Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments - Jesus' Role in Prophecy - Conclusion

 Does this detract in any way from the worship we give Jehovah? No. Remember the angel's cautionary advice: "Worship God." Jesus never tries to rival Jehovah. (Philippians 2:6) True, all the angels are told to "do obeisance to [Jesus]," and all creation must recognize his high position so that "in the name of Jesus every knee should bend." But notice, this is "to the glory of God the Father" and by his order. (Hebrews1:6; Philippians 2:9-11) Jehovah gave Jesus his high authority, and by acknowledging that authority, we give glory to God. If we refuse to submit to Jesus' rule, it is equivalent to rejecting God himself. - PSALM 2:11,12.

So, then, let us unitedly voice the opening words of Psalm 146 to 150: "Praise Jah, you people" May  the Hallelujah chorus thunder forth in anticipation of Jehovah's triumph over the Babylonish world empire of false religion! And may job abound as the marriage of the Lamb approaches!

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Nine/The Warrior-King Triumphs at Armageddon

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments -Jesus' Role in Prophecy

 The angel then says: "For the bearing witnesses to Jesus is what inspires prophesying." (Revelation 19:10b) How so? This means that all inspired prophecy is evoked because of Jesus and the role he plays in Jehovah's purposes. The first prophecy in the Bible promised the coming of a seed.  (Genesis 3:15) Jesus became that Seed, Subsequent Revelations built a huge edifice of prophetic truth on this basic promise. The apostle Peter told the unbelieving Gentile Cornelius: "To him [Jehovah] all the prophets bear witness." (Acts 10:43) Some 20 years later, the apostle Paul said: "No matter how many the promises of God are, they have become Yes by means of him [Jesus] ." (2 Corinthians 1:20) After another 43 years, John himself reminds us: "The truth came to be through Jesus Christ." - JOHN 1:17. 

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments - Happy Are Those Invited - Continue

 The angel adds that "these are the true sayings of God." This word "true" translates the Greek a-le-thi-nos' and means "genuine" or "dependable." Since these sayings are really from Jehovah, they are faithful and reliable. (Compare 1 John 4:1-3; Revelation 21:5; 22:6.) As one invited to that marriage feast, John must have been filled with joy at hearing this and at contemplating the blessings ahead for the bride class. He was so deeply moved, in fact, that the angel had to give him counsel, as John relates: "At that I fell down before his feet to worship him. But he tells me: 'Be careful! Do not do that! All I am is a fellow slave of you and your brothers who have the work of witnessing to Jesus. Worship God.' " -REVELATION 19:10a. 

Throughout Revelation a remarkable witness is given to the faithfulness and diligence of the angels. They are involved n the channel of revealed truth. (Revelation 1:1) They work along with humans in preaching the good news and pointing out the symbolic plagues. (Revelation 14:6, 7;  16:1) They fought alongside Jesus to cast Satan and his angels from heaven, and they will fight alongside him again at Armageddon. (Revelation 12:7; 19:11-14) Indeed, they have access to the very person of Jehovah.  (Matthew18:10; Revelation 15:6) Nevertheless, they are no more than humble slaves of God. There is no room in pure worship for worship of the angels or even for relative worship, directing worship to God via some "saint" or angel. (Colossians 2:18) Christians worship only Jehovah, making their petitions to him in Jesus's name. - JOHN 14:12, 13. 

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments! -Happy Are Those Invited

 John now records the fourth of the seven happinesses in Revelation: "And he [the angel who has been revealing these things to John] tells me: 'Write: Happy are those invited to the evening meal of the Lamb's marriage.' Also, he tells me: 'These are the true sayings of God.' "(Revelation 19:9) The ones invited to "the Lamb's marriage" are the members of the bride class.  (Compare Matthew 22:1-14) All the anointed bridal company share the happiness of having received this invitation. Most of the invitees have already gone to heaven, the place of the marital evening meal. Those who are still on earth are happy, too, that they have the invitation. Their place at the evening meal is secure. (John 14:103; 1 Peter 1:3-9) When they are resurrected to heaven, then the entire, united bride will proceed to share with the Lamb in that supremely happy marriage.

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments! -The Lamb's Wife Has Prepared Herself - Conclusion

 At this point in Jehovah's timetable, when the sealing of the 144000 has reached completion, the angels release the four winds of the great tribulation. (Revelation7:1-3) First, judgment is executed on harlotlike Babylon the Great. The victorious Christ next moves on quickly to Armageddon to destroy the rest of Satan's organization on earth and, finally, to abyss Satan and his demons.  (Revelation 19:11-20:3) No doubt, anointed ones who survive on earth will soon enter into their heavenly reward to join their fellow members of the bride class, then, amid a setting of universal peace, the marriage of the Lamb can take place!

The prophetic description of events in Psalm 45 confirms that order. First the enthroned King rides forth to the conquest of his enemies.  (verses 1-7) Then the marriage is performed, the heavenly bride being attended one earth by her virgin companions, the great crowd.  (verses8-15) Next the marriage becomes fruitful, with resurrected mankind being raised to perfection under oversight of "princes of all the earth." (verses 16,17) What glorious blessings accompany the marriage of the Lamb! 

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments - The Lamb's Wife Has Prepared Herself - Continue

 After decades of testing, Paul himself could declare: "I have fought the fine fight, I have run the course to the finish, I have observed the faith. From this time on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give me as reward in that day, yet not only to me, but also to all those who have loved his manifestation." (1 Timothy4:7, 8) The apostle's sealing appears to have been complete, even though he was still in the flesh and would yet face martyrdom. Similarly, the time must come when all remaining ones on earth of the 144,000 will have been sealed individually as belonging to Jehovah. (2 Timothy 2:19) This will be when the Lamb's wife will have fully prepared herself-the great majority received of the 144,000 having already received their heavenly reward and those still on earth having been finally approved and sealed as faithful ones. 

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments --The Lamb's Wife Has Prepared Herself

 So now, after almost 2,000 years, all of 144,000 of the bride class have made themselves ready. But at what point of time may it be said that the Lamb's wife has prepared herself'? Progressively, from Pentecost 33 C.E. on, believing anointed ones "were sealed with the promise of the holy spirit," this in view of a coming "day of releasing by ransom." As the apostle Paul expressed it, God "has also put his seal upon us and has given us the token of what is to come, that is, the spirit, in our hearts." (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; 2 Corinthians 1:22) Each anointed Christian is "called and chosen," and he has proved himself "faithful." - REVELATION 17:14.

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments -The Lamb's Marriage Is at Hand!- Conclusion

 From Pentecost 33 C.E. on, Satan used Babylon the Great as his tool in trying to contaminate the prospective members of the Lamb's wife. By the end of the first century, he had sown seeds of Babylonish religion in the congregation. (1 Corinthians 15:12; 2 Timothy2:18; Revelation 2:6, 14, 20) The apostle Paul describes these who were subverting the faith in these words: "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:13, 14) In succeeding centuries, apostate Christendom, like the rest of Babylon the Great, dressed herself in the clothing of wealth and privilege, "purple and scarlet, . . . gold and precious stone and pearls." (Revelation 17:4) Her clergy and popes consorted with bloodthirsty emperors, such as Constantine and Charlemagne. She was never arrayed in "the righteous acts of the holy ones." As a counterfeit bride, she was truly a masterpiece of Satanic deception. At last, she is gone forever! 

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments - The Lamb's Marriage Is at Hand! - Continue

 Down through the centuries, Jesus has made loving preparation for this celestial marriage. (Matthew 28:20; 2 Corinthians 11:2) He has been cleansing the 144,000 o00 so that "he might present the congregation to himself in its splendor, not having a spot or a wrinkle or any of such things, but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:25-27) With a view to attaining to "the prize of the upward call of God," each anointed Christian has had to strip off the old personality with its practices, put on the new Chrisitan personality and perform righteous acts "whole-souled as to Jehovah." - PHILIPPIANS 3:8, 13, 14; COLOSSIANS 3:9, 10, 23. 

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments -The Lamb's Marriage Is at Hand!

 "You woman enemy of mine"! That is how Jerusalem, the location of Jehovah's temple of worship, addressed Idolatrous Babylon. (Micah 7:8) Likewise, "the holy city, New Jerusalem," made u[ of the bride of 144,000 members has had every reason to address Babylon the Great as her enemy. (Revelation 21:2) But at last the great harlot has suffered adversity, calamity, and ruin. Her spiritistic practices and astrologers have been unable to save her. (Compare Isaiah 47:1,11-13) A major victory, indeed, for true worship!

With the disgusting harlot, Babylon the Great, gone forever, attention can now be focused on the virgin-pure bride of the Lamb! Hence, the heavenly throngs sing exultantly in praise of Jehovah: "Let us rejoice and be overjoyed, and let us give the glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has arrived and his wife prepared herself. Yes, it has been granted to her to be arrayed in bright, clean, fine linen, for the fine linen stands for the righteous acts of holy ones." - REVELATION 19:7, 8.

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