Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



And I saw what seemed to be an ocean of glass, mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast, his statue and the number of his name. They were standing beside [or, "on"] the ocean of glass and held harps [given to them] by God. Verse ConceptsGlassequipping, physicaldefeatSeaPromised VictoryBeastsSea Of GlassGod Appearing In FireHarpsTransparencyOvercoming Through Christ

And I saw a beast coming up out of the ocean. It had ten horns and seven heads, and [it had] ten crowns on his horns and on each head there was a blasphemous name [i.e., a name that slandered God]. Verse ConceptsCreaturesBlasphemy, Examples OfThe BeastSeaSevenSeven Body PartsTen ThingsSeashoresHorns In AllegoryBlasphemyCrowns On CreaturesSand And GravelThe World Ruler

Then the voice which I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go [and] take the open book [being held] in the hand of the angel [See verse 2], who is standing on the ocean and on the land." Verse ConceptsThe Act Of OpeningOpening Documents

And there was an ocean, as crystal-clear as glass, in front of the throne. And at the center, surrounding the throne were four living beings, covered with eyes in the front and back of them. [Note: In view of Isa. 6:1-3 and especially Eze. 10:20ff, these "living beings" appear to be some special order of heavenly beings who inhabit the presence of God]. Verse ConceptsCrystalsMineralsSeaCherubim, At God's ThroneFour CreaturesSea Of GlassTransparencyEyes In ProphecyIn FrontFront And BackExpanse Of The SeaThe OceanThe Sea


He held in his hand a little book [i.e., scroll] which was open. And he placed his right foot on the ocean and his left foot on the land, Verse ConceptsFeetScrollsThe Act Of OpeningOpening DocumentsBooks In ProphecyOther Right PartsLeft Hand Side

And the angel I saw standing on the ocean and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven and took an oath to God, who lives forever and ever, and who created heaven and earth and [all] the things in them, and the ocean and [all] the things in it [saying], "There will be no further delay [i.e., before God's purposes are fulfilled].

[When] the second angel sounded its trumpet [I saw] what seemed like a huge mountain, ablaze with fire, being thrown into the ocean. And one third of the ocean turned to blood, and one third of [all] living sea creatures died, and one third of [all] ships were destroyed.

Then the second [angel] poured out his bowl into the ocean, making it turn into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the ocean died. Verse ConceptsTurned To BloodBad WaterDeath Of CreaturesSecond BeingBloodThe OceanThe SeaThe Environment

Then after these things I looked and [saw] in heaven the Temple [consisting] of the Tabernacle of the Testimony was opened up. [Note: This heavenly vision is described in language reminiscent of the Tabernacle of Moses' day]. And out of the Temple there came the seven angels that had the seven plagues [i.e., judgments]. They were dressed in clean, bright linen [clothing] and they had golden sashes wrapped around their chests. And one of the four living beings gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. read more.
And the Temple was filled with smoke from the splendor and power of God, and no one could enter the Temple until the seven plagues [brought on] by the seven angels were completed.

Then I heard a loud voice from the Temple saying to the seven angels, "You [angels], go and pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath upon the earth." So, the first [angel] went and poured out his bowl onto the earth and a terrible and painful sore broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Then the second [angel] poured out his bowl into the ocean, making it turn into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the ocean died. read more.
And [then] the third [angel] poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned into blood. Then I heard the angel [in charge] of the waters saying, "You are just, [you] who are [in the present] and who were [in the past], O Holy One, because you have judged [that these things should happen]. For they [i.e., the followers of the beast. See verse 2] have shed the blood of God's holy people and [their] prophets, and you have given them blood to drink because they deserved it [i.e., these persecutors deserved the punishment they received for shedding blood]. And I heard [a voice from] the Altar saying, "Yes, O Lord, God Almighty, your judgments are true and just." Then the fourth [angel] poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to burn people with [its] fire. And people were seared by the intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these judgments [i.e., the authority to inflict them], but they refused to repent and honor God. [See verse 2]. And the fifth [angel] poured out his bowl on the throne of the [first] beast [See 13:2], and darkness fell over his kingdom. And they [See verse 2] chewed their tongues in agony, and they cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. But they [still] refused to repent of their [evil] deeds. And the sixth [angel] poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River and its water was dried up, so that the road would be prepared for the kings from the east [to travel on]. And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; [one was] coming out of the mouth of the dragon, [one] out of the mouth of the beast, and [one] out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, which perform [supernatural] signs. These spirits go out to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for battle on the great day of Almighty God. [Note: At this point the Lord's voice breaks into John's vision]. ("Look, I am coming like a thief. That person is happy who stays alert and is dressed [properly], so he does not appear naked and have to be shamefully exposed"). So, the [demonic] spirits assembled the kings together at the place which is called "Armageddon" in Hebrew. [Note: "Armageddon" means "mountain of Megiddo" and was a site in northwestern Palestine where several decisive battles had been fought centuries earlier. See Judges 4,5,7]. Then the seventh [angel] poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the Temple from the throne [of God], saying, "It is over!" [i.e., the series of judgments have been completed].

Then the second [angel] poured out his bowl into the ocean, making it turn into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the ocean died. Verse ConceptsTurned To BloodBad WaterDeath Of CreaturesSecond BeingBloodThe OceanThe SeaThe Environment

Then the second [angel] poured out his bowl into the ocean, making it turn into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the ocean died. And [then] the third [angel] poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned into blood. Then I heard the angel [in charge] of the waters saying, "You are just, [you] who are [in the present] and who were [in the past], O Holy One, because you have judged [that these things should happen].

Then I saw another great and marvelous [supernatural] sign in heaven. There were seven angels that had the seven last judgments which would complete the wrath of God. And I saw what seemed to be an ocean of glass, mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast, his statue and the number of his name. They were standing beside [or, "on"] the ocean of glass and held harps [given to them] by God. And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb. [The words were], "Your deeds are great and marvelous, O Lord, God Almighty; your ways are just and true, O King of the nations [or, "ages"]. read more.
O Lord, who will not fear [you] and honor your name, for only you are holy? [So], all the nations will come and worship in front of you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed." Then after these things I looked and [saw] in heaven the Temple [consisting] of the Tabernacle of the Testimony was opened up. [Note: This heavenly vision is described in language reminiscent of the Tabernacle of Moses' day]. And out of the Temple there came the seven angels that had the seven plagues [i.e., judgments]. They were dressed in clean, bright linen [clothing] and they had golden sashes wrapped around their chests. And one of the four living beings gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. And the Temple was filled with smoke from the splendor and power of God, and no one could enter the Temple until the seven plagues [brought on] by the seven angels were completed.

Then I heard a loud voice from the Temple saying to the seven angels, "You [angels], go and pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath upon the earth." So, the first [angel] went and poured out his bowl onto the earth and a terrible and painful sore broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Then the second [angel] poured out his bowl into the ocean, making it turn into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the ocean died. read more.
And [then] the third [angel] poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned into blood. Then I heard the angel [in charge] of the waters saying, "You are just, [you] who are [in the present] and who were [in the past], O Holy One, because you have judged [that these things should happen]. For they [i.e., the followers of the beast. See verse 2] have shed the blood of God's holy people and [their] prophets, and you have given them blood to drink because they deserved it [i.e., these persecutors deserved the punishment they received for shedding blood]. And I heard [a voice from] the Altar saying, "Yes, O Lord, God Almighty, your judgments are true and just." Then the fourth [angel] poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to burn people with [its] fire. And people were seared by the intense heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these judgments [i.e., the authority to inflict them], but they refused to repent and honor God. [See verse 2]. And the fifth [angel] poured out his bowl on the throne of the [first] beast [See 13:2], and darkness fell over his kingdom. And they [See verse 2] chewed their tongues in agony, and they cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. But they [still] refused to repent of their [evil] deeds. And the sixth [angel] poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River and its water was dried up, so that the road would be prepared for the kings from the east [to travel on]. And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; [one was] coming out of the mouth of the dragon, [one] out of the mouth of the beast, and [one] out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, which perform [supernatural] signs. These spirits go out to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for battle on the great day of Almighty God. [Note: At this point the Lord's voice breaks into John's vision]. ("Look, I am coming like a thief. That person is happy who stays alert and is dressed [properly], so he does not appear naked and have to be shamefully exposed"). So, the [demonic] spirits assembled the kings together at the place which is called "Armageddon" in Hebrew. [Note: "Armageddon" means "mountain of Megiddo" and was a site in northwestern Palestine where several decisive battles had been fought centuries earlier. See Judges 4,5,7]. Then the seventh [angel] poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the Temple from the throne [of God], saying, "It is over!" [i.e., the series of judgments have been completed]. [At that moment] there were flashes of lightning, [loud] sounds of rolling thunder, and a severe earthquake, worse than any since mankind was on earth; it was a terrible earthquake. And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations were destroyed. And God remembered the great Babylon and made her drink from the cup of wine of His fierce anger. And every island disappeared and the mountains could not be found. And huge hailstones, weighing about one hundred pounds each, fell on people from the sky, and they cursed God because of this plague of hailstones, for it was an extremely severe plague.