Revelation 19:4

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”

·         Alleluia is Hebrew for “Praise the Lord,” saying it in the imperative sense. It is an encouragement and an exhortation to Praise the Lord! (DG)

·         The blessed harmony between the angels and the saints in this triumphant song (MH)

Revelation 19:3

Again they said, “Alleluia!  Her smoke rises up forever and ever!”

·         When the angels and saints cried Alleluia, her fire burned more fiercely (MH)

·         Praising God for what we have is praying in the most effectual manner for what is yet further to be done for us; the praises of the saints blow up the fire of God’s wrath against the common enemy (MH)

Revelation 19:2

“For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot, who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.”

·         They praise Him for the truth of His word, and the righteousness of His providential conduct, especially in this great event – the ruin of Babylon (MH)

·         This section is really the climax of Revelation 18. In Revelation 18, Babylon’s friends mourned her fall; but here, God’s people celebrate it. (DG)

Revelation 19:1

After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia!  Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!

·         Their prayers are now turned into praises, their hosannas end in halleluiahs.  (MH)

·         Alleluia . . . Alleluia . . . Alleluia: This wonderful word, borrowed from Hebrew, occurs four times in Revelation 19, but nowhere else in the New Testament. It belongs here - because God’s people rejoice without restraint at His victory over Babylon.  (DG)

Revelation 18:24

“And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”

·         The extent of this charge is an indication that this great city is symbolic of the world system at large. There is no one literal city that is responsible for all who were slain on the earth.  (DG)

·         God takes the persecution of His people as a personal offense. Those who attack His people really attack Him.  (DG)

Revelation 18:23

“The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore.  For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.

·         Sorcery is the ancient Greek word pharmakia, which means, “to prepare drugs.” The lure of commercial Babylon is like a drug addiction, fed by deceptive advertising. (DG)

·         The Babylonian system (since time began) had caused millions to offend the Lord and miss their opportunity for Heaven!  (JB)

Revelation 18:22

“The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore.  No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore.

·         In graphic and poetic language, John describes how the industry and commerce of Babylon come to an end. (DG)

·         Pipers--flute players. "Musicians," painters and sculptors, have desecrated their art to lend fascination to the sensuous worship of corrupt Christendom.  (JFB)