Revelation 19:4-8 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!”

6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

God seated on throne emphasizes God’s power and sovereignty, and thus control. The response of the voice is an invitation for all to praise God. The great multitude in verses 6-8 respond to the voice. The sounds of waters and storm make a really loud noise like a large crowd. The crowd gives a unison response to the invitation of v. 5. These are all the people of God who are in heaven around God’s throne. They are now no longer concerned with the harlot but are now focused on the marriage of the Lamb.  The harlot is out of the picture; the bride has been faithful and is ready for marriage. The reason for praise is the wedding of the church to Christ (see OT background in Hos 2:19; Isa 54:5-7; NT see Eph 5:32).

There were two steps in ancient marriages:

  1. Betrothal: husband and wife in commitment but marriage not consummated. Bride is kept pure and committed to groom. This is a period of waiting and preparation.
  2. Consummation and celebration with feast.

Key phrase: “the bride has made herself ready”. What is the implication of this?

  1. Remember that the bride is the church, the people of God. A collective.
  2. They have kept themselves pure, they have not compromised like the prostitute.
  3. The church (believers) must remain pure, even in the midst of an immoral world. We cannot compromise our holiness.
  4. What is betrothal for the church? We must prepare ourselves, keep ourselves pure, and be ready. (Parable of the 10 virgins in Matt 25).

Note the garb of the bride: white for purity.  Linen for righteous acts of the saints.  Righteousness is the sign of relationship but not the way to relationship.

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