Rev 4:11, 19:1 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 11. Thou art worthy, 0 Lord . In thy character, perfections, and government, there is that which makes it proper that universal praise should be rendered. The feeling of all true worshippers is, that God is worthy of the praise that is ascribed to him. No man worships him aright who does not feel that there is that in his nature and his doings which makes it proper that he should receive universal adoration. To receive glory . To have praise or glory ascribed to thee. And honour . To be honoured; that is, to be approached and adored as worthy of honour. And power . To have power ascribed to thee, or to be regarded as having infinite power. Man can confer no power on God, but he may acknowledge that which he has, and adore him for its exertion in his behalf and in the government of the world. For thou hast created all things . Thus laying the foundation for praise. No one can contemplate this vast and wonderful universe without seeing that He who has made it is worthy to "receive glory and honour and power." . And for thy pleasure they are . They exist by thy will--διατο θελημα. The meaning is, that they owe their existence to the will of God, and therefore their creation lays the foundation for praise. He "spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." He said, "Let there be light; and there was light." There is no other reason why the universe exists at all than that such was the will of God; there is nothing else that is to be adduced as explaining the fact that anything has now a being. The putting forth of that will explains all; and consequently whatever wisdom, power, goodness is manifested in the universe, is to be traced to God, and is the expression of what was in him from eternity. It is proper, then, to "look up through nature to nature's God," and wherever we see greatness or goodness in the works of creation to regard them as the faint expression of what exists essentially in the Creator. And were created . Bringing more distinctly into notice the fact that they owe their existence to his will. They are not eternal; they are not self-existent; they were formed from nothing. (d) "worthy" (e) "power"

Revelation of John 4:11

Verse 11. Thou art worthy, 0 Lord. In thy character, perfections, and government, there is that which makes it proper that universal praise should be rendered. The feeling of all true worshippers is, that God is worthy of the praise that is ascribed to him. No man worships him aright who does not feel that there is that in his nature and his doings which makes it proper that he should receive universal adoration.

To receive glory. To have praise or glory ascribed to thee.

And honour. To be honoured; that is, to be approached and adored as worthy of honour.

And power. To have power ascribed to thee, or to be regarded as having infinite power. Man can confer no power on God, but he may acknowledge that which he has, and adore him for its exertion in his behalf and in the government of the world.

For thou hast created all things. Thus laying the foundation for praise. No one can contemplate this vast and wonderful universe without seeing that He who has made it is worthy to "receive glory and honour and power." Job 38:7.

And for thy pleasure they are. They exist by thy will--διατο θελημα. The meaning is, that they owe their existence to the will of God, and therefore their creation lays the foundation for praise. He "spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." He said, "Let there be light; and there was light." There is no other reason why the universe exists at all than that such was the will of God; there is nothing else that is to be adduced as explaining the fact that anything has now a being. The putting forth of that will explains all; and consequently whatever wisdom, power, goodness is manifested in the universe, is to be traced to God, and is the expression of what was in him from eternity. It is proper, then, to "look up through nature to nature's God," and wherever we see greatness or goodness in the works of creation to regard them as the faint expression of what exists essentially in the Creator.

And were created. Bringing more distinctly into notice the fact that they owe their existence to his will. They are not eternal; they are not self-existent; they were formed from nothing.

(d) "worthy" Rev 5:12 (e) "power" Col 1:16

Revelation of John 19:1

CHAPTER XIX

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER

THIS chapter, as well as the last, is an episode, delaying the final catastrophe, and describing more fully the effect of the destruction of the mystical Babylon. The chapter consists of the following parts:--

I. A hymn of the heavenly hosts in view of the destruction of the mystical Babylon, Rev 19:1-7.

(a) A voice is heard in heaven shouting Hallelujah, in view of the fact that God had judged the great harlot that had corrupted the earth, Rev 19:1,2.

(b) The sound is echoed and repeated as the smoke of her torment ascends, Rev 19:3.

(c) The four and twenty elders, and the four living creatures, as interested in all that pertains to the church, unite in that shout of Hallelujah, Rev 19:4.

(d) A voice is heard from the throne commanding them to praise God, Rev 19:5; and

(e) the mighty shout of Hallelujah is echoed and repeated from unnumbered hosts, Rev 19:6,7.

II. The marriage of the Lamb, Rev 19:8,9. The Lamb of God is united to his bride--the church--never more to be separated; and after all the persecutions, conflicts, and embarrassments which had existed, this long-desired union is consummated, and the glorious triumph of the church is described under the image of a joyous wedding ceremony.

III. John is so overcome with this representation, that in his transports of feeling he prostrates himself before the angel, who shows him all this, ready to worship one who discloses such bright and glorious scenes, Rev 19:10. He is gently rebuked for allowing himself to be so overcome that he would render Divine homage to any creature, and is told that he who communicates this to him is but a fellow-servant, and that God only is to be worshipped.

IV. The final conquest over the beast and the false prophet, and the subjugation of all the foes of the church, Rev 9:11-21.

(a) A description of the conqueror--the Son of God, Rev 9:11-16. He appears on a white horse--emblem of victory. He has on his head many crowns; wears a vesture dipped in blood; is followed by the armies of heaven on white horses; from his mouth goes a sharp sword; and his name is prominently written on his vesture and his thigh--all emblematic of certain victory.

(b) An angel is seen standing in the sun, calling on all the fowls of heaven to come to the great feast prepared for them in the destruction of the enemies of God--as if there were a great slaughter sufficient to supply all the fowls that feed on flesh, Rev 19:17,18.

(c) The final war, Rev 19:19,21. The beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies are gathered together for battle; the beast and the false prophet are taken, and are cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; and all that remain of the enemies of God are slain, and the fowls are satisfied with their flesh. The last obstacle that prevented the dawn of the millennial morning is taken away, and the church is triumphant.

Verse 1. And after these things. The things particularly that were exhibited in the previous chapter. Rev 18:1.

I heard a voice of much people in heaven. The voice of the worshippers before the throne.

Saying, Alleluia. The Greek method of writing Hallelujah. This word--αλληλουια--occurs in the New Testament only in this chapter, Rev 18:1,3,4,6. The Hebrew phrase-- ? Hallelujah--occurs often in the Old Testament. It means properly Praise Jehovah, or Praise the Lord. The occasion on which it is introduced here is very appropriate. It is uttered by the inhabitants of heaven, in the immediate presence of God himself, and in view of the final overthrow of the enemies of the church and the triumph of the gospel. In such circumstances it was fit that heaven should render praise, and that a song of thanksgiving should be uttered in which all holy beings could unite.

Salvation. That is, the salvation is to be ascribed to God. Rev 7:10.

And glory, and honour. Barnes on "Re 5:12".

And power. Rev 5:13.

Unto the Lord our God. That is, all that there is of honour, glory, power, in the redemption of the world belongs to God, and should be ascribed to him. This is expressive of the true feelings of piety always; this will constitute the song of heaven.

(a) "great voice" Rev 11:15 (b) "Alleluia" Rev 19:3,4,6 (c) "Salvation" Rev 7:10,12