or immediately the four living
creatures and the four and twenty elders reechoed the same shout of
praise, saying, "Amen; Alleluia." Then came a voice from the throne
calling upon the servants of God, both small and great, to unite on this
occasion in one grand and sacred song of praise; and this sublime chorus
fell upon the ear of the enraptured apostle "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. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him for the
marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife [or bride] hath made herself
ready." Was not here a hearty response to that call, "Rejoice over her
thou heaven"? While this scene shows the interest all heaven takes in
these wondrous scenes of earth, it is doubtless intended especially to
represent the joy and thanksgiving of God's people who have "gotten the
victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over
the number of his name."

The marriage of the Lamb which was about to take place was a special
theme of joy on this occasion. In the Scripture the term _marriage_ is
frequently used to represent a special union between Christ and his
people. Thus, the early church was represented as being free because of
the death of the law, that they "should be _married_ to another, even to
him who is raised from the dead." Rom. 7:4. So, also, the eternal union
of Christ with his people is here described under the figure of
marriage. In one sense they have been married to Christ all through this
dispensation; in another sense they have not. The church has had the
promise of this eternal union, hence she has been betrothed to Christ;
but left in the world, she has been driven into the wilderness, while a
corrupt and drunken prostitute and her harlot daughters have been in the
public view. Now, however, the judgments of God have descended upon
Babylon, and the bride of Christ appears in all her beauty again,
"arrayed in fine linen, clean and white"; and the next great event is
her public marriage to Christ when he comes to claim her as his own.

The marriage scene is one of the most joyful that we witness on earth,
and among Eastern nations especially was celebrated with great pomp and
magnificence, the joy and splendor of the occasion being enhanced
according to the rank and wealth of the parties. But earth has never
witnessed such an eve