Bibelkommentare

And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:

I heard a great voice — In obedience to that exhortation, Revelation 18:20 , Rejoice over her, thou heaven, …

Saying, Alleluia — i.e. Praise the Lord. Was not he a wise man that gave this derivation of the word Al altissimus, le levatus est, lu lugebant apostoli, ia iam resurrexit? Acutum sane decompositum. This word is in the Old Testament first used, Psalms 104:35 , where consuming of sinners is mentioned, as in the New Testament here, where the destruction of Antichrist is foretold. Praise is therefore here given to God in the Hebrew tongue, saith Mr Bulkly, because the Hebrews or Jews shall acknowledge the Lord Jesus with us.

Unto the Lord — Gr. Is the Lord’s, as Psalms 3:8 . He is the true proprietary.

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For 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.

Which did corrupt the earth — I read of one, who journeying to Rome, as soon as he came within the city shut his eyes, and so kept them; as resolving to see nothing in that city (which he knew to be very corrupt, and a cotrupter of others) but only the Church of St Peter. (Sphinx Philos. p. 753.) See Trapp on " Revelation 18:4 "

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And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.

And again they said, Alleluia — As unsatisfiable in performing so divine a duty. Some think that the Hebrew word is retained to import that after Rome is ruined, the Churches of the Gentiles shall by their incessant praises provoke the Jews to join with them, and concelebrate the mercy; like as the Spouse, by praising her Beloved, stirred up those dull daughters of Jerusalem to seek him with her, Song of Solomon 5:9-10 cf. Revelation 6:1 .

And her smoke rose up — Like that of Sodom. Yet wretched Romanists will not be warned, whose judgment therefore is here revealed after that of the sitting of Rome.

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And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.

And the four and twenty elders — The former Alleluiah was more private; every good heart being lifted up with joy and thankfulness, when first they hear the good news of Antichrist’s overthrow. Now is this the joint Alleluiah of the public congregation, praising and magnifying God. This may be a further means to move the Jews to come in.

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And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.

And a voice came out — This is the Lamb’s voice, his all quickening voice, which shall rouse and raise the dead and dedolent Jews; powerfully pulling the veil from their hard hearts, which yet were somewhat moved and mollified by the former Alleluiahs, so that now all the servants of God, small and great, Jew and Gentile, shall praise him with one consent.

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And 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.

And I heard as it were the voice — See how morigerous the saints are, and ready-hearted to obey God. No sooner are they bidden to praise God, but they are at it, dicto citius. See the like Psalms 27:8 .

Saying, Alleluia — This was the Hosanna Rabba, as the Jews call it; the victoria Halleluiatica, as the old Britons called their victory over the Saxons. The story is this. Under the conduct of Germanus (here in Britain), who came over from France to subdue the Pelagian heresy (which then prevailed among us), against a mighty army of Saxons and Picts, the Britons prevailed only by the three times pronouncing the word Hallelujah; which voice echoing and redoubling from the acclamation of his followers among the mountains, near to which the enemy had encamped, frightened them and won the conquest, upon which it was called victoria Halleluiatica. (Dr Ussier, de Brit. Eccles. Primord. p. 332.)

Reigneth — i.e. He now maketh it appear that he reigneth, which Averroes and some other of the world’s wizards doubted, yea, denied; because they saw bad men prosper, good men suffer.

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Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Hath made herself ready — Being first made ready by the grace of Christ. Certain est nos facere quod facimus; sed ille facit ut faciamus. (Aug.) The bowls of the candlestick had no oil but that which dropped from the olive branches, Zechariah 4:12 .

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And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

And to her was granted — It is here clear (saith Bernard) that there shall be as great difference between the state of God’s Church now, and that which is to come after Rome’s ruin, as between the time of honourable persons only betrothed, and the high, joyful, and glorious day of their public marrying; as between the time of a king coming on to his kingdom, and his actual and powerful reigning as king indeed.

That she should be arrayed — This also is given her, as well as her rich raiment; which she can no more put on by herself than she can purchase it.

Clean and white — Or, pure and bright. Pure, saith one, because imputed righteousness is pure indeed, and hath no spot in it; but not bright; you can see no great matter in it; it maketh no great show before men (as inherent righteousness doth, Matthew 5:16 ), but before God. A man may be very much defiled and subject to many scandals, and yet be clothed with the garment of imputed righteousness.

The righteousness of saints — Gr. righteousnesses, that twofold righteousness, imputed and imparted.

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