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The four and twenty elders - The true Church of the Lord Jesus converted from among the Jews. See Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:14.
And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts - See the notes on Revelation 4:4, Revelation 4:6-7. As representatives of the church, and as interested in its welfare, they are now introduced as rejoicing in its final triumph, and in the destruction of its last foe.
Fell down - Prostrated themselves - the usual posture of worship.
And worshipped God that sat on the throne - Revelation 4:2-3, Revelation 4:10. That is, they now adored him for what he had done in delivering the church from all its persecutions, and causing it to triumph in the world.
Saying, Amen - See the notes on Matthew 6:13. The word here is expressive of approbation of what God had done; or of their solemn assent to all that had occurred in the destruction of the great enemy of the church.
Alleluia - See the notes on Revelation 19:1. The repetition of this word so many times shows the intenseness of the joy of heaven in view of the final triumph of the church.
Verse 4
A Song of Triumph. — The Lord God omnipotent, the Father, reigneth, is the language of this song. He reigns at the present time, and has ever reigned, in reality, though sentence against an evil work has not been executed speedily; but now he reigns by the open manifestation of his power in the subjugation of all his foes.DAR 681.2
“Rejoice, ... for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.†Who is the “bride, the Lamb's wife,†and what is the marriage? A vast field for thought is here opened, and material furnished for a more lengthy exposition than falls within the design of this work. The Lamb's wife is the New Jerusalem which is above. This will be noticed more fully on chapter 21. The marriage of the Lamb is his reception of this city. When he receives this city, he receives it as the glory and metropolis of his kingdom; hence with it he receives his kingdom, and the throne of his father David. This may well be the event designated by the marriage of the Lamb. That the marriage relation is often taken to illustrate the union between Christ and his people, is granted; but the marriage of the Lamb here spoken of is a definite event to take place at a definite time; and if the declaration that Christ is the head of the church as the husband is the head of the wife (Ephesians 5:23), proves that the church is now the Lamb's wife, then the marriage of the Lamb took place long ago; but that cannot be, according to this scripture, which locates it in the future. Paul told his Corinthian converts that he had espoused them to one husband, even Christ. This is true of all converts. But while this figure is used to denote the relation that they then assumed to Christ, was it a fact that the marriage of the Lamb took place in Corinth in Paul's day, and that it has been going on for the past eighteen hundred years? Further remarks on this point are deferred to a consideration of chapter 21.DAR 682.1
But if the city is the bride, it may be asked how it can be said that she made herself ready. Answer: By the figure of personification, which attributes life and action to inanimate objects. (See a notable instance in Psalms 114.) Again, the query may arise on verse 8 how a city can be arrayed in the righteousness of the saints; but if we consider that a city without inhabitants would be but a dreary and cheerless place, we see at once how this is. Reference is had to the countless number of its glorified inhabitants in their shining apparel. The raiment was granted to her. What is granted to her? Isaiah 54 and Galatians 4:21-31 will explain. To the new-covenant city are granted many more children than to the old; these are her glory and rejoicing. The goodly apparel of this city, so to speak, consists of the hosts of the redeemed and immortal ones who walk its golden streets.DAR 682.2
The words will soon be spoken, “Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.” One of the ministers of vengeance declares. “And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because Thou hast judged thus.” These heavenly beings, in executing the mandate of God, ask no questions, but do as they are bid. Jehovah of hosts, the Lord God Almighty, the just, the true, and the holy, has given them their work to do. With unswerving fidelity they go forth panoplied in pure white linen, having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And when their task is done, when the last vial of God's wrath is poured out, they return and lay their emptied vials at the feet of the Lord. TM 432.1
And the next scene is recorded, “After these things ... I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.” They sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. TM 432.2
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