# Three Revelations of Who God Is
TEXT: Revelation 19
## Introduction
### That I May Know Him
> Philippians 3:10—**That I may know him**, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
From behind the veil of the human condition, it is difficult to get a clear picture of God. We describe with limited vocabulary and understand him through limited experiences.
Man often weighs in one hand, what the Bible says about God and then in the other hand weighs what we have experienced in this life. This method of "getting to know God" is faulty at best and has resulted in multitudes of skewed impressions of Who God is and what He is like.
- Is He Angry?
- Is he Love?
- Is FULL of mercy?
- Does he hate me?
- Will he receive me?
It is not God's fault humanity does not truly KNOW Him. It is the fault of our limited perspective. It will not be until "by-and-by" that even the most faithful of God's people will see and understand Him in His fullness. But, until then, it is a journey of faith that brings us closer and closer to God.
Will I believe God is Who He says He is? Will I take Him at His Word? Will I pattern my life on the foundation of a faith that says, "God is True and Faithful?"
Today that faith is developed and tested, but one day it will be rewarded!
Blinded very young, hymn-writer Francis Jane Crosby (1820-1915) began writing poetry as young girl. At the age of eight she wrote these words:
Oh, what a happy soul am I! Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world, contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy that other people don't;
To weep and sigh because I am blind, I cannot, and I won't.
Once a well-intentioned Scottish minister remarked to her: "I think it is a great pity that the master, when He showed so many gifts upon you, did not give you sight." She responded, "Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition to my Creator, it would have been that I should be born blind?"
"Why?" asked the surprised minister.
"Because, when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior."
In her hymn "My Savior First of All", she wrote…
When my lifework is ended and I cross the swelling tide,
When the bright and glorious morning I shall see; I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side, And His smile will be the first to welcome me.
I shall know Him, I shall know Him, And redeemed by His side I shall stand; I shall know Him, I shall know Him By the print of the nails in His hand.
>2 Timothy 4:7-8—I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that **love his appearing**. [manifestation, (especially) the second coming of Christ]
### The Preface of Revelation 19
> Revelation 19:1mdash;And after these things…
We are at the end of the third and final division of the book of Revelation. In 19:1, "after these things" is the same phrase in 1:19 "things which shall be hereafter". In review, Revelation has three main divisions:
3 Main Divisions
The Things Seen (Ch.1)
The Things Which Are (Ch. 2-3)
The Things Which Shall be Hereafter (Ch. 4-22)
>Revelation 1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
God is infinite and our understanding of him is constantly developing all the while He never changes. In Revelation chapter 19 we are given three different scenes that illuminate different aspects of God's nature. Herein are three revelations of Who God is:
Three Revelations of Who God Is
## The Lord Our God Omnipotent who Reigns (vs. 1-6)
### He Gave Us a Voice for Singing
I heard a great voice of much people in heaven
And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne
Revelation 19:4 is the last reference in the Bible to the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures (by those titles).
v.6 the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings,
### He is the Words of the Song
…saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
#### Alleluia/Hallelujah
The Hebrew word "halal" [STRONG's 01984] in relation to God means to be clear of sound or color or to shine. Therefore, it means to make a show, to boast or to celebrate. 'Halal' can be found in 140 verses in the O.T.
"Halal" [Hallelujah] is common in the Psalms where it is mostly translated "Praise Ye the LORD" (Psalm 105:45; 106:1; 106:48; 111:1; 112:1; 113:1; 146:1; 148:1; 149:1; 150:1).
> Psalm 150:1—Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
Interestingly, in the N.T., Alleluia/Hallelujah can only be found here in Revelation 19. The Greek word "allelouia" is imperative just as the Hebrew word "halal". Alleluia is a command to Praise the Lord (Jah)! It is an adoring exclamation—HALLELUJAH!
#### Salvation
#### Glory
#### Honour
#### Power
### He is the Reason Why We Sing
#### His Judgments are True
> 2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication,
#### He Keeps His Promises
> and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
#### He Reigns
saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
##The Bridegroom Who Will be Wed (vs. 7-10)
The Lamb will be Wed
> 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
## The Lion Who will Return in Judgment (vs. 11-21)
> 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
### The Mystery of His Name
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
(to his enemies: you don't even know me! (contrast on the cross, the sign written over His head! Mt 27:29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
Mt 27:37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.)
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
An Invitation to another 'supper' is given:
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
##Conclusion