La Rapture

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READ THE BIBLE TEXT (Revelation 8:1-19:10)

The Seven Trumpets

The series of three sevens are really included in one series of seven, that is, the seven trumpets are included under the seventh seal and the seven bowls are included under the seventh trumpet, so that we have in fact a single series in three movements (Light on the Last Days, p. 58). The seventh seal accordingly is important because it actually includes all the events from 8:1-19:10. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 951)

The First Trumpet (Rev. 8:6-7) Hail and Fire Mixed with BLOOD

As the first angel sounded his trumpet...hail and fire mixed with blood...was hurled down upon the earth, resulting in a third of the earth being burned up, including the trees and all the green grass. This devastating judgment, like that announced by most of the trumpets, primarily affected a third of the earth. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 951)

The Second Trumpet (Rev. 8:8-9) Burning Mountain thrown into the Sea

As the second ... trumpet sounded, something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. The result was that a third of the sea turned into blood, and this caused a third of the living creatures in the sea to die, and also a third of the ships were destroyed. It is best to interprete these events literally though the description of the sea being turned into blood may be the language of appearance as in the mention of blood after the first trumpet blast. Reference to blood as a divine judgment is found in the plagues of Egypt (cf. Ex. 7:14-22). (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 951)

Obviously the results of these judgments are literal. The sea turned to blood results in the [literal] death of a third of the sea creatures, and the blazing mountain cast into the sea results in destruction of a third of the ships. The mountain is probably best understood as being a literal large body that fell from heaven. Since the results are literal, it is reasonable to take the judgments as literal also. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 951)

The Third Trumpet (Rev. 8:10-11) A Great Star Falls From Outer Space

The judgment following the third... trumpet was similar to that of the second. But here the mass falling from heaven to earth was a great star, blazing like a torch. This fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water; in other words, waters other than the oceans. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 952)

The star was named Wormwood. Wormwood is a bitter desert plant mentioned only here in the New Testament. It is mentioned seven times in the Old Testament where it represents sorrow and bitter judgment (Deut. 29:18; Prov. 5:4; Jer. 9:15; 23:15; Lam. 3:15, 19; Amos 5:7). (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 952)

Though many have attempted to interpret the third trumpet symbolically, it seems best to consider it as a large meteor or star falling on the earth from heaven and turning the water, as indicated, into bitterness so that people who drank it died. The contrast found in the Cross of Christ is symbolized in the sweetening of the waters of Marah (Ex. 15:23-25) and the turning of bitter judgment into sweet mercy, bringing life and hpe. The third trumpet is another awesome judgment resulting in great loss of life. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 952)

The Fourth Trumpet (Rev. 8:12) A Third of the Sun is Reduced

At the sound of the forth ... trumpet the light of the sky was reduced by one third. Without a third of the sun a third of the day was lacking normal light, and a third of the night was without light from the moon and the stars. Again the best interpretation is literal. Just as the first three trumpets dealt with a third of the earth, so the fourth trumpet dealt with a third of the heavens. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 952)

The Fifth Trumpet (Rev. 8:13) Stinging Locusts

In the Old Testament locusts were a fearful plague, for they were able to reduce the land to starvation by eating up all green vegetation (Ex. 10:12-20); Joel 1:4-7). These locuts, however, did not eat vegetation, but had the power to torment people for five months (cf. Rev. 9:10). Thus they might be demons who appeared in the form of locusts. This is confirmed by the fact that they came from the Abyss, the home of demons (Luke 8:31). Their demonic control over people was such, however, that though the victims desired to die they could not take their own lives.... The picture is one of Satan's awesome supernatural power and the demon world especially in relation to unbelievers. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 952)

Unlike the previous judgments which apparently were short in time this judgment extended for five months (v. 10; cf. v. 5). This is important as it refutes clearly the notion that all these judgments will occur in a brief span of time immediately before the second coming of Christ. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 952)

The Sixth Trumpet (Rev. 9:12-21) Fallen Angels Released From Euphrates River

These four angels are clearly demons, as holy angels are not bound. The release of these four is minutely timed at a particular hour and day and month and year, and they kill a third of the world's population. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 953)

The loosing of the four angels (not the same as the four angels of 7:1) resulted in releasing an army of 200 million ... mounted troops ... Years ago Red China claimed to have an army of 200 million. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 953)

The fact that John heard the number, as obviously he could not visually count 200 million men, seems to lend credence to the concept that this is literal and predicts that an army will come from the East crossing the dried-up Euphrates River (Rev. 16:12). Great dams have already been placed across the Euphrates River to divert water for irrigation so that at times the riverbed is dry or partially so. A large invasion from the East and North in the end times is predicted in Daniel 11:44. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 953)

The Seventh Trumpet (Rev. 11:15) The Seven Bowls are Poured Out!

Though the full results from the sounding of the seventh trumpet are only introduced here and not brought to finality (as they will be in chap. 16), the introduction of the seventh trumpet itself is dramatic. As the trumpet sounded, voices were heard in heaven: The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever. (Cf. predictions of the earthly kingdom of Christ in Ezek. 21:26-27; Dan. 2:35, 44; 4:3; 6:26; 7:14, 26-27; Zech. 14:9.) The fact that this will be fulfilled at the Second Coming makes it clear that the period of the seventh trumpet chronologically reaches to Christ's return. Therefore the seventh trumpet introduces and includes the seven bowl judgments of the wrath of God revealed in chapter 16. In constrast with previous trumpets where a single voice was heard, here a mighty chorus from heaven joined in the proclamation. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 956)

New International Version
Revelation 8:1-19:10

8:1: When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2: And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
3: Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.
4: The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand.
5: Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
6: Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
7: The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
8: The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood,
9: a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10: The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water--
11: the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.
12: The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.
13: As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!"
9:1: The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.
2: When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.
3: And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth.
4: They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5: They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
6: During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
7: The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.
8: Their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.
9: They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.
10: They had tails and stings like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.
11: They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.
12: The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
13: The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God.
14: It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."
15: And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.
16: The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.
17: The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.
18: A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths.
19: The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
20: The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood--idols that cannot see or hear or walk.
21: Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
10:1: Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.
2: He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,
3: and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.
4: And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down."
5: Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven.
6: And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay!
7: But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets."
8: Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: "Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."
9: So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey."
10: I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.
11: Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings."
11:1: I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there.
2: But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.
3: And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."
4: These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
5: If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.
6: These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7: Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.
8: Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9: For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.
10: The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11: But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.
12: Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
13: At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14: The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
15: The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."
16: And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17: saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
18: The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great-- and for destroying those who destroy the earth."
19: Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.
12:1: A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
2: She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.
3: Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.
4: His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born.
5: She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.
6: The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7: And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
8: But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
9: The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10: Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
11: They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
12: Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
13: When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
14: The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach.
15: Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.
16: But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
17: Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
13:1: And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
2: The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
3: One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.
4: Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"
5: The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.
6: He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.
7: He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
8: All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
9: He who has an ear, let him hear.
10: If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.
11: Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.
12: He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
13: And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.
14: Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
15: He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
16: He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead,
17: so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18: This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.
14:1: Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.
2: And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
3: And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
4: These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb.
5: No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
6: Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and people.
7: He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
8: A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."
9: A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand,
10: he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.
11: And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name."
12: This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
13: Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
14: I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man" with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
15: Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."
16: So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17: Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.
18: Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe."
19: The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath.
20: They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
15:1: I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues--last, because with them God's wrath is completed.
2: And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God
3: and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.
4: Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."
5: After this I looked and in heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle of the Testimony, was opened.
6: Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests.
7: Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.
8: And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
16:1: Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."
2: The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
3: The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.
4: The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.
5: Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged;
6: for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
7: And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
8: The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire.
9: They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
10: The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony
11: and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
12: The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.
13: Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14: They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
15: "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed."
16: Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17: The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!"
18: Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.
19: The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.
20: Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.
21: From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
17:1: One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.
2: With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
3: Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
4: The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.
5: This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6: I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
7: Then the angel said to me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
8: The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.
9: "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.
10: They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while.
11: The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
12: "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast.
13: They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.
14: They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
15: Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
16: The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
17: For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled.
18: The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."
18:1: After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.
2: With a mighty voice he shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird.
3: For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries."
4: Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5: for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.
6: Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup.
7: Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, `I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.'
8: Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
9: "When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.
10: Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: "`Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!'
11: "The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more--
12: cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;
13: cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men.
14: "They will say, `The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.'
15: The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn
16: and cry out: "`Woe! Woe, O great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!
17: In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!' "Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off.
18: When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, `Was there ever a city like this great city?'
19: They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: "`Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!
20: Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.'"
21: Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: "With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.
22: The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No workman of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again.
23: The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world's great men. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
24: In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth."
19:1: After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2: for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
3: And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."
4: The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"
5: Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!"
6: Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7: Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
8: Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
9: Then the angel said to me, "Write: `Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
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