Category: Revelation
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Grace Gets the Last Word – Revelation 22:19-21
Revelation 22:19-21 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly.…
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Do Not Tamper With It – Revelation 22:18
Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. That is a serious warning. John is bringing the book to a close, and the Lord…
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Still Saying Come – Revelation 22:17
Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. What a way for the Bible to close. After all the thunder, all the warnings, all the visions, all the…
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Before David, After David – Revelation 22:16
Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. This is a beautiful way for Revelation to keep our eyes on who Jesus really is. He is not merely a teacher finishing…
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Outside the City – Revelation 22:15
Revelation 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. John is drawing a hard line here. Inside the city is life, light, and fellowship with the Lord. Outside is everything that resists Him. This is not God being harsh for the sake of…
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The Door Is Still Open – Revelation 22:12-14
Revelation 22:12-14 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,…
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No Neutral Ground – Revelation 22:11
Revelation 22:11He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. This is one of the sobering lines in the whole book. The Lord brings everything…
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Keep the Book Open – Revelation 22:10
Revelation 22:10And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. This is a direct command from heaven. Do not seal the book. Do not shut it. Do not set it aside as though it were too difficult, too mysterious, or too controversial to…
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Worship God – Revelation 22:8-9
Revelation 22:8, 9And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets,…
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Only Two Days Gone – Revelation 22:7
Revelation 22:7Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. Jesus closes in with a personal word here. After all the visions, all the scenes, all the warnings, all the promises, He says, “Behold, I come quickly.” That is not just information. That is a wake up…
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Too Good to Be False – Revelation 22:6
Revelation 22:6And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. After all the glory John has seen, the Spirit seems to pause and say, Do not miss this. None of…
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No More Night – Revelation 22:5
Revelation 22:5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. John ends this section with one more sweeping promise. There will be no night there. No darkness settling in. No fading of…
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Satisfied at Last – Revelation 22:4
Revelation 22:4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. This may be one of the most tender promises in all of Scripture. John says, “They shall see his face.” Not merely His works. Not merely His glory reflected in the city. Not merely the light that comes from Him.…
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The Curse Is Gone – Revelation 22:3
Revelation 22:3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. The fallout of Adam’s bomb in the Garden of Eden is still felt to this day. Genesis 3:17 through 19 tells us what followed man’s rebellion. The ground…
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Still Fresh Forever – Revelation 22:2
Revelation 22:2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. John now sees something man lost in Genesis…
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Carried by the River – Revelation 22:1
Revelation 22:1And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. John sees a river flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It is pure. It is clear as crystal. It is full of life. That…
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Nothing Unclean, Nothing Lost – Revelation 21:26-27
Revelation 21:26, 27And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. John closes this chapter with both beauty and…
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Never Closed, Never Dark – Revelation 21:23-25
Revelation 21:23, 24, 25And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it:And the kings of the earth…
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No More Leaving – Revelation 21:22
Revelation 21:22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. That is a remarkable statement. In a city filled with glory, jewels, gold, gates, and light, John notices something missing. There is no temple. For a Jewish man, that would be striking. The temple had…
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Pearls and Pavement – Revelation 21:21
Revelation 21:21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. What a picture John is given here. The gates of the city are pearls, each gate made of one pearl. Then he looks down and sees…
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Shining Foundations – Revelation 21:19-20
Revelation 21:19, 20And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus;…
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Safe at Last – Revelation 21:17-18
Revelation 21:17, 18And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper……and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. The angel measures the wall of the city,…
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Yes, that is worth putting back in, because it helps people feel the scale of what John is describing.
More Room Than We Ever Imagined – Revelation 21:15-16 Revelation 21:15, 16And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed,…
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Built to Last – Revelation 21:14
Revelation 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. John now looks beneath the beauty of the city and sees something deeper. Foundations. Not one.Twelve. This is not a temporary place. Not something that shifts or settles or cracks over time.…
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Gates of Grace – Revelation 21:12-13
Revelation 21:12, 13 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west…
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Brilliant by Grace – Revelation 21:11
Revelation 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. The first thing John notices about the city is not its size, not its gates, not its walls, but its glory. It has the glory of God. That is what…
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The City Above – Revelation 21:9-10
Revelation 21:9-10 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me…
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Safe at Last – Revelation 21:8
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. This is a hard verse, but it is an honest one. The Lord is showing John…
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More Than a Mansion – Revelation 21:7
Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. When most people think about heaven, they think only in terms of rest. No more pain. No more tears. No more death. And that is gloriously true. But Revelation 21 shows us that heaven…
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The City Where Nothing Runs Dry – Revelation 21:6
Revelation 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. One of the sure signs of a healthy community is this: does it have what people need to…
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Nothing Left Unfinished – Revelation 21:6
Revelation 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. There is such strength in that short sentence. Not “It has begun.” Not “It is underway.” Not “It is almost there.” He says, “It is done.” That is the voice of the Master who finishes what He starts. Jesus spoke before of going to prepare…
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Everything Wrong Gone Forever – Revelation 21:4-5
Revelation 21:4-5 …for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. There is a wonderful finality in that phrase, “the former things are passed away.” Not improved. Not managed. Not slowly…
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The Hand That Ends All Sorrow – Revelation 21:4
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. There is something deeply personal in this verse. John does not merely say that tears disappear. He says…
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Home at Last – Revelation 21:2-3
Revelation 21:2-3 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,…
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Booked for Home – Revelation 21:1
Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. The church is many things. It is a hospital where wounded people come and find healing in Jesus. It is a school where truth is taught…
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It’s Not Over Yet – Revelation 20:14-15
Revelation 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. These are heavy verses, but they end on a truth every child of God needs to hear. It’s not…
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Judged at the Wood, Not the White Throne – Revelation 20:11-13
Revelation 20:11-13 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled awayand there was found no place for them.And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before Godand the books were openedand another book was opened, which is the book of…
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The Last Circle Around Jerusalem – Revelation 20:9-10
Revelation 20:9-10 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the…
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Love Must Be Chosen – Revelation 20:7-8
Revelation 20:7-8 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth… Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. This is…
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Blessed Beyond Everything Else – Revelation 20:6
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. There is a word here that ought to steady the soul of every believer. Blessed.…
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Thrones, Rewards, and the First Resurrection – Revelation 20:4-5
Revelation 20:4-5 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them… and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their…
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Shut Up for a Thousand Years – Revelation 20:3
Revelation 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. There is a deep satisfaction in this verse. Satan is not…
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One Angel, One Chain, No Contest – Revelation 20:1-2
Revelation 20:1-2 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. There is almost a holy simplicity in this…
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The Table Before the Battle – Revelation 19:20-21
Revelation 19:20-21 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain…
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The Last War Turns the Wrong Way – Revelation 19:19
Revelation 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. This is the insanity of sin at full bloom. The beast gathers the kings of the earth and their armies together for war.…
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Two Suppers – Revelation 19:16-18
Revelation 19:16-18 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together…
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The King Wins by His Word – Revelation 19:15
Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. I have seen paintings of this scene where Jesus has a literal sword…
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The Blood on His Robe – Revelation 19:13-14
Revelation 19:13-14 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. John sees Jesus riding forth, and one detail catches the eye immediately: He was clothed with…
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Crowned Above Every Camp – Revelation 19:12
Revelation 19:12 …and on his head were many crowns… and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. John sees Jesus wearing many crowns. Not one crown only, but many. He is not the King of one tribe, one stream, one label, or one little corner of the church world. He…
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The Eyes That Burn Away the Flesh – Revelation 19:11-12
Revelation 19:11-12 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire… There is something weighty in that opening line. John says, I saw heaven opened. Earlier…
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Revelation 19:9
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy…
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Clothed for the Feast – Revelation 19:8
Revelation 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. There is a sweet word tucked into this verse that changes everything. Granted. That means the bride did not produce this garment by her own effort. She did…
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Made Ready for the Bridegroom – Revelation 19:7
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. This verse opens up beautifully when you read it through the pattern of a Jewish wedding. In that setting, the bride did not initiate the whole process. The father…
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The Sound of Heaven – Revelation 19:5-6
Revelation 19:5-6 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for…
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So Be It, Praise the Lord – Revelation 19:3-4
Revelation 19:3-4 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. Heaven is not embarrassed by the judgment of God. That is what stands out here. Babylon…
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Two Tables – Revelation 19:1-2
Revelation 19:1-2 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the…
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Babylon, America, and the Warning at My Door – Revelation 18:24
Revelation 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. This verse adds one more clue to Babylon’s identity. Blood is on her hands. Not just commerce. Not just luxury. Not just deception. Blood. That is what makes the question so sobering.…
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Silenced in a Single Hour – Revelation 18:21-23
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at…
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When Earth Mourns and Heaven Rejoices – Revelation 18:17-20
And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great…
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Too Much to Hold, Too Little to Keep – Revelation 18:14-17
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and…
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Luxury All the Way Down – Revelation 18:13
Revelation 18:13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. John keeps walking us through Babylon’s inventory, and the picture gets more disturbing the farther we go. This is not a world…
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A World Dressed Up for Judgment – Revelation 18:12
Revelation 18:12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble. John begins to walk us through Babylon’s…
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When Profit Cries Louder Than People – Revelation 18:11
Revelation 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more. This is one of the saddest pictures in the chapter. The merchants are not broken over sin. They are not grieving for souls. They are not saying, “How terrible that people suffered under…
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Watching from a Distance – Revelation 18:9-10
Revelation 18:9-10 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city.for in one hour…
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One Day Changes Everything – Revelation 18:8
Revelation 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. Babylon says, I sit a queen. God says, I see a city ready for judgment. Babylon says, I shall see no sorrow. God…
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Blind in the Midst of Luxury – Revelation 18:7
Revelation 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Babylon’s problem is not merely wealth. It is self glory. She glorified herself. She looked at her power,…
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The Cup Comes Back Full – Revelation 18:6
Revelation 18:6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. Babylon has spent centuries pouring out corruption, seduction, cruelty, and rebellion. She handed a poisoned cup to the nations, and the nations drank deeply. She enriched…
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What Really Reaches Heaven – Revelation 18:5
Revelation 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. There is something striking here. Back in Genesis 11:4, the builders of Babel said they would build a tower whose top would reach unto heaven. Man has always wanted to climb upward on his own terms, make a name for…
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Come Out Before It Falls – Revelation 18:4
Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. What mercy is in that verse. Even in the Tribulation, when judgment is falling and Babylon is swelling with arrogance, the Lord is…
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Drunk on Babylon’s Cup – Revelation 18:3
Revelation 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. Babylon is never just a local problem. That is the point. Her influence…
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Babylon Falls Twice – Revelation 18:1
Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. Revelation 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every…
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The City Behind the Woman – Revelation 17:18
Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. The angel now makes the picture plain. The woman is not merely an idea. She is connected to a real city, a city that exerts influence over the kings of the earth. The most natural…
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The King Who Rules Over Kings – Revelation 17:17
Revelation 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. This verse pulls the curtain back and shows us something we need to remember when the world looks completely out of control. These kings…
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The Lamb Wins – Revelation 17:14
Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. This is where the whole thing has been heading. The beast gathers kings. He builds alliances. He stirs…
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Ten Kings, One Mind – Revelation 17:12-13
Revelation 17:12, 13 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yetbut receive power as kings one hour with the beast.These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. The angel now explains the ten horns. They are ten kings, ten rulers,…
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The Eighth Yet of the Seven – Revelation 17:11
Revelation 17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. This verse adds another layer to the mystery of the beast. He is called the eighth, and yet he is said to be of the seven. That means he is not…
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The Kings and the Kingdom – Revelation 17:10
Revelation 17:10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. Now the angel moves from the seven mountains to seven kings. At the time John wrote this, there had been seven Roman emperors: Julius Caesar,…
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From Jezebel to Babylon – Revelation 17:9
Revelation 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. The angel says this calls for wisdom. That means we are not to read this casually. We are to think carefully, because the Lord is not merely showing John a strange image. He is…
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The Beast Who Mimics Resurrection – Revelation 17:8
Revelation 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was,…
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Stunned by the Woman, Taught by the Angel – Revelation 17:6-7
Revelation 17:6, 7 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the…
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The Glitter of Corruption – Revelation 17:4
Revelation 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearlshaving a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. There is something very revealing in this picture. The false religious system is not shown as poor, plain, or humble.…
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Riding the Beast – Revelation 17:3
Revelation 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. John is carried away into the wilderness, and what he sees is deeply revealing. He sees a woman sitting on…
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The Intoxication of Religion – Revelation 17:1-2
Revelation 17:1, 2 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore,That sitteth upon many waters:With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth…
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Stoned by Their Own Sin – Revelation 16:21
Revelation 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talentand men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail for the plague thereof was exceeding great. This judgment is staggering. Hail falls from heaven, and each stone weighs about a talent, around a…
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When the Earth Gives Way – Revelation 16:18-20
Revelation 16:18-20 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell and great Babylon came in remembrance before…
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Two Mountains, Two Voices – Revelation 16:17
Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. When I read this verse, I cannot help but think of two mountains. One is Megiddo. The other is Calvary. Both are places…
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Where the World Converges – Revelation 16:16
Revelation 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. Armageddon is not just a dramatic sounding word. It is a real place on a real map. About sixty miles north of Jerusalem lies the Jezreel Valley, the plain of Megiddo, a place soaked in the memory of war.…
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Watching for Him – Revelation 16:15
Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. What a gracious interruption this is. Right in the middle of wrath, warfare, and the gathering of armies, Jesus suddenly speaks. It is almost as if He says, “Do…
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Croaking Toward Armageddon – Revelation 16:13-14
Revelation 16:13, 14 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of…
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When the River Moves Aside – Revelation 16:12
Revelation 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates and the water thereof was dried up that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. The Euphrates has always mattered in the biblical story. It marked the far boundary of the land promised to Abraham, a…
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Pain Without Repentance – Revelation 16:11
Revelation 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds. This verse is astonishing. These men are in such pain they can barely speak. Their bodies are broken down by sores. Their tongues have been gnawed in agony. Darkness has fallen on the kingdom…
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Tongues at Babel, Tongues in Babylon – Revelation 16:10
Revelation 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast and his kingdom was full of darknessand they gnawed their tongues for pain. Now the judgment falls directly on the throne of the beast, on the center of his power, on the very kingdom that promised light, wisdom, and…
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Still Unrepentant – Revelation 16:9
Revelation 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues and they repented not to give him glory. This verse is terrifying, not only because of the judgment itself, but because of the response to it. Men are scorched with great heat. Their bodies…
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Burned by What They Chose – Revelation 16:8
Revelation 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. Now the judgment reaches up into the heavens. The sun itself becomes an instrument of wrath, scorching men with fire. Whether this involves some kind of cosmic upheaval we would struggle…
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The Cry of the Altar – Revelation 16:7
Revelation 16:7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. What a striking scene this is. John hears the altar speak. Whether that is literal or figurative, I cannot say with certainty. But this much is clear. The testimony comes from the altar.…
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One Cup or the Other – Revelation 16:5-6
Revelation 16:5, 6 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. This is one of those…
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When the Water Turns – Revelation 16:4
Revelation 16:4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. If the second bowl was horrifying, this one is even more personal. Now it is not only the sea that is struck. The rivers are hit. The springs are hit. The fountains are hit.…
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When the Sea Dies – Revelation 16:3
Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea and it became as the blood of a dead man and every living soul died in the sea. This second bowl is staggering. The sea, which men have always looked to for food, trade, beauty, travel, and life, is struck so severely…
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The Pain of a Chosen Mark – Revelation 16:2
Revelation 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. The first bowl falls, and with it comes a terrible affliction. Painful sores break out on…
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The Voice That Says Go – Revelation 16:1
Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. Now the command is given. Up to this point, John has seen the angels, the vials, the smoke filling the temple, and…
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Broken Near, Drawn Near – Revelation 15:7-8
Revelation 15:7, 8 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power and no man was able to enter into the temple, till…
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The Holy Precision of Judgment – Revelation 15:5-6
Revelation 15:5-6 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was openedAnd the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. John now sees the temple opened in heaven,…
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Come and Worship – Revelation 15:4
Revelation 15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. This is where all of history is headed. The nations that raged, resisted, mocked, and rebelled will one day bow. The overcomers…
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The Song on the Other Side – Revelation 15:3
Revelation 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. There is something beautiful here. Heaven is singing, and the song is both old and new.…
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Water Walkers in Heaven – Revelation 15:2
Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. John is still in…
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When the Bowls Are Full – Revelation 15:1
Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plaguesfor in them is filled up the wrath of God. By the time we come to chapter 15, we are not at the beginning of the Tribulation. We are deep into it. The church has already been…
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Two Bloods – Revelation 14:19-20
Revelation 14:19-20 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the cityAnd blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a…
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The Ripeness of Rebellion – Revelation 14:17-18
Revelation 14:17, 18 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather…
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When the Cloud Appears – Revelation 14:14
Revelation 14:14 to 16 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on…
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Rest for the Faithful – Revelation 14:13
Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. What a tender word this is in the middle of such a dreadful chapter.…
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Steady Through the Pressure – Revelation 14:12
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. This is the word for those who come to Christ during the Tribulation through the witness of the 144,000, the angels, and the two witnesses in Jerusalem. The word is simple. Be…
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A Loud Warning from Heaven – Revelation 14:9 to 11
Revelation 14:9 to 11 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup…
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The Fall of Babylon – Revelation 14:8
Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. This is a strong word, and it comes with absolute certainty. The angel does not say Babylon might fall. He does not say Babylon could fall. He says, Babylon…
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The Final Call to the Creator – Revelation 14:7
Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. What a word this is in the middle of a world gone mad. The angel does not…
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Heaven’s Air Support – Revelation 14:6
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, What a scene this is. The one hundred forty four thousand have been on the ground, carrying the message…
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The Song Trouble Teaches – Revelation 14:2 3
Revelation 14:2 3 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders:…
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Not One Missing – Revelation 14:1
Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. What a contrast this is. At the end of chapter 13, men are marked by the beast. In chapter 14, John looks again and…
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Here Is Wisdom – Revelation 13:18
Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. John closes this chapter with a call, not to panic, but to wisdom. After all the beasts, the blasphemies, the false miracles,…
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Marked by a Counterfeit – Revelation 13:16-17
Revelation 13:16-17 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. By…
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A Speaking Image in a Worship Starved World – Revelation 13:15
Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. This is where the whole thing becomes even more chilling. The false prophet does…
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Fire Is Not Proof – Revelation 13:13 14
Revelation 13:13 14 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast saying to them that…
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Pointing the World to the Wrong Christ – Revelation 13:12
Revelation 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. Now John makes the role of the second beast unmistakably clear. Who is the first beast? Antichrist. And the second beast, the…
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A Lamb Like Voice With a Dragon Behind It – Revelation 13:11
Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earthand he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Now John sees another beast. The first beast is the political ruler, the public face of world power, the man the nations will follow. But this second beast is…
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Hold On. It Will Not Last – Revelation 13:9-10
Revelation 13:9, 10 If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Right in the middle of all this darkness, John slows down and…
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At Home in the World, Amazed by the Lamb – Revelation 13:7-8
Revelation 13:7-8 And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. One of the saddest phrases in this passage is the phrase dwell…
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A War Against Tribulation Saints – Revelation 13:6-7
Revelation 13:6-7 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. The beast is…
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The Mouth Heaven Allows for a Little While – Revelation 13:5
Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemiesand power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. At this point, Antichrist is in full stride. He is no longer just a political figure. He is no longer simply admired as a brilliant leader. Now his mouth…
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Not Just Admiration – Revelation 13:4
Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? This is where everything darkens even further. The world will not merely follow the beast politically. It will worship him spiritually. What…
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The Wound That Makes the World Wonder – Revelation 13:3
Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. This is one of the moments when the beast moves from being merely powerful to being almost irresistible in the eyes of the world. John sees…
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The Final Beast Is the Sum of Every Godless Kingdom – Revelation 13:2
Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. What John sees here did not begin in Revelation 13.…
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The Beast from the Sea – Revelation 13:1
Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. When John says he saw a beast rising out of the sea, he is…
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Swallowed by the God of Israel – Revelation 12:16-17
Revelation 12:16, 17 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have…
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The Flood That Could Not Drown the Promise – Revelation 12:15
Revelation 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. The picture is fierce. The serpent cannot stop the plan of God, so he tries to overwhelm the people of God. He comes like a flood.…
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When the Nest Turns Over – Revelation 12:13-14
Revelation 12:13-14 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times,…
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More Than a Match for the Accuser – Revelation 12:11-12
Revelation 12:11-12 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down…
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The Voice of the Accuser Silenced – Revelation 12:10
Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. What a verse this is. All through this…
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No Place Left in Heaven – Revelation 12:7-9
Revelation 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world:…
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Kept for the Wilderness – Revelation 12:5-6
Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there…
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The Dragon’s Ancient Hatred – Revelation 12:4
Revelation 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. This verse pulls the curtain back and lets us see…
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The Dragon Behind the Empire – Revelation 12:3
Revelation 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. John has just shown us the woman and the child. Now he shows us the enemy. And he does not appear as a harmless symbol or a passing…
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The Woman and the Child – Revelation 12:1-2
Revelation 12:1-2 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. Revelation 12 is a remarkable chapter. Right away John starts…
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The True Ark Above – Revelation 11:19
Revelation 11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. People sometimes wonder if the ark of the covenant will one day be uncovered somewhere on earth. But…
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Angry at the Shaking – Revelation 11:18
Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.…
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Sing Before the Sea Opens – Revelation 11:15-17
Revelation 11:15-17 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their…
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Not the Trump of God – Revelation 11:13-15
Revelation 11:13-15 And the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. And the seventh angel sounded… When we come to this seventh trumpet, it is important that we read carefully. This is not the trump of God that calls…
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Shaken to the Core – Revelation 11:13
Revelation 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. This moment is not only emotional. It is physical. The resurrection of the…
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Lifted After the Lying Still – Revelation 11:11-12
Revelation 11:11-12 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a…
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The World Throws a Party – Revelation 11:9-10
Revelation 11:9-10 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to…
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When the Holy City Starts Looking Like the World – Revelation 11:7-8
Revelation 11:7, 8 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our…
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Fire, Drought, and Two Men Heaven Sends – Revelation 11:5-6
Revelation 11:5-6 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: And have power over waters to…
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God Will Not Leave the World Without a Witness – Revelation 11:3, 4
Revelation 11:3, 4 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. Even in the darkest stretch of the Tribulation, God will not leave…
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Contested Ground, Certain Prophecy – Revelation 11:2
Revelation 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. This verse is fascinating because it assumes two things at once. There is a temple in view, and yet…
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A Measured Temple in a Shaken World – Revelation 11:1
Revelation 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. We are now at the halfway point of the Tribulation, and what John sees here is remarkable. He is handed a reed…
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When the Word Gets In You, It Comes Out of You – Revelation 10:11
Revelation 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. There is something inevitable here. John is told, Thou must prophesy again. Not just that he should. Not merely that it would be a nice idea. No, this is what happens when a man really…
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Sweet in the Mouth, Bitter in the Belly – Revelation 10:8-10
Revelation 10:8-10 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book.…
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The Day the Questions End – Revelation 10:7
Revelation 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. There is coming a day when the ache of not knowing will finally be over. John was writing to people…
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When Heaven Says, “No More Delay” – Revelation 10:5-6
Revelation 10:5-6 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the…
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The Grace of Not Knowing – Revelation 10:4
Revelation 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. This is a fascinating moment. The seven thunders speak. John hears what they say. He is…
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After the Smoke, the Light – Revelation 10:1-3
Revelation 10:1-3 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven… …clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot…
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Open Doors and Broken Walls – Revelation 9:21
Revelation 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. This is one of the saddest verses in the chapter. After all the plagues, all the terror, all the warnings, men still would not repent. That is how hard the heart can become when sin…
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The Idols We Still Polish – Revelation 9:20
Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk. This is one of…
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Hell Behind the Marching Army – Revelation 9:16-19
Revelation 9:16-19 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as…
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Prepared for the Appointed Moment – Revelation 9:15
Revelation 9:15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. This verse is brief, but it lands with terrifying force. The four angels are loosed, and when they are released, one third of humanity…
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When Mercy Commands Judgment – Revelation 9:12-14
Revelation 9:12-14 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels… …which are bound in the great…
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The Same Devil Everywhere – Revelation 9:11
Revelation 9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. John now tells us these horrors are not random. They have a king over them. Behind the torment, behind the darkness,…
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What the Locusts Cannot Keep – Revelation 9:7-10
Revelation 9:7-10 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they…
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Mercy That Will Not Let Go – Revelation 9:5-6
Revelation 9:5, 6 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to…
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Trumpets and Locusts – Revelation 9:3-4
Revelation 9:3, 4 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which…
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Smoke from the Pit – Revelation 9:2
Revelation 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. When the bottomless pit is opened, this is no small disturbance. This is the release…
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The Fallen Star with the Key – Revelation 9:1
Revelation 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth… John does not describe a star newly falling in that moment, but one which had already fallen. That matters, because this is not simply a blazing object dropping out of the sky. This is a person. This…
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Three Woes in the Sky – Revelation 8:13
Revelation 8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! By the time we reach this verse, the…
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Darkened Skies – Revelation 8:12
Revelation 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. The…
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Bitter Water and the Tree – Revelation 8:10-11
Revelation 8:10, 11 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became…
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A Fire in the Sea – Revelation 8:8-9
Revelation 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.…
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When Men Become Their Own Judgment – Revelation 8:6-7
Revelation 8:6, 7 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. And the first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. There is…
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When Prayers Come Back – Revelation 8:5
Revelation 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. What a scene this is. In the verses just before this, the prayers of the saints rose before God. They went up…
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The Fragrance Before the Throne – Revelation 8:2-4
Revelation 8:2-4 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar…
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Heaven Hushed – Revelation 8:1
Revelation 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. This is one of the most arresting scenes in all of Revelation. Heaven, usually filled with worship and sound and activity, suddenly goes silent. The question is why. When we read on, we…
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Washed in the Blood and Brought Through – Revelation 7:14-17
Revelation 7:14-17 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his…
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The Elder Who Started the Conversation – Revelation 7:13
Revelation 7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? There is something beautiful tucked into this verse. One of the elders answered, even though John had not asked a question. That catches my attention because it is often exactly what…
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A Song Too Big to Count – Revelation 7:9-11
Revelation 7:9-11 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon…
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The Tribe That Disappeared and Returned – Revelation 7:5-8
Revelation 7:5-8 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve…
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Marked for the Master – Revelation 7:2-4
Revelation 7:2-4 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed…
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The Silence Before the Wind – Revelation 7:1
Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. After the terror at the end of chapter 6, this verse almost feels…
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Who Shall Be Able to Stand? – Revelation 6:17
Revelation 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? That is the question hanging in the air when chapter 6 closes. The earth is shaking. The heavens are rolled back. Kings and captains are hiding in caves. Men are crying to the rocks. And then comes…
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No Place Left to Hide – Revelation 6:15-16
Revelation 6:15-16 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide…
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When the Sky Rolls Back – Revelation 6:14
Revelation 6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. This is one of those verses that makes you stop and just stare at the page for a minute. John says the heaven departed as a scroll when it is…
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When God Shakes the Earth – Revelation 6:12-13
Revelation 6:12-13 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is…
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When Heaven Says Rest – Revelation 6:9-11
Revelation 6:9-11 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge…
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When Sickness Rides Out – Revelation 6:7-8
Revelation 6:7, 8 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part…
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Luxury Untouched – Revelation 6:6
Revelation 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. There is something startling in that last line. Bread is scarce. Barley is rationed. The…
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A Starving World at a Full Table – Revelation 6:5-6
Revelation 6:5-6 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A…
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When False Peace Turns Red – Revelation 6:3-4
Revelation 6:3-4 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto…
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The Imitation King – Revelation 6:2
Revelation 6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. At first glance, this rider might seem noble. He rides a white horse. Later in Revelation 19, we will indeed see…
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When Sin Comes Home – Revelation 6:1
Revelation 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. As we come to chapter 6, we are still in the third and final section of the divine outline given in Revelation 1:19.…
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Every Voice Says Yes – Revelation 5:13-14
Revelation 5:13-14 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and…
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When the Lamb Is Seen – Revelation 5:11-12
Revelation 5:11-12“And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and…
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The Church Is Already There – Revelation 5:9-10
Revelation 5:9-10“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and…
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The Music of Heaven and the Memory of Prayer – Revelation 5:8
Revelation 5:8“And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.” The moment Jesus takes the scroll, heaven responds. No debate. No delay. No hesitation. The living…
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The Redeemer the Law Could Never Be – Revelation 5:7
Revelation 5:7“And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.” This is one of the great turning points in Scripture. Heaven has gone silent. John has wept. The question has been asked, and no one in heaven or earth has been found worthy. Then Jesus…