Three Hallelujahs for the Fall of Babylon!
1After these things I heard a roar in heaven. It sounded like a huge crowd shouting,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.
2The way he judges is true and fair.
He has judged the great prostitute.
She made the earth impure with her terrible sins.
God has paid her back for killing those who served him.”
3Again they shouted,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her fire goes up for ever and ever.”
4The 24 elders and the four living creatures bowed down. They worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out,
“Amen! Hallelujah!”
5Then a voice came from the throne. It said,
“Praise our God,
all you who serve him!
Praise God, all you who have respect for him,
both great and small!”
6Then I heard the noise of a huge crowd. It sounded like the roar of rushing waters and like loud thunder. The people were shouting,
“Hallelujah!
Our Lord God is the King who rules over all.
7Let us be joyful and glad!
Let us give him glory!
It is time for the Lamb’s wedding.
His bride has made herself ready.
8Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given to her to wear.”
Fine linen stands for the right things that God’s holy people do.
9Here is what the angel told me to write. “Blessed are those invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” Then he added, “These are the true words of God.”
10When I heard this, I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I serve God, just as you do. I am God’s servant, just like believers who hold firmly to what Jesus has taught. Worship God! The Spirit of prophecy tells the truth about Jesus.”
The Heavenly Warrior Has Victory Over the Beast
11I saw heaven standing open. There in front of me was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True. When he judges or makes war, he is always fair. 12His eyes are like blazing fire. On his head are many crowns. A name is written on him that only he knows. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood. His name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses. They were dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Coming out of the rider’s mouth is a sharp sword. He will strike down the nations with the sword. Scripture says, “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” (Psalm 2:9) He stomps on the grapes of God’s winepress. The winepress stands for the terrible anger of the God who rules over all. 16Here is the name that is written on the rider’s robe and on his thigh.
The Greatest King of All and the Most Powerful Lord of All
17I saw an angel standing in the sun. He shouted to all the birds flying high in the air, “Come! Gather together for the great supper of God. 18Come and eat the dead bodies of kings, generals, and other mighty people. Eat the bodies of horses and their riders. Eat the bodies of all people, free and slave, great and small.”
19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies. They had gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast and the false prophet were captured. The false prophet had done signs for the beast. In this way the false prophet had tricked some people. Those people had received the mark of the beast and had worshiped its statue. The beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire. The lake of fire burns with sulfur. 21The rest were killed by the sword that came out of the rider’s mouth. All the birds stuffed themselves with the dead bodies.
Pobjednička pjesma u nebu
1Začujem zatim silno mnoštvo u nebu kako viče: “Aleluja! Spasenje je djelo našega Boga. Slava i moć njemu pripadaju! 2Njegovi su sudovi istiniti i pravedni. Kaznio je veliku Bludnicu koja je pokvarila zemlju svojim bludom i osvetio je krv svojih slugu.” 3I opet: “Aleluja! Dim s njezina zgarišta dizat će se u vijeke vjekova!”
4Nato dvadeset četvorica starješina i četiri bića padnu ničice i poklone se Bogu koji sjedi na prijestolju govoreći: “Amen! Aleluja!”
5S prijestolja se začuje glas: “Hvalite našega Boga, sve njegove sluge, svi koji ga se bojite, od najmanjega do najvećega!”
6Začujem potom opet glas silnog mnoštva, poput silnoga huka vode i praska silnih gromova: “Aleluja! Naš Gospodin Bog Svemogući kraljuje! 7Radujmo se i veselimo i slavu mu dajmo jer je došao trenutak Jaganjčeve svadbe i njegova je zaručnica pripravna! 8Dopušteno joj je da se odjene u fini, blistavi i čisti lan.”
A lan predstavlja pravedna djela Božjega naroda.
9Anđeo mi reče: “Napiši: Blago onima koji su pozvani na Jaganjčevu svadbenu gozbu!” I još doda: “Ove su riječi istinite, Božje.”
10Pao sam do njegovih nogu da mu se poklonim, ali on reče: “Ne klanjaj mi se! Ta ja sam samo Božji sluga kao i ti, kao i ostala tvoja braća koja svjedoče o svojoj vjeri u Isusa. Bogu se klanjaj! Jer koji svjedoče o Isusu, imaju proročkog duha.”
Jahač na bijelome konju
11Ugledam zatim otvoreno nebo i ondje konja bijelca. Na njemu je sjedio On, zvan Vjerni i Istiniti, koji pravedno sudi i ratuje. 12Oči su mu bile poput ognjenih plamenova, na glavi mnoge krune. Nosio je napisano ime koje samo on zna. 13Ogrtač mu je bio natopljen krvlju. Ime mu je: Riječ Božja. 14Za njim su išle nebeske vojske odjevene u fini, bijeli i čisti lan. 15Iz usta mu je izlazio oštar mač kojim će posjeći narode. Vladat će njima željeznom palicom. On gazi u tijesku gnjevne srdžbe Svemogućega Boga. 16Na boku ogrtača piše mu ime:
“Kralj kraljeva i Gospodar gospodara”.
17Ugledam zatim anđela kako stoji na suncu i kako na sav glas viče lešinarima što lete nebom: “Dođite! Skupite se na veliku gozbu koju vam je Bog priredio 18da se najedete mesa kraljeva, vojskovođa i moćnika, mesa konja i konjanika, mesa svih ljudi—slobodnih i robova, malih i velikih!”
19I vidim: Zvijer i svi zemaljski kraljevi okupili su se s vojskama da zarate s Onim što sjedi na konju i s njegovom vojskom. 20Ali zarobljeni su Zvijer i lažni prorok koji je u njezinoj nazočnosti činio čudesa i njima zavodio ljude koji su primili žig Zvijeri i klanjali se njezinome kipu. I Zvijer i lažni prorok bačeni su u ognjeno jezero s gorućim sumporom. 21Ostatak njihove vojske posjekao je mač izišao iz usta Onoga koji sjedi na bijelome konju. I svi su se lešinari nasitili njihova mesa.
