END OF TIME PROPHECIES 205

             HALLELUJAH          Revelation 19v1-10.

"And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven saying "Alleluia........."

Four times in scripture this word Alleluia appears, and all in these verses. The old testament equivalent occurs about 80 times and mostly in the Psalms.   Indeed the Psalm 117, which in terms of chapters is at the very centre of the bible begins and ends with "hallelujah"....literally "praise ye the Lord". This is the central message of the bible, and it is fitting that the return of Christ to earth is prefaced by a fourfold declaration that proclaims glory to God.
The word is in two parts; hallel, the Hebrew word for "praise", and "Jah", which is the shortened form of Jehovah.   Together they say "Praise the Lord."   The construction of the words with the "u" joining them makes it imperative. It should not be considered merely as the right thing to do, rather it is something which must be done, and, indeed will be done in every sphere, and by every living creature.   Further, it is not so much something we say ourselves, it is to proclaim the worth of God to all, almost compelling them to do the same.
In our modern world it has come to mean "hooray", but that demeans it, because the praise is directed to God, and not to any mortal.

The Hallel group of Psalms run from 104-150 and their message is that God will be praised in His universe.   The last verse in the Psalms reads like this "let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord!"; the last phrase is the essence of "Hallelujah."   Psalms 146-150 begin and end with Hallelujah.   This is the goal to which we are all heading..... universal praise of God with no dissenting voice!   When describing God's wonderful salvation in Ephesians chapter 1, three times over Paul declares "To the praise of His glory"  v6 v12 v14.   In that great exposition of the gospel, the letter to Romans, Paul sprinkles the doctrine with a number of doxologies (expressions of praise to God), chapter 1v25, chapter 9v5, chapter 11v36, chapter 16v27.   This is the highest, the noblest, perspective of the gospel, that which issues in the glory of God.   There is a phenomenal statement in Psalm 76v10  "surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain."  Nothing and no one will prevent the glorious objective of the universe from fulfilment.   God will be glorified and we shall see that coming out vividly in this section of God's word.  

There are four declarations of  "alleluia":

• Praise to the God of equity..... verses 1-2.
• Praise to the God of eternity.....  verse 3.
• Praise to the God of sovereignty.....  verse 4-5.
• Praise to the God of unity.....  verses 6-7.

This praise comes from many different groups; these include old testament saints, saints from the church age, saints from the period of tribulation, the cherubim before His throne, the seraphim above His throne, the vast hosts of angelic beings in heaven.   The scene is awesome and will be the fulfillment of Psalm 22v25  "my praise shall be of Thee in the great congregation."  

Amazon bookshelf   George Neilly