Read & explore together
Rejoicing in Heaven
This vision shows loud praise in heaven and a call for God’s servants to praise him. The passage highlights what belongs to God, why his judgments are praised, and how worship rises from many voices.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
The passage says, “After these things I heard” a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven. The multitude praises God, gives reasons for his righteous judgments, another voice repeats “Hallelujah”, the elders and living creatures worship, and a voice from the throne calls all God’s servants to give praise.
Revelation 19:1–5Main takeaway
This passage presents heavenly praise that honours God for his salvation, power, glory, and righteous judgments, and it calls all his servants to praise him.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A loud multitude praises GodThe speaker says, “I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven”. Their first word is “Hallelujah”.
Explanation
The speaker says, “I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven”. Their first word is “Hallelujah”. They declare that salvation, power, and glory belong to God. The focus is on God’s greatness and on giving him honour in heaven.
02The praise explains God’s judgmentsThe multitude gives a reason for its praise. God’s judgments are called “true and righteous”.
Explanation
The multitude gives a reason for its praise. God’s judgments are called “true and righteous”. The verse says he judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with sexual immorality, and that he avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. The passage joins praise with God’s justice.
03A second Hallelujah adds a severe imageA second voice says, “Hallelujah!” and adds, “Her smoke goes up forever and ever.” In this vision, that image shows the enduring result of judgment.
Explanation
A second voice says, “Hallelujah!” and adds, “Her smoke goes up forever and ever.” In this vision, that image shows the enduring result of judgment. The language is weighty and should be read carefully as part of apocalyptic vision, without treating it lightly.
04Heavenly worship spreads and a call goes outThe twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fall down and worship God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen!
Explanation
The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fall down and worship God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!” Then a voice from the throne calls for praise from all God’s servants, those who fear him, “the small and the great”. The passage ends by widening the call to worship.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What does the great multitude say belongs to God?
Read the first cry of praise and list each thing named there.
02Why are God’s judgments called true and righteous in this passage?
Answer from the verse by noting both the judgment on corruption and the avenging of the blood of his servants.
03Who is included in the final call to praise God?
Look for the groups named by the voice from the throne.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Revelation 19:1–5
1After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God;
2for his judgments are true and righteous. For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.”
3A second said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.”
4The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!”
5A voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small and the great!”