Revelation 14–16; Psalm 45

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Revelation 14–16

The Lamb and the 144,000

Then I looked, and behold, on vMount Zion wstood the Lamb, and with him x144,000 who yhad his name and his Father’s name written zon their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven alike the roar of many waters and blike the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of charpists playing on their harps, and they were singing da new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. eNo one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for fthey are virgins. It is these gwho follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as hfirstfruits for God and the Lamb, and iin their mouth no lie was found, for they are jblameless.

The Messages of the Three Angels

Then I saw another angel kflying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to lthose who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, mFear God and ngive him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and oworship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the psprings of water.

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, qFallen, fallen is rBabylon the great, sshe who made all nations drink tthe wine of the passion1 of her sexual immorality.

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, If anyone uworships the beast and its image and receives va mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink wthe wine of God’s wrath, xpoured full strength into the cup of his anger, and yhe will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And zthe smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and athey have no rest, day or night, these uworshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.

12 bHere is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who ckeep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.2

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write this: dBlessed are the dead ewho die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed, says the Spirit, fthat they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!

The Harvest of the Earth

14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one glike a son of man, hwith a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel icame out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, jPut in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for kthe harvest of the earth is fully ripe. 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, lthe angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, mfor its grapes are ripe. 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great nwinepress of the wrath of God. 20 And othe winepress was trodden poutside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as qa horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.3

The Seven Angels with Seven Plagues

Then rI saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, sseven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.

And I saw twhat appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fireand also those uwho had conquered the beast and its image and vthe number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass wwith harps of God in their hands. And they sing xthe song of Moses, ythe servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

zGreat and amazing are your deeds,

O Lord God the Almighty!

aJust and true are your ways,

O King of the nations!4

bWho will not fear, O Lord,

and glorify your name?

For you alone are choly.

dAll nations will come

and worship you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed.

After this I looked, and ethe sanctuary of fthe tent5 of witness in heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came gthe seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright ilinen, jwith golden sashes around their chests. And one of kthe four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven lgolden bowls full of the wrath of God mwho lives forever and ever, and nthe sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and ono one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling pthe seven angels, Go and qpour out on the earth rthe seven bowls of the wrath of God.

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful ssores came upon the people who bore tthe mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and uit became like the blood of a corpse, and vevery living thing died that was in the sea.

The third angel poured out his bowl into wthe rivers and the springs of water, and xthey became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters6 say,

yJust are you, zO Holy One, awho is and who was,

for you brought these judgments.

For bthey have shed the blood of csaints and prophets,

and dyou have given them blood to drink.

It is what they deserve!

And I heard ethe altar saying,

Yes, Lord God the Almighty,

ftrue and just are your judgments!

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people gwith fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and hthey cursed7 the name of God who had power over these plagues. iThey did not repent jand give him glory.

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on kthe throne of the beast, and lits kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed mthe God of heaven for their pain and nsores. oThey did not repent of their deeds.

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on pthe great river Euphrates, and qits water was dried up, rto prepare the way for the kings sfrom the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of tthe dragon and out of the mouth of uthe beast and out of the mouth of vthe false prophet, three wunclean spirits like xfrogs. 14 For they are ydemonic spirits, zperforming signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, ato assemble them for battle on bthe great day of God the Almighty. 15 (Behold, cI am coming like a thief! dBlessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, ethat he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!) 16 And fthey assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called gArmageddon.

The Seventh Bowl

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into hthe air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, iIt is done! 18 And there were jflashes of lightning, rumblings,8 peals of thunder, and ka great earthquake lsuch as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 mThe great city nwas split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God oremembered pBabylon the great, qto make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And revery island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21 And sgreat hailstones, about one hundred pounds9 each, fell from heaven on people; and tthey cursed God for uthe plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.


Psalm 45

Your Throne, O God, Is Forever

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil1 of vthe Sons of Korah; a love song.

My heart overflows with a pleasing theme;

I address my verses to the king;

my tongue is like the pen of wa ready scribe.

You are xthe most handsome of the sons of men;

ygrace is poured upon your lips;

therefore God has blessed you forever.

zGird your asword on your thigh, O bmighty one,

in cyour splendor and majesty!

In your majesty dride out victoriously

for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;

let your right hand teach you eawesome deeds!

Your arrows are sharp

in the heart of the king’s enemies;

the peoples fall under you.

fYour throne, O God, is forever and ever.

The gscepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;

hyou have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.

Therefore iGod, your God, has janointed you

with the oil of kgladness lbeyond your companions;

your robes are all fragrant with mmyrrh and aloes and cassia.

From ivory palaces nstringed instruments make you glad;

daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor;

oat your right hand stands the queen in pgold of Ophir.

10  Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:

forget your people and your father’s house,

11  and the king will desire your beauty.

Since he is your qlord, rbow to him.

12  The people2 of Tyre will sseek your favor with tgifts,

uthe richest of the people.3

13  All glorious is vthe princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.

14  wIn many-colored robes xshe is led to the king,

with her virgin companions following behind her.

15  With joy and gladness they are led along

as they enter the palace of the king.

16  In place of your fathers shall be your sons;

you will make them yprinces in all the earth.

17  zI will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;

therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.