Study Desk

Then the strong angel that I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted his right hand to heaven.

And when the seventh angel blows his horn, God will put His secret plan into action. It will be done just as He told it to the early preachers, His servants.

The seventh angel blew his horn. There were loud voices in heaven saying, "The nations of the world have become the holy nation of our Lord and of His Christ. He will be the Leader forever."

With his tail he pulled one-third part of the stars out of heaven. He threw them down to the earth. This dragon stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth to her child. He was waiting to eat her child as soon as it was born.

Then the woman gave birth to a son. He is to be the leader of the world using a piece of iron. But this child was taken away to God and His throne.

Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against this dragon. This animal and his angels fought back.

The dragon was thrown down to earth from heaven. This animal is the old snake. He is also called the Devil or Satan. He is the one who has fooled the whole world. He was thrown down to earth and his angels were thrown down with him.

Then the snake spit water from his mouth so the woman might be carried away with a flood.

The earth helped the woman by opening its mouth. It drank in the flood of water that this dragon spit from his mouth.

The Woman and the Dragon Something very special was seen in heaven. A woman was there dressed with the sun. The moon was under her feet. A crown with twelve stars in it was on her head. She was about to become a mother. She cried out with pain waiting for the child to be born. Something else special was seen in heaven. A large dragon was there. It was red and had seven heads and ten horns. There was a crown on each head. With his tail he pulled one-third part of the stars out of heaven. He threw them down to the earth. This dragon stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth to her child. He was waiting to eat her child as soon as it was born. Then the woman gave birth to a son. He is to be the leader of the world using a piece of iron. But this child was taken away to God and His throne. The woman ran away into the desert. God had made the place ready for her. He will care for her there 1,260 days. Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against this dragon. This animal and his angels fought back. But the dragon was not strong enough to win. There was no more room in heaven for them. The dragon was thrown down to earth from heaven. This animal is the old snake. He is also called the Devil or Satan. He is the one who has fooled the whole world. He was thrown down to earth and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, "Now God has saved from the punishment of sin! God's power as King has come! God's holy nation has come! God's Christ is here with power! The one who spoke against our Christian brothers has been thrown down to earth. He stood before God speaking against them day and night. They had power over him and won because of the blood of the Lamb and by telling what He had done for them. They did not love their lives but were willing to die. For this reason, O heavens and you who are there, be full of joy. It is bad for you, O earth and sea. For the devil has come down to you. He is very angry because he knows he has only a short time." When the dragon which is the devil saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he began to hunt for the woman who had given birth to the boy baby. The woman was given two wings like the wings of a very large bird so she could fly to her place in the desert. She was to be cared for there and kept safe from the snake, which is the devil, for three-and one-half years. Then the snake spit water from his mouth so the woman might be carried away with a flood. The earth helped the woman by opening its mouth. It drank in the flood of water that this dragon spit from his mouth. This dragon was very angry with the woman. He went off to fight with the rest of her children. They are the ones who obey the Laws of God and are faithful to the teachings of Jesus.

The wild animal I saw was covered with spots. It had feet like those of a bear. It had a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave this wild animal his own power and his own throne as king. The wild animal was given much power.

And it opened its mouth speaking very bad things against God. It spoke against God's name and His house and against those living in heaven.

Then I saw another wild animal coming out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb. His voice was like that of the dragon.

No one could buy or sell anything unless he had the mark on him. This mark was the name of the first wild animal or another way to write his name.

Then I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion. There were 144,000 people with Him. These people had His name and His Father's name written on their foreheads.

A third angel followed, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the wild animal and his false god and receives a mark on his forehead or hand,

The smoke of those who are being punished will go up forever. They have no rest day or night. It is because they have worshiped the wild animal and his false god and have received the mark of his name.

I looked and saw a white cloud. Sitting on the cloud was One like the Son of Man. He had a crown of gold on His head. In His hand He had a sharp knife for cutting grain.

He Who sat on the cloud raised His knife over the earth. And the grain was gathered in.

The angel used his sickle on the earth. He gathered from the vine of the earth and put the fruit into the large place for making wine. It was full of God's anger.