the angel told me to write. “Blessed are those invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” Then he added, “These are the true words of God.”
10When I heard this, I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I serve God, just as you do. I am God’s servant, just like believers who hold firmly to what Jesus has taught. Worship God! The Spirit of prophecy tells the truth about Jesus.”
The Heavenly Warrior Has Victory Over the Beast
11I saw heaven standing open. There in front of me was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True. When he judges or makes war, he is always fair. 12His eyes are like blazing fire. On his head are many crowns. A name is written on him that only he knows. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood. His name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses. They were dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Coming out of the rider’s mouth is a sharp sword. He will strike down the nations with the sword. Scripture says, “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” (Psalm 2:9) He stomps on the grapes of God’s winepress. The winepress stands for the terrible anger of the God who rules over all. 16Here is the name that is written on the rider’s robe and on his thigh.
The Greatest King of All and the Most Powerful Lord of All
17I saw an angel standing in the sun. He shouted to all the birds flying high in the air, “Come! Gather together for the great supper of God. 18Come and eat the dead bodies of kings, generals, and other mighty people. Eat the bodies of horses and their riders. Eat the bodies of all people, free and slave, great and small.”
19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies. They had gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast and the false prophet were captured. The false prophet had done signs for the beast. In this way the false prophet had tricked some people. Those people had received the mark of the beast and had worshiped its statue. The beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire. The lake of fire burns with sulfur. 21The rest were killed by the sword that came out of the rider’s mouth. All the birds stuffed themselves with the dead bodies.
Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon’s Fall
1After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
3And again they shouted:
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”
4The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:
“Amen, Hallelujah!”
5Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
“Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both great and small!”
6Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
9Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
10At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”
The Heavenly Warrior Defeats the Beast
11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”19:15 Psalm 2:9 He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
king of kings and lord of lords.
17And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”
19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
