Scripture reading: Revelation 19:1-10.

Sermon text: Revelation 19:11-21.

J.R.R. Tolkein gave us the books before Peter Jackson gave us the movies. The Lord of the Rings series tells the story of the near-victory of evil over a weakened kingdom divided for centuries. After three millennia ruled only by stewards, the kingdom witnessed the return of a legitimate king to the throne of man.

This story remains a favorite decades after Tolkein’s writing, primarily because we all empathize with the story in some way. We all see terrible things happen in the world and believe someone should right the wrongs. We all sense that if the right person were in charge, much of what the world endures would have been avoided.

Unfortunately, the Revelation tells us that things will grow far worse before the rightful King returns to restore a broken world and humanity. Satan himself will rule through his servants, the beast and false prophet. However, the end will come suddenly with the return of Jesus Christ and the complete annihilation of Satan’s armies. Nothing will prevent the return of Our Lord to His kingdom.

Thus far, we’ve seen rebellious humanity choose evil and pay the price with the great plagues of Chapter 16. Then, the false religious and commercial system of the world suffer catastrophic destruction in chapter 17. We read of heaven’s song at her fall in chapter 18.

The song of Revelation chapter 18 continues in chapter 19. As with the worship we’ve read before in the book, all the redeemed erupt in spontaneous praise at the destruction of the system that has persecuted believers of all times since its beginning in Genesis 11.

The redeemed sing, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” The word “hallelujah” is Hebrew for “praise the LORD!” The redeemed praise God for the salvation He extends to us. He has revealed His glory and power throughout this book. Remember that even when Satan rules the world, God continues to exhibit His power in the world. God’s “judgments are true and just;” humanity will reap its due reward for choosing pride and evil over His righteous lifestyle. The injustices suffered by God’s people will return on the wicked of the earth.

Verse 3 reminds us that the wicked will suffer eternally for their choice. “The smoke” of the false system and her worshipers will go “up forever and ever.”

Then, in verses 4-8, we hear one of the greatest songs in all history. The 24 elders and 4 living creatures join the song; a voice comes from heaven urging all to “Praise our God;” and then, in verses 6-8, we find the inspiration of George Frederic Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus:” “Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” It is said that when Handel emerged from his room after writing this piece, he proclaimed, “I do believe I have seen all of Heaven before me, and the great God Himself.”

St. John himself was so overwhelmed at this and the proclamation of the marriage supper of the Lamb that he fell in awe before the angel accompanying him. The angel had to remind him, “I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.”

Then — finally — we see what Christianity has proclaimed since our beginning: The return of our King.

St. John saw a truly awesome sight. Heaven itself split open above the earth, and Jesus Himself returned on a white horse. The white horse in chapter 6 represented the Antichrist, the false Christ of prophecy. This time, the rider of the white horse is the real Christ, returning to claim His throne.

St. John calls Jesus “Faithful and True.” Jesus had promised He would never forsake His saints and that He would return one day. We know He has kept His promise of staying with us always; one day, He will return and prove His word as true.

Jesus will come to rule “in righteousness;” finally, humanity will find itself held accountable to God’s standards. He will “judge and make war;” this time, sin’s judgment will result in its destruction. His very robe demonstrates the nature of this return. In His first coming, Jesus’ robe was marred with His blood after His scourging. This time, Jesus’ robe is dipped in blood to symbolize the deaths of His enemies.

He needs no weapon; nor do the armies who accompany Him. The words of Christ will “strike down the nations.” He will fulfill Psalm 2, where David prophesied He would “rule [the nations] with a rod of iron.”

Note that He does not return alone. “The armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure,” come with Him. What a glorious return to earth for the saints of God! We will return to an earth destroyed by sin, but we will witness its re-creation by its Creator. In this world, we constantly face temptation; in the world to come, we will live in complete righteousness. In this world, we face weakness and fear; in the world to come, we will rule in the strength of Christ Himself.

While St. John saw that Jesus has “a name written that no one knows but himself,” one name borne by Christ clearly appears to all creation: “King of kings and Lord of lords.” In ancient history, the kings of Persia called themselves “Shah han Shah,” or “king of kings.” However, when Jesus claims the title, He will truly hold all the power of all kings on earth. Jesus alone is worthy of this exalted title.

Jesus’ return, while glorious to His saints, will bring doom to the armies opposing Him. An angel called all birds to participate in “the great supper of God.” In verse 9, the angel with St. John had said, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” The participants in the “great supper,” however, are cursed, because the birds will “eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” What a horrible end! Yet, isn’t this a great lesson for the world today? Jesus died to redeem us; those who choose sin remain in bondage. One day, Jesus will serve His saints at the marriage supper, where we will consume the best heaven has to offer. Sin, on the other hand, consumes those who serve it.

As I observe our society and the sins we tolerate, I’ve come to understand that we really don’t comprehend the depravity of sin. We don’t fully recognize its horrific consequences; we overlook its disastrous effects on everything it touches. Only at the end of history will we finally see just how badly a righteous God hates sin.

Jesus will waste no time fighting any battle; He will simply speak, and His words — the “sword” that comes from His mouth — will destroy all His enemies. The beast and false prophet will experience instant judgment as they find themselves plucked from the earth and thrown into the “lake of fire.” Their armies will die instantly at Jesus’ word, and the birds will eat their corpses. Thus ends the greatest tribulation the world will ever see; Thus ends Satan’s most successful attempt to rule over the earth. Jesus speaks; sin loses. “Hallelujah!”

We see a question in this chapter: Why wait to rejoice at Jesus’ victory? Throughout the book, the saints in heaven have rejoiced at every event that unfolds in God’s plan to establish Jesus’ rule. Everyone who confesses Jesus as Lord, believing that God raised Him from the dead, experiences a spiritual birth that signals Jesus’ victory over sin. We receive the Holy Spirit in our hearts to guide us as well as the promise of eternal life. When you confess Jesus as Lord, you become a part of God’s fulfillment of His plan.

Furthermore, we can live victoriously in life. If Jesus can overcome death, destroy armies, and establish righteousness in all the earth, He can certainly overcome sin in our lives. Jesus Christ is Faithful and True. He will keep His promises never to forsake us and to return to reign in glory one day.

When the Messiah was performed before King George II of England in 1742, he was so moved by the “Hallelujah Chorus” that he stood in honor of the Lord God omnipotent, a tradition we continue today. One day, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, will return to reign. The King will claim His throne. One day, all creation will rejoice at the return of the King, the Lord Omnipotent.