Study Desk

Then God's temple in heaven was opened. The Ark that holds the agreement God gave to his people could be seen in his temple. Then there were flashes of lightning, noises, thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Then the woman gave birth to a son who will rule all the nations with an iron rod. And her child was taken up to God and to his throne.

The woman ran away into the desert to a place God prepared for her where she would be taken care of for one thousand two hundred sixty days.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: "The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have now come. The accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accused them day and night before our God, has been thrown down.

Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and there was a crown on each horn. A name against God was written on each head.

The beast was allowed to say proud words and words against God, and it was allowed to use its power for forty-two months.

It used its mouth to speak against God, against God's name, against the place where God lives, and against all those who live in heaven.

These are the ones who did not do sinful things with women, because they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb every place he goes. These one hundred forty-four thousand were bought from among the people of the earth as people to be offered to God and the Lamb.

He preached in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him praise, because the time has come for God to judge all people. So worship God who made the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the springs of water."

I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. All of those who had won the victory over the beast and his idol and over the number of his name were standing by the sea of glass. They had harps that God had given them.

They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "You do great and wonderful things, Psalm 111:2 Lord God Almighty. Amos 3:13 Everything the Lord does is right and true, Psalm 145:17 King of the nations.

Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the anger of God, who lives forever and ever.

The temple was filled with smoke from the glory and the power of God, and no one could enter the temple until the seven disasters of the seven angels were finished.

And I heard a voice coming from the altar saying: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, the way you punish evil people is right and fair."

They were burned by the great heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these disasters. But the people refused to change their hearts and lives and give glory to God.

They also cursed the God of heaven because of their pain and the sores they had, but they refused to change their hearts and turn away from the evil things they did.

These evil spirits are the spirits of demons, which have power to do miracles. They go out to the kings of the whole world to gather them together for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.

The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations were destroyed. And God remembered the sins of Babylon the Great, so he gave that city the cup filled with the wine of his terrible anger.

Giant hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell from the sky upon people. People cursed God for the disaster of the hail, because this disaster was so terrible.

Then the angel carried me away by the Spirit to the desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a red beast. It was covered with names against God written on it, and it had seven heads and ten horns.