Study Desk

Then I saw standing in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb that appeared to have been killed. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

They were singing a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed, and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."

Now when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given.

Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, who had the seal of the living God. He shouted out with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given permission to damage the earth and the sea:

"Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees until we have put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."

They were shouting out in a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

And all the angels stood there in a circle around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground before the throne and worshiped God,

saying, "Amen! Praise and glory, and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"

For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them.

because the Lamb in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

The smoke coming from the incense, along with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand.

They were told not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their forehead.

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a single voice coming from the horns on the golden altar that is before God,

But in the days when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God is completed, just as he has proclaimed to his servants the prophets."

Then a measuring rod like a staff was given to me, and I was told, "Get up and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and the ones who worship there.

But after three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and tremendous fear seized those who were watching them.

Just then a major earthquake took place and a tenth of the city collapsed; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Then the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and worshiped God