“Shouting Alleluia!” – FBC Morning Light (12/26/2023)

Well, a good Tuesday morning to you. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas day yesterday. We celebrated yesterday the first Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. He promised, as he ascended into heaven, that he would come again, that there would be a second Advent.

The Second Advent and the Bible Reading Plan

Today, in one section of our Bible reading plan, we're going to read about a very wonderful thing that will take place when that day comes, in the second coming of our Lord. So today we're reading in Zechariah chapters 13 and 14, and then Revelation chapter 19.

So we're finishing the next to the last book of the Bible, and the next two days we'll be reading Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament. And before the end of the week, by the end of the week, we will have finished reading through the Bible this year, if you've been following through that plan.

The Judgment of the Great Harlot in Revelation 19

Well, today in Revelation 19, there's this really wonderful scene when the purveyor of the corruption of this world has finally been judged, and the blood of the saints has all been avenged. It is the destruction or the judgment of the great harlot, as verse 2 talks about in Revelation 19.

And when that day comes, what a scene it will be. Let me read it for you, Revelation 19, verse 1. It says, After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and honor belong to the Lord our God, for true and righteous are his judgments.

Keep that in mind. God's judgments, our Lord's judgments are always true and righteous. True and righteous are his judgments, because, and here's an expression of that true and righteous judgment, he has judged the great harlot, and what did she do, that great harlot?

She corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants, shed by her. Again, they said, Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God, who sat on the throne, saying, Amen, Hallelujah!

Then a voice came from the throne, saying, Praise our God, all you servants and those who fear him, both small and great. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and the sound of mighty thunders, saying, Hallelujah!

For the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Our Lord God omnipotent reigns. Our God reigns. And there's coming a day when Jesus comes again, when the full display of his reign will be clear for all to see, when he finally, at the end of the age, judges that great harlot who is the purveyor of corruption.

And all those who have followed Christ through the years, through the generations, and have been cruelly mistreated and maligned and martyred for their faith, their blood will at last be avenged. True and righteous are our Lord's judgments.

Living in Hope While the World Remains Under Corruption

Hallelujah! The Lord God omnipotent reigns. I'm greatly looking forward to that day, as I'm sure you are. In the meantime, we live in this world that is still under the sway and influence of that great harlot.

And we lament it. We don't like it. And those of us who name the name of Christ may be increasingly marginalized. There are many in this world who are cruelly punished because of their faith in Christ.

And yet, the time is coming. Our God reigns. And our God will rule and judge in equity and fairness and righteousness. The purveyor of wickedness shall be judged. Let's thank the Lord for that today. Our Father and our God, we are grateful for the glorious truth that all that grieves us in this world because of the great harlot, the purveyor of corruption, that is literally destroying the world with her corruption.

We're grateful that the day is coming when you, our omnipotent reigning God, will judge her in righteousness and justice. Look forward to that day. And we say with John at the end of Revelation, even so come Lord Jesus.

Thank you, Father, for this wonderful promise of the future in Jesus' name. Amen. All right. Well, listen, I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day today. May the Lord bless you. Good day.