ACC ~ Revelation 19 v1 - 6

OVERVIEW:

The destruction of the traitorous city, the great harlot, evokes from the church songs of praise and of jubilation (TYCONIUS, APRINGIUS, CAESARIUS OF ARLES). The saints rejoice, for God has caused sin to cease (ANDREW OF CAESAREA) and has separated out for punishment all adulterous and arrogant persons (CAESARIUS OF ARLES) and has given retribution to the wicked and reward to the good (APRINGIUS). By her evil deeds and her persecution of the saints the harlot committed every type of sin (BEDE). For this reason the wicked city and all its inhabitants go into an eternal punishment (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). This punishment will reveal that burning up that is ongoing even now in the present age. The wicked die in their wickedness, even as Jerusalem is constantly moving into paradise as the saints die in faith (CAESARIUS OF ARLES).

The innumerable ranks of the holy angels join in the praise of the saints and sing a threefold “Hallelujah” to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (OECUMENIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA). The twenty-four elders and the four creatures show their agreement with this angelic doxology (OECUMENIUS) by singing “Amen, Hallelujah.” Thereby they concur also in the faithful praise that the church now sings on the Lord’s day in the hope of the resurrection (BEDE). God receives this praise from his elect as pleasing to him (PRIMASIUS). Moreover, because this praise of the church is not only with her lips but out of affection and devotion (BEDE), God is pleased whether the praise be by faithful teachers or by those newly learning the faith (PRIMASIUS, OECUMENIUS), whether by those of great natural abilities or by those of lesser accomplishments (ANDREW OF CAESAREA).

From her beginning the church has preached the gospel and sung praises to the Trinity in unison with the angels (NICETAS OF REMESIANA, OECUMENIUS, PRIMASIUS). For the Trinity is the omnipotent God who created all things from nothing (PRIMASIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA). By his power he also mercifully made righteous his elect from those who were perishing from sin, and from these he made his church (PRIMASIUS). To this end, the only begotten Word of the Father became man. And although by nature the Word is King with the Father and the Holy Spirit, he in no manner ceased to be King after his incarnation (OECUMENIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA). We do not now see the glory of his reign, but when death is destroyed, we will see it, whether by way of subjection or by way of direct knowledge (OECUMENIUS).

19:1-3 | Salvation and Glory Belong to God

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED AND THE JOY OF THE CHURCH. TYCONIUS: Concerning the harlot it says, “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” That is to say, while the church remains in her joyful praise, the smoke of the destruction of the wicked also remains. Just as the beginning of fire is in smoke, so smoke is present as long as fire remains. I think that the Lord gave us an example of these good and evil persons in the figures of the pauper and the rich man. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.3.

THE SAINTS EXULT. APRINGIUS OF BEJA: The saints exult over the destruction of the traitorous city, and they praise God with the jubilation of praise. What does this describe other than the coming of the retribution of the evildoers and the rewarding of the good? This is that of which Daniel spoke, “Some will rise to everlasting life, and some to everlasting reproach,” so that they might see [this] forever. For this reason it is said, “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.1-3.

THE HOLY ANGELS SING “HALLELUJAH” TO THE TRINITY. OECUMENIUS: “I heard a voice from heaven as of a great multitude,” it says. The ranks of the holy angels are without number. As one of the fathers has said, the ninety-nine sheep who were kept safe and did not go astray represent the angels, while the one sheep who went astray represents the entirety of humankind. They said, “Hallelujah!” “Hallelujah” is a Hebrew expression that means “praise God” or “sing to God.” Therefore, they are singing a hymn of thanksgiving for the righteous judgment of the spiritual Babylon. And they cried out the same hymn a “second time,” and yet later they spoke it again. And so by this threefold offering of the Hallelujah they give glory to the holy and much to be praised Trinity, for this [Trinity] is God. “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” The doxology of the Hallelujah interrupted the flow of the discourse, since clearly the sequence of the narrative is this: “And he has avenged on her the blood of his servants. And the smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” He mentions “smoke” since the city of which he speaks is completely in flames. For smoke is an indication of fire. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.1-5.

PUNISHMENT RISES UP AS DOES SMOKE. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: This is the voice of the church when the separation has already occurred and when all wicked persons have gone out of her to be consumed with eternal fire. “And their smoke goes up for ever and ever.” Hear, O brothers, and fear and know that Babylon and the harlot whose smoke ascends forever and ever are not to be understood as anything other than lustful, adulterous and arrogant persons. And, therefore, if you wish to avoid these punishments, do not desire to commit such grievous sins. … Is it smoke of a burned-out city that is visible and goes up forever and ever, and not rather [the smoke] of people who remain in their arrogance? It says “it goes up,” not “it will go up,” for in the present age Babylon is always going into destruction and burning up in part, just as Jerusalem is moving into paradise in those saints who leave the world. The Lord showed this in the story of the poor man and the rich man. EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.1-3, HOMILY 18.

THROUGH PUNISHMENT GOD ACCOMPLISHES THE END OF SIN. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: “Hallelujah” signifies divine praise, while “Amen” means “truly” or “let it be so.” This praise is common both from the angelic powers as well as from humankind, which is similar to the angels, and this praise is sent up to God three times on account of the tri-hypostatic deity of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. God has “avenged the blood of his servants from the hand” of Babylon and has benefited her inhabitants by accomplishing the cessation of sin through its punishment. The words that the “smoke from the city goes up forever and ever” show either the unforgettable nature of the punishment that has come upon the city, or that although she meted out punishments in part and to some extent, she will, nonetheless, be punished eternally in the coming age. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.1-4.

IN CORRUPTION AND PERSECUTION ALL SIN IS INCLUDED. BEDE: It mentions two deeds of the harlot, namely, that she corrupted herself with evil deeds and that she persecuted those who are good. It seems to me that in these two acts every [type of] transgression is comprehended. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19.2.

19:4-5 | “Praise Our God”

THE ELDERS AND CREATURES JOIN IN THE PRAISE OF THE ANGELS. OECUMENIUS: The elders and the living creatures say “Amen,” signifying their agreement with the doxology that was proffered by the holy angels. For when rendered from the Hebrew into the Greek, “Amen” means γέυοιτο [“let it be”]. It says, “Praise our God, you small and you great.” By “small” he refers to those who are greater in holiness; by “great” he refers to those who are outstanding in holiness. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.1-5.

GOD ACCEPTS THE PRAISE OF HIS ELECT. PRIMASIUS: When [the voice] commands that this [praise] be done and then it is reported that [such praise] was given, it indicates that [God] has accepted the praise of his elect as pleasing, indeed, giving his approval to the praise that had been given and indicating that it is to be perpetual. The “great” in the church are those of whom the apostle said, “We speak wisdom among the perfect,” and of whom the Lord said, “Whoever teaches men so shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” The “small” are those of whom it is said, “As babes in Christ, I have given you milk to drink, not solid food.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.5.

EVEN CHILDREN ARE GREAT WHEN THEY PRAISE GOD. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: The throne of God is the seraphim and the cherubim. Whether these be great or small in their accomplishments, all are urged to praise God according to their abilities. However, I think that also those who are small in age and children who are not yet grown shall be great when they sing to God who has done such great things. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.5.

THE CHURCH SINGS “HALLELUJAH” ON THE LORD’S DAY. BEDE: The church worships her Lord not only with her lips but also with the affection of the highest devotion. The words Amen and Hallelujah can be interpreted, for they refer to faith or to the truth and praise of the Lord. However, out of reverence for the holiness of the original language, the use and authority of these words is preserved. The church continues to sing Hallelujah on the days of the Lord and throughout the period of Quinquagesima because of the hope of the resurrection, which in the praise of the Lord is future. … It says “the small and the great,” because to be small in natural abilities does not matter if one’s heart and tongue are full of the praise of the Lord. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19.4-5.

19:6 | The Voice of a Great Multitude

TO SING WITH TRUE FAITH. NICETAS OF REMESIANA: We know that later on the apostles also [sang psalms and hymns], since not even in prison did they cease to sing. So, too, Paul speaks to the prophets of the church: “When you come together, each of you has a hymn, has an instruction, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” And again, in another place: “I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the understanding also.” So, too, James sets down in his epistle: “Is any one of you sad? Let him pray. Is any one in good spirits? Let him sing a hymn.” And John in the Apocalypse reports that when the Spirit revealed himself to him, he saw and heard “a voice of the heavenly army, as it were the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thunders, saying, Alleluia.” From all this we may conclude that no one should doubt that this ministry, if only it is celebrated with true faith and devotion, is one with that of the angels, who, as we know, unhindered by sleep or other occupation, cease not to praise the Lord in heaven and to bless the Savior. LITURGICAL SINGING 10.

THE INCARNATE CHRIST WILL ACQUIRE A PERFECT SOVEREIGNTY. OECUMENIUS: According to the holy prophet Isaiah, the seraphim said “holy” three times and so composed a threefold hymn to one lordship. In this manner they showed that there are three individual existences or, which is to speak in a similar way, [three] persons of whom to sing, while there is one essence of the Godhead. Also in this passage the holy angels, having spoken the Hallelujah three times in the passages above and having rendered homage to each of the three holy hypostases, now sing the Hallelujah to the holy Trinity, showing that the holy and much-sung Trinity is in one unique essence and Godhead. “For the Lord our God reigns,” it says. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, even before his saving incarnation, as the only begotten Son and Word of the Father and the Maker of all things, reigned over what is in heaven and on earth with the Father and the all-holy Spirit. But even after the incarnation he is similarly Lord and King of all things, for by his taking of flesh he was in no way made inferior in regards to his rule and dominion over all things. As the all-wise apostle says, we do not yet see all things subjected to him, but all things will rather be subjected to him in the coming age, including those who now until then behave insolently toward him. Even death itself is to be subjected—for “the last enemy to be destroyed is death”—the holy angels properly say “the Lord our God reigns.” [In this way they] lift up a doxology regarding the future age, since then by the subjection of all things, Christ will have acquired a perfect sovereignty over all things. Some will experience this subjection by way of torment, while others will experience it by way of a direct knowledge which is not “through a dim mirror or an enigma,” as is the case now. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.6-9.

OUT OF HIS OMNIPOTENCE GOD CREATES, ELECTS AND PERFECTS. PRIMASIUS: The trumpets signify that preaching of which Isaiah spoke, saying, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet.” In this preaching the dread of the divine judgment is also indicated, which I think is also suggested by the mention of the thunder. … In the many waters those peoples are symbolized who praise God by saying “Hallelujah.” And so, when the church preaches and fears and praises, she exults with trembling, as we read, “Serve the Lord with fear; praise him with trembling.” “For our Lord the Almighty reigns.” The voice rightly mentions God’s omnipotence. For he created from nothing that which did not exist, and he sought those who had perished from sin, and he found those who were deserving of punishment, and from these he mercifully made righteous those whom he willed. Then from these, as though from members, he made for himself the church, and when he had redeemed her for such a dignity, he made her to be his bride since she did not merit to be his servant girl. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.6.

BY NATURE CHRIST RULES ALL THINGS AS CREATOR. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: “The voice of a great multitude and of many waters and thunderpeals” signifies the piercing clarity of the hymn, for all the angelic and heavenly powers are without number, and some have interpreted these to be the waters above the heavens. With these [heavenly powers] the whole body of the righteous give glory to the Creator. Indeed, Christ rules as King. By nature he governs all those of whom he is the Creator, but he rules these also by virtue of his incarnation, either according to his free and purposeful fellowship [with them] or according to the authority which is proper to him as King and Judge. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19.6-7.

THE HEART OF THE REDEEMED SINGS WITH GREAT DEVOTION. BEDE: The great voice of those singing indicates the great devotion of the heart. By the manifold repetition of praise, [the voice] rejoices in the destruction of the wicked and in the eternal glory of the Lord and of those who are his. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 19.6.