This is the first time that people come back to life. Blessed and holy are those who are included the first time that people come back to life. The second death has no power over them. They will continue to be priests of God and Christ. They will rule with him for 1,000 years.

I [John} saw thrones, and those who sat on them were allowed to judge. 

   Then I saw the souls of those whose heads had been cut off because of their testimony about Jesus and because of God’s word. They had not worshiped the beast or its statue and were not branded on their foreheads or hands. 

     They lived and ruled with Christ for 1,000 years. The rest of the dead did not live until the 1,000 years ended.

I [John] saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the bottomless pit and a large chain in his hand. He overpowered the serpent, that ancient snake, named Devil and Satan. 

    The angel chained up the serpent for 1,000 years. He threw it into the bottomless pit. The angel shut and sealed the pit over the serpent to keep it from deceiving the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were over. After that it must be set free for a little while.

I [John] saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 

 

    The beast and the false prophet who had done miracles for the beast were captured. By these miracles the false prophet had deceived those who had the brand of the beast and worshiped its statue. 

        Both of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 

The rider on the horse killed the rest with the sword that came out of his mouth. All the birds gorged themselves on the flesh of those who had been killed.

I [John] saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come! Gather for the great banquet of God. Eat the flesh of kings, generals, warriors, horses and their riders, and all free people and slaves, both important or insignificant people.”

I [John] saw heaven standing open. 

   There was a white horse, and its rider is named Faithful and True. With integrity He judges and wages war.

      His eyes are flames of fire. On His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him, but only He knows what it is. He wears clothes dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God.

          The armies of heaven, wearing pure, white linen, follow Him on white horses. A sharp sword comes out of His mouth to defeat the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter and tread the wine press of the fierce anger of God Almighty.  

On His clothes and His thigh He has a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Then the angel said to me [John], 

    “Write this:‘Blessed are those 

       who are invited to the    

         lamb’s wedding banquet.’” 

    He also told me, “These are God’s true words.” I bowed at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Don’t do that! I am your coworker and a coworker of the Christians who hold on to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy!”

I [John] heard what sounded like the noise from a large crowd, like the noise of raging waters, like the noise of loud thunder, saying
   “Hallelujah! The Lord our God, the Almighty, has become king.
       Let us rejoice, be happy, and give him glory because it’s time for the marriage of the lamb.
    His bride has made herself ready.       She has been given the privilege of wearing dazzling, pure linen.”

This fine linen represents the things that God’s holy people do that have his approval.

A second time they said, “Hallelujah! The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”  The 24 leaders and the 4 living creatures bowed and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They said, “Amen! Hallelujah!” 

    A voice came from the throne. It said, “Praise our God, all who serve and fear Him, no matter who you are.”

After these things I [John] heard what sounded like the loud noise from a large crowd in heaven, saying,   “Hallelujah!
Salvation, glory, and power belong to        our God.
His judgments are true and fair.
He has condemned the notorious 
 prostitute
Who corrupted the world with her 
 fornications.
He has taken revenge on her for the            blood of his servants.”

Then a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a large millstone. He threw it into the sea and said,
    “The important city Babylon 

will be thrown down with the same 

force.
   It will never be found again.
   The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters 
will never be heard in it again.

   A skilled craftsman—regardless of 

the type of craft 
will never be found in it again.

   The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in it again.
   Light from lamps
will never shine in it again.
   Voices of brides and grooms
will never be heard in it again.
   Its merchants were the important 

people of the world, because all the 

nations were deceived by its witchcraft.

“The blood of prophets, God’s people, and everyone who had been murdered on earth was found in it.”

Every ship’s captain, everyone who traveled by ship, sailors, and everyone who made their living from the sea stood far away. When they saw the smoke rise from her [Babylon] raging fire, they repeatedly cried out, ‘Was there ever a city as important as this?’ Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning,

‘How horrible, how horrible 

   for that important city.
     Everyone who had a ship at sea
grew rich because of that city’s high prices.

In one moment it has been destroyed!’

Frightened by her [Babylon's] torture, the merchants who had become rich by selling these things will stand far away. They will cry and mourn, saying,
    ‘How horrible, how horrible for that important city which was wearing fine linen, purple clothes, bright red clothes, gold jewelry, gems, and pearls.
     In one moment all this wealth has been destroyed!’

The merchants of the earth cry and mourn over her [Babylon], because no one buys their cargo anymore. No one buys their cargo of gold, silver, gems, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, bright red cloth, all kinds of citron wood, articles made of ivory and very costly wood, bronze, iron, marble, cinnamon, spices, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, slaves (that is, humans).

   ‘The fruit you craved is gone.
       All your luxuries and your 
         splendor have disappeared.
No one will ever find them again.’

The kings of the earth who had part of her fornications and lived in luxury with her [Babyon] will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rise from her raging fire. Frightened by her torture, they will stand far away and say,

       ‘How horrible, how horrible 

        it is for that important city,
        the powerful city Babylon'

In one moment judgment has come to it!’

I [John] heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of Babylon, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and suffer from any of her plagues. Her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Do to her what she has done. Give her twice as much as she gave. Serve her a drink in her own cup twice as large as the drink she served others. She gave herself glory and luxury. Now give her just as much torture and misery. She says to herself, ‘I’m a queen on a throne, not a widow. I’ll never be miserable.’ For this reason her plagues of death, misery, and starvation will come in a single day. She will be burned up in a fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is powerful.

After these things I [John] saw another angel come from heaven. He had tremendous power, and his glory lit up the earth. He cried out in a powerful voice, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every evil spirit, every unclean bird, and every unclean and hated beast. 

     All the nations fell because of the wine of her fornications. The kings of the earth had her. Her luxurious wealth has made the merchants of the earth rich.”

The angel also said to me [John], “The waters you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are people, crowds, nations, and languages. The ten horns and the beast you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her abandoned and naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her up in a fire.

     God has made them do what He wants them to do. So they will give their kingdom to the beast until God’s words are carried out.

        The woman you saw is the important city which dominates the kings of the earth.”

The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet started to rule. They will receive authority to rule as kings with the beast for one hour.  They have one purpose—to give their power and authority to the beast. 

    They will go to war against the lamb. The lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those who are called, chosen, and faithful are with him.

In this situation a wise mind is needed. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is sitting. They are also seven kings. Five of them have fallen, one is ruling now, and the other has not yet come. When he comes, he must remain for a little while. The beast that was and is no longer is the eighth king. It belongs with the seven kings and goes to its destruction.