In chapters 17 and 18, we saw two images of evil that were connected. We saw the city of Jerusalem, depicted as a great whore and we saw the city of Rome (and it's empire) depicted as a 7 headed beast.
Now, we turn our focus to the entity that replaced them both- the church.
After this I heard what seemed to be the mighty voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying,
“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,2 for his judgments are true and just; he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”3 Once more they cried, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”
4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice crying,
“Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.”
I have read that there are 260 chapters in the New Testament. Out of those 260 chapters, only 1 contains a very special word to Catholic worship.
The word is Alleluia or Hallelujah.
The Word literally means Praise the Lord, Jah, which is a short form of the name of God- Yahweh.
Praise the Lord comes from the Hebrew word Hallel.
This is a throwback to the Psalms. In particular, Psalms 108-110 which are literally known as the Hallel or praise psalms.
Psalm 110 is particularly relevant here
The Lord says to my lord: "Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.”
2 The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your foes!3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day you lead your host upon the holy mountains. From the womb of the morning like dew your youth will come to you.4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchiz′edek.”
5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.7 He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore, he will lift up his head.
These Psalms were seen as prophesying the restoration of the nation of Israel. This is something many in our modern world are still pointing forward to as a coming event.
John, in Revelation 19, is heralding this moment as having arrived upon the fall of the city of Jerusalem.
How do we know this is the fulfilment? What is the binding tie?
Melchizedek.
Why does the Book of Revelation pick this particular time and place to hearken back to the Haleel psalms? It is because of this particular connection. We have already been told in this book that God is establishing a royal priesthood to reign on earth but Psalm 110- the last of the Haleel psalms tells us the particular order. It is the order of Melchizedek.
Who is Melchizedek? I'm glad you asked.
He is the first priest to appear in the Bible. He appears long before- centuries before- the priesthood of Aaron was even a thought, and he appears quite out of the blue. It's recorded in Genesis chapter 14
17 After his return from the defeat of Ched-or-lao′mer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 And Melchiz′edek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
The first thing that strikes you is that Melchizedek shows up out of the blue and is identified as a priest of God. At this point, you could rightly ask What's a priest?
Secondly, he is identified as the King of Salem. Salem would later become Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.
Much later.
Melchizedek is being called a priest about 500 years before the priesthood of Aaron and he is being called a King of (Jeru)salem literally 1000 years before David, the first King.
As if that were not enough, the offering Melchizedek offers- bread and wine- would not be seen for about another 1,000 years when Jesus Himself offered them on Holy Thursday, April 2nd, 33 AD, in the upper room on the last supper.
As we mentioned, we see Melchizedek appeared out of the blue in Genesis 14. However, the 'King of Salem' then vanishes from scripture for a thousand years until he is mentioned in Psalm 110 by the actual first King of Jerusalem, David.
When do we hear about Melchizedek again? Believe it or not, there is no mention of him until the Book of Hebrews, a book written about the same time as the Book of Revelation!
What is written about Melchizedek is in chapters 6 and 7 and it only adds to the mystery.
6 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchiz′edek.
7 For this Melchiz′edek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him; 2 and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 3 He is without father or mother or genealogy, and has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest for ever.
4 See how great he is! Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of the spoils. 5 And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brethren, though these also are descended from Abraham. 6 But this man who has not their genealogy received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. 8 Here tithes are received by mortal men; there, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. 9 One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchiz′edek met him.
11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levit′ical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchiz′edek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? 12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. 13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchiz′edek, 16 who has become a priest, not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is witnessed of him,
“Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchiz′edek.”
18 On the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
20 And it was not without an oath. 21 Those who formerly became priests took their office without an oath, but this one was addressed with an oath,
“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind,‘Thou art a priest for ever.’”
22 This makes Jesus the surety of a better covenant.
23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. 25 Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever.
So, in order to unpack this, we must summarize all that we know about Melchizedek.
A priest of God
The King of (Jeru)salem
Worthy of receiving the tithe
brought an offering of bread and wine
No beginning, no end, no genealogy
A priest forever, unlike the priesthood of Aaron.
If you cannot see Jesus, Himself here, you have to at least see the strongest typology imaginable, in this shadowy person called Melchizedek.
What is really powerful and fully catholic is the recognition of the true sacrifice of value in Melchizedek's order. Bread and Wine.
Bread and Wine which become the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus in the Catholic Mass.
This is the clear message John gives us right here.
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying,
“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 be clothed 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 true words of God.”
and at every Catholic Mass, as the Sacred host is raised, the priest says these words Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
There is Our God. Not the Angel announcing or the priest presenting on the altar. Our God, Our Lord, Our King. Fall down on your knees before the Sacred body, elevated by the priest.
Priest: The Body of Christ
Us: Amen!
The single most powerful act of worship available to us.
I do not know what a non-Catholic can even do with this. It is so obvious what the marriage supper of the lamb is.
The overpowering part of this mystery is how the harlot and the beast actually- and fully unintentionally- participate in the salvific plan of God. Through their persecution, through their brutality, the martyrs are saved. A brutality the martyrs are able to conquer, because of the sacrifice He bought with His blood. What the devil means for evil, God uses to save us.
If you are not moved by this, you do not have a pulse.
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed which no one knows but himself. 13 He is clad in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, followed him on white horses. 15 From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Cue up "Onward, Christian soldiers"
The Kingdom of Heaven is established on earth. Israel is reestablished but in a whole new way. The 12 tribes are now the descendants of the 12 apostles. Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant and Jesus is the New Davidic King, The King of Jerusalem, The Priest in the order of Melchizedek. His armies are arrayed for battled, to conquer the world in a new and different way.
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in midheaven, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who sits upon the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had worked the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword of him who sits upon the horse, the sword that issues from his mouth; and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
God's church overcomes the Beast- Rome- just like it overcame the harlot- Jerusalem. This is not the end of time. This is the infancy of the church age being portrayed here. This is the Roman beast that is conquered here. The antichrist comes later, as you will see. This is the start of God's Kingdom on earth, initiated in 33 AD, now fully implemented with Jerusalem and Rome cast down.
Join us next time for part 20.
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