The Bible Story Part 333

And when the living creatures shall give glory and {468} honour and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy art thou, our Lord and our G.o.d, to receive the glory and the honour and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created."

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?"

And no one in the heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look thereon.

And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look thereon: and one of the elders saith unto me, "Weep not: behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome, to open the book and the seven seals thereof."

And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of G.o.d, sent forth into all the earth. And he came, and he taketh it out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down {469} before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

And they sing a new song, saying, "Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and didst purchase unto G.o.d with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, and madest them to be unto our G.o.d a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon the earth."

And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a great voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and glory, and blessing." And every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things that are in them, heard I saying, "Unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, be the blessing, and the honour, and the glory, and the dominion, for ever and ever."

And the four living creatures said, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshipped.

And I saw 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."

And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.

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And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come."

And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come."

And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not."

And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come."

And I saw, and behold, a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his name was Death; and Hades followed with him. And there was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of G.o.d, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a great voice, saying, "How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?"

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SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST By Dolci [End ill.u.s.tration]

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And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, which should be killed even as they were, should be fulfilled.

And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood; and the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs, when she is shaken of a great wind. And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand?"

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow on the earth, or on the sea, or upon any tree. And I saw another angel ascend from the sun rising, having the seal of the living G.o.d: and he cried with a great voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, "Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our G.o.d on their foreheads."

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And I heard the number of them which were sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel.

After these things I saw, and behold, a great mult.i.tude, which no man could number, out of every nation, and of all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands; and they cry with a great voice, saying, "Salvation unto our G.o.d which sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb."

And all the angels were standing round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped G.o.d, saying, "Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our G.o.d for ever and ever. Amen."

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, "These which are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and whence come they?"

And I say unto him, "My lord, thou knowest."

And he said to me, "These are they which come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of G.o.d; and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat: for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall be their {475} shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and G.o.d shall wipe away every tear from their eyes."

And I saw as it were a gla.s.sy sea mingled with fire; and them that come victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the gla.s.sy sea, having harps of G.o.d.

And they sing the song of Moses the servant of G.o.d, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord G.o.d, the Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages. Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy righteous acts have been made manifest."

And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: and there came out from the temple the seven angels that had the seven plagues, arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright, and girt about their b.r.e.a.s.t.s with golden girdles. And one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of G.o.d, who liveth for ever and ever.

And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of G.o.d, and from his power; and none was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished.

And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon, called "Faithful and True"; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

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And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written, which no one knoweth but he himself. And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called "The Word of G.o.d."

And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty G.o.d. And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written,

King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

VISIONS OF THE HEAVENLY CITY

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are pa.s.sed away; and the sea is no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from G.o.d, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of G.o.d is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and G.o.d himself shall be with them, and be their G.o.d: and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are pa.s.sed away.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain {477} great and high, and shewed me the holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from G.o.d, having the glory of G.o.d: her light was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal: having a wall great and high; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: on the east were three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that spake with me had for a measure a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. And the building of the wall thereof was jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto pure gla.s.s.

The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the several gates was of one pearl: and the street of {478} the city was pure gold, as it were transparent gla.s.s. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord G.o.d the Almighty, and the Lamb are the temple thereof. And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of G.o.d did lighten it, and the lamp thereof is the Lamb. And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory into it. And the gates thereof shall in no wise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there): and they shall bring the glory and the honour of the nations into it: and there shall in no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh an abomination and a lie: but only they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. And he shewed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of G.o.d and of the Lamb, in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no curse any more: and the throne of G.o.d and of the Lamb shall be therein: and his servants shall do him service; and they shall see his face; and his name shall be on their foreheads. And there shall be night no more; and they need no light of lamp, neither light of sun; for the Lord G.o.d shall give them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

--_Revelations 21:1-4, 10-27; 22:1-5_.

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HYMNS OF THE AGES

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