1. Revelation 19:6 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Whose voice does John hear next?

Revelation 19:6 (ESV)

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.

John uses in Revelation 19:6 the identical words he used in Revelation 19:1, with the omission of the words after this and loud. The additional phrases (like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder) replace the adjective loud and serve to underline the sheer immensity of this sound. That this voice follows the repeated summons in Revelation 19:1, Revelation 19:3–4 to praise Yahweh (Hallelujah!) plus the injunction of Revelation 19:5 to praise our God, all you his servants indicates that Revelation 19:6 describes the obedient response of all God’s servants wherever they are in all God’s creation, including earth where the spirit of Babylon is so influential. Their uniform response of adoration is an overwhelming roar of adulation for God for what he has done to Babylon, and so in rescuing his servants.