Revelation 19:6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Rather than praise God for his righteous judgment of the notorious prostitute, the multitude now exults in the coming reign of the Lord and the marriage of the Lamb. We should not imply from these words of celebration that our eternal and omnipotent God has ever failed to reign. The earth – indeed the whole universe – is always under His watchful eye and sovereign hand. The judgment of Babylon the Great signals the complete collapse of Satan’s rebellious kingdom. Yet we should comfort ourselves in knowing that the reign of God over all creation has never been in jeopardy.
In the days of Jesus, when a young man’s father negotiates a bride for his son, the two young persons are “espoused,” or engaged. This arrangement is binding and may only be dissolved through a formal bill of divorcement. Yet the young couple is kept apart for a lengthy period during which time a wedding chamber is prepared in the father’s house. The bride-to-be is to prepare herself for the wedding. She covers herself when in public so the world will know she is spoken for, and she keeps herself chaste for her wedding night. Finally, when the father declares that all is ready, the son travels to the bride’s home, accompanied by his friends, and calls her out of the house. Her father then gives her away, and the bride’s friends and family join the groom’s party and make their way to the father’s house where there is a celebration, often lasting for days. During that time, the groom and bride consummate their marriage. What a picture the Lord gives us in the Jewish wedding custom of the special relationship between Christ and the church. The Father arranges the wedding and pays a precious price for the bride – the death of His Son. The Son goes back to His Father’s home to prepare a place for the bride while she stays on earth and keeps herself chaste, watching for the day the groom returns in power and great glory. When that day arrives and the church age ends, Jesus steps into the clouds of heaven and calls out His bride. She is caught up into heaven and welcomed into the place prepared for her. There is a great celebration as Christ, His church, and friends of the wedding party rejoice over the wonderful works of God. We may be confident that Jesus is in heaven today preparing a place for us, and that He has a purpose for us in time and eternity.
Phillips, Rob. The Searcher’s Guide to the Apocalypse: