Revelation 19-22 - The New Heaven and Earth

Hallelujah!

Rev 19:4 LSB - [4] And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!"

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Rev 19:7-8 LSB - 

[7] "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." 

[8] And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright [and] clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

The Rider on a White Horse

Rev 19:11-13 LSB - 

[11] Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sits on it [is] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 

[12] His eyes [are] a flame of fire, and on His head [are] many diadems; having a name written [on Him] which no one knows except Himself, 

[13] and being clothed with a garment dipped in blood, His name is also called The Word of God.

The Beast and False Prophet Are Seized

Rev 19:20 LSB - [20] And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who did the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.

Christ’s Thousand Year Reign

Rev 20:4 LSB - [4] Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I [saw] the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who also had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Rev 20:6 LSB - [6] Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

The Defeat of Satan

Rev 20:9-10 LSB - 

[9] And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 

[10] And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The Great White Throne Judgment

Rev 20:11 LSB - [11] Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sits upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.

Rev 20:12 LSB - [12] Then I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life. And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

Rev 20:15 LSB - [15] And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The New Heaven and Earth

Rev 21:1-4 LSB - 

[1] Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer [any] sea. 

[2] And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 

[3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 

[4] and He will WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; and there will no longer be [any] death; there will no longer be [any] mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away."

New Jerusalem, the Holy City

Rev 21:22-23 LSB - [22] And I saw no sanctuary in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its sanctuary. [23] And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp [is] the Lamb.

The River and the Tree of Life

Rev 22:6-7 LSB - 

[6] And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His slaves the things which must soon take place. 

[7] "And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

The Final Message: Come

Rev 22:10 LSB - [10] And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.

Rev 22:14 LSB - [14] Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the authority to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city.

Rev 22:17 LSB - [17] And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who wishes receive the water of life without cost.

Rev 22:20 LSB - [20] He who bears witness to these things says, "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Revelation 16-18 - The Blood of the Saints and the Witnesses of Jesus

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

Rev 16:2 LSB - [2] So the first [angel] went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who have the mark of the beast and who worship his image.

Rev 16:3 LSB - [3] And the second [angel] poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like [that] of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.

Rev 16:4 LSB - [4] Then the third [angel] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters, and they became blood.

Rev 16:8-9 LSB - [8] And the fourth [angel] poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. [9] And men were scorched with fierce heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.

Rev 16:10-11 LSB - [10] Then the fifth [angel] poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, [11] and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and they did not repent of their deeds.

Rev 16:12 LSB - [12] And the sixth [angel] poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.

Rev 16:15 LSB - [15] ("Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.")

The Seventh Bowl

Rev 16:17-21 LSB - 

[17] Then the seventh [angel] poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the sanctuary from the throne, saying, "It is done." 

[18] And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake [was it, and] so mighty. 

[19] And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the wrath of His rage. 

[20] And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 

[21] And huge hailstones, about one talent each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe.

The Woman and the Beast

Rev 17:6 LSB - [6] Then I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.

Rev 17:8 LSB - [8] "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.

Mat 25:34 LSB - [34] "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom, which has been prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Eph 1:4 LSB - [4] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him in love,

Rev 13:8 LSB - [8] And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, [everyone] whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

Rev 17:14 LSB - [14] "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him [are the] called and elect and faithful."

Fallen Is Babylon

Rev 18:4 LSB - [4] And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;

Jer 51:6 LSB - [6] Flee from the midst of Babylon, And each of you escape with his life! Do not be silenced in her iniquity, For this is Yahweh's time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her.

Rev 18:24 LSB - [24] "And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth."

 

Revelation 13-15 - The Lamb and the 144,000

The Beast from the Sea

Rev 13:1 LSB - [1] And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns [were] ten diadems, and on his heads [were] blasphemous names.

Rev 12:3 LSB - [3] Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads [were] seven diadems.

Rev 13:5-6 LSB -
[5] And there was given to him a mouth speaking great boasts and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.
[6] And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, [that is], those who dwell in heaven.

Rev 13:8 LSB - [8] And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, [everyone] whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

Rev 20:15 LSB - [15] And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

The Beast from the Earth

Rev 13:11 LSB - [11] Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and he was speaking as a dragon.

Rev 13:16-17 LSB -
[16] And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, that they be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,
[17] and that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, [either] the name of the beast or the number of his name.

Rev 13:18 LSB - [18] Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of man; and his number is 666.

The Lamb and the 144,000

Rev 14:1 LSB - [1] Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb [was] standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.

Rev 14:3-5 LSB - 

[3] And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth. 

[4] These are the ones who are not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These [are] the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 

[5] And NO LIE WAS FOUND IN THEIR MOUTH; they are blameless.

The Messages of the Three Angels

Rev 14:6 LSB - [6] Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who inhabit the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.

Rev 14:9-11 LSB - 

[9] Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 

[10] and he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His rage, and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 

[11] "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."

Rev 14:13 LSB - [13] And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them."

Rev 14:12 LSB - [12] Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

Rev 14:13 LSB - [13] And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them."

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

Rev 14:15 LSB - [15] And another angel came out of the sanctuary, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sits on the cloud, "Put in Your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe."

Rev 14:19 LSB - [19] So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered [the clusters from] the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God.

Seven Angels, Seven Plagues

Rev 15:2 LSB - [2] Then I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who have overcome the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.

Rev 15:3-4 LSB - 

[3] And they sang the song of Moses, the slave of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "GREAT AND MARVELOUS ARE YOUR WORKS, O LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY; RIGHTEOUS AND TRUE ARE YOUR WAYS, KING OF THE NATIONS! 

[4] "WHO WILL NOT FEAR, O LORD, AND GLORIFY YOUR NAME? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED."

Revelation 10-12 - Brothers Overcame the Accuser

The Angel and the Little Scroll

Rev 10:5-7 LSB - 

[5] Then the angel, whom I saw standing on the sea and on the earth, lifted up his right hand to heaven, 

[6] and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that there will be delay no longer, 

[7] but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He proclaimed good news to His slaves, the prophets.

Rev 10:10-11 LSB - 

[10] And I took the little scroll out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 

[11] And they said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings."

The Two Witnesses

Rev 11:3-4 LSB - 

[3] "And I will give [authority] to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 

[4] These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

Rev 11:7, 11-12 LSB - 

[7] And when they have finished their witness, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them and overcome them and kill them. ... 

[11] But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. 

[12] And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.

The Seventh Trumpet

Rev 11:15 LSB - [15] Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become [the kingdom] of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever."

Rev 11:16-18 LSB - 

[16] And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 

[17] saying, "We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. 

[18] "And the nations were enraged, and Your rage came, and the time [came] for the dead to be judged, and to give reward to Your slaves--the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great--and to destroy those who destroy the earth."

Rev 11:19 LSB - [19] And the sanctuary of God which is in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His sanctuary, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

Rev 12:1 LSB - [1] And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

Gen 37:9 LSB - [9] Then he had still another dream and recounted it to his brothers and said, "Behold, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."

Rev 12:5-6 LSB -
[5] And she gave birth to a son, a male [child], who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
[6] Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for 1,260 days.

War in Heaven

Rev 12:7-9 LSB - 

[7] And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, 

[8] and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 

[9] And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Rev 12:10-11 LSB - 

[10] Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. 

[11] "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witness, and they did not love their life even to death.

Revelation 7-9 - The 144,000

The 144,000

Rev 7:3-4 LSB - 

[3] saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the slaves of our God on their foreheads." 

[4] And I heard the number of those having been sealed, 144,000 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

Rev 14:1, 3-5 LSB - 

[1] Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb [was] standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. ... 

[3] And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth. 

[4] These are the ones who are not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These [are] the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 

[5] And NO LIE WAS FOUND IN THEIR MOUTH; they are blameless.

A Multitude from Every Nation

Rev 7:9-17 LSB - 

[9] After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and [all] tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches [were] in their hands; 

[10] and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation [belongs] to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." 

[11] And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 

[12] saying, "Amen, the blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength, [be] to our God forever and ever. Amen." 

[13] Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These, clothed in the white robes, who are they, and from where have they come?" 

[14] And I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

Rev 6:9-11 LSB -

[9] And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the witness which they had maintained;

[10] and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Master, holy and true? Will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

[11] And a white robe was given to each of them; and it was told to them that they should rest for a little while longer, until [the number of] their fellow slaves and their brothers who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

[15] "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His sanctuary; and He who sits on the throne will dwell over them. 

[16] "THEY WILL HUNGER NO LONGER, NOR THIRST ANYMORE; NOR WILL THE SUN BEAT DOWN ON THEM, NOR ANY HEAT; 

[17] for the Lamb at the center of the throne will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of the water of life. And God WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES."

The Seventh Seal

Rev 8:3-4 LSB - 

[3] And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. 

[4] And the smoke of the incense went up with the prayers of the saints, out of the angel's hand, before God.

The Seven Trumpets

Rev 8:12 LSB - [12] And the fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

Rev 8:13 LSB - [13] Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"

Rev 9:4 LSB - [4] And they were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Rev 9:20-21 LSB -

[20] And the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 

[21] And they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their sexual immorality nor of their thefts.

Revelation 4-6 - The Six Seals

The Throne in Heaven

Rev 4:1 LSB - [1] After these things I looked, and behold, a door [standing] open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like [the sound] of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things."

Rev 1:19 LSB - [19] "Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.

Rev 4:2-3 LSB -
[2] Immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.
[3] And He who was sitting [was] like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and [there was] a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.

Isa 6:1 LSB - [1] In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple.

Eze 1:26 LSB - [26] Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something in the likeness of a throne, like sapphire stone in appearance; and upon the likeness of the throne, high up, [was] the likeness of one with the appearance of a man.

Eze 1:28 LSB - [28] As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so [was] the appearance of the radiance all around. Such [was] the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. And I saw [this], and I fell on my face and heard a sound [of a voice] speaking.

Rev 4:7-8 LSB -
[7] And the first creature [was] like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature [was] like a flying eagle.
[8] And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within, and day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY [is] THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME."

Isa 6:1-3 LSB -
[1] In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
[2] Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
[3] And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is Yahweh of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory."

Rev 4:9-11 LSB -
[9] And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever,
[10] the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
[11] "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

The Scroll and the Lamb

Rev 5:6-10 LSB - 

[6] Then I saw in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 

[7] And He came and took [the scroll] out of the right hand of Him who sits on the throne. 

[8] And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 

[9] And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain and purchased for God with Your blood [people] from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 

[10] "And You made them [to be] a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth."

Angels Worship the Lamb

Rev 5:11-14 LSB - 

[11] Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 

[12] saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." 

[13] And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, [be] the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever." 

[14] And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.

The Six Seals

Rev 6:1-2 LSB - 

[1] Then I looked when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come." 

[2] Then I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out overcoming and to overcome.

Rev 6:3-4 LSB - 

[3] And when He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come." 

[4] And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sits on it, it was given to him to take peace from the earth, and that [men] would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

Rev 6:5-6 LSB - 

[5] And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come." Then I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sits on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 

[6] And I heard [something] like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "One choinix of wheat for one denarius, and three choinix of barley for one denarius, and do not harm the oil and the wine."

Rev 6:7-8 LSB - 

[7] And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come." 

[8] Then I looked, and behold, a pale horse; and he who sits on it had the name Death, and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Rev 6:9-11 LSB - 

[9] And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the witness which they had maintained; 

[10] and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Master, holy and true? Will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 

[11] And a white robe was given to each of them; and it was told to them that they should rest for a little while longer, until [the number of] their fellow slaves and their brothers who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

Rev 20:4-6 LSB - 

[4] Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I [saw] the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who also had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 

[5] The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 

[6] Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

 How Soon Is Christ’s Return?

Rev 6:12-17 LSB -
[12] Then I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth [made] of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
[13] and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
[14] And the sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
[15] Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man HID THEMSELVES IN THE CAVES and among the rocks of the mountains; [16] and they SAID TO THE MOUNTAINS AND TO THE ROCKS, "FALL ON US AND HIDE US from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,
[17] for the great DAY OF their WRATH has come, and who is able to stand?"

Revelation 1-3 - First Love

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Rev 1:1-3 LSB -
[1] The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His slaves the things which must soon happen; and He indicated [this] by sending [it] through His angel to His slave John,
[2] who bore witness to the word of God and to the witness of Jesus Christ, [even] to all that he saw.
[3] Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it, for the time is near.

Rev 22:6 LSB - [6] And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His slaves the things which must soon take place.

 

Message to the Seven Churches

Rev 1:4-6 LSB - 

[4] John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from the One who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 

[5] and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood-- 

[6] and He has made us [to be] a kingdom, priests to His God and Father--to Him [be] the glory and the might forever and ever. Amen.

Exo 19:6 LSB - [6] and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."

1Pe 2:9 LSB - [9] But you are A CHOSEN FAMILY, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR [God's] OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Rev 1:7-8 LSB -
[7] BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIM, EVEN THOSE WHO PIERCED HIM; and all the tribes of the earth will MOURN OVER HIM. Yes, amen.
[8] "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Did Christ Already Return?

The Vision of the Son of Man

Rev 1:12-16 LSB - 

[12] Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; 

[13] and in the middle of the lampstands [I saw] one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. 

[14] And His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. 

[15] His feet [were] like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice [was] like the sound of many waters, 

[16] and having in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp two-edged sword which comes out of His mouth, and His face was like the sun shining in its power.

Rev 1:17-18 LSB -
[17] And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not fear; I am the first and the last,
[18] and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

To the Church in Ephesus

Rev 2:4-5 LSB - 

[4] 'But I have [this] against you, that you have left your first love.
[5] 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first. But if not, I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.

1Jo 4:19 LSB - [19] We love, because He first loved us.

 

To the Church in Smyrna

Rev 2:10 LSB - [10] 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

To the Church in Pergamum

Rev 2:15 LSB - [15] 'So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

Rev 2:6 LSB - [6] 'Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

To the Church in Thyatira

Rev 2:26-28 LSB - 

[26] 'And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS; 

[27] AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, AS THE VESSELS OF THE POTTER ARE BROKEN TO PIECES, as I also have received [authority] from My Father; 

[28] and I will give him the morning star.

To the Church in Sardis

Rev 3:1-2 LSB - 

[1] "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: This is what He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says: 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 

[2] 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of My God.

To the Church in Philadelphia

Rev 3:8 LSB - [8] 'I know your deeds. Behold, I have given before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

Rev 3:10 LSB - [10] 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

To the Church in Laodicea

Rev 3:17-18 LSB - 

[17] 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and pitiable and poor and blind and naked. 

[18] I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and [that] the shame of your nakedness will not be manifested; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Rev 3:19 LSB - [19] 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent.

Rev 3:20 LSB - [20] 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

Malachi 1-4 - From the Rising of the Sun Even to Its Setting

Yahweh’s Love for Jacob

Mal 1:2-3 LSB - 

[2] "I have loved you," says Yahweh. But you say, "How have You loved us?" "[Was] not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares Yahweh. "Yet I have loved Jacob; 

[3] but I have hated Esau, and I have set his mountains [to be] a desolation and his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness."

Rom 9:11-16 LSB - 

[11] for though [the twins] were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that the purpose of God according to [His] choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, 

[12] it was said to her, "THE OLDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER." 

[13] Just as it is written, "JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED." 

[14] What shall we say then? Is there any unrighteousness with God? May it never be! 

[15] For He says to Moses, "I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." 

[16] So then it [does] not [depend] on the one who wills or the one who runs, but on God who has mercy.

 

The Priests Defile Yahweh

Mal 1:11 LSB - [11] "For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name [will be] great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be presented to My name, as well as a grain offering [that is] clean; for My name [will be] great among the nations," says Yahweh of hosts.

Isa 45:1, 5-7 LSB - 

[1] Thus says Yahweh to Cyrus His anointed,

Whom I have taken hold of by his right hand,

To subdue nations before him And to loose the loins of kings,

To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: ... 

[5] "I am Yahweh, and there is no other;

Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, 

[6] That they may know from the rising to the setting of the sun

That there is no one besides Me.

I am Yahweh, and there is no other, 

[7] The One forming light and creating darkness,

Producing peace and creating calamity;

I am Yahweh who does all these.

 

I Will Curse Your Blessings

Mal 2:2 LSB - [2] "If you do not listen, and if you do not set it upon [your] heart to give honor to My name," says Yahweh of hosts, "then I will send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them [already] because you are not setting [it] upon [your] heart.

Judah Profaned the Covenant

Mal 2:14-16 LSB - 

[14] "But you say, 'For what reason?' Because Yahweh has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 

[15] "But not one has done [so], even [one] who has a remnant of the Spirit. And what did [that] one [do] while he was seeking a godly seed? Be careful then to keep your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth. 

[16] "For I hate divorce," says Yahweh, the God of Israel, "and him who covers his garment with wrong," says Yahweh of hosts. "Be careful then to keep your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously."

The Messenger and the Lord

Mal 3:1 LSB - [1] "Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says Yahweh of hosts.

Isa 40:3 LSB - [3] A voice is calling, "Prepare the way for Yahweh in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

 

You Have Robbed God

Mal 3:8 LSB - [8] "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, 'How have we robbed You?' In tithes and contributions.

Arrogant Words

The Book of Remembrance

Mal 3:16-18 LSB - 

[16] Then those who feared Yahweh spoke to one another, and Yahweh gave heed and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear Yahweh and who think upon His name. 

[17] "And they will be Mine," says Yahweh of hosts, "on the day that I prepare [My] own treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." 

[18] So you will return and see [the distinction] between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.

The Great Day of Yahweh

Mal 4:2 LSB - [2] "But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall.

Mal 4:5-6 LSB - [5] "Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of Yahweh. 

[6] "And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to [their] children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land, devoting it to destruction."

Joe 2:31 LSB - [31] "The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of Yahweh comes.

Jude 1 - Contend Earnestly for the Faith

Contend Earnestly for the Faith

Jde 1:3 LSB - [3] Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you exhorting that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

Jde 1:5 LSB - [5] Now I want to remind you, though you know all things, that Jesus, having once saved a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God

Jde 1:20-21 LSB - 

[20] But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 

[21] keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

Jde 1:24-25 LSB - 

[24] Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 

[25] to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, [be] glory, majesty, might, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Nehemiah 11-13 - Foreigners Are Separated from Israel

The Heads of the Provinces in Jerusalem

Neh 11:1-2 LSB - 

[1] And the officials of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine-tenths [remained] in the [other] cities. 

[2] And the people blessed all the men who freely offered to live in Jerusalem.

Villages Outside Jerusalem

Neh 11:20-21 LSB - 

[20] The rest of Israel, of the priests [and] of the Levites, [were] in all the cities of Judah, each on his own inheritance. 

[21] But the temple servants were living in Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants.

Priests and Levites Come Up with Zerubbabel

The Heads of the Levites

Dedication of the Wall

Neh 12:27-30 LSB - 

[27] Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs [to the accompaniment] of cymbals, harps and lyres. 

[28] So the sons of the singers were gathered from the district around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites, 

[29] from Beth-gilgal and from [their] fields in Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem. 

[30] The priests and the Levites cleansed themselves; they also cleansed the people, the gates, and the wall.

The Choirs in the House of God

Neh 12:31 LSB - [31] Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top of the wall, and I had two great choirs of thanksgiving stand, the first proceeding to the right on top of the wall toward the Dung Gate.

Neh 12:46-47 LSB - 

[46] For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, [there were] chiefs of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God. 

[47] So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah were giving the portions due the singers and the gatekeepers as each day required, and set apart the holy [portion] for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the holy [portion] for the sons of Aaron.

Foreigners Are Separated from Israel

Neh 13:3 LSB - [3] So when they heard the law, they separated all foreigners from Israel.

Ezr 6:21 LSB - [21] Then the sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to [join] them, to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate [the Passover].

 

Tobiah’s Goods Removed from God’s House

Neh 13:9 LSB - [9] Then I said [the word], and they cleansed the chambers; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense.

Why Is the House of God Forsaken?

Neh 13:14 LSB - [14] Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my lovingkindnesses which I have shown for the house of my God and its responsibilities.

Keep the Sabbath Day Holy

Neh 13:22 LSB - [22] And I said to the Levites that they should cleanse themselves and come as gatekeepers to keep the sabbath day holy. [For] this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

You Shall Not Marry Foreigners

Neh 13:23-26 LSB - 

[23] In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, [and] Moab. 

[24] As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but only the tongue of his own people. 

[25] So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair and made them swear by God, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take up their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 

[26] "Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God gave him [to be] king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin.

Nehemiah 7-10 - The People Enter Into an Oath

Census of First Returned Exiles

Neh 7:1 LSB - [1] Now it happened when the wall was rebuilt and I had made the doors to stand, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed,

Neh 7:6 LSB - [6] These are the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had taken away into exile, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city,

The Assembly and Their Gifts

Neh 7:66-67 LSB - 

[66] The whole assembly together [was] 42,360, 

[67] besides their male and their female slaves, of whom [there were] 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers.

Ezra Reads the Book of the Law

Neh 8:2-3 LSB - 

[2] Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who [could] understand when listening, on the first day of the seventh month. 

[3] And he read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the ears of the people were attentive to the book of the law.

Neh 8:7-8 LSB - 

[7] Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, were providing understanding of the law to the people while the people [stood] in their place. 

[8] They read from the book, from the law of God, explaining and giving insight, and they provided understanding of the reading.

This Day Is Holy

Neh 8:9-10 LSB - 

[9] Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest [and] scribe, and the Levites, who provided the people with understanding, said to all the people, "This day is holy to Yahweh your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. 

[10] Then he said to them, "Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength."

Feast of Booths Restored

Neh 8:16-18 LSB - 

[16] So the people went out and brought [them] and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 

[17] The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was exceedingly great gladness. 

[18] And he read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day [there was] a solemn assembly according to the [legal] judgment.

Israel Confesses Their Sins

Neh 9:1-3 LSB - 

[1] Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel gathered with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them. 

[2] The seed of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 

[3] And they rose up in their place and read from the book of the law of Yahweh their God for a fourth of the day; and for [another] fourth they were confessing and worshiping Yahweh their God.

An Agreement Is Cut

Signers of the Document

The People Enter Into an Oath

Neh 10:28-30 LSB - 

[28] Now the rest of the people--the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons and their daughters--all those who had knowledge [and] understanding, 

[29] are joining with their relatives, their nobles, and are entering into a curse and an oath to walk in God's law, which was given by the hand of Moses, God's servant, and to keep and to do all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord and His judgments and His statutes; 

[30] and that we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons.

Nehemiah 4-6 - Doing the Work and Holding a Weapon

Sanballat and Tobiah Mock the Jews’ Work

Neh 4:8-9 LSB - 

[8] All of them joined together to come [and] fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. 

[9] But we prayed to our God, and because of them we stood a guard against them day and night.

Luk 6:12 LSB - [12] Now it happened that at this time He went off to the mountain to pray, and He was spending the whole night in prayer to God.

 

Doing the Work and Holding a Weapon

Neh 4:17 LSB - [17] Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took [their] load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.

Each Usury Is Forsaken

Nehemiah as Governor

Neh 5:19 LSB - [19] Remember me, O my God, for good, [according to] all that I have done for this people.

Enemies Try to Make Nehemiah Fearful

Neh 6:14 LSB - [14] Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were [trying] to make me afraid.

The Wall Is Finished

Neh 6:15-16 LSB - 

[15] So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth of [the month] Elul, in fifty-two days. 

[16] Now it happened that when all our enemies heard [of it], and all the nations surrounding us saw [it], their confidence fell. And they knew that it was from our God that this work had been accomplished.

Nehemiah 1-3 - Nehemiah Prays for the Sons of Israel

Nehemiah Prays for the Sons of Israel

Neh 1:4-6 LSB - 

[4] Now it happened that when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 

[5] I said, "I beseech You, O Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and fearsome God, who keeps the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 

[6] let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your slave which I am praying before You today, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your slaves, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father's house have sinned.

Neh 1:11 LSB - [11] "O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your slave and the prayer of Your slaves who delight to fear Your name, and make Your slave successful today and grant him compassion before this man." Now I was the cupbearer to the king.

God’s Hand Was on Nehemiah

Neh 2:4 LSB - [4] Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Nehemiah Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls

Neh 2:18 LSB - [18] And I told them how the hand of my God had been good to me and also about the king's words which he had said to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and build." So they strengthened their hands for the good [work].

Building and Repairing the Wall

Neh 3:12 LSB - [12] Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters.

Ezra 7-10 - The Unfaithfulness of the Exiles

Ezra Goes Up from Babylon to Jerusalem

Ezr 7:1, 6 LSB -
[1] Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, [there went up] Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, ...
[6] This Ezra went up from Babylon, and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all he requested because the hand of Yahweh his God [was] upon him.

Ezr 7:10 LSB - [10] For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of Yahweh and to practice [it], and to teach [His] statute and judgment in Israel.

The King’s Decree on Behalf of Ezra

Ezr 7:12-13, 22 LSB - 

[12] "Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect [peace]. And now-- 

[13] I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who freely offer to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. ... 

[22] [even] up to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt without written order.

Ezr 7:23 LSB - [23] "Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.

Yahweh Put This In the King’s Heart

Ezr 7:27-28 LSB - 

[27] Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put [such a thing] as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem, 

[28] and has extended lovingkindness to me before the king and his counselors and before all the king's mighty princes. Thus I was strengthened according to the hand of Yahweh my God upon me, and I gathered chief men from Israel to go up with me.

Genealogical Records

Ezr 8:1 LSB - [1] Now these are the heads of their fathers' [households] and the genealogical records of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes:

Ezra Sends for Levites

God’s Protection Sought

Ezr 8:21-23 LSB - 

[21] Then I called for a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a direct journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. 

[22] For I was ashamed to ask from the king for a military force and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, "The hand of our God is upon all those who seek Him, for [their] good, but His strength and His anger are against all those who forsake Him." 

[23] So we fasted and sought our God concerning this [matter], and He was moved by our entreaty.

Ezr 8:31 LSB - [31] Then we set out from the river Ahava on the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem; and the hand of our God was upon us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the ambushes by the way.

Silver, Gold, and Utensils Weighed

The Unfaithfulness of the Exiles

Ezr 9:2 LSB - [2] "For they have taken some of their daughters [as wives] for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the officials have been foremost in this unfaithfulness."

Ezra’s Confession

Ezr 9:15 LSB - [15] "O Yahweh, the God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant, as [it is] this day; behold, we are before You in our guilt, for no one can stand before You because of this."

Ezra Makes Israel Swear an Oath

Ezr 10:15 LSB - [15] However, Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood against this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helping them.

Those Who Married Foreign Wives

Ezr 10:44 LSB - [44] All these had taken up foreign women [as wives], and some of them had wives [by whom] they had children.

Ezra 4-6 - The Dedication of the House of God

Adversaries Discourage the Work

The Letter to King Artaxerxes

A Decree Makes the Men Stop Rebuilding

Ezr 4:23-24 LSB - 

[23] Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes' document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force and military. 

[24] Then the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Rebuilding the House of God Begins Again

Ezr 5:1-2 LSB - [1] And the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. [2] Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them supporting them.

Ezr 5:5 LSB - [5] But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and then a document be returned concerning this.

Tattenai and Others Write to King Darius

The Scroll with Cyrus’ Decree is Found

Ezr 6:1 LSB - [1] Then King Darius issued a decree, and a search was made in the archives, where the treasures were deposited in Babylon.

Ezr 6:12 LSB - [12] "May the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who stretches out his hand to change [it], so as to destroy that house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued [this] decree, let [it] be done with all diligence!"

The Dedication of the House of God

Ezr 6:14 LSB - [14] And the elders of the Jews were building and succeeding through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. So they built and completed [it] according to the decree of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

Ezr 6:15 LSB - [15] And this house was brought to completion on the third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Passover Celebrated

Ezr 6:19 LSB - [19] And the exiles celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth of the first month.

Ezr 6:22 LSB - [22] And they celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with gladness, for Yahweh had caused them to be glad and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.