Revelation 19:1-61And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 4And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (Revelation 19:1‑6)
We are very little conscious of the blessing granted us, in being made acquainted with God's purposes, even those of judgment. The first thing, of course, for the soul to be anxious about, is the possession of peace with God. But then the heart will not be shut up to that, but is enlarged of God, to enter into the whole scene and scope of glory, in which the Lord Jesus Christ delights, and in which He will have us with Him; and, in connection with this scene, into the judgments on opposers and enemies, consequent on His taking His inheritance.
If we think of the past or the present, in scripture or profane history, and consider how power has been abused, we cannot wonder at the joy Heaven evinces, and the song of praise bursting forth at God's taking the government:-" The Lord God omnipotent reigneth 1" Trace it back to the flood. After delegating the new world to Noah, we find man despising the authority of God, and idolatry coming in; in fact, the whole course of the world is according to the prince of the power of the air-according to Satan-and not according to God; all is apostate from God! The more religious they were, the more Satan was honored. As the apostle says, " The things the Gentiles offer, they offer to devils and not to God." It is not simply the natural lusts contending, and the motives enlisted on the side of sin; every way, it is all the devil's. What a change, when God shall take the power into His own hands, and we can sing, " The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!"
All idolatry is summed up in Babylon, " the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." Go back to Nebuchadnezzar. The head of gold turns to idolatry. And I would note here, that all that was connected with the worship of Pluto in pagan religion, (a shadow of truth men never effaced even here, though hell and the devil all that remained of it,) and you will see that the unity of the Godhead was not the truth denied. That which man quarreled with was that which reveals the Mediator. Satan cannot deny there is a God, but he will try to hinder (by putting another object between) His light and love from shining into the heart and conscience, and so revealing Him who alone can give us peace. When the golden calf was made, the devil did not take away the name of Jehovah; for they said, " To-morrow is a feast to Jehovah." So now it is not the name of God cast out; but the introduction of that which hides the truth. All Satan's aim is to blot out the Mediator. So John, in his epistles, when Heathenism and Judaism were combined in this one object, meets it by " God is light," and "God is love." And the saints are to be partakers of the same. So long as Satan can hinder that, he will give the name, and call it Christianity; but his object is to keep up distance between our souls and God, and to prevent us from reaching the blessed end for which Jesus suffered-"who died the just for the unjust, to bring us to God." Blessed be God, we have such a mediator, who brings us to God, raising us up to Him; not as Satan tries to bring God down to us-" after the similitude of a calf eating hay." The corruption of the mediatorial work of Christ is Satan's wide-spread power over the nations in the hands of Babylon,-but " Strong is the Lord God that judgeth her."
The first verse ascribes salvation and glory, &c., to God-not to the Lamb-but to God on the throne, reigning; first, executing judgment, then reigning; to the God of heaven sitting on the throne, (not coming to earth in the characters known to the Old Testament saints, as Shaddai and Jehovah,) judging Babylon. He reserves to Himself the judgment which puts down Satan's power and malice. Be not surprised at power unintelligible, yet chaining men's minds. It is Satan's work. It is quite beyond us, and cannot be put down till the Lord God takes the power and gives perfect deliverance. Christ cannot display His long-affianced bride until the evil is removed, that which is false and corrupt put aside, and that which is true brought out in its place. The pretended heavenly thing removed, Christ will bring forth His bride and produce her before the world in the glory prepared for her. While He is hid with God, we are hid too. Our display shall be with His display. The Church and the world cannot go on together. By the Holy Ghost she is planted and set down here in the character of witness. In as far as she is true, she is hated by the world. For a brief season there was gladness and the people glorified; but she has to walk by faith not by sight now. A heavenly character is hers. " Ye are not of this world." And He cannot appear till we come forth with Him.
God will have realities. Now although He is bearing with corruption, it is only in order to the gathering to Himself His Church. She having gone up and been received of Christ, He will come back with her, and be manifested to all. May we keep ourselves for Him until He comes.