BOOK of REVELATIONS - Part 1.
(Revelations 1:1 -9: 11)
COMMENTARY and OVERVIEW
for The BOOK of REVELATIONS
The last book of the New Testament (Christian Greek Scriptures) is attributed to John,
the last surviving apostle of Jesus Christ. John wrote down what was given him by an
angel in a vision originated by the resurrected heavenly Messianic King, Jesus Christ.
The best date for the book is estimated to be around 96 CE, when John was in the
twilight of his life on earth and living in exile on the island of Patmos in Greece. He is
believed to have died there at an age of 98 years old.
It was not given for the world in general, whose people would lack spiritual discernment
necessary to comprehend its contents. The book is written in highly symbolic language
with the purpose of disclosing future events to footstep followers of Christ, living in
John’s own day and beyond.
The REVELATIONS of JESUS CHRIST
REVELATIONS Chapter 1
Prologue
[Daniel 12:1–13]
Revelations 1:1. These are revelations by Jesus Christ (his unveiling of divine mysteries).
GOD gave them to Jesus to disclose and make known to his servants, certain things which will
come to pass speedily in their fulfillment.
And Jesus sent and communicated the revelations through his angelic messenger to his elect
servant John, 2 who has testified to and vouched for all that he saw in his visions, according to
the word of GOD and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
3 aBlessed is the man who accurately discerns the words of this prophecy; and fortunate are
those who understand it and who keep themselves true to the things which are written in it,
because the time for them to be fulfilled is approaching.
John Greets the Seven Ecclesiae (Churches)
.
4 From John to the seven becclesiae in Asia.
May you have Grace (undeserved kindness) and peace (inner calm and spiritual well-being),
from Him who is existing forever and who was continually existing in the past and who is to
come, and from the seven Spirits that are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the
faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the lord over the kings of the
earth.
He who always loves us and who has once for all freed us from our sins by His own blood (His
sacrificial death),.
6. And he has made us kings and priests to his god and Father.
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him;
and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.
So, shall it be! Amen.
8 For I am the First Ruler of all says YHWH Almighty, the Alpha and Omega, who is and was
and is to be.
John’s Relates a Vision Received on Patmos.
9 I, John, your brother a sharer and participator with you in the tribulation, kingdom and
patient endurance which are in Jesus Christ, was on the isle called Patmos, banished on
account of my witnessing to the Word of GOD and the testimony I gave for our Lord Jesus
Christ.
10 On a day of the Lord, Holy Spirit took control of me, and I heard a loud voice behind me that
sounded like a trumpet.
11 It said, "Write down in a book what you see, and send it to the seven b ecclesiae; to Ephesus,
Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea."
12 Then I turned to see whose voice it was that was speaking to me.
On turning I saw seven golden lampstands,13 and among them there was what looked like a
human being.
He was wearing a robe that reached down to his feet, and a gold band around his chest.
14 His head and hair were white like wool, wool that is white as snow.
His eyes were like flames of fire.
15 His feet were glowing like bronze being heated in a furnace, and his voice sounded like the
roar of a waterfall.
16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword was coming from his
mouth.
His face was shining as bright as the sun at mid-day.
17 When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man.
He placed his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid!
I am the first and the last.
18 And I live, although I was dead.
And behold, now I am living for ever and ever and have the keys of death and of hades.
19 Therefore, write down what you will see, what is, and what is going to happen after these
things.
20 I will explain the secret meaning of the seven stars that you saw at my right side and the
seven gold lampstands.
The seven stars are the divine messengers of the seven b ecclesiae, and the lampstands are the
seven b ecclesiae.
FOOTNOTES for Chapter ONE
a
Blessed = (fortunate, to be envied)
b
ecclesiae = (Entire congregation of called out ones, all the assembly of the
saints)
REVELATIONS Chapter 2
To the Ecclesiae in Ephesus, from the Logos
(Resurrected Jesus Christ).
[Acts 19:8-12]
Revelations 2:1 These things you must write by the messenger (angel) of the aecclesia in
Ephesus:
I am the one who holds the seven stars in my right hand, and I walk among the seven gold
e
lampstands.
Listen to what I say!
2 I know everything you have done, including your hard work and how you have endured. I
know you will not put up with anyone who is evil. When some people pretended to be apostles,
you tested them and found out that they were liars.
3 I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not
fainted or become exhausted or grown weary.
4 But I have something against you!
And this is what it is; You do not have as much love as you had in the beginning.
5 Think about where you were before you fell; repent, and behave as you did at first, or else, if
you will not repent, I shall come to you and take your 1lamp-stand from its place.
6 But you have this in your favor; you hate what the fNicolaitans are doing and I also hate what
they're doing.
7 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the becclesiae.
I will let everyone who gains the victory eat from the life-giving tree in GOD's wonderful
garden.
Message to the Ecclesiae in Smyrna, from the Logos (Resurrected Jesus Christ).
8 These things you must write by the messenger (angel) of the a ecclesia in Smyrna:
I am the first and the last. I died, but now I am alive! Listen to what I say.
9. I know your tribulation and your poverty: though you are rich, and that you are blasphemed
by those who say they are Jews yet who are not.
Rather they are a synagogue of Satan.
10 Don't be afraid of your forthcoming suffering.
The devil is even going to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested.
Your suffering will go on for ten days.
Endure faithfully until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He that has an ear let him hear what Holy Spirit says to the congregations (Gr. Ecclesia,
called out ones).
He that overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.
Message to the Ecclesiae in Pergamum, from the Logos (Resurrected Jesus Christ)
12 " These things you must write by the messenger (angel) of the a ecclesia in Pergamum:
"Here is a message from the one who has the sharp two-edged sword.
13 I know where you live. Satan's throne is there.
You hold on to my name and have not denied your belief in me, even in the days of Antipas. He
was my faithful witness who was killed in your presence, where Satan lives.
14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you;
You have some people there who are clinging to the teaching of gBalaam, who taught Balak to
set a trap and a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to entice them to eat food that had
been sacrificed to idols and to practice giving themselves up to sexual vice. (Num. 25:1, 2;
31:16.)
15 In the same way you have people among you who follow the teaching of the fNicolaitans.
16 So change your hearts!
If you do not change, I will come to you quickly and fight against these people with the sword
that comes out of my mouth.
17 Let the person who has ears listen to what the dSpirit says to the becclesiae.
I will give some of the hidden manna to everyone who gains the victory.
I will also give each person a white stone with a new name written on it, a name with a meaning
known only to the person who receives it.
Message to the Ecclesiae in Thyatira, from the Logos (Resurrected Jesus Christ). [Acts
16:11-15]
18 These things you must write by the messenger (angel) of the a ecclesia in Thyatira:
I am the Son of GOD!
My eyes are like flames of fire, and my feet are like bronze.
Listen to what I say.
19 I know your record and what you are doing, your love and faith and service and patient
endurance, and that your recent works are more numerous and greater than your first ones.
20 But I have something against you;
You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet.
She teaches and misleads my servants to sin sexually and to eat food sacrificed to idols. (I
Kings 16:31; II Kings 9:22, 30.)
21 I gave her time to repent, but she has no desire to repent of her immorality (representative
of idolatry) and refuses to do so.
22 I am going to take down Jezebel. And everyone who does these immoral things with her will
also be punished. If they do not stop.
23 I will kill her c children.
Then all the b ecclesiae will know that I am the one who searches hearts and minds.
I will recompense each of you for what you have done.
24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira-all those who do not hold on to Jezebel's teaching, who
have not learned the so-called deep things of Satan-I won't burden you with anything else. 25
Only hold on to what truth you have until I come.
26 And to him who overcomes (is victorious) and who obeys my commands to the very end by
doing the works that please me, I will give him authority and power over the nations;
27 I will give each of them the same power that my father has given me.
They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash those nations to pieces like clay pots.
28 I will also give them the morning star.
29 Let the person who has ears listen to what the d Spirit says to the becclesiae.
FOOTNOTES for Chapter TWO.
a
ecclesia = A single Congregation of called out ones (a church of the saints)
b
ecclesiae = Entire congregation of called out ones (all the churches of the saints)
c
children = Followers (as those who proceed from a parent)
d
Spirit = GOD’s Holy Spirit
e
Lampstand = Source of Light
f
Nicolaitans = the teaching of the “Nicolaitans" refers to ‘dominating’ the people
in an attempt to influence them into immorality and corruption, compared to the
"teaching of Balaam" which refers to ‘seducing’ the people into immorality and
corruption.
g
Balaam = ‘Balaam’ referred to one who was responsible for seducing the people
into immorality and corruption. In John’s Day there were those who sought to
influence the ecclesias in similar ways.
REVELATIONS Chapter 3
Message to the Ecclesiae in Sardis, from the Logos (Resurrected Jesus Christ).
Revelations 3:1 These things you must write by the messenger (angel) of the ecclesia in Sardis:
The one who has GOD's seven spirits, and the seven stars says: I know what you have done.
You are known for being alive, but you are dead.
2 Wake up!
Make yourselves stronger before what little strength you have left is completely gone.
I find that what you do is not good enough for my god.
3 So do not forget what you have received and heard from me.
Obey it.
Change your hearts and lives!
You must wake up, for I will come to you and surprise you like a thief.
You will not know when I will come.
4 But a few of you there in Sardis have kept your clothes clean.
You will walk with me, clothed in white robes, because you are worthy to do so.
5 Everyone who wins the victory (overcomes) will be dressed in white robes like them.
I will not remove their names from the book of life.
I will say that they belong to me before my father and before his angels.
If you have ears, listen to what the dSpirit says to the becclesiae.
Message to the Ecclesiae in Philadelphia, from the Logos (Resurrected Jesus Christ)
7 These things you must write by the messenger (angel) of the aecclesia in Philadelphia:
I am the one who is holy and true, and I have the keys that belonged to David.
When I open a door, no one can close it.
And when I close a door, no one can open it.
Listen to what I say.
8 I know what you have done.
See, I have opened a door in front of you that no one can shut.
You only have a little strength, but you have paid attention to my word and have not denied my
name.
9 Look!
I will force those who belong to Satan, those liars who say they are Jews but are not, to come
and bow down at your feet.
They will have to acknowledge that you are the ones I love.
10 Because you kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you out of the hour of tribulation
which is going to come on all the world in order to test those dwelling on the earth.
11 Look, I will come abruptly so, hold fast that which you have, that your crown may not be
taken away.
12 He who overcomes (is victorious), will be made a pillar in the sanctuary of my god; and he
shall never be put out of it or go out of it.
I will write on him the name of my god and the name of the city of my god, (the new
Jerusalem), which descends from my god out of heaven and, also my own new name. (Isa.
62:2; Ezek. 48:35.)
13 If you have ears, listen to what the dSpirit says to the becclesiae.
Message to the Ecclesiae in Laodicea, from the Logos (Resurrected Jesus Christ).
[Colossians 2:1-5]
14 These things you must write by the messenger (angel) of the a ecclesia in Laodicea:
"This is the message from the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the origin of all that
GOD has created.
15 I have knowledge of your works, that you are not cold or warm:
It would be better if you were cold or warm.
16 But since you are only lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth
17 because you say, 'I'm rich. I am wealthy. I don't need anything.'
But you do not realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked
18 Therefore I counsel you to purchase from me; gold refined and tested by fire, that you may
be truly wealthy, and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from
being seen, and salve to put on your eyes, to help you see.
19 Those whom I dearly and tenderly love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and
reprove and discipline and instruct them.
So be enthusiastic in earnest and burning with zeal, and repent, changing your mind and
attitude. (Prov. 3:12.)
20 Here I am! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the
door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
21 To the one who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant to sit beside me on my throne, as I
myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside my father on his throne.
22 Let the person who has ears listen to what the d Spirit says to the b ecclesiae."
FOOTNOTES for CHAPTER 3.
a
ecclesia = A single Congregation of called out ones (a church of the saints)
b
ecclesiae =The entire congregation of called out ones (all the churches of the
saints)
c
children = Followers (as those who proceed from a parent)
d
Spirit = GOD’s Holy Spirit
e
Lampstand = Source of light
REVELATIONS Chapter 4
The Heavenly Throne
Revelations 4:1 After this, I looked and saw a door that opened into heaven. Then the voice that
had spoken to me at first and that sounded like a trumpet said, "Come up here! I will show you
what must happen next."
At once I came under power of Holy Spirit, and behold, a a throne stood in heaven, with one
seated on the throne! (Ezek. 1:26.)
3 The one who was sitting there sparkled like precious stones of jasper and carnelian. A
rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne.
4 b twenty-four other thrones were in a circle around that throne. And on each of these thrones
there was an elder dressed in a white robe wearing a golden crown.
5 Flashes of lightning and loud thunder came out from the main throne in the center of the
circle. Seven torches, which are the seven spirits of GOD, were burning in front of the throne.
6 Also in front of the main throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
Around the throne on each of its sides, were four living beings covered with eyes in front and
behind.
7 The first one was like a lion, the second one was like a bull, the third one had the face of a
human, and the fourth was like a flying eagle
8 Each of these four living beings had six wings.
Beings Living in Heaven Worship of the Creator
They were covered all over with eyes, inside and out.
Day and night they never stopped saying, "Holy, holy, holy is YHWH God, the All-Powerful. He
was, he is, and he will always be.
9 The living beings kept praising, honoring, and thanking the one who sits on the throne and
who lives eternally.
10 At the same time the c twenty-four elders (of the heavenly Sanhedrin), knelt down before the
one sitting on the throne.
And as they worshiped the one who lives forever, they placed their crowns in front of the throne
and said, 11 "Our LORD and our god, you are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. You
created all things, for by your decision they are and were created."
FOOTNOTES for Chapter Four
a
throne = Denotes Kingly rulership.
b
Twenty-four other thrones =Twenty- four thrones denote a heavenly council
with ruling authority.
c
twenty-four elders = the heavenly Sanhedrin denoting a divine judicial
council.
REVELATIONS Chapter 5
The Scroll with Seven Seals
Revelations 5:1 In the right hand of the one sitting on the main throne I saw a scroll that had
writing on both the inside and on the outside.
And it had seals in seven places.
2 And I saw a mighty angel, who declared in a loud voice: "Who is worthy to break the seals on
this scroll and unroll it?"
3 And no one not in heaven nor on the earth, living or dead was able to open the scroll or to see
its contents.
4 Then I heard myself weeping because no man could be found who was worthy to open the
scroll and read it.
The Lamb is Worthy to open the Seven Seals
5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping. Look!
The Lion from Judah's tribe, the great descendant of David, has won the victory, (has
overcome and conquered)! and he can break the seven seals and open the scroll."
6 I looked further, and I saw a Lamb that had been killed.
Now he was standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four
elders.
He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the aseven spirits of GOD that are sent out into
every part of the earth.
The Lamb Exalted as Worthy
7 The Lamb went over and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne.
8 Then, after he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders knelt down
before him.
Each of them had a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, which are the prayers of GOD's people.
9 Then they sang a new song; "You are worthy to receive the scroll and open its seals, because
you were killed and with your own blood you bought for GOD people from every tribe,
language, nation, and race.
10 And You allowed them to become kings and serve GOD as priests, and they will rule over the
earth."
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels on every side of the throne and of the
living creatures and the twenty-four elders (of the heavenly Sanhedrin), and they together,
numbered ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands, (Dan. 7:10.) 12 and
they were saying in a loud unified voice,
"The Lamb who was killed is worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory,
and praise."
13 Then I heard the beings in heaven and on the earth, the living, and the dead under the earth
and in the sea, all offer praise.
Together, they were saying, "Praise, honor, glory, and strength forever and ever to the one who
sits on the throne and to the Lamb!"
14 To that the four living creatures said "Amen," while the elders knelt down and worshiped.
FOOTNOTE for Chapter FIVE:
a
seven spirits = the full complement of GOD’s Holy Spirit
REVELATIONS Chapter 6
Opening the Seals
Revelations 6:1 At the same time that I saw the Lamb opening the first of the seven seals on the
scroll, I heard one of the four living creatures shout with a voice like thunder.
It said to all; "Come forward!"
The First Seal Opened: A White Horse.
22 And I saw a white horse, and he who was seated on it had a bow; and there was given to him
a crown: he was already victorious, and he came out with the power to win more victories.
3 The Lamb opened the second seal. Then I heard the second living being say, "Come forward!"
The Second Seal Opened: A Red Horse – Warfare
4 Then another horse came out, a red one. The rider on this horse was given power to take
away peace from the earth so that people would kill each other.
He was given a big sword.
The Third Seal Opened: A Black Horse – Famine.
5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come forth!"
Then I saw a black horse, and its rider had a balance scale in one hand. 6: and I seemed to hear
a voice shout from among the four living creatures and say, 'A day's wages for a quart of corn,
and a day's wages for three quarts of barley, but do not tamper with the oil or the wine.'
7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say,
"Come forward!"
The Fourth Seal Opened: A Green Horse and Death
8 Then I saw a pale green horse. Its rider was named Death. And the ‘grave’ was following
behind him.
They were given power over one fourth of the earth, and they could kill its people with swords,
famines, diseases, and wild animals.
The Fifth Seal Opened – Martyrs
9 When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the remains of everyone who had
been killed for speaking GOD's message and talking about their faith.
10 They called loudly to YHWH and said, "All mighty God, holy and true, how long will it be
before you judge the people who belong to this world for what they have done to us?
When will you avenge our blood against these people?"
11 Then, each one of them was given a white robe. And they were told to rest a little longer until
the full number of their brothers and sisters in Jesus had been martyred.
The Sixth Seal Opened – Terror
12 Then, as I watched while the Lamb opened the sixth seal, there was a great earthquake, and
the sun became as dark as sackcloth.
The full moon became red like blood.
13 And the stars of the sky dropped to the earth like a fig tree shedding its unripe fruit out of
season when shaken by a strong wind. (Isa. 34:4.)
14 And the sky rolled up like a scroll and disappeared, and every mountain and island was
dislodged from its place.
15 Then the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy people, the people with
great power, and every slave and every free person all hid themselves in the caves and among
the rocks of the mountains.
16 Then they cried out to the mountains and the rocks,
"Fall over us and hide us from the one who sits on the throne and from the anger of his Lamb.
17 For the great day of GOD’s wrath (vengeance, retribution, indignation) has come, and who
is able to stand before it? (Joel 2:11; Mal. 3:2.)
REVELATIONS Chapter 7
GOD’s Seal on Fore heads of the Saints
Revelations 7:1 Next, I saw four angels positioned at the four corners of the earth, firmly
holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind should blow on the earth or sea or
upon any tree. (Zech. 6:5.)
2 Then I saw another angel coming from the east.
This angel had the seal of the living god.
The angel called out in a loud voice to the four angels.
These were the same four angels that GOD had given the power to hurt the earth and the sea.
The angel said to them, 3 "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed all
the servants of our god on their foreheads."
4 Then, I was told that the number of those who were marked with GOD’s seal on their
foreheads.
It was 144,000 and they represented the twelve tribes of Israel, 5 12,000 from Judah, 12,000
from Reuben, 12,000 from Gad, 6 12,000 from Asher, 12,000 from Naphtali, 12,000 from
Manasseh, 7 12,000 from Simeon, 12,000 from Levi, 12,000 from Issachar, 8 12,000 from
Zebulun, 12,000 from Joseph, and 12,000 from Benjamin.
Praise From a Great Numberless Crowd to GOD and The Lamb, their Shepherd
9 After these things I saw a great crowd from every nation, tribe, people, and language.
No one was able to count how many people there were.
They were standing before the throne and the lamb.
They were wearing white robes, holding palm branches in their hands,
10 In loud voice they cried, saying; We owe our salvation to our god, who is seated on the
throne, and to the Lamb, and to them we owe our deliverance!
11 And all the angels who were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four
living creatures, fell prostrate in front of the throne and worshiped YHWH god 12 saying,
"Amen!
Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and strength belong to our god forever and ever!
Amen!"
13 One of the elders asked me, "Do you know who these people are that are dressed in white
robes?
Do you know where they come from?"
14 "Sir," I answered, "you must know."
Then he told me: "These are the ones who have come through the great tribulation.
They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and have made them white.
15 And so they stand before the throne of GOD and minister to him in his temple day and night.
The one who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
16 They will never hunger or thirst again, and they will not be troubled by the sun or any
scorching heat.
17 The Lamb, central to GOD’s throne will be their shepherd.
He will lead them to streams of life-giving water, and YHWH will wipe all tears from their
eyes."
REVELATIONS Chapter 8
The Brief Silence After the Seventh Seal
Revelations 8:1 And when the Lamb had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven,
as it were for half an hour.
2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before GOD, and they were given seven trumpets.
3 Another angel, who had a gold incense container, came forward and stood at the altar.
He was given a lot of incense to add to the prayers of all GOD's saints and to offer it on the gold
altar that stands before the throne.
4 The smoke of the burning incense went up with the prayers of GOD's saints from the hands of
the angel standing before GOD.
5 Then the angel took the incense container, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it upon
the earth.
There were rumblings and peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
Seven Trumpeters Ready Themselves
6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound their
trumpets.
The First Four Trumpets
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there was a storm of hail and lightning mingled with
blood that came upon the earth.
And a third part of the earth was burned up and a third of the trees and of all the green grass
was burned up. (Exod. 9:23-25.)
8 When the second angel blew his trumpet, something like a great fiery mountain was thrown
into the sea.
A third of the sea turned to blood.
9 With that, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were
destroyed.
10 When the third angel blew his trumpet, a great star fell from heaven.
It was burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on a third of the springs of
water.
11 And the name of the star is Wormwood.
A third part of the waters was changed into wormwood, and many people died from using the
water, because it had become poisoned.
12 And the fourth angel sounded his trumpet: and the third part of the sun was smitten, and
the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, so that the third part of them was
darkened.
And the day did not shine for a third part of it: and the night in like manner.
13 Then I looked up. And I heard a single messenger loudly declaring as it flew through 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."
REVELATIONS Chapter 9
The Fifth Trumpet
Revelations 9:1 When the fifth angel blew his trumpet, I saw a star that had fallen to earth from
the sky.
The star was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.
2 He opened the long shaft of the Abyss the bottomless pit, and smoke like the smoke of a huge
furnace puffed out of the long shaft, so that the sun and the atmosphere were darkened by the
smoke from the long shaft. (Gen. 19:28; Exod. 19:18; Joel 2:10.)
3 Locusts came out of the smoke and covered the earth.
They were given the same power that scorpions have.
4 The locusts were told not to harm the grass on the earth or any plant or any tree.
They were to punish only those people who did not have GOD's mark on their foreheads.
5 They were not given the power to kill them but only to cause them torment, pain, and distress
for five months. Pain like a person feels when stung by a scorpion.
6 At that time people will yearn for death and never find it. They will long for it, but death will
escape them.
7 The locusts had the appearance of horses prepared for battle.
They seemed to have crowns that looked like gold on their heads.
Their faces were like human faces.
8 They had hair like women's hair and teeth like lions' teeth.
9 They wore iron like breastplates.
The noise from their wings was like the roar of chariots with many horses rushing into battle.
10 They had tails and stingers like scorpions with the power to hurt people for five months.
11 The king who ruled them was the angel from the bottomless pit.
In Hebrew he is called a Abaddon, and in Greek he is called b Apollyon.
12 Then, the first terror was now past. There were still two other terrors to come.
The Sixth Trumpet
13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet. And I heard a voice coming from the four corners of
the gold altar, standing before GOD.
14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Free the four angels who are tied at the great
river Euphrates."
15 And the four angels who had been prepared for this very hour and day and month and year
were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth.
16 I heard a report that they led an army of 200 million mounted troops.
17 In my vision their riders wore fiery-red, dark-blue, and yellow armor on their chests.
The heads of the horses looked like lions, with fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their
mouths.
18 One-third of all people were killed by the three terrible troubles caused by the fire, the
smoke, and the sulfur.
19 For their authority is in their mouth and in their tails.
For their tails were like serpents with heads, and with them they do harm.
20 The people who lived through these terrible troubles did not turn away from the idols they
had made, and they did not stop worshiping demons.
They kept on worshiping idols that were made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood.
Not one of these idols could see, hear, or walk.
21 Still, the survivors who did not die in these plagues refused to turn from their evil deeds.
Footnote for Chapter 9.
a
Aaddon In Hebrew, the name “Abaddon” means “place of destruction”;
b
Apollyon the Greek title “Apollyon” literally means “The Destroyer.”
REVELATIONS Chapter 10
The Angel and the Small Scroll
[Ezekiel 3:1–15]
Revelations 10:1 I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed in a cloud,
with a bright halo like a rainbow over his head.
His face was brilliant like the sun, and his feet (legs) were like columns of fire.
2 And in his fist he had a little scroll that had been unrolled.
He stood there with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.
3 Then he shouted with a voice that sounded like a growling lion.
Thunder roared seven times.
4 And when the seven thunders stopped roaring, I was about to write.
But I heard a voice out of heaven saying to me, “Seal what things the seven thunders spoke, and
do not write these things”.
5 And the angel whom I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to
heaven.
6 and he took a vow in the name of GOD, who lives forever and ever, who created heaven,
earth, and the sea, and everything in them.
The angel said, "There will be no more delay!
"You won't have to wait any longer.”
7 By the time when the seventh angel blows his trumpet, GOD will have accomplished his
secret plan, just as he announced to his servants, the prophets."
8 Once again the voice from heaven spoke to me.
It said, "Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel standing on the sea and the
land."
9 When I went over to ask the angel for the little scroll, the angel said, "Take the scroll and eat!
Your stomach will turn sour, but the taste in your mouth will be as sweet as honey."
10 I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it.
The taste was as sweet as honey, but then, my stomach turned sour.
11 Then some voices said, "Keep on revealing what will happen to the people of many nations,
races, languages, and also to their rulers"
