Heaven's Hallelujah Chorus

"And after these things I heard a great voice of a great multitude in the heaven, saying, `Alleluia! the salvation, and the glory, and the honour, and the power, [is] to the Lord our God; because true and righteous [are] His judgments, because He did judge the great whore who did corrupt the earth in her whoredom, and He did avenge the blood of His servants at her hand;' and a second time they said, `Alleluia;' and her smoke doth come up -- to the ages of the ages!" (Revelation 19:1-3 - Young's Literal Translation)

This passage is the only place in the King James Version where the word Alleluia or Hallelujah appears. In the Old Testament, it is always translated: Praise ye the Lord. It is not found anywhere else in the New Testament.

This Hallelujah chorus in heaven is before the return of Christ for the Battle of Armageddon. The forces of the Anti-Christ prepare for the battles with curses and blasphemy. Heaven's army prepares with worship and praise.

The Apostle John hears a great crowd in heaven. He does not tell us who make up this crowd. It may include angels and saved human beings.

They praise God. They declare him to be the source of salvation, of glory, or honor and of power. They give both a general and specific reason for their praise.

The general reason is that God's judgments are true and righteous. The word true carries with it the thought of being ideal. Righteous has a similar idea. God's judgments are just. The punishment fits the crime.

The specific reason for the praise of this crowd is that God has judged the great prostitute. This refers to both Religious Babylon of chapter seventeen and Commercial Babylon of chapter eighteen. Both will draw people away from God. Both will kill those who do not submit to their authority. Both will make war on God's children. Their destruction as described in Revelation fits their awful deeds.

Babylon Thrown Down

"Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, 'Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. 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. 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. And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.' ” (Revelation 18:21-24 - New King James Version)

The angel in verse twenty one throwing the stone into the sea symbolizes the complete and final destruction of Babylon. It will be quickly destroyed. It will never again be built.

The destruction of Babylon will be complete. There will no more singing or music in the city. There will be no one working a trade. There will be no one preparing food. There will be no light in the city. There will be no rejoicing. It will be totally destroyed. If any survive the destruction, they will leave and never return.

This city will be the center of the world. All will adore her. Yet the respect and admiration she gets will be based upon lies. Satan will blind people's eyes to the ugly truth.

Her destruction will come because she will kill God's people and all others who might oppose her rule. This will happen near the end of the Tribulation just before the battle of Armageddon. Chapter nineteen tells us about that battle.

Rejoice, Babylon Has Fallen

"The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, 'Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls! For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.' And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, 'What city was like the great city?' And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, 'Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste.' Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets,for God has given judgment for you against her!" (Revelation 18:15-20 - English Standard Version)

The third group who mourn for the city are those who made their living bringing the merchandise to the city: the sailors and ship owners. These mourn more than the others, even throwing dust on their heads. With her sudden destruction, their jobs are gone.


While those who profited from the wickedness of Babylon mourn, those who are godly are called upon to rejoice. God has avenged the blood of his servants. We are not to be glad because people suffer or die. We are to be glad that wickedness will be destroyed and that good will prevail. It is the end of their wicked deeds that cause us to rejoice.

God is not happy that the wicked are destroyed. He is happy when the wicked repent, turn their lives over to him and change their ways. He is happy when evil is no longer practiced. Unfortunately some will never turn to him, and their evil will not end until they are destroyed.