New Testament | Revelation 19:1-9

Opening Song:
Hallelujah Here Below by Chris Brown and Steven Furtick, sung by The War Within, Rebekah Giesbrecht, and Noah Priebe

Lyrics:
We are an altar of broken stones
But You delight in the offering
You have the heavens to call Your home
But You abide in the song we sing

Ten thousand angels surround Your throne
To bring You praise that will never cease
But hallelujah from here below
Is still Your favorite melody

We sing Hallelujah
Hallelujah Hallelujah

And should the fire that once burned bright
Become an ember my eyes can't see
I will remember Your sacrifice
I will abide in Your love for me

Jesus Christ our
King enthroned
All the praise is Yours
Forevermore
Hallelujah
Here below
All the praise is Yours
Forevermore

Oh what a wonderful day to come
When every knee bows before Your Name
But we will not wait until it does
For here and now shall Your Kingdom reign

Passage:
1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for his judgments are true and just;
for he has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality,
and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

3 Once more they cried out,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!”
5 And from the throne came a voice saying,
“Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
small and great.”

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;

8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
(Revelation 19:1–9 ESV)

Musical Reflection:
Of the Father’s Love Begotten (DIVINUM MYSTERIUM)

Reflection Notes:
This meterless hymn flows freely, a clear indicator of its plainchant origins. The rich text by Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentius was a response to the Council of Nicea in the early Church; it establishes belief in the Trinity and Christ’s nature as fully man and fully God.

Prayer:
I bind myself today: To the power of God to guide me. To the might of God to uphold me. To the wisdom of God to teach me. The eye of God to watch over me. The ear of God to hear me. The word of God to speak to me. The way of God to lie before me. The host of God to defend me. Amen. 
-Saint Patrick