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 17 to 19. Chapter 17 Then
one of the seven angels, who had the seven bowls,
came and talked with me, saying to me, Come,
I will show you the judgment of the great harlot
who sits on many waters, with whom the kings
of the earth committed fornication. and the inhabitants
of the earth were made drunk with the wine of
her fornication. So he carried me away in the
spirit into the wilderness, and I saw a woman
sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of
names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten
horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet,
and adorned with gold and precious stones and
pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full
of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
And on her forehead a name was written, Mystery,
Babylon the Great. the mother of harlots, and
of the abominations of the earth. I saw the woman
drunk with the blood of the saints and with the
blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw
her, I marveled with great amazement. But the
angel said to me, Why do you marvel? I will tell
you the mystery of the woman and of the beast
that carries her, which has the seven heads and
the ten horns. The beast that you saw was and
is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless
pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell
on the earth will marvel. whose names are not
written in the book of life from the foundation
of the world, when they see the beast that was
and is not and yet is. Here is the mind which
has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains
on which the woman sits. There are also seven
kings. Five have fallen. One is and the other
has not yet come. And when he comes, he must
continue a short time. The beast that was and
is not is himself also the eighth and is of the
seven and is going to perdition. The ten horns
which you saw are ten kings who have received
no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority
for one hour as kings with the beast. These are
of one mind, and they will give their power and
authority to the beast. These will make war with
the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for
he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those
who are with him are called, chosen, and faithful.
Then he said to me, The waters which you saw,
where the harlot sits, Our peoples, multitudes,
nations, and tongues, and the ten horns which
you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot,
make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh, and
burn her with fire. For God has put it into their
hearts to fulfill his purpose to be of one mind
and to give their kingdom to the beast until
the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman
whom you saw is that great city which reigns
over the kings of the earth. After these things
I saw another angel coming down from heaven,
having great authority, and the earth was illuminated
with his glory. And he cried mightily with a
loud voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen,
and has become a dwelling place of demons. a
prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for
every unclean and hated bird. For all the nations
have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,
the kings of the earth have committed fornication
with her, and the merchants of the earth have
become rich through the abundance of her luxury.
And I heard another voice from heaven saying,
Come out of her, my people, lest you share in
her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
For her sins have reached to heaven. and God
has remembered her iniquities. Render to her
just as she rendered to you, and repay her double
according to her works. In the cup which she
has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure
that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously,
in the same measure give her torment and sorrow.
For she says in her heart, I sit as queen, and
am no widow, and will not see sorrow. Therefore
her plagues will come in one day, death, and
mourning, and famine, and she will be utterly
burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God
who judges her. The kings of the earth, who committed
fornication and lived luxuriously with her, will
weep and lament for her when they see the smoke
of her burning, standing at a distance for fear
of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great
city Babylon, that mighty city, for in one hour
your judgment has come. And the merchants of
the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no
one buys their merchandise any more. Merchandise
of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls,
fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every
kind of citron wood, every kind of object of
ivory, every kind of object of most precious
wood, bronze, iron and marble, and cinnamon and
incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine
and oil, fine flour and wheat. cattle and sheep,
horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of
men. The fruit that your soul longed for has
gone from you, and all the things which are rich
and splendid have gone from you, and you shall
find them no more at all. The merchants of these
things, who became rich by her, will stand at
a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and
wailing. and saying alas alas that great city
that was clothed in fine linen purple and scarlet
and adorned with gold and precious stones and
pearls for in one hour such great riches came
to nothing every shipmaster all who travelled
by ship sailors and as many as strayed on the
sea stood at a distance and cried out when they
saw the smoke of her burning saying what is like
this great city They threw dust on their heads
and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying,
Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who
had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth,
for in one hour she is made desolate. Rejoice
over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and
prophets, for God has avenged you on her. Then
a mighty angel took up a stone, like a great
millstone, and threw it into the sea, saying,
Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall
be thrown down, and shall not be found any more.
The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and
trumpeters shall not be heard in you any more.
No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you
any more, and the sound of a millstone shall
not be heard in you any more. The light of a
lamp shall not shine in you any more, and the
voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard
in you any more. For your merchants were the
great men of the earth. For by your sorcery all
the nations were deceived. And in her was found
the blood of prophets and saints, and of all
who were slain on the earth. Chapter 19 After
these things I heard the loud voice of a great
multitude in heaven saying, alleluia salvation
and glory and honor and power belong to the lord
our god for true and righteous are his judgments
because he has judged the great harlot who corrupted
the earth with her fornication and he has avenged
on her the blood of his servants shed by her
again they said alleluia her smoke rises up forever
and ever and the 24 elders and the four living
creatures fell down and worshiped god who sat
on the throne saying ameen alleluia Then a voice
came from the throne, saying, Praise our God,
all you his servants and those who fear him,
both small and great. And I heard, as it were,
the voice of a great multitude, as the sound
of many waters, and as the sound of mighty thunderings,
saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent
reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and give him
glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come.
and his wife has made herself ready. And to her
it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous
acts of the saints. Then he said to me, Write,
Blessed are those who are called to the marriage
supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, These
are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his
feet to worship him. But he said to me, See that
you do not do that. I am your fellow servant,
and of your brethren who have the testimony of
Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy. Now I saw heaven opened,
and behold, a white horse. And he who sat on
him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness
he judges and makes war. His eyes were like a
flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns.
He had a name written that no one knew except
himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in
blood, and his name is called the Word of God.
And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean, followed him on white horses.
Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that
with it he should strike the nations, and he
himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He
himself treads the winepress of the fierceness
and wrath of Almighty God, and he has on his
robe and on his thigh a name written, King of
Kings and Lord of Lords. Then I saw an angel
standing in the sun. And he cried with a loud
voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the
midst of heaven, Come and gather together for
the supper of the great God, that you may eat
the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the
flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and
of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all
people, free and slave, both small and great.
And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth and
their armies, gather together to make war against
him who sat on a horse and against his army.
Then the beast was captured, and with him the
false prophet who worked signs in his presence,
by which he deceived those who received the mark
of the beast and those who worshipped his image.
These two were cast live into the lake of fire
burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed
with the sword which proceeded from the mouth
of him who sat on a horse. And all the birds
were filled with their flesh. 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.