Study Desk

They threw dust on their heads and cried loudly to show the deep sorrow they felt. They said, ‘Terrible! How terrible for the great city! All those who had ships on the sea became rich because of her wealth! But she has been destroyed in one hour!

His judgments are true and right. Our God has punished the prostitute. She is the one who ruined the earth with her sexual sin. God has punished the prostitute to pay her back for the death of his servants."

Fine linen was given to the bride for her to wear. The linen was bright and clean." (The fine linen means the good things that God's holy people did.)

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. In a loud voice the angel said to all the birds flying in the sky, "Come together for the great supper of God.

But the beast was captured, and the false prophet was also captured. He was the one who did the miracles for the beast. He had used these miracles to trick those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its idol. The false prophet and the beast were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

The angel grabbed the dragon, that old snake, also known as the devil or Satan. The angel tied the dragon with the chain for 1000 years.

Then the angel threw the dragon into the bottomless pit and closed it. The angel locked it over the dragon. The angel did this so that the dragon could not trick the people of the earth until the 1000 years were ended. After 1000 years the dragon must be made free for a short time.

Then I saw some thrones and people sitting on them. These were the ones who had been given the power to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been killed because they were faithful to the truth of Jesus and the message from God. They did not worship the beast or its idol. They did not receive the mark of the beast on their foreheads or on their hands. They came back to life and ruled with Christ for 1000 years.

Great blessings belong to those who share in this first resurrection. They are God's holy people. The second death has no power over them. They will be priests for God and for Christ. They will rule with him for 1000 years.

He will go out to trick the nations in all the earth, the nations known as Gog and Magog. Satan will gather the people for battle. There will be more people than anyone can count, like sand on the seashore.

And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride dressed for her husband.

It flows down the middle of the street of the city. The tree of life is on each side of the river, and it produces fruit every month, twelve times a year. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations.

Then the angel told me, "Don't keep secret the words of prophecy in this book. The time is near for these things to happen.

"Listen, I am coming soon! I will bring rewards with me. I will repay everyone for what they have done.

"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to tell you these things for the churches. I am the descendant from the family of David. I am the bright morning star."