Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the book of
Revelation, chapters 10 through 12. Chapter 10.
I saw still another mighty angel coming down
from heaven clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow
was on his head, his face was like the sun, and
his feet like pillars of fire. He had a little
book open in his hand, and he set his right foot
on the sea and his left foot on the land, and
cried with a loud voice as when a lion roars.
When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their
voices. Now when the seven thunders uttered their
voices, I was about to write, but I heard a voice
from heaven saying to me, Seal up the things
which the seven thunders uttered and do not write
them. the angel whom i saw standing on the sea
and on the land raised up his hand to heaven
and swore by him who lives forever and ever who
created heaven and the things that are in it
the earth and the things that are in it and the
sea and the things that are in it that there
should be delay no longer but in the days of
the sounding of the seventh angel when he is
about to sound the mystery of god would be finished
as he declared to his servants the prophets.
Then a voice which I heard from heaven spoke
to me again and said, Go take the little book
which is open in the hand of the angel who stands
on the sea and on earth. So I went to the angel
and said to him, Give me the little book. And
he said to me, Take and eat it, and it will make
your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet
as honey in your mouth. Then I took the little
book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and
it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when
I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. And
he said to me, You must prophesy again about
many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. Chapter
11 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod,
and the angel stood saying, Rise and measure
the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship
there. But leave out the court which is outside
the temple, and do not measure it, for it has
been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread
the holy city underfoot for forty -two months.
And I will give power to my two witnesses, and
they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and
sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the
two olive trees and the two lampstands standing
before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants
to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth
and devours their enemies. and if anyone wants
to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain
falls in the days of their prophecy, and they
have power over waters to turn them to blood,
and to strike the earth with all plagues as often
as they desire. When they finish their testimony,
the beast that ascends out of the bottomless
pit will make war against them, overcome them,
and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie
in the street of the great city, which spiritually
is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord
was crucified. Then those from the peoples, tribes,
tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies
three and a half days, and not allow their dead
bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell
on the earth will rejoice over them. Make merry
and send gifts to one another, because these
two prophets tormented those who dwell on the
earth. Now after the three and a half days the
breath of life from God entered them, and they
stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those
who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from
heaven saying to them, Come up here. And they
ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies
saw them. In the same hour there was a great
earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In
the earthquake, 7 ,000 people were killed. The
rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of
heaven. The second wall is passed. Behold, the
third wall is coming quickly. Then a seventh
angel sounded, and there were loud voices in
heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have
become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he shall reign forever and ever. And the
twenty -four elders who sat before God on their
thrones fell on their faces and worshipped God,
saying, We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
the one who is and who was and who is to come.
Because you have taken your great power and reigned,
the nations were angry, and your wrath has come,
and the time of the dead, that they should be
judged, and that you should reward your servants,
the prophets and the saints, and those who fear
your name, small and great, and should destroy
those who destroy the earth. Then the temple
of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of his
covenant was seen in his temple, and there were
lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake,
and great hail. chapter twelve now a great sign
appeared in heaven a woman clothed with the sun
with the moon under her feet and on her head
a garland of twelve stars then being with child
she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth
And another sign appeared in heaven. Behold,
a great fiery red dragon, having seven heads
and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven
and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood
before the woman who was ready to give birth,
to devour her child as soon as it was born. She
bore a male child who was to rule all nations
with a rod of iron, and her child was caught
up to God and his throne. Then the woman fled
into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared
by God, that they should feed her there one thousand
two hundred and sixty days. And war broke out
in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with
the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought.
But they did not prevail, nor was there a place
found for them in heaven any longer. So the great
dragon was cast out, that serpent of old. called
the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world.
He was cast to the earth, and his angels were
cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice
saying in heaven, Now salvation and strength
and the kingdom of our God and the power of his
Christ have come. For the accuser of our brethren,
who accused them before our God day and night,
has been cast down. and they overcame him by
the blood of the lamb and by the word of their
testimony and they did not love their lives to
the death therefore rejoice o heavens and you
who dwell in them woe to the inhabitants of the
earth and the sea for the devil has come down
to you having great wrath because he knows that
he has a short time Now when the dragon saw that
he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted
the woman who gave birth to the male child. But
the woman was given two wings of a great eagle,
that she might fly into the wilderness to her
place, where she is nourished for a time and
times and half a time from the presence of the
serpent. So the serpent spewed water out of his
mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might
cause her to be carried away by the flood. But
the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened
its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the
dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon
was enraged with the woman, and he went to make
war with the rest of her offspring, who keep
the commandments of God and have the testimony
of Jesus Christ. I hope you enjoyed today's reading
as much as I did and I look forward to seeing
you again tomorrow to continue on our journey.
God bless you and have a great day.