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 out, “Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Revelation 19:6
Years ago, I knew an old Russian woman. She went to church with her daughter on Easter once. Then she complained about it for years – not to her daughter, but to me.
She said her daughter’s church was a “Happy Easter” church. That was the pastor’s limp greeting.
She needed a church that was bold in proclaiming the power of the resurrection. Eighty-eight years old and just few years from her inevitable grave, she craved the triumphant greet of the Orthodox and ancient churches …
Christ is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed!
Hallelujah!
Curious about this phrase, I looked up the word “Alleluia” (in all its spellings). Ironically, however, this word does not occur in the Bible!
Now, looking at the verse above, you’ll notice that that’s a bit of an overstatement. What I should say is that “Alleluia” does not come from humans. No hero of the Bible cheered it historically in the Old Testament. Never are we told that any human crowds chanted it – even as Jesus healed the sick. Furthermore, not even any Apostle wrote about it, even when proclaiming the glory of the resurrection.
So where does this word come from?
Heaven!!!
Four times in Revelation 19, the great multitude of heaven cries “Hallelujah!” Why now? Because in Revelation 18, Satan has just been defeated and the curse has been reversed.
It’s no wonder that the ancient church applied this back to the resurrection. The curse has been reversed. Christ was – and is – risen! Alleluia!!!
In Christ’s Love,
a bubbly cheerleader
(I’m honored to echo
the cheerful refrains of heaven)
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