17 I 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. 18 Eat the flesh of kings, generals, warriors, horses and their riders, and all free people and slaves, both important or insignificant people."

19 I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 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. 21 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.

An Angel Overpowers the Devil 20 1 I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the bottomless pit and a large chain in his hand. 2 He overpowered the serpent, that ancient snake, named Devil and Satan. The angel chained up the serpent for 1,000 years. 3 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.

4 I 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 Yeshua and because of the word of God. 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. 5 The rest of the dead did not live until the 1,000 years ended.

This is the first time that people come back to life. 6 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.

The Final Judgment 7 When 1,000 years are over, Satan will be freed from his prison. 8 He will go out to deceive Gog and Magog, the nations in the four corners of the earth, and gather them for war. They will be as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. 9 I saw that they spread over the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's holy people and the beloved city. Fire came from heaven and burned them up. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were also thrown. They will be tortured day and night forever and ever.

11 I saw a large, white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence, but no place was found for them. 12 I saw the dead, both important and unimportant people, standing in front of the throne. Books were opened, including the Book of Life. The dead were judged on the basis of what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead. Death and hell gave up their dead. People were judged based on what they had done. 14 Death and hell were thrown into the fiery lake. (The fiery lake is the second death.) 15 Those whose names were not found in the Book of Life were thrown into the fiery lake.

A New Heaven and a New Earth 21 1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the first heaven and earth had disappeared, and the sea was gone. 2 Then I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, dressed like a bride ready for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "God lives with humans! God will make his home with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There won't be any more death. There won't be any grief, crying, or pain, because the first things have disappeared."

5 The one sitting on the throne said, "I am making everything new." He said, "Write this: 'These words are faithful and true.'" 6 He said to me, "It has happened! I am the A and the Z,a the beginning and the end. I will give a drink from the fountain filled with the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. It won't cost anything. 7 Everyone who wins the victory will inherit these things. I will be their God, and they will be my children. 8 But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

A New Jerusalem 9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the last seven plagues came to me and said, "Come! I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb." 10 He carried me by his power away to a large, high mountain. He showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven. 11 It had the glory of God. Its light was like a valuable gem, like gray quartz, as clear as crystal. 12 It had a large, high wall with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates. The names of the 12 tribes of Israel were written on the gates. 13 There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 The wall of the city had 12 foundations. The 12 names of the 12 apostles of the lamb were written on them.

15 The angel who was talking to me had a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city was square. It was as wide as it was long. He measured the city with the stick. It was 12,000 stadiab long. Its length, width, and height were the same. 17 He measured its wall. According to human measurement, which the angel was using, it was 144 cubits.c 18 Its wall was made of gray quartz. The city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were beautifully decorated with all kinds of gems: The first foundation was gray quartz, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth red quartz, the seventh yellow quartz, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth green quartz, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The 12 gates were 12 pearls. Each gate was made of one pearl. The street of the city was made of pure gold, as clear as glass.

22 I did not see any temple in it, because the Lord God Almighty and the lamb are its temple. 23 The city doesn't need any sun or moon to give it light because the glory of God gave it light. The lamb was its lamp. 24 The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 Its gates will be open all day. They will never close because there won't be any night there. 26 They will bring the glory and wealth of the nations into the holy city. 27 Nothing unclean,a no one who does anything detestable, and no liars will ever enter it. Only those whose names are written in the lamb's Book of Life will enter it.

BRIGHT MORNING STAR.

In the last chapter of the book of Revelation, Jesus calls himself the "bright morning star." In ancient times, the morning star was thought of as a herald of the new day, signaling the dawn of hope and joy. The brightest object in the sky aside from the sun and moon, it is a fitting type for Christ, who ushers in a new day for the entire world. The Hebrew word for star is kokab (koe-KAB).

What the Bible refers to as the morning star is actually the planet Venus, known since prehistoric times. As the second planet from the sun, it is also one of the hottest. A relatively young planet, it is Earth's closest neighbor and is often called our sister planet. Because of its appearance in the eastern sky before dawn, it was thought of as the harbinger of sunrise. The title "Bright Morning Star" presents a powerful and beautiful image of the one who is also known as the "Light of the World." When you call on Jesus, the Bright Morning Star, you are calling on the one from whom all darkness flees.

Praying to the Bright Morning Star Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Christmas on December 25? It's not because we know exactly when Jesus was born. In fact, evidence in Scripture would point to a spring rather than a winter birth date. The church chose December 25 in the early fourth century because that was the day on which some pagan religions celebrated the winter solstice and the birth of the sun. To critics who said that Christians should not celebrate Christmas because of these pagan connotations, supporters would have enlisted the support of a fourth-century bishop, who remarked: "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it."

This year as Christmas approached, I was struck by how fitting it is that it's held so close to the winter solstice, the day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere in which there is the least amount of daylight. It's a day on which you might be tempted to give up hope that the light will ever return. But of course we don't. Instead, we decorate our homes with light as if we are making a statement of faith about what is to come, believing that the darkness will recede as the light advances.

As I write this, minutes are being added to my day. I counted them-sixteen minutes in the twenty-one days since Christmas. You can't imagine how cheering that is unless you live in a region of the world that rarely sees the sun for months on end.

Listen to the words of 2 Peter 1:19: "Continue to pay attention as you would to a light that shines in a dark place as you wait for day to come and the morning star to rise in your hearts." "Morning star" translates to a word whose literal meaning is "light-bringer." Born into a sin-darkened world, Jesus is the light-bringer. His is the light that is steadily advancing until one day the darkness will be dispelled.

Lord, let your star rise in my heart. I want to wait with eager expectation for the day of your coming, basking in your light and living in the brightness of your presence.

Promises Associated with the Name BRIGHT MORNING STAR.

If I say, "Let the darkness hide me and let the light around me turn into night," even the darkness is not too dark for you. Night is as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. (Psalm 139:11-12) When that day comes, the deaf will hear the words written in the book. The blind will see out of their gloom and darkness. Humble people again will find joy in Yahweh. The poorest of people will find joy in Qedosh Yisreal. (Isaiah 29:18-19)

22 1 The angel showed me a river filled with the water of life, as clear as crystal. It was flowing from the throne of God and the lamb. 2 Between the street of the city and the river there was a tree of life visible from both sides. It produced 12 kinds of fruit. Each month had its own fruit. The leaves of the tree will heal the nations. 3 There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and the lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him 4 and see his face. His name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night, and they will not need any light from lamps or the sun because the Lord God will shine on them. They will rule as kings forever and ever.

Jesus Says: I'm Coming Soon 6 He said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord God of the spirits of the prophets has sent his angel to show his servants the things that must happen soon. 7 I'm coming soon! Blessed is the one who follows the words of the prophecy in this book."

8 I, John, heard and saw these things. When I had heard and seen them, I bowed to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing me these things. 9 He told me, "Don't do that! I am your coworker. I work with other Christians, the prophets, and those who follow the words in this book. Worship God!"

10 Then the angel said to me, "Don't seal up the words of the prophecy in this book because the time is near. 11 Let those who don't have God's approval go without it, and let filthy people continue to be filthy. Let those who have God's approval continue to have it, and let holy people continue to be holy."

12 "I'm coming soon! I will bring my reward with me to pay all people based on what they have done. 13 I am the A and the Z,b the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are dogs, sorcerers, sexual sinners, murderers, idolaters, and all who lie in what they say and what they do.

16 "I, Yeshua, have sent my angel to give this testimony to you for the churches. I am the root and descendant of David. I am the bright morning star."

17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" Let those who hear this say, "Come!" Let those who are thirsty come! Let those who want the water of life take it as a gift.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy in this book: If anyone adds anything to this, God will strike him with the plagues that are written in this book. 19 If anyone takes away any words from this book of prophecy, God will take away his portion of the tree of life and the holy city that are described in this book.

20 The one who is testifying to these things says, "Yes, I'm coming soon!"

Amen! Come, Lord Yeshua!

21 The good willc of the Lord Yeshua be with all of you. Amen!

a 1:4 Or "Grace."

b 1:5 The last part of verse 6 (in Greek) has been moved to verse 5 to express the complex Greek sentence structure more clearly in English.

c 1:8 Or "the Alpha and the Omega."

a 2:26 The first part of verse 28 (in Greek) has been moved to the beginning of verse 26 to express the complex Greek sentence structure more clearly in English.

a 12:18 Some translations include this verse at the beginning of 13:1.

a 13:18 Or "it is the number of a human."

a 14:20 One stadion is equivalent to 607 feet.

a 18:2 "Unclean" refers to anything that Moses' Teachings say is not presentable to God.

a 21:6 Or "the Alpha and the Omega."

b 21:16 One stadion is equivalent to 607 feet.

c 21:17 One cubit is equivalent to 21 inches.

a 21:27 "Unclean" refers to anything that Moses' Teachings say is not presentable to God.

b 22:13 Or "the Alpha and the Omega."

c 22:21 Or "grace."

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Arthur, Kay. Lord, I Want to Know You. Colorado Springs: Waterbrook, 1992, 2000.

Barker, Kenneth L., and John Kohlenberger III, eds. Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary. 2 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.

Brown, Colin, ed. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. 4 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986.

Bruce, F. F., ed. The International Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986.

Douglas, J. D., and Merrill C. Tenney, eds. The New International Dictionary of the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1987.

Freedman, David Noel, ed. The Anchor Bible Dictionary. 6 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

Hemphill, Ken. The Names of God. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2001.

Kittel, Gerhard, and Gerhard Friedrich, eds. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged in One Volume. Translated and abridged by Geoffrey W. Bromiley. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1985.

Lockyer, Herbert. All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975.

New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.

Rhodes, Tricia McCary. At the Name of Jesus. Minneapolis: Bethany, 2003.

Richards, Larry. Every Name of God in the Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001.

Richards, Lawrence O. New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999.

Shelly, Rubel. The Names of Jesus. West Monroe, LA: Howard, 1999.

Simpson, A. B. The Names of Jesus. Harrisburg, PA: Christian Publications, 1967.

Stone, Nathan. Names of God. Chicago: Moody Press, 1944.

Tenney, Merrill C., ed. Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. 5 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975.

Towns, Elmer L. My Father's Names. Ventura, CA: Regal, 1991.

---. The Names of Jesus. Colorado Springs: Accent, 1987.

VanGemeren, Willem A. New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis. 5 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1997.

Watley, William D. Exalting the Names of Jesus. Valley Forge, PA: Judson, 2002.

Wiersbe, Warren W., ed. Classic Sermons on the Names of God. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1993.

---. The Wonderful Names of Jesus. Lincoln, NE: Back to the Bible, 1980.

TOPICAL PRAYER GUIDE.

FOR THE NAMES OF GOD.

BLESSING.

Genesis 12:2-3 Genesis 17:1-2 Genesis 49:22-26 Numbers 6:22-27 Psalm 5:12 Psalm 84 Proverbs 10:6-7 Jeremiah 17:7-8 FORGIVENESS.

Exodus 34:5-7 Psalm 32 Psalm 51 Psalm 86:15-17 Psalm 103:13-17 Isaiah 30:18 Isaiah 53 Matthew 6:9-14 Luke 4:16-21 Luke 15:1-32 Luke 19:8-9 Romans 5:6-11 Romans 8:31-39 Hebrews 4:14-16 1 Peter 2:24 GUIDANCE.

Psalm 16:5-11 Psalm 37:23-24 Psalm 139:11-12 Isaiah 50:10 John 8:12 HEALING.

Exodus 15:26 2 Kings 20:5 Psalm 38 Psalm 103:1-5 Psalm 147:2-3 Isaiah 57:15-19 Jeremiah 17:14 Malachi 4:2 Matthew 8:5-17 Matthew 9:2-8, 27-36 Matthew 11:2-6 Mark 9:17-29 Luke 8:43-46 Luke 8:50 John 11:1-44 James 5:14-16 HOLINESS.

Leviticus 19:1-4, 9-18 Deuteronomy 6:17-25 Deuteronomy 12:28 Isaiah 6:1-7 Isaiah 33:14-15 Isaiah 62:4-5 Jeremiah 31:33 Hosea 2:16, 19-20 Matthew 5:1-12, 38-48 Luke 1:30-35 Luke 6:35-36 John 14:15-18 Romans 8:9-11 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Ephesians 2:19-22 Philippians 2:5-11 Hebrews 10:14-16 Hebrews 12:14 Hebrews 12:28-29 1 Peter 1:14-16 PEACE.

Numbers 6:22-27 Psalm 23 Psalm 46 Psalm 62:1-2 Psalm 125:1-2 Proverbs 3:13 Isaiah 9:6-7 Isaiah 11:6-9 Isaiah 26:3-4 Isaiah 48:17-19 Jeremiah 29:11-13 Matthew 5:9 Matthew 11:28-30 John 14:1-27 Romans 8:5-10 Galatians 5:19-26 Philippians 4:6-9 Colossians 1:19-22 Colossians 3:12-24 PRAISE.

Psalm 34:1-9 Psalm 96:10-13 Psalm 100 Psalm 103 Psalm 113 Psalm 136 Psalm 145 Psalm 148 Isaiah 11:1-9 Revelation 7:9-12 PROTECTION.

Genesis 16:1-16 Exodus 3:7-10 Deuteronomy 33:26-27 2 Samuel 22:2-4 Psalm 9:9-10 Psalm 16:9-11 Psalm 18:1-18 Psalm 20 Psalm 28:6-9 Psalm 33:13-15, 18-19 Psalm 40:10-11 Psalm 91 Psalm 121:3-8 Psalm 144:1-2, 7-10 Proverbs 3:26 Proverbs 18:10 Isaiah 43:1-5 Isaiah 49:22-25, 52-57 Nahum 1:7 Zechariah 2:5 John 6:40 John 10:1-18, 27-29 Romans 10:9-10 1 Corinthians 15 PROVISION.

Genesis 21:17-19 Genesis 22:1-14 Deuteronomy 15:4-5 Deuteronomy 28:9, 12 Psalm 34:9-22 Matthew 6:9-11, 28-32 John 6:10-13, 35, 48-51 John 16:23-24 1 Timothy 6:17-19 Hebrews 13:5-6 Revelation 7:16-17 STRENGTH.

Joshua 1:9 1 Samuel 17:38-47 2 Kings 6:15-17 2 Chronicles 16:9 Nehemiah 4:14 Psalm 3:2-3 Psalm 18:28-36 Psalm 33:11-22 Psalm 54 Psalm 59:16-17 Psalm 61 Psalm 62:1-8, 11-12 Psalm 73:25-26 Psalm 84 Isaiah 40:28-29 Isaiah 41:10 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 Ephesians 6:12-16 TABLE OF THE.