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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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments - 'Hallelujah!' Jehovah Is King!'- Conclusion

 How is it, though, that Jehovah begins to rule? Millenniums have passed since the psalmist declared: "God is my King from long ago." (Psalm 74:12) Jehovah's kingship was ancient even then, so how can the universal chorus sing that "Jehovah . . . has begun to rule as king"? In that when Babylon the Great is destroyed, Jehovah will no longer have that presumptuous rival to detract from obedience to him as the Universal Sovereign. No longer will false religion incite earth's rulers to oppose him. When ancient Babylon fell from world dominance, Zion heard the victorious proclamation: "Your God has become king!" (Isaiah 52:7) After the Kingdom's birth in 1914, the 24 elders proclaimed: "We than you, Jehovah God . . . because you have taken your great power and begun ruling as king." (Revelation 11:17) Now, after the devastation of Babylon the Great, the cry is again uttered: "Jehovah has begun to rule as king." No man-made god remains to contests the sovereignty of the true God, Jehovah!

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments - 'Hallelujah-Jehovah Is King!'

 There are further reasons for rejoicing, as John goes on to tell us: "And I heard what was as voice of a great crowd and as a sound of many waters and as  sound of heavy thunders. They said: 'Hallelujah, because Jehovah our God, the Almighty, as begun to rule as king.' " (Revelation 19:6) This last Hallelujah is the one that makes the proclamation foursquare, or symmetrical.  It is mighty celestial sound, more magnificent than any human choir, more majestic than any earthly waterfall, and more fear-inspiring than any terrestrial thunderstorm. The myriads of heavenly voices celebrate the fact that "Jehovah, our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king. " 

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Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments!

 Yes, those of the great crowd are also numbered among these slaves. Since 1935 these have been coming out of Babylon the Great and have experienced the fulfillment of God's promise: "He will bless those fearing Jehovah, the small one as well as the great ones." (Psalm 115:13) When harlotlike Babylon is desrtroyed, millions of them will join in "praising our God"-along with the John class and all the heavenly host. Later, those resurrected on earth, whether previously prominent or not, will no doubt sing further Hallelujahs on learning that Babylon the Great is gone forever. (Revelation20:12, 15) All praise to Jehovah for all his resounding victory over the old-age harlot!

What an incentive all of this gives us to share fully in God's work for today! May all of Jah's servants devote themselves heart and soul to declaring God's judgments, together with the Grand Kingdom hope, now, before Babylon the Great is unseated and destroyed. - ISAIAH 61:1-3; 1 CORINTHIANS 15:58.

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Eight/Praise Jah for His Judgments - 'Hallelujah-Jehovah Is King!' 

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