We have already seen a heavenly woman seated on the son with the moon as her footstool. Then we saw the whore of Babylon, the embodiment of a certain wicked city. Today, we see the heavenly city Jerusalem, dressed as a bride. The final judgment is enacted after a millennium and two final battles (though neither of those battles at all stand effectively against the Lord.) We close out the time with a reminder of the promises made through the promises of the prophet Isaiah. The fulfillment of these visions is the yearning of every true Christian heart.
Revelation 19
After this I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude in heaven, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God!
For His judgments are true and just.
He has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality.
He has avenged the blood of His servants
that was poured out by her hand.”
And a second time they called out:
“Hallelujah!
Her smoke rises forever and ever.”
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying:
“Amen, Hallelujah!”
Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
“Praise our God,
all you who serve Him,
and those who fear Him,
small and great alike!”
And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out:
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give Him the glory.
For the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and His bride has made herself ready.
She was given clothing of fine linen,
bright and pure.”
For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.
Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.
He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows.
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.
The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses.
And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,
so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of everyone slave and free, small and great.”
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army.
But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse.
And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Revelation 20
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain.
He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
And he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were complete. After that, he must be released for a brief period of time.
Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.
When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison,
and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore.
And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them.
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.
And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.
The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.
And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying:
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man,
and He will dwell with them.
They will be His people,
and God Himself will be with them as their God.
‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’
and there will be no more death
or mourning or crying or pain,
for the former things have passed away.”
And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.”
And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life.
The one who overcomes will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the holy city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,
shining with the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious jewel, like a jasper, as clear as crystal.
The city had a great and high wall with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve angels at the gates.
There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west.
The wall of the city had twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls.
The city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its dimensions were equal—12,000 stadia in length and width and height.
And he measured its wall to be 144 cubits, by the human measure the angel was using.
The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were adorned with every kind of precious stone:
The first foundation was jasper,
the second sapphire,
the third chalcedony,
the fourth emerald,
the fifth sardonyx,
the sixth carnelian,
the seventh chrysolite,
the eighth beryl,
the ninth topaz,
the tenth chrysoprase,
the eleventh jacinth,
and the twelfth amethyst.
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, with each gate consisting of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, as clear as glass.
But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.
By its light the nations will walk, and into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory. Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day, because there will be no night there.
And into the city will be brought the glory and honor of the nations.
But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Revelation 22
Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
down the middle of the main street of the city. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him.
They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place.”
“Behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of prophecy in this book.”
And I am John, who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things.
But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of prophecy in this book, because the time is near.
Let the unrighteous continue to be unrighteous, and the vile continue to be vile; let the righteous continue to practice righteousness, and the holy continue to be holy.”
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates.
But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.
I testify to everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.
And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and the holy city, which are described in this book.
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints.
Amen.
Psalm 85
You showed favor to Your land, O LORD;
You restored Jacob from captivity.
You forgave the iniquity of Your people;
You covered all their sin.
Selah
You withheld all Your fury;
You turned from Your burning anger.
Restore us, O God of our salvation,
and put away Your displeasure toward us.
Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You draw out Your anger to all generations?
Will You not revive us again,
that Your people may rejoice in You?
Show us Your loving devotion, O LORD,
and grant us Your salvation.
I will listen to what God the LORD will say;
for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints;
He will not let them return to folly.
Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
that His glory may dwell in our land.
Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together;
righteousness and peace have kissed.
Faithfulness sprouts from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
The LORD will indeed provide what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before Him
to prepare the way for His steps.
Psalm 86
Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my soul, for I am godly.
You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You.
Be merciful to me, O Lord,
for I call to You all day long.
Bring joy to Your servant,
for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving,
rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.
Hear my prayer, O LORD,
and attend to my plea for mercy.
In the day of my distress I call on You,
because You answer me.
O Lord, there is none like You among the gods,
nor any works like Yours.
All the nations You have made
will come and bow before You, O Lord,
and they will glorify Your name.
For You are great and perform wonders;
You alone are God.
Teach me Your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in Your truth.
Give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear Your name.
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify Your name forever.
For great is Your loving devotion to me;
You have delivered me from the depths of Sheol.
The arrogant rise against me, O God;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
with no regard for You.
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
Turn to me and have mercy;
grant Your strength to Your servant;
save the son of Your maidservant.
Show me a sign of Your goodness,
that my enemies may see and be ashamed;
for You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Isaiah 60
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
For behold, darkness covers the earth,
and thick darkness is over the peoples;
but the LORD will rise upon you,
and His glory will appear over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around:
They all gather and come to you;
your sons will come from afar,
and your daughters will be carried on the arm.
Then you will look and be radiant,
and your heart will tremble and swell with joy,
because the riches of the sea will be brought to you,
and the wealth of the nations will come to you.
Caravans of camels will cover your land,
young camels of Midian and Ephah,
and all from Sheba will come,
bearing gold and frankincense
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you;
the rams of Nebaioth will serve you
and go up on My altar with acceptance;
I will adorn My glorious house.
Who are these who fly like clouds,
like doves to their shelters?
Surely the islands will wait for Me,
with the ships of Tarshish in the lead,
to bring your children from afar,
with their silver and gold,
to the honor of the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for He has glorified you.
Foreigners will rebuild your walls,
and their kings will serve you.
Although I struck you in anger,
yet in favor I will show you mercy.
Your gates will always stand open;
they will never be shut, day or night,
so that the wealth of the nations may be brought into you,
with their kings being led in procession.
For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish;
it will be utterly destroyed.
The glory of Lebanon will come to you—
its cypress, elm, and boxwood together—
to adorn the place of My sanctuary,
and I will glorify the place of My feet.
The sons of your oppressors
will come and bow down to you;
all who reviled you
will fall facedown at your feet
and call you the City of the LORD,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Whereas you have been forsaken and despised,
with no one passing through,
I will make you an everlasting pride,
a joy from age to age.
You will drink the milk of nations
and nurse at the breasts of royalty;
you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
Instead of bronze I will bring you gold;
I will bring silver in place of iron,
bronze instead of wood,
and iron instead of stones.
I will appoint peace as your governor
and righteousness as your ruler.
No longer will violence be heard in your land,
nor ruin or destruction within your borders.
But you will name your walls Salvation
and your gates Praise.
No longer will the sun be your light by day,
nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night;
for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your splendor.
Your sun will no longer set,
and your moon will not wane;
for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and the days of your sorrow will cease.
Then all your people will be righteous;
they will possess the land forever;
they are the branch of My planting,
the work of My hands,
so that I may be glorified.
The least of you will become a thousand,
and the smallest a mighty nation.
I am the LORD;
in its time I will accomplish it quickly.
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