"He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants." Once more they cried out, "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever."
(Revelation 19:2-3)
What this great multitude is saying is that God has perfected the salvation of His people in the destruction of the great prostitute and the following destruction of His and their enemies. You know, what we need to hear echoed in those words is the promise that you find associated with the delivery of the Israelites into the land of Canaan - so many times that promise of “rest from your enemies.” Rest from your enemies. Part of the great glory of the latter part of David’s reign was that he has rest from his enemies. The great glory of Solomon’s reign was that the nation had rest from their enemies. Let me say this line again. God has perfected the salvation of His people in the destruction of the great prostitute and the other enemies whose destruction is described in chapter 19 and chapter 20. His glory is demonstrated, His power is revealed; He’s removed the one whose chief delight was to draw men away from God and seduce them to self-worship and self-exaltation. He has avenged the blood of the saints that she spilled throughout history. God perfects our salvation in the judgment of His enemies and ours and there’s great, there’s great delight in worship. We get a little bit squeamish when our friends talk to us about all that killing that goes on in Joshua. We get a little bit squeamish when we hear people talk about the God of judgment, the God of wrath. Heaven is rejoicing over the just judgment of God. They’re saying, “Hallelujah! God has conquered His enemies!”
(Billy Dempsey)
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