“[Daniel speaking the fulfilment of the king’s dream]

“’All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king.  Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.  The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’

“’While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven , saying…

“Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.  Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.’ 

“And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.  But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and…

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel, and get twelve rods, from all their leaders according to their fathers’ households. 

“‘You shall write each name on his rod, and write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi; for there is one rod for the head of each of their fathers’ households.  You shall then deposit them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony, where I meet with you. 

“’It will come about that the rod of the man whom I choose will sprout.  Thus I will lessen from upon Myself the grumblings of the sons of Israel, who are grumbling against you.’

““Now the famine was severe in the land.  So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, ‘Go back, buy us a little food.’  Judah spoke to him, however, saying, ‘The man solemnly warned us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’…

“Then Israel said, ‘Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still had another brother?’  But they said, ‘The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive?  Have you another brother?’ So we answered his questions. 

“‘Could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?’ Judah said to his father Israel, ‘Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die…

“Praise the Lord!  O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.  Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the Lord, or can show forth all His praise?  How blessed are those who keep justice, who practice righteousness at all times!

“Remember me, O Lord, in Your favour toward Your people; visit me with Your salvation, that I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, that I may glory with Your inheritance.

““Praise the Lord:  Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights!  Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His hosts!  Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all stars of light! 

“Praise Him, highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens!   Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded, and they were created.  He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree which will not pass away…

“Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your power.  Hear my prayer, O God, give ear to the words of my mouth.  For strangers have risen against me and violent men have sought my life; they have not set God before them. 

“Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.  He will recompense the evil to my foes; destroy them in Your faithfulness…

“O Lord, You showed favour to Your land; You restored the captivity of Jacob.  You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin.  You withdrew all Your fury; You turned away from Your burning anger.  Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your indignation toward us to cease. 

“Will You be angry with us forever?  Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?  Will You not Yourself revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?  Show us Your lovingkindness, O Lord, and grant us Your salvation.,,

“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!  May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!  May He send you help from the sanctuary and support you from Zion!

“May He remember all your meal offerings and find your burnt offering acceptable.

“May He grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your counsel! …

“For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.  But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

“I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 

For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

“Wretched man that I am!  Who will set me free…

“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 take the water of life without cost. 

“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book; if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy….

“Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 

“Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. 

“‘I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches.  I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’” Revelation 21:14-16

If you’ve ever tried to get a blood stain out of your favourite shirt, this illustration seems nonsense…

[Jesus speaking] “’Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’”  Revelation 22:12-13

[Jesus teaching] “’Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent…

“And he [the angel] 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 bond servants the things must soon take place. 

“’And behold, I am coming quickly.  Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.’….

“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. 

“On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations….

“I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  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.  For nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it... 

“And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’  And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’ 

“Then He said to me, ‘It is done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. 

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.  

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were open; 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.  

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and

https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/

“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 testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God,

• and those who had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and...

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 

“And 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.