Imatges de pàgina
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she hath prepared herself, (to be as it were) his wife.

8. Then to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, pure and shining, which is (figuratively) the righteousness of saints.

9. Then he said to me, Write, blessed are they who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. He said also. These are the true sayings of God.

10. Then I fell at his feet to do him homage, but he said to me, See thou do it not; I am a fellow-servant (with thee), and thy brethren that keep the testimony of Jesus. Worship God; for the spirit of prophecy is the testimony concerning Jesus. Acts x. 43.

11. Then I saw heaven opened, and lo, a white horse, (a figure representing the gospel): and he that sat on him was called Faithful and True, who in righteousness doth judge and make war, 12. His eyes are as a flame of fire, and on his head were many diadems; he has also a name written that none knows but he himself; 13. And he was clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and his name is called, (Christ) The word of God. 14. And the armies in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. 15. And out of his mouth proceeds a sharp sword to smite the nations, and he shall rule them as with a rod of iron: and he treads the wine-press of the indignation and wrath of Almighty God. 16. And he hath on his robe, and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD of lords.

17. I saw also an angel standing in the sun, who cried aloud to all the fowls of heaven, saying, Come together to the supper of the great God (at the mount of Megiddo, xvi. 16.). 18. To eat the flesh of kings, captains, mighty men, horses and their riders, all freemen and slaves both great and small. 19. Then I saw the (papal) beast, with the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered

to war against him that sat on the white horse, and his army. 20. But the beast was taken (captive), with the false prophet that performed signs before him, wherewith he deceived them that received his mark, and worshipped his image: Both these were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

21. And the remnant were slain with the sword proceeding out of his mouth who sat on the white horse; and all the fowls were satisfied with their flesh.

CHAP. XX.

OF THE FIRST RESURRECTION.

I SAW also an angel descend from heaven, having the key of the deep pit, and a great chain in his hand. 2. And he seized the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years (the third thousand of Christianity, and the eighth thousand of the world, to be holy as a sabbath, Isaiah ii. 4. xi. 9.) 3. Then he cast him into the deep pit, and shut him in, yea, sealed him up, that he might deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were finished, and afterward he must be loosed a little while, (before the end of the world.)

4. I saw thrones also, and those who sat on them, to whom judgment was given. I saw also the souls of them who were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast, nor his image, nor had received his mark on their foreheads, or in their hands; so they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years, (as Elijah did in the Baptist, Matth. xvii. 12. Luke i. 17.) 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again, until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6. Blessed and holy is he that partakes of the first resurrection; on such the se

cond (or eternal) death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and Christ, and reign with him a thousand years.

(This millennium, or 1000 years, is the glorious period of the latter days, when there will be no wars, when the Jews, having been taught the gospel, as Paul was, from heaven, will return to their own land, and will be the model of purity and bond of unity among Christians. Primitive Christianity will then be revived in its genuine simplicity and native purity. All mankind will then become Christians, taught by the Jewish converts, as at first, by the apostles, who were such. It will begin after the battle of Armageddon, chap. xvi. 16. where the converted Jews will recover their own land, and end with the battle of Gog, Ezek. chap. xxxvii. a little before the end of the world.)

7. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed from his prison. 8. And go out to deceive the nations in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. (Ezekiel xxxviii. 39.)

10.

9. And they went over the breadth of the holy land, and encompassed the camp of the saints, and (Jerusalem) the beloved city; but fire descended from God out of heaven, and devoured them. The devil that deceived them was also cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the (papal) beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for evermore.

11. I saw also a great (shining) white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them (to continue in as they are). 12. I saw also the dead, small and great, stand before God: and the books (of the law and the gospel) were opened, and another book was opened, even the book of life; and the dead were judged by the

things written in the books, according to their works. 13. Then the sea gave up the dead in it; death also, and the unseen world delivered up the dead in them, who were judged according to their works.

14. Then death and the unseen world, (which separated souls and bodies no more) were cast into the lake of fire; this is the second death.

15. Yea, whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

CHAP. XXI.

A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH.

THEN I saw a (new millennial state of the church and the world as a) new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea (or troubles).

2. I John saw also the holy city, the (new state of Jerusalem), as it were descending from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3. I heard also a great voice from heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell among them, so they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, as their God. 4. And he shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and death shall be no more; nor sorrow, nor lamentation, nor pain; for the former things are passed away.

5. Then he who sat on the throne, said, Behold, I make all things new. Then he said to me, Write; for these words are true and faithful.

6. He said also to me, It is now done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end; I will give to the thirsty the fountain of the water of life freely; (even eternal refreshing comforts). 7. He that overcomes evil shall inherit all

things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my

son.

8. But the fearful, (to profess the gospel,) and unbelieving sinners, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake burning with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.

9. Now there came to me one of the seven angels, who had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and spake with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride (to be) the Lamb's wife, (the Jews embracing the gospel and returning to the holy city.)

10. So he carried me away in (a vision of) the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, (as it were) descending out of heaven from God, 11. Having the glory of God; and its lustre was like a most precious gem, even (bright) like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12. It had also a great and high wall, having twelve gates, at which were twelve angels with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel written on them. 13. On the east, three gates; on the north, three gates; on the south, three gates; and on the west, three gates. 14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the names of the Lamb's twelve apostles engraven.

15. Now he that spake with me had a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16. Now it was square, the length and breadth being equal; so he measured with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length, and breadth, and the height of its hill are equal. 17. Then he measured its wall, an hundred and forty-four cubits, by the measure (or size) of a man, that is, of the angel. 18. And the fabric of its wall was like jasper; the city was also of pure gold, like clear glass. 19. And the wall's foundations were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. 20. The first foundation 4 F

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