Four Hallelujahs

Revelation 19: 1-6

(1) After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in Heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 
(2) "because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the Earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her." 
(3) And a second time they said, "Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever." 
(4) And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!"
(5) And a voice came from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great." 
(6) Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns!" 

John records all this praise as coming right after the judgment of modern-day Babylon, which happens before the seventh Trumpet is sounded. So it must happen sometime during the 7 years of Tribulation. We're told about it in 14: 8 and we've just seen a lot of details about it here and here so we would be able to recognize this political system and leave it before its destruction.

If the sixth Seal and the seventh Trumpet and the seventh Bowl or Vial all describe the same Day, approached from different directions, then the whole 7 years of Daniel's final "week" which is the time of Tribulation and Great Tribulation have been described by the duration of all three of these 7's in this book. 

If John had recorded all these things in strictly chronological order, then it would have shown how chaotic these times will be when they come to pass in time, with everything happening on top of one another at the same time. Jesus had told him first thing that all these events and happenings would "soon" take place (1: 1): This word "soon" or "shortly" is a combination of two Greek words, en and tachos which separately each convey an idea of something happening all of a sudden, and together they intensify the urgency and scope of what will happen, as all kinds of things happening all at the same time within a very short time period. 

And when this seven year period starts with a treaty in the Middle East that will be set up to be re-negotiated in seven years, then fasten your seat belts, because it will be a wild ride all the way to the end! 

John put a little order into this chaos by grouping the sevens, then adding in all the rest of the events. So it still looks chaotic, but we can better connect the dots to comprehend a larger understanding of what lies ahead, probably very soon.

O my Father, please teach Your children how to read this confusing book, to be able to know what to expect and be ready to survive and help others to survive these unprecedented events that will soon come upon this Earth to affect the world of men. And show us how to lean on Your strength and faithfulness when confronted with the lies and slick deceptions of the enemy. 

Strengthen Your children, Father, to be strong and generous, loving one another unconditionally, as You have loved us; to be ready and instant to help others, even when the others are the ones who have brought upon us and themselves the extreme hardships that occasion the help. 

My Father, send out Your children to broadcast to the whole world the wonderful Good News of Your love and Your solution to our sin and evil problem. Grant that every living person will be able to hear and understand clearly enough to make a fully informed decision to accept Your generous and gracious offer; or else to choose to be deceived by the liar. 

And every eye shall soon see, and every knee will soon bow, and every tongue will soon confess that Jesus is our Christ, the only Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!