the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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December 30 - Straight Thru the Bible
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Revelation 14:9-18:24
Chapter 14
9 And a third angel[i] followed them and spoke with a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he will also drink the wine of God's wrath, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His anger.(l) He will be tormented with fire and sulfur(m) in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, 11 and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever.(n) There is no rest[j] day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name. 12 This demands the perseverance[k] of the saints,(o) who keep God's commands and their faith in Jesus."[l]
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write: The dead who die in the Lord from now on are blessed."(p)
"Yes," says the Spirit, "let them rest from their labors, for their works follow them!"
Reaping the Earth's Harvest
14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and One like the Son of Man[m](q) was seated on the cloud, with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. 15 Another angel came out of the sanctuary, crying out in a loud voice to the One who was seated on the cloud, "Use your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come, since the harvest of the earth is ripe."(r) 16 So the One seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the sanctuary in heaven. 18 Yet another angel, who had authority over fire, came from the altar, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from earth's vineyard, because its grapes have ripened." 19 So the angel swung his sickle toward earth and gathered the grapes from earth's vineyard, and he threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath.(s) 20 Then the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press up to the horses' bridles for about 180 miles.[n](t)
Chapter 15
Preparation for the Bowl Judgments
1 Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign[a] in heaven:(a) seven angels with the seven last plagues, for with them, God's wrath will be completed.(b) 2 I also saw something like a sea of glass(c) mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, his image,[b] and the number of his name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God.[c](d) 3 They sang the song of God's servant Moses(e) and the song of the Lamb:
Great and awe-inspiring are Your works,
Lord God, the Almighty;
righteous and true are Your ways,
King of the Nations.[d]
4 Lord, who will not fear
and glorify Your name?
Because You alone are holy,
for all the nations will come
and worship before You
because Your righteous acts
have been revealed.
5 After this I looked, and the heavenly sanctuary—the tabernacle of testimony(f)—was opened.(g) 6 Out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean, bright linen, with gold sashes wrapped around their chests. 7 One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven gold bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. 8 Then the sanctuary was filled with smoke from God's glory and from His power,(h) and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
Chapter 16
The First Bowl
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the sanctuary saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the seven[a] bowls of God's wrath on the earth." 2 The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores[b](a) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
The Second Bowl
3 The second[c] poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like a dead man's, and all life[d] in the sea died.(b)
The Third Bowl
4 The third[e] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.(c) 5 I heard the angel of the waters say:
You are righteous,
who is and who was,(d) the Holy One,
for You have decided these things.
6 Because they poured out
the blood of the saints and the prophets,
You also gave them blood to drink;
they deserve it!(e)
7 Then I heard someone from the altar say:
Yes, Lord God, the Almighty,
true and righteous are Your judgments.(f)
The Fourth Bowl
8 The fourth[f] poured out his bowl on the sun. He[g] was given the power[h] to burn people with fire, 9 and people were burned by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God,(g) who had the power[i] over these plagues, and they did not repent and give Him glory.
The Fifth Bowl
10 The fifth[j] poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,(h) and his kingdom was plunged into darkness.(i) People[k] gnawed their tongues because of their pain 11 and blasphemed the God of heaven(j) because of their pains and their sores, yet they did not repent of their actions.
The Sixth Bowl
12 The sixth[l] poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,(k) and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs(l) coming from the dragon's mouth,(m) from the beast's mouth,(n) and from the mouth of the false prophet.(o) 14 For they are spirits of demons performing signs,(p) who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty.(q)
15 "Look, I am coming like a thief. The one who is alert and remains clothed [m](r) so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame (s) is blessed." (t)
16 So they assembled them at the place called in Hebrew, Armagedon.[n][o](u)
The Seventh Bowl
17 Then the seventh[p] poured out his bowl into the air,[q] and a loud voice came out of the sanctuary[r](v) from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 There were flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since man has been on the earth—so great was the quake.(w) 19 The great city(x) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations[s] fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God's presence; He gave her the cup filled with the wine of His fierce anger.(y) 20 Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared.[t](z) 21 Enormous hailstones, each weighing about 100 pounds,[u] fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God(aa) for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe.(ab)
Chapter 17
The Woman and the Scarlet Beast
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls(a) came and spoke with me: "Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute[a] who sits on many[b] waters.(b) 2 The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality."(c) 3 So he carried me away in the Spirit[c](d) to a desert. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered[d] with blasphemous names and had seven heads and 10 horns.(e) 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She had a gold cup in her hand filled with everything vile(f) and with the impurities of her[e] prostitution. 5 On her forehead a cryptic name(g) was written:
BABYLON THE GREAT
THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES
AND OF THE VILE THINGS OF THE EARTH.
6 Then I saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of the saints and on the blood of the witnesses to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
The Meaning of the Woman and of the Beast
7 Then the angel said to me, "Why are you astonished? I will tell you the secret meaning of the woman and of the beast, with the seven heads and the 10 horns, that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss(h) and go to destruction.(i) Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world(j) will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and will be present again.(k)
9 "Here is the mind with wisdom:[f](l) The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. 10 They are also seven kings:[g] Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for a little while. 11 The beast that was and is not, is himself an eighth king, yet he belongs to the seven and is going to destruction. 12 The 10 horns you saw are 10 kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13 These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings.(m) Those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
15 He also said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.(n) 16 The 10 horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute.(o) They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire.(p) 17 For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His plan by having one purpose(q) and to give their kingdom[h] to the beast until God's words are accomplished. 18 And the woman you saw is the great city that has an empire[i] over the kings of the earth."
Chapter 18
The Fall of Babylon the Great
1 After this I saw another angel with great authority coming down from heaven, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 He cried in a mighty voice:
It has fallen,[a]
Babylon the Great has fallen!(a)
She has become a dwelling for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
and a haunt[b] for every unclean and despicable beast.[c](b)
3 For all the nations have drunk[d]
the wine of her sexual immorality,
which brings wrath.(c)
The kings of the earth
have committed sexual immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth
have grown wealthy from her excessive luxury.
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven:
Come out of her, My people,
so that you will not share in her sins(d)
or receive any of her plagues.
5 For her sins are piled up[e] to heaven,(e)
and God has remembered her crimes.
6 Pay her back the way she also paid,(f)
and double it according to her works.(g)
In the cup in which she mixed,(h)
mix a double portion for her.
7 As much as she glorified herself and lived luxuriously,
give her that much torment and grief,
for she says in her heart,
"I sit as a queen;
I am not a widow,
and I will never see grief."(i)
8 For this reason her plagues will come in one day[f]—
death and grief and famine.
She will be burned up with fire,
because the Lord God who judges her is mighty.
The World Mourns Babylon's Fall
9 The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and lived luxuriously with her will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off in fear of her torment, saying:
Woe, woe, the great city,
Babylon, the mighty city!
For in a single hour[g]
your judgment has come.
11 The merchants of the earth will also weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their merchandise any longer— 12 merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; fine fabrics of linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of fragrant wood products; objects of ivory; objects of expensive wood, brass,[h] iron, and marble; 13 cinnamon, spice,[i][j] incense, myrrh,[k] and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine wheat flour, and grain; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves[l] and human lives.[m](j)
14 The fruit you craved has left you.
All your splendid and glamorous things are gone;
they will never find them again.
15 The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 saying:
Woe, woe, the great city,
dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet,
adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls,
17 for in a single hour[n]
such fabulous wealth was destroyed!
And every shipmaster, seafarer, the sailors, and all who do business by sea, stood far off 18 as they watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out: "Who is like the great city?"(k) 19 They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning:(l)
Woe, woe, the great city,(m)
where all those who have ships on the sea
became rich from her wealth,
for in a single hour[o] she was destroyed.
20 Rejoice over her, heaven,
and you saints, apostles, and prophets,(n)
because God has executed your judgment on her![p]
The Finality of Babylon's Fall
21 Then a mighty angel(o) picked up a stone like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying:
In this way, Babylon the great city
will be thrown down violently(p)
and never be found again.(q)
22 The sound of harpists, musicians,
flutists, and trumpeters
will never be heard in you again;(r)
no craftsman of any trade
will ever be found in you again;
the sound of a mill
will never be heard in you again;
23 the light of a lamp
will never shine in you again;
and the voice of a groom and bride
will never be heard in you again.(s)
All this will happen
because your merchants
were the nobility of the earth,
because all the nations were deceived
by your sorcery,[q]
24 and the blood of prophets and saints,
and of all those slaughtered on earth,
was found in you.[r](t)
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