Read the Bible in a Year (31DEC19)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

YOU HAVE MADE IT TO THE END.

Read the Bible in a Year (31DEC19)

                                          REVELATION


The world as we know it is soon to come to an end. Jesus is on His way back to gather all of the saints who have anxiously awaited His return. He is coming for a church without spot or wrinkle. Those who are ready will be invited to the super of the Lamb. There will be no more death, illness, violence, disease, pain, tears, and heartache. All of those things will be a part of our distant past. Never again to be remembered for God will wipe all tears from our eyes.

After all the trials that we have gone through on earth, we have an eternal destination to look forward to. The devil will no longer be a part of our lives. He will forever be destroyed and we will be able to live in eternity enjoying peace with the Lord. All of this is guaranteed if we remain faithful unto God. Those who endure to the end will receive a reward far greater than our minds can conceive.

God is going to create a new Heaven and a new earth. There will be no need for the sun because Jesus is the Light of the world. There will be no need for the moon because there will never be any more darkness and no need for sleep. Our previous earthly bodies will be made new and we will never experience growing old in them.

What a great joy and awesome hope to have that we will one day be done with this old world. Are you ready for Jesus to come? Are you ready to leave this world behind? Have you made things right with God? If Jesus was to come today, would you be ready to go with Him? Have you made things right with your fellow man? If you cannot say “Yes” to all of these questions, the time is NOW to get things right with God and with others. Jesus is coming soon! Don’t miss out because the invitation has been sent. All you have to do is be ready. 

               Quick Review from Lesson 10

a.) Babylon the Great has fallen.

b.) The kings of the earth committed adultery with her and drank from her cup of wine.

c.) A voice from Heaven warned to come out of Babylon to avoid the judgments that would befall her.

d.) The kings of the earth will stand in sorry over the destruction of Babylon from which they became wealthy.

e.) Babylon will never be restored again after her ultimate destruction.

f.) Babylon is responsible for the martyr of God’s people and all manners of wickedness.

g.) Heaven will sing praises to God over the judgment that has finally been rendered to Babylon.

h.) The rider of the white horse is called Faithful and True.

i.) The beast and the false prophet where thrown into the lake of fire.

j.) The dragon who is the devil was thrown into the Abyss for a thousand years.

k.) Satan will be released after the thousand years to once again deceive the nations.

l.) He will gather the nations for one final battle.

m.) Fire from Heaven will destroy them and the devil will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur.

n.) The dead will be judged and anyone whose name is not found in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire.

                 A New Heaven and Earth
Revelation 21:1-4 Then I 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.”

John saw the creation of a new Heaven and Earth. The former things were passed away and all things had become new. This prophecy was given even during the time of Isaiah. God longs to be with His children and has made provision for us to be with Him in total peace and free from the miseries that were brought on by Satan.

Isaiah 65:17-19 “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.
Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more. (NLT) God promises that we will not even remember the former things. Death, pain, sadness, heartache and every emotion that has been tied to sin will be taken away from us. No longer will we shed any tears for the loss of a loved one, physical pain, and/or disappointment. All of those things will be passed away.

Revelation 21:5-8 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.” (NIV)

God tells John that He is making everything new and that His word can be believed. Isaiah 55:10-11 Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and don’t return there without watering the earth, making it conceive and yield plants and providing seed to the sower and food to the eater, so is my word that comes from my mouth; it does not return to me empty. Instead, it does what I want, and accomplishes what I intend. (CEB) We should never doubt the Word of God. If God says it…it is as good as done. He is the Beginning and the End. No one existed prior to God and He will always be. God will give to everyone who has a thirst for Him. John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (NKJV) God is the living water that we need. If we drink of Him…we will never die. We are His children and He is our Father. 2 Corinthians 6:18 “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (NIV)

Unfortunately, there are a set of people who will not be considered the sons and daughters of God. They will have chosen to follow the enemy and live a life full of sin. All cowards, unbelievers, wicked, murders and others who refuse to obey God will have a part in the Lake of Fire.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. (NLT) God’s word is very specific as to what will cause many to go to hell. However, God wishes for everyone to be saved. It is up to us to make the ultimate choice for Him. There will be no second chances to get it right. There is no purgatory, which will act as a waiting period, with the possibility of release. What you do now for Christ will make the difference later in your final destination. You want to be raised in the first resurrection with the rest of those who are saved. Daniel 12:2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (NIV) 

The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
 
Revelation 21:9-14 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. (NIV)

How marvelous it is going to be seeing the New Jerusalem. It will be far more beautiful than what we have ever imagined. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 But this is precisely what is written: God has prepared things for those who love him that no eye has seen, or ear has heard, or that haven’t crossed the mind of any human being. God has revealed these things to us through the Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, including the depths of God. (CEB)

Jesus promised, while here on earth, that He had to go away to prepare a place for us. He longs to be with His children for eternity and has taken great care to ensure that He has it all prepared for when He returns. John 14:1-4 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” (NKJV) We should all long to be in fellowship with our Lord and Savior, so that we may forever live with Him in the beautiful place that He has prepared for us. This is why the devil works so hard to keep God’s children out of Heaven. Remember, he has already been there, so the devil knows what great things God has in store for us once we arrive. Isaiah 14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! (NIV) Yes, Lucifer, now Satan, once had a place in Heaven, but pride overtook him. Therefore, because sin cannot exist in the presence of God, he was kicked out. Habakkuk 1:13 But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they? (NLT)

Revelation 21:15-21 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 stadia in 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. (NIV)


John describes the Holy City as the angel measured the walls. The city is made of precious gems and stones that are far more splendid than our earthly minds can ever imagine. The gates are made of pearls and the streets are made of pure transparent gold. No mansion on earth can compare to the one that we will have in the New Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:22-27 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. (NIV)

Just as the curtain ripped upon Jesus death to signify that there was no longer any need for sacrificial offerings, the same will hold true with regards to their being a temple. Matthew 27:50-51 Again Jesus cried out with a loud shout. Then he died. Look, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split. (CEB) The sacrifice had been made and no longer was there any need for the shedding of blood from sheep, goats, or calves. Jesus paid it all! We will not have a need for a temple because God and the Lamb are the temple. This is why we must not focus on tangible worship houses, but our worship should be within our hearts because we are the temple of God in which He dwells. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (NLT)

There will be no darkness because Jesus is the Light. John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (NIV) There will be no need for lamps, flashlights, torches, or even the sun and moon. Jesus is all the Light that we will need, for in Heaven, there will be no darkness of any kind. The gates will never be locked for there will be no thieves and robbers for anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life will not enter Heaven. Luke 10:20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (NKJV)

                              Eden Restored

Revelation 22:1-5 Then the angel showed me 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. (NIV)

John was shown the river of life that flowed from the throne of God and the Lamb. It was clear as crystal. There were no impurities in the water that would produce a cloudiness as in some of the water that we see today. It was clear and ran down the middle of the Holy City. Jesus promised that if we were to believe in Him, water would flow through us as well. He is the living water where we can drink freely from now and forever more. A water where we will never be thirsty again. John 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. (NIV)

On each side of the river was the Tree of Life. It had 12 kinds of fruit on it and the leaves were good for healing. Every month, it produced new fruit. In the garden of Eden, there was the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, but in this garden, there will no longer be a need for anything that is evil to bring about death. Genesis 2:16-17 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” (NLT) Only life is offered and will be given. Where one tree tested man’s obedience to God, another tree will reward those who remained faithful to Him.

The Tree of Life is not like other trees where they only produce one type of fruit. There are 12 different kinds of fruit on that one tree, which can be eaten unlike in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 1:11 Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. (NIV) The leaves are good for the healing of the nation because there will be no more sickness, death, misery or pain. God will wipe all tears from our eyes. Ezekiel 47:12 But on both banks of the river will grow up all kinds of fruit-bearing trees. Their leaves won’t wither, and their fruitfulness won’t wane. They will produce fruit in every month, because their water comes from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for eating, their leaves for healing. (CEB)

No longer will we be under a curse. We will be able to see God face to face and have His name on our foreheads. Galatians 3:13-14 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (NKJV) No curse that we were under while on earth will exist in the new heaven and earth because Jesus paid the price for our sins so that we may have eternal life.

There will be no more need for sleep because the sun and moon will not exist. Jesus is the only light that we will ever need and His light will last forever and ever. Isaiah 60:19-21 “No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For the Lord will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end. All your people will be righteous. They will possess their land forever, for I will plant them there with my own hands in order to bring myself glory. (NLT) What a glorious day it will be when we will forever be able to be with our Lord and Savior. 

                              John and the Angel

Revelation 22:6-11 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.” (NIV) 
 
The angel let John know that the words that were written in this prophecy was true. Whatever comes out of the mouth of God will come to pass as He has spoken. Isaiah 55:10-11 You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You. (KJV) God stands by His word because He can only swear by Himself since there is no one greater than He.

All scripture that is given comes from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God did not want His children to be clueless as to the things that would take place in the last days, so He gave the prophetic word to John in order for him to give it to the Body of Christ. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV) Jesus let John know that His coming is soon and there was a blessing for those who kept the words of this prophecy. We are not only to be hearers, but doers of the word of God. James 1:22 You must be doers of the word and not only hearers who mislead themselves. (CEB)

John fell down to the feet of the angel to worship him, but the angel rebuked John by letting him know that only God is to be worshipped. No one else deserves our worship but the Almighty God. Nehemiah 9:6 You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You. (NKJV) God is a jealous God. He alone is to be worshipped. All of Heaven know their place when it comes to the Lord and even the angels are subservient to His will.

John was not to seal up the words of the prophecy unlike Daniel. Daniel 12:4 But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end, when many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.” (NLT) The time of the prophecy given to John was for the times that we now live in. Therefore, God wanted it to be revealed to all who read it. If there was ever a time to understand this prophetic book, it is now. The words of this book are coming to life in real time and we as the Body of Christ must be prepared for what is and what is to come. Those who have decided to follow Jesus must continue to do so, and those who have made a choice for Satan, the time of Salvation is short where no one will be able to switch sides. Hebrews 3:15 As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." (NIV) 
                                                    

          Epilogue: Invitation and Warning

Revelation 22:12-15 “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. (NIV)

Jesus is coming soon! There will be no second chances to get it right. He is coming to give everyone the reward that they have rightly earned. This is why it is important to make sure that our lives are right before the King arrives. Proverbs 11:30-31 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner. (NIV) He is the beginning and the end of all things. There was no one before Him and there will be no on e after Him. All who obey God’s commands and have been washed in the blood of the Lamb will live with God forever and eat from the tree of life. However, those who choose to be wicked and live outside of the will of God will not make it into the kingdom and will have their eternity spent in hell. 1 Corinthians 9:9 In Moses’ Law it’s written: You will not muzzle the ox or did he say this entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake because the one who plows and the one who threshes should each do so with the hope of sharing the produce. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it so much to ask to harvest some material things from you? (CEB) 

                                                  

Revelation 22:16-21 “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 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. (NIV)

God had given this prophetic message to Jesus, and Jesus gave it to the angel; the angel gives it to John, and John gave it to the churches. God wanted His church to be prepared for the events that would take place during the last days, but also to give us hope as to the things we could look forward to after the time of testing pass. He sent His son, Jesus, to die for us, so that we can have the strength to defeat the enemy because He did it first. Jesus was born through the line of David and is the Bright and Morning Star. John 7:42 Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived. (NIV)

The living water is offered to everyone who is thirsty and desire to drink as a free gift. John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks from the water that I will give will never be thirsty again. The water that I give will become in those who drink it a spring of water that bubbles up into eternal life.” (CEB) With earthly water, we will be thirsty again, but with the water of life that only comes from Jesus, we will never thirst. The prophecy, which was written by John, is one of great significance for the last days. God gave a warning to anyone who would try to add or take away from it.

This book was not to be altered in order to diminish or embellish it. One must be careful of false teachers who would downplay the urgency of this prophetic word. The book of Revelation is meant for everyone to know, read and understand its contents. It is a book to be respected and not feared. It is a book of warning and a book of enlightenment. It rebukes, corrects, informs and encourages. May God bless you as you have finished learning one of the most important books in the Bible. Please take what you have learned and carefully apply it in your life, so that you will be ready for Jesus’ soon return. 

Revelation: Removing the Prophetic Veil Bible Lessons 1-11 by K L Rich are available on Amazon.


 

Read the Bible in a Year (30DEC19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, December 30’s Bible reading is Revelation 17-19.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, December 31’s Bible reading is Revelation 20-22. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.

Today's Lesson is Bible Lesson 9 from the series "Revelation: Removing the Prophetic Veil" by K L Rich on Amazon.com.

REVELATION

           
Our world is in major trouble. Much of what John had seen in his vision is unfolding right before our eyes. The earth has refused to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. There is just a remnant of people who are ready to meet Him in the sky. Despite the warnings that have been placed inside the Bible, there are those who choose to keep it hidden and ignore the alarms that are sounding all over the world. John was given this message of Revelation for the church to know what to expect in the last days and yet, so many choose to act as if this part of the Bible doesn’t exist.

However, the time is coming when Christians will no longer be able to close their eyes to the truth and will have to make the ultimate decision. They will choose either to stand up for Christ, or take sides with the beast and lose out on Eternity. The decision has to be made by every living soul. Some have made it and lost their lives in the process only to have the right to gain it in eternity, while others have passed on without accepting Christ and made their choice to go to the Abyss. Those who are alive still have a chance to do what is right. Which side will you choose?

John was shown the prostitute who sat upon the beast with multiple heads and horns. This was no ordinary woman, but one who was full of sin and caused others to drink of her cup. God gave this message for the woman to turn from her evil ways and repent. Unfortunately, the prophecy does let us know that many will not repent and will be lost as a result of their rebellion. The day of the Lord is now! God will one day return and when He does, will you be ready?


                                      

Quick Review from Lesson 9

a.) The first angel poured out his bowl on the land and ugly sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast.


b.) The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea and it turned to blood. Every living thing in the sea died.


c.) The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water and they became blood.


d.) The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun scorched the people with fire.


e.) The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast and his kingdom. The people cursed God because of their painful sores.


f.) The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the River Euphrates and its water dried up.


g.) The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came from the throne saying, “It is finished!”


h.) A woman sat on a scarlet beast covered with blasphemous names with seven heads and ten horns.


i.) The kings of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adultery.


j.) The woman was drunk from the blood of God’s holy people.


k.) Those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will be astonished when they see the beast.


l.) The kings will give their power to the beast and they will rage war against the Lamb.


m.) The waters where the prostitute sat represents people, multitudes, nations and languages.

Weeping Over Babylon’s Fall

Revelation 18:1 After all this I saw another angel come down from heaven with great authority, and the earth grew bright with his splendor.” (NLT)

Angels are God’s great messengers who carry the word of God wherever He has ordained for them to go. Therefore, in this vision, John saw another angel who had come down from Heaven and was given authority from God himself to proclaim a powerful message. The earth was brightened by the angel’s coming because he had been in the presence of God. There were other times when angels were given messages to give to man and there was a brightness all around because the glory of the Lord shines upon whomever is in His presence. Luke 2:8-11 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. (9)An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. (10)But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. (11)Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (NIV) This is an example of angels being used as messengers from God to give news to man with the glory of God shining upon them. All messages that are given to angels to give to mankind is with the authority granted by God. They do not work on their own accord.

Revelation 18:2-3 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. (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.” (NIV)

This message that the angel had to give was one of judgment that would befall Babylon. She was very wicked and had become a place where the devil dwelled. Therefore, the message that Babylon had fallen was prophetic for today’s Babylon. The Babylon of old had fallen to the hands of Medes and Persians. This had been prophesied long before it took place, but was given to the King Belshazzar again on the night that it was to be actually done. Daniel 5:22-28 “But you, Belshazzar, his son, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. (23)Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. (24)Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. (25)“This is the inscription that was written: mene, mene, tekel, parsin (26)“Here is what these words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. (27) Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. (28)Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” (NIV)


The Babylon of old was wicked and the Babylon of today is the same. Who is the Babylon of today? It is the United States of America. She has been the most powerful nation in the world, but we are now living in a time when that title is being stripped away right before our very eyes. America was once the country that everyone wanted to come to for it was a land of greatness, freedom and opportunities. Nevertheless, she has become a nation of greed, wickedness, ungodliness and full of idolatry. Instead of leading the world in the ways of God due to the many blessings that have been bestowed upon her, she has led the world down the path of evil. Other nations have looked to America as a model to follow, which has also led them down the road to sin. Therefore, America will pay for her wicked ways just as the Babylon of old.

Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment

Revelation 18:4-8 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. Pour her a double portion from her own cup. (7)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.’ (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. (NIV)

The voice cried out as a warning to come out of Babylon. God’s message was for the nation to stop sinning and come out of the mist of confusion. Wherever there is a lack of God, there will be confusion. The devil is the author of confusion. 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. (NIV) America is being challenged on every front. North Korea, Iran, Cuba, China, Russia and the Middle East countries are all posing a threat to America, while she makes turns friends into enemies. There is confusion all around, but the nation is too blind to see what is taking place and that they are heading towards doom.


America’s sins have reached God and she will be held accountable for all that she has done. Abortions, homosexuality, sex trafficking, murder, pornography, ungodly laws, drug trafficking, scientific abominations, witchcraft and much more will be punished by God. There is judgment on the land of America right now and yet, she has refused to repent for her sins. America is experiencing droughts, earthquakes, mass animal deaths, police brutality, economic decline, threats of war, murder in the streets, and more. However, there is still no desire to change and turn back to God. Instead of acknowledging God, America’s wickedness is increasing. America’s arrogant attitude towards God will be the cause of her demise and when she finally falls, it will be one of such a magnitude that America will never recover.

Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall

Remember 18:9-10 “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 to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!’

Upon the fall of America, the other nations will look on as she is destroyed from afar. They will cry over her and fear will come to them because they will be in disbelief as to what will have taken place. To see a great nation fall to such a magnitude would have a lasting affect if they allow God to use it as a way to teach them what not to do. In the Bible, we see that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah due to the sins that they had committed as well.


Genesis 19:12-13 The two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, (13)because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it.” (NIV) God may not deal with sin right away, but He will judge it if there is a failure for the nation to repent. God never wants to punish, but He uses it as a way for the hearts of man to turn back to Him. However, in this particular judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah, it was a permanent one from which the cities could and would never be restored.

Revelation 18:11-13 “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore— (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 human beings sold as slaves.” (NIV)

America has been a great importer and exporter of goods and services. Nations have become wealthy as part of the trade agreements with her. From food to medical supplies and even missionaries have been sent to and from the United States. God has blessed America with more than she ever could have dreamed of, but it was not to make her filled with pride. God had a kingdom agenda in order to bring other nations to the light of Him. Nevertheless, she turned her back to the God who made her prosperous and committed adultery with foreign idols and women. This is what will make the other nations weep when their main source becomes dried up like a dead flower. Here is a look at what happened with Israel and how they provoked God’s anger.

2 Kings 17:7-23 This disaster came upon the people of Israel because they worshiped other gods. They sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them safely out of Egypt and had rescued them from the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. They had followed the practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of them, as well as the practices the kings of Israel had introduced. The people of Israel had also secretly done many things that were not pleasing to the Lord their God. They built pagan shrines for themselves in all their towns, from the smallest outpost to the largest walled city. They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles at the top of every hill and under every green tree. They offered sacrifices on all the hilltops, just like the nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of them. So the people of Israel had done many evil things, arousing the Lord’s anger. Yes, they worshiped idols,b] despite the Lord’s specific and repeated warnings. Again and again the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: “Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees—the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets.” But the Israelites would not listen. They were as stubborn as their ancestors who had refused to believe in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they despised all his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. They followed the example of the nations around them, disobeying the Lord’s command not to imitate them. They rejected all the commands of the Lord their God and made two calves from metal. They set up an Asherah pole and worshiped Baal and all the forces of heaven. They even sacrificed their own sons and daughters in the fire. They consulted fortune-tellers and practiced sorcery and sold themselves to evil, arousing the Lord’s anger. Because the Lord was very angry with Israel, he swept them away from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained in the land. But even the people of Judah refused to obey the commands of the Lord their God, for they followed the evil practices that Israel had introduced. The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel. He punished them by handing them over to their attackers until he had banished Israel from his presence. For when the Lordtore Israel away from the kingdom of David, they chose Jeroboam son of Nebat as their king. But Jeroboam drew Israel away from following the Lord and made them commit a great sin. And the people of Israel persisted in all the evil ways of Jeroboam. They did not turn from these sins until the Lord finally swept them away from his presence, just as all his prophets had warned. So Israel was exiled from their land to Assyria, where they remain to this day. (NLT)

                                 


Israel had been blessed by God to come out of slavery from Egypt. Despite all that God had done for them, they turned to idolatry. They even tried to worship both God and idols. However, no one can serve two masters. The Israelites thought that if they gave God a part of themselves, He would be satisfied with their prostituting the other part. They were to soon find out that God will not share Himself with no other god. We are to learn from the past so that we do not repeat the same mistakes.

1 Corinthians 10:1-12 Brothers and sisters, I want you to be sure of the fact that our ancestors were all under the cloud and they all went through the sea. All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. However, God was unhappy with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness. These things were examples for us, so we won’t crave evil things like they did. Don’t worship false gods like some of them did, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and they got up to play. Let’s not practice sexual immorality, like some of them did, and twenty-three thousand died in one day. Let’s not test Christ, like some of them did, and were killed by the snakes. Let’s not grumble, like some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. These things happened to them as an example and were written as a warning for us to whom the end of time has come. So those who think they are standing need to watch out or else they may fall. (CEB) We must learn from the stories in the Bible so that we will not repeat the same mistakes. The nation can learn from what took place with Israel in order to see what will happen when a nation defies the laws of God.



Revelation 18:14-17 “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.


In one hour, everything will be taken away from America. The other nations will look and remember what she used to have. Those captains on the sea will watch as she is destroyed. How will America be destroyed? Will it be through war, nuclear weapon, or natural disaster? Could it be a combination of things? There are many warnings that God sends prior to the final judgment, so when it does happen, America will have had ample time to repent. Nevertheless, the devil often puts blinders for those who want to remain in the dark and as a result, they will not see what is about to hit them, while it was so plainly obvious for those who are connected to God. Amos 3:7 Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. (NIV) Many prophets are sounding the alarm, but few people are listening. They would rather listen to the prosperity teachers rather than hear the true words of God. They would rather hear pleasing sermons rather than hear the word of repentance and salvation. 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. (NIV)


Revelation 18:18-20 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.” (NIV)


Those righteous nations who see the final destruction of this nation will mourn because of her destruction. They will see that God was the one who allowed her to be brought down to ruin. However, they will also rejoice in God; they will know that God is fair and dealt with America in a just and righteous manner. It will also be a sign for them to not turn from God, so that no similar judgment will befall them.

 

             The Finality of Babylon’s Doom

Revelation 18:21-24 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.” (NIV)

John saw the angel throw the large millstone into the sea as a demonstration of how Babylon (America) will be destroyed. The musicians were never to be heard from again. This can be taken very literally with all the demonic music that is being played in the airways even by self-professed Christians. They have sold their souls to the devil for the sake of fame and/or compromised with the world in such a way that you cannot distinguish holy from unholy due to the similarities. However, God’s people will not be fooled into compromising the gospel even for money that will eventually be of no value anyway. Ezekiel 7:19 They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean. Their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD's wrath. It will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs, for it has caused them to stumble into sin. (NIV) The sins of this nations will be accounted for. There will be no more marriages, trading with foreign countries, bank embezzlements, slaying of the innocent born and unborn. God is going to raise a standard that other nations will see and call Him blessed.





               Praises Over Babylon’s Fall

Revelation 19:1-2 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.” (NIV)


Babylon had fallen! All of the things that had once made her great were now only a distant memory. She was no longer the embodiment of success and wealth. She was ultimately destroyed and now laid as a heap of ruin. No one would ever sing of her praises. No one would ever boast again of becoming wealthy from her goods and services. She was repaid, by way of destruction from her enemies, for all the iniquities that she had done against God and others. She had been weighed on God’s scale and found


wanting. Numerous warnings had been given. The alarm had been sounded. Chance after chance had been given for her to change, but without prevail. Now, there was no more hope and her destruction finally came. A repeat of what happened to the Babylon of old was repeated in this prophetic text. Jeremiah 51:6-10 “Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins. It is time for the Lord’s vengeance; he will repay her what she deserves. Babylon was a gold cup in the Lord’s hand; she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore they have now gone mad. Babylon will suddenly fall and be broken. Wail over her! Get balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed. “ ‘We would have healed Babylon, but she cannot be healed; let us leave her and each go to our own land, for her judgment reaches to the skies, it rises as high as the heavens.’ “ ‘The Lord has vindicated us; come, let us tell in Zion what the Lord our God has done.’ (NIV)


God never judges unfairly. He is never swift when it comes to His judgments, but always allow time for an individual or nation to change. It is only after He has done all He could to bring about conviction and repentance that judgment finally come. Psalm 103:8-9 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; (NIV) This is why everyone will come before the judgment seat of God and know that His judgments are fair. No one will be able to say that God was unjust.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (NIV)

America, as we have studied in the Word of God, is Babylon the Great. She will pay for the murder of God’s prophets and saints. Nearly 60 million babies have been aborted in this country, and sold as spare parts in the name of medical research. The funding of terrorist organizations who have killed thousands of Christians in various parts of the world require justice from the Almighty hands of God. However, God will give America the reward that she has earned. Deuteronomy 32:35-36 It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time, their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” The Lord will vindicate his people and relent concerning his servants when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free. (NIV)

Revelation 19:3-8 And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.” 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!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!” 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. 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. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) (NIV)

Now some people may have a hard time understanding the concept of celebration at the destruction of Babylon. However, God always send warnings prior to judgment. He never does anything in haste. It is God’s desire to save the lost and not destroy them. However, sin will not be able to continue indefinitely. There is a time when God will say, “Enough is enough,” and those who deserve punishment will receive their due reward and give an account for what they have done, while here on earth. Romans 14:11-12 It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. (NIV)

The twenty-four elders will praise God for his goodness for they understand that God is worthy of praise and He is always just. We will all one day sing of God’s praises right before His throne because we will be happy to have made it into His righteous kingdom. Just as a bride adorns herself for her groom, we too must prepare for that glorious day when Jesus comes to get his bride. He wants us without spot or wrinkle. We must take great care to live in accordance to the Lord’s will, so that we may find favor in His sight. Psalms 90:17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us-- yes, establish the work of our hands. (NIV)



Revelation 19:9-10 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.” (NIV)

The angel told John that all who are invited to the Lamb’s wedding supper is blessed. Indeed, a blessing that will be to finally make it to Heaven. There will be no more sin, death, disease, pain, tears, and suffering. Everything will be created new and most importantly, we will get a chance to see Jesus—the Man who died for us. This is why no earthly man is to be praised and worshiped. God is the only one who deserves our praise. Psalms 86:12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. (NIV)

The angel made sure to tell John not to worship him because he too was a servant of the Most High God. We must ensure that we never worship pastors, priests, bishops and even popes. Just because a person has a title does not give him/her the authority to receive the worship that belongs to God alone. As a matter of fact, God tells us that He is a jealous God and only HE is to be worshiped. Exodus 20:3-6 “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (NIV) Whenever the pope comes to town, people make a big spectacle of themselves by worshiping the Pope as if he is Jesus Christ in the flesh. Even though the Catholic Church claims that the pope is the Vicar of Christ, he is nothing more than a mere man in a robe. There is only one Lord, one Savior, and one God who reigns supreme and has the only power to forgive sin. Hebrews 7:27-28 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. (NIV)




                 The Beast is Defeated

Revelation 19:11-16 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.” 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. (NIV)

John was shown Jesus who is the rider of the white horse called Faithful and True. God is always faithful to His children and we can always count on what His word says is forever true. 1 Corinthians 1:9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. (NIV) The description of His eyes matches what was described in the earlier chapters of Revelation showing that He is a consuming fire, which brings forth purification. Hebrews 12:28-29 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (NIV) On His head were many crowns and He had a name that only He could understand. Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (NIV) There are people who proclaim that they do not believe in God or His Son. However, there is no one who will not acknowledge that Christ is Lord regardless of how they have tried to not believe it while living on this earth.

John saw Jesus wearing a robe that had been dipped in blood and his name was the Word of God. Jesus is the Word of God because He and God are one and He sacrificed Himself in an effort to save all mankind even though He was rejected. John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was with God in the beginning. Everything came into being through the Word, and without the Word nothing came into being. What came into being through the Word was life, and the life was the light for all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. (NLT)

When Jesus first came to earth, He came as a meek and humble lamb. But this time, He will come as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He will come to pass judgment upon the wicked and send them to their ultimate destruction. All of Heaven’s armies will be with Him, and out of His mouth will be a sword, which is the promises of the Word of God to render the reward that all have earned. Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (NIV)



Revelation 19:17-18 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.” (NIV)

The destruction of the wicked is going to be mighty. There will be no second chance once this earth is done. The wicked will think that they have gotten by with all the evil that they have done, but the King of kings and Lord of lords will be coming back with a reward that is due. John saw the angel tell the birds in the air to feast upon the flesh of those who had been destroyed. This is similar to a text in Ezekiel when God warns the enemies of Israel that their flesh will be eaten as well. Ezekiel 39:4-5 On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as good to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. (NIV) God is longsuffering and yet, He is a God of justice who will punish those in rebellion against Him.




Revelation 19:19-21 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. (NIV)

Once again, this beast is that of the anti-Christ who has dared to go against God as a ruler along with other government officials of the world. However, he was captured as well as his false prophet who fooled the masses and caused people to receive the mark of the beast and worship it. Both were thrown into the lake of fire and those who followed were destroyed as well. There are many people who are allowing their religious leaders to prepare them for taking the mark of the beast. They follow these leaders without any question and never take the time to study the word of God for themselves. However, they will be without excuse because the Bible has told us what to look out for in these leaders. 2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. 3In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed. (NLT)     

 

                       The Thousand Years

Revelation 20:1-3 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. (NIV)

John saw an angel come from Heaven with a key and chain in order to lock up the devil for a thousand years. Now is this a literal thousand years? It may be or it may be one day. God’s timing is different than ours, but regardless of which, there will be a time when he will no longer be able to trick the world with his cunning deceptions. He will be thrown into the Abyss, but will be set free for a short time. 2 Peter 3:8-10 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. (NLT)

Let’s Test Your Knowledge!

Now that you have completed the lesson, let’s test your knowledge. Read each question below and fill in the blank. Pay close attention to the *(Hint), so that you can find the correct answer. You may refer back to the chapters when answering the questions. One, two, three…here we go!
1.) “Go, pour out the ________________ bowls of God’s
______________ on the _________________” .

* (Hint) Revelation 16:1


2.) The first angel poured out his _____________ on the

_____________ and _________________ and painful

_______________ broke out on the _______________

who had the ______________ of the ______________ .

* (Hint) Revelation 16:2


3.) The second angel went and ________________ out his

bowl on the _______________, and it turned to _____

like that of a ____________ man and every living thing

in the sea _____________.

*(Hint) Revelation 16:3


4.) The third angel poured out his ______________ on the

_______________ and ________________ of _______

and they became like _________________.

* (Hint) Revelation 16:4


5.) The fourth angel _______________ out his bowl on the

_____________ and the sun was given _____________

to ________________ people with _______________.

* (Hint) Revelation 16:8


6.) The fifth angel pour out his _________________ on the

throne of the ________________ and his kingdom was

plunged into __________________.

* (Hint) Revelation 16:10


7.) The sixth angel poured out his ______________ on the

great river ___________________, and it __________

was ________________ up to prepare the way for the

_____________ from the _____________.

* (Hint) Revelation 16:12


8.) The seventh angel _____________ out his bowl in the

_______________, and out of the ________________

came a _______________ voice from the __________

saying, “It is __________________.”

* (Hint) Revelation 16:17


9.) The ___________horns you saw are ten ___________

who have not yet received a _______________, but

who for one _____________ will receive authority as

kings along with the _______________.

* (Hint) Revelation 17:12

 
10.) This title was written on her ____________________:

_________________ Babylon The _______________

The ___________________ of ___________________

and Of The ________________________of the earth. *

* (Hint) Revelation 17:5

Revelation: Removing the Prophetic Veil Bible Lessons 1-11 by K L Rich are available on  Amazon.  

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