Category: Scripture

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice speaking from the four horns of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. And the voice said to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates Rive.” Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth. I heard the size of their army , what was 2000 million mounted troups.

And in my vision, I saw the horses and the riders sitting on them. The riders wore armor that was fiery red and dark blue and yellow. The horses had heads like lions, and fire and smoke and burning sulfur billowed from their mouths. One-third of all the people wee killed by these three plagues-by the fire and smoke and burning sulfur that came from the mouths of the horses. Their power wa in their mouths and in their tials. FOr their tails had heads like snakes, with power to injure people.

But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds against God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silve, bronze, stone and wood-idols that neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (vv. 13-21, NLT)

Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen to the earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. When he opened it, smoke poured our as though from a huge furnace, and the sunlight and air turned dark from the smoke.

Then the locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions. They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. THey were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with pain like the pain of a scorpion sting. In those days people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them!

The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. They had what looked like gold crowns on their heads, and their faces looked like human faces. They had hair like women’s hair and teeth like the teeth of a lion. They were armor made of iron, and their wings roared like an army of chariots rushing into battle. They had tails that stung like scorpions, and for five months they had the power to torment people. Their kings is the angel from the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon-the destroyer.

The first terror is past, but look, two more terrors are coming! (vv. 1-12, NLT)

Then the seven angels with seven trumpets prepared to blow their mighty blasts.

The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down on the earth. One-third of the earth was set on fire, one-third of the the trees were burned, and all the green grass was burned.

Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. One-third of the water in the sea became blood, one-third of all things living in the sea died and one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed.

Then the third angel blew his trumpet and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch. It fell on one third of the rivers and the springs of water. The name of the star was Bitterness. It made one-third of the water bitter, and many people died from drinking bitter water.

Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and one-third of the sun was struck, and one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars, and they became dark. And one-third of the day was dark, and also one-third of the night.

Then I looked, and I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew in the air, “Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets. “

When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.

Then another angel with a gold incense burner and and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixd with the prayers of God’s holy people ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out. Then the angel filled the incense burner with fire from the altar and threw it down upon the earth; and thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and there was a terrible earthquake. (vv. 1-5, NLT)

After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar,

:Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the the throne and worshiped God. They sang,

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where do they come from?”

And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.”

Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.”

“That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve Him day and night in His Temple. And He tho sits on the throne will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the son. For the Lamb of the throne, will be their Shepherd. He will lead then to the springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” (vv. 9-17, NLT)

When the Lamb broke he fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful to their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for that they have done to us?” Then a white robe was given to each one of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters – their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred- had joined them.

I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The son became dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red a blood. Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were removed from their places.

Then everyone-the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person-all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come and who is able to survive? (vv. 9-17, NLT)

As I watched, the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals on the scroll. Then I heard of of the four living beings say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked up and saw a white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He word out to win many battles and gained victory.

When the Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living being say, “Come!” Then another horse appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and authority to take peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter everywhere.

When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, “Come!” I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice from among the four living beings say, “A loaf of wheat bread and three loaves of barley will cost a day’s pay. And don’t waste the olive oil and wine.”

When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the fourth being say, “Come!” I looked up and saw a horse whose color was pale green. Its rider was named Death and his companion was the Grave. These two were give authority to kill with the sword famine and disease and wild animals. (vv. 1-8, NLT)

Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One who was sitting on the throne. There was a scroll , and it was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice:”Who is worthy to break the seals on thi scroll and open it?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.

Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw the Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represented the sevenfold Sprit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. And when He took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song with these words:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and beak its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And You have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.” (vv. 1-10, NLT)

Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. The One sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones -like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of and emerald circled His throne like a rainbow. Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.

In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like and an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of these living beings had six wings , and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty -the One who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the One sitting on the throne (the One who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the One sitting on the throne ( the One who lives for ever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,

“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because You created what you pleased.”