December 24, 2021 – Friday
Revelation 19:1, 3-4, 6 NIV
1 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
3 And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”
4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Comment.
In almost every version of the Bible you will only find Hallelujah (or Alleluia) in the four verses above. I find this somewhat odd as we use Hallelujah in song to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In some versions you will find 20 plus in the Old Testament within Psalms where Hallelujah replaces Praise the Lord in the other versions. Even in the versions where it is found in Psalms it is only found these four times noted above in the New Testament.
So, what does Hallelujah mean anyway? From the above could it simply mean Praise the Lord? While that is correct, there is more to it than that. One definition given is Praise the Lord. Of Hebrew origin; praise ye Jah!, an adoring exclamation. The key here is that one does not simply quietly say praise the Lord in place of Hallelujah as the definition say it is an adoring exclamation. And an exclamation is a shout or a cry, but for Hallelujah it comes with adoration or adulation, worshipful admiration and love.
At our Christmas Eve service this evening we will show a video of the song Hallelujah sung by a 10-year-old autistic girl along with her school choir. This video in its most popular form has been seen over 15.5 million times. Add up the other postings and it has been seen over 16 million times. And, no this song is not about the end times, it is about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and why He came. The why is captured thusly near the end,
I know You came to rescue me
This baby boy would grow to be
A man and one day die for me and you
My sins would drive the nails in You
That rugged cross was my cross, too
Still every breath You drew was Hallelujah
Revelation 19 has much to celebrate as it has the complete and total defeat of Babylon by the saints along with their great thanks to God because of His judgments on Babylon and much more. But we do not have to wait until Revelation to say Hallelujah! because we are so incredibly grateful that He was born and did indeed come to save each and everyone of us if we would but turn to Him. We can, with real joy, shout Praise the Lord for what He has done for us.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for the wonderful gift of Your Son to us. Through Him we have a grace we did not earn nor deserve but out of love we do indeed have it. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton in Beavercreek