Judgments of the Seven Sealed Scroll
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1st Judgment
A conqueror is let loose upon the earth.
The lamb breaks the first seal, and the Apostle John sees a rider on a white horse holding a bow, who is given a crown, and he rides out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
2nd Judgment
Peace is taken from the earth & people begin killing each other.
The lamb breaks the second seal, and the Apostle John sees a rider on a red horse is given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
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3nd Judgment
A scarcity of food happens upon the whole earth.
The lamb breaks the third seal, and the Apostle John sees a rider on a black horse holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then an angel declares “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”
4th Judgment
One forth of humanity dies by war, famine, plague, and wild animals.
The lamb breaks the fourth seal, and the Apostle John sees a pale horse whose rider's name was Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They are given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
5th Judgment
Martyrs ask God for vengeance for the death of their brothers.
The Lamb the breaks the fifth seal, and John sees under a great altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They then call out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them is given a white robe, and they are told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, are killed just as they had been.
6th Judgment
A giant earthquake happens, the moon turns blood red, and the stars fall from the sky.
The lamb then opens the sixth seal, and there is a great earthquake. The sun turns black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turns blood red, and the stars in the sky start to fall to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The heavens recede like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island is removed from its place.
Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hide in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They call to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”
Chapters 6, 7, & 8 of Revelation describe a series of judgments aimed at the people who take the
mark of the beast. The judgments begin when
the Lamb of God breaks the seals one by one.
In between the 6th and 7th judgments the Apostle John sees four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds to prevent them from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then he sees an angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He calls out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then he hears the number of those who are sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. Twelve thousand from each tribe except the tribe of Dan.
After this John sees a uncountable group of people standing before the Lamb and God's throne wearing white robes and holding palm branches. He describes the people as being from every tribe, nation, and language of the earth. They are worshiping God and the Lamb along with the elders of Israel and the angels. An angel tells John that the great multitude are "they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. " The angel tell John that never again will they be hungry, thirsty, deal with scorching heat, and they will have the lamb lead them to the springs of living water and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
7th Judgment
Silence in heaven before an angel hurls fire from God's altar upon the earth, then another massive earthquake with thunder, lightning and strange rumblings.
Silence in heaven for 1/2 hour then an angel throws fire on the earth and another earthquake
The lamb opens the seventh seal, and there is silence in heaven for about half an hour. And John then sees the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets are given to them.
Another angel, who has a golden censer, comes and stands at the altar. He is given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, goes up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel takes the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurls it on the earth; and there comes peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
Judgments of the Seven Trumpets
Chapters 8 through 12 of Revelation describe 7 angels with trumpets announcing horrifying additional judgments that follow those of the 7 Sealed Scroll.
1st Trumpet Judgment
1/3 of Earth is burned with fire mixed with hail.
The first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood, and is hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth is burned up, a third of the trees are burned up, and all the green grass is burned up.
2nd Trumpet Judgment
A burning mountain lands in the sea turning 1/3 of waters to blood.
The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, is thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turns into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships are destroyed.
3nd Trumpet Judgment
Great star named Wormwood falls from the sky and makes 1/3 of waters bitter.
The third angel sounds his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, falls from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turn bitter, and many people died from the waters that have become bitter.
4th Trumpet Judgment
1/3 of the sun, moon, and stars turn dark.
The fourth angel sounds his trumpet, and a third of the sun is struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turn dark. A third of the day is without light, and also a third of the night.
As John watches, he sees and hears an eagle flying in midair calling 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!”
5th Trumpet Judgment
Monsters from the Abyss torment people who are not sealed with God's mark.
The fifth angel sounds his trumpet, and John sees a star falling from the sky to the earth. The star is given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opens the Abyss, smoke rises from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky are darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. And out of the smoke locusts come down on the earth and are given power like that of scorpions of the earth. They are told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They are not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered is like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. During these days people will seek death but will not be able to find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle to John. On their heads they ware something like crowns of gold, and their faces resemble human faces. Their hair is like women’s hair, and their teeth are like lions’ teeth. They have breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings is like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They have tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they have power to torment people for five months. They have as king over them that is the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).
The first woe is past; two other woes are on the way.
Locust from the Abyss
6th Trumpet Judgment
4 bound angels are released at Euphrates who then kill 1/3 of mankind.
The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and John heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. It says to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” And the four angels who had been kept ready for that hour and day and month and year are released to kill a third of mankind. John hears number of the mounted troops is twice ten thousand times ten thousand.
John describes horses and riders he sees in his vision 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. A third of mankind is killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that come out of their mouths. The power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
The rest of mankind who is not killed by these plagues still will not repent of the work of their hands; they do not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor will they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
7th Trumpet Judgment
A severe earthquake and hailstorm with lightning and thunder.
Next the seventh angel who sounds his trumpet, and John describes seeing a heavenly worship service with angels and the 24 throned elders falling on their faces before the Lord declaring:
“The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
and he will reign for ever and ever.”
“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.
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 people who revere your name,
both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
Then God’s temple in heaven is opened, and within his temple is the ark of his covenant. And there are flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
At this point the Apostle John describes seeing another mighty being robed in a cloud with a rainbow above his head coming down from heaven. The being John is describing seems to be Jesus. The apostle states his face shinning like the sun, his legs like fiery pillars, and He is holding a little scroll in his hand. His right foot stands on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gives a loud shout like the roar of a lion. The He tells John that there will be no more delay. John is told to take the scroll from His hand and eat it and then go prophesy again to the peoples, nations, languages and kings.
Rebuilt Temple and Altar
John is given a measuring rod and told to measure the temple, the altar, but to exclude the outer court because it is to be given to the Gentiles who will trample on the holy city for 42 months. At this point two witnesses will begin to prophecy for 1,260 days (42 months or 3 1/2 years) while being clothed in sackcloth. The witnesses are described as "the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” If anyone tries to harm them, fire will come from their mouths and devour them. This is how anyone who tries to harm them will die. They are given power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they will have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square in Jerusalem. For three and a half days people from every tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse to let them be buried. 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.
After three and a half days the breath of life from God will entered them, and they will stand on their feet, and terror struck those who see them. Then they will hear a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they will rise up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
At that very hour there where will be a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city will collapse. Seven thousand people will be killed in the earthquake, and the survivors will be terrified and give glory to the God of heaven. This is labeled the second woe, the third on soon follows.
At this point John sees a vision in the skies of heaven that seems to be partially out of the chronology of the events of the judgments. In the vision, John sees the Jewish people give birth to Jesus and Christianity. Satan tries to stop the birth but fails to do so. After this, Satan attempts to halt God's plan by killing Jesus, but this also fails. After Jesus' crucification and resurrection, Satan tries to kill the church and persecute the Jewish people. Both are protected by God.
At this point the chronology appears to shift to a future scene in which a war takes place in heaven. The devil and his forces lose and are cast down upon the earth for the final showdown. Here is where the whole world is deceived into following Satan and his Antichrist.
(From Revelation 12)
John reports seeing a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head (the woman is Israel). She is pregnant and cries out in pain as she is about to give birth (she is giving birth to Jesus and Christianity). Then John sees an enormous red dragon (Satan and his minions including the governmental authorities) with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. The dragon's tail sweeps a third of the stars out of the sky and flings them to the earth. Then dragon stands in front of the woman who is about to give birth, in order to devour her child the moment he was born. She gives birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” The the child is snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman flees into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
Here John sees war broking out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven (Satan loses his ability to stand before God in heaven and accuse the saints). 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.
"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 Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
They triumphed over 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.
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.”
When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child (here Satan tries once again to kill the Jews). The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach (3 1/2 years during the first half of the 7 year long tribulation period, the Jews will be divinely protected). Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth (Satan is unable to kill the Jews so he decides to exterminate the Christians). Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Chapter 12 of Revelation describes Satan being exiled to the earth and the final cumulation of the great deception begins to take place.
In chapters 13 though 15 of Revelation, John is shown the frightening events that take place during the second half of the tribulation that lead up to the final 7 judgments.
(From Revelation 13 - Antichrist Rises)
John next reports seeing the dragon (Satan) standing on the shore of the sea (the earth). Out of the earth he sees a frightening beast arising with ten horns and seven heads each having a blasphemous name, and ten crowns on its horns (this is the same beast described in Daniel 7). This beast is a worldwide kingdom conjured up by Satan which is first comprised of ten kings (the horns). Satan gives the beast his power and his throne and great authority. Then John sees another king rising up out of the confederation who somehow replaces 3 of the original ruling kings. One of the ruling kings then suffers a fatal head wound, but is brought back to life again and the entire world is amazed and begins to worship him and the dragon.
The usurper king, or Antichrist then blasphemes God and Jesus and begins a worldwide persecution of Christians. He attempts to change worldwide laws and customs and demands the entire world worship the dragon and him. John cryptically describes the beast as resembling a leopard with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. No one dares fight against it and for forty-two months it wages war against God's holy people and conquers them.
(False Prophet Appears)
John also describes a second beast that comes out of the earth having two horns like a lamb, but a voice like a dragon (horns like a lamb indicates it appears to be a Christian, but the voice like a dragon symbolizes it speaks for the devil). This beast or false prophet demands the entire world worship the Antichrist beast who suffered the fatal head wound. It deceives the world by performing great signs, including causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. The inhabitants of the earth are ordered by the false prophet to set up an image or statue of the head wounded first beast. The false prophet is then given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image speaks and causes all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
(Mark of the beast is ordered by the Image of the beast)
It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
John then tells us that a person with wisdom and insight is needed to understand and calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.
(From Revelation 14 - Jesus arrives at Mt. Zion with 144,000 Jewish Saints)
The scene changes from the devil's domination of the earth and the people of God, to the arrival of Jesus and the 144,000 saved Jews at Mt. Zion. The 144,000 have Jesus' name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. They appear to be the ones who refused to bow to the beast demands 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. John says these "are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins." They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. John states no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
(3 Angels Issue final warnings to the world)
At this point John describes 3 final angels announcing the last warnings to the people of the earth to not take the mark of the beast and repent before it is to late. The first of the angels proclaims the eternal gospel to all the world 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.”
The a second angel follows the first and says to the world, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”
Immediately after this a third angel follows them and says in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. Then a voice from heaven said, “Write this: 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.”
Then John sees a white cloud come out of the Temple in heaven with an angel who looked like Jesus seated on it. The "son of man' had a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. From the background John hears another voice call in a loud voice “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” Then the angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 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 183 miles.
Chapters 16 of Revelation describes the final 7 judgments the Apostle John saw being poured out upon the earth at the end of
the 7 year great tribulation period.
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.”
1st Judgment
1st bowl of God's wrath is a plague of sores poured upon all who took the mark of the beast.
The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
2nd Judgment
2nd bowl of God's wrath is poured upon the sea and it turned to blood and everything in it dies.
The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.
3nd Judgment
3nd bowl of God's wrath is poured upon the rivers and springs and they turned to blood.
The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Then John hears the angel in charge of the waters say:
“You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were; for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”
And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”
4th Judgment
4th bowl of God's wrath is poured upon the sun and it scorches everyone with fire.
The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 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.
5th Judgment
5th bowl of God's wrath is poured upon the throne of the beast which is plunged into darkness.
The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
6th Judgment
6th bowl of God's wrath is poured upon the Euphrates River which drys up for armies to cross.
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.
At this time John sees three impure demon spirits that look like frogs, coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. The demonic spirits perform great signs, that convince the kings of the whole world to joint with them in the battle against God Almighty at Armageddon.
7th Judgment
7th bowl of God's wrath is poured out and great hail stones weighting 100s of pounds crush the people of the earth and levels all the mountains, cities and islands on the earth.
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!” Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 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. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Creatures of the Coming
Great Deception
The Dragon
The False Prophet
Image of the Beast
The Beast
Satan is thrown down on earth and immediately begins to set up the great deception and make ready for war with the Lamb. He gives his power the to Beast to fool the world.
The Antichrist is the evil world leader who suffers a fatal head injury and comes back to life. Using great signs and wonders he starts a worldwide persecution of God's people and demands the world worship him.
A lifeless statue of the Beast that the false prophet gives the ability to speak. It then demands the world worship the beast and take his mark.
The worldwide religious leader who sets up the image of the beast. This man is given power by the Satan to bring the image of the beast to life.
From this point the Apostle John describes the effects the judgments of the Lamb will have on the system of unbelief set up by the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
(Revelation 17)
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 by many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”
Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 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. The name written on her forehead was a mystery:
Babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.
I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 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. The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its 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 it once was, now is not, and yet will come.
“This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 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 only a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
“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. They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. 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. For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled. The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”
Revelation 18
After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
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.”
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; for her sins are piled up to heaven,and God has remembered her crimes.
Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, ‘I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow;
I will never mourn.’ 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. Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall
“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. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: “‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!’
“The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore— 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; 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 human beings sold as slaves.
“They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 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 and cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! 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. When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’ They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’
“Rejoice over her, you heavens! Rejoice, you people of God! Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you.” The Finality of Babylon’s Doom
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.
The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No worker of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again. 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 important people. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray. In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people, of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
Babylon Destroyed
Revelation 19
In this chapter we see a giant celebration in all of Heaven over the fall of the Babylonian system of false belief and the fall of the mystery city of Babylon itself. Starting in the eleventh verse we see The King of Kings, Jesus riding a white horse come down to the earth and defeat the beast and his armies.
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Revelation 20
Satan and the False Prophet locked in the Abyss for 1000 years.
And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
The Final Battle after the 1000 year Reign of the Lamb
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Great White Throne Judgment of Unbelievers
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21
New Heaven and a New Earth
Then I (John) saw “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Marriage Supper of the Lamb
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadiain length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 22
Eden is Restored and God and Jesus live with man in the New Jerusalem
Then the angel showed me (John) the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
John and the Angel
The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”
“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”
Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
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Judgments of the Lamb
Why Defiled Animals?