Revelation 19-22: New and Forever

We finish Revelation 19 to 22 and hit a major milestone after 426 episodes: reading the whole Bible out loud. The story ends with justice fully served and hope fully unveiled as God makes all things new and invites the thirsty to come.
• finishing the book of Revelation and celebrating the Bible-read milestone 
• why reading Scripture once is not the finish line 
• worship in heaven and the wedding celebration of the Lamb 
• the Rider on the white horse and the defeat of the beast and false prophet 
• Satan bound, released, and finally thrown into the lake of fire 
• the Great White Throne judgment and the book of life 
• the new heaven and new earth and God dwelling with his people 
• the New Jerusalem, its light, and the promise of no more death 
• the river of the water of life and the tree of life for healing 
• final warnings about keeping the words of Revelation and the repeated promise “I am coming soon” 

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Transcript

Finishing The Bible Milestone

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Hey, thanks for joining me here on the Outlaw Bible Project Podcast, and this is Mike, and we today are finishing up the book of Revelation. Can you believe it? We are 426 episodes in, and in that time after today, we will have covered the whole Bible out loud. Now it's not time to get all sappy and sentimental right now. We will have uh some more conversations ahead about what the podcast will continue to look like as we move on and some new things and some exciting things, and we're by no means done. Just because we've read through the Bible once does not mean that we're done. And I would say that's true of any of us reading the Bible. Yeah, have you read it all the way through? Have you read everything? That's great. Go back and do it again. Keep staying in it. It is deep enough that we'll never get to the bottom of it. But in the meantime, we just keep opening our hearts and asking God to show us more and teach us more about Himself, and we're gonna stay faithful with it. We're gonna stay faithful with uh reading the Bible. And uh so we're gonna do it in a different order and some different emphases as we move on. Well, again, more about that in some future episodes. Today we do have a job to do, and it is to read Revelation chapter 19 through the end, through 22, as we read the end of the book of Revelation, the end of the book, and

Keep Reading And Go Deeper

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not the end of all things, really. Today, we get to start talking about some of the beginning of eternity. Man, it's exciting. It's a this is a the much more fun and uplifting part of Revelation. The chapters up to now have been a lot of judgments, a lot of wrath, a lot of justice. Uh, very scary if you're on the wrong side of the justice, if you have been committing injustices and rebellion against God, then yes, the previous chapters are not very promising for you. However, uh, God is fair, he is just, he's on the throne, nothing catches him by surprise, nothing catches him off guard, and he indeed will bring everything to its proper and fitting finish, including casting Satan out, being done with that mess, being done with sin and the effects of sin in the earth and in everything. All creation groans now, the Bible says, and we can feel that. We can feel the groan of just like, uh, it's not what it's supposed to be. Well, today we get to read about what it is supposed to be and what we can expect it to be. So as I read Revelation 19 through 22 today, just let your shoulders down and let your soul rest as we take this time to trust that what Jesus says is true and will happen. It's not a matter of if, but when, when it comes to the book of Revelation. Let's read Revelation 19 through 22 in the New English Translation. After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven saying, Hallelujah, salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because

Hallelujah And The Lamb’s Wedding

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his judgments are true and just, for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and has avenged the blood of his servants poured out by her own hands. Then a second time the crowd shouted, Hallelujah! The smoke rises from her forever and ever. The twenty four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground and worshipped God who was seated on the throne, saying, Amen, hallelujah. Then a voice came from the throne saying, Praise our God, all you his servants, and all you who fear him, both the small and the great. Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder, and they were shouting, Hallelujah, for the Lord our God, the all powerful reigns, let us rejoice and exult, and give him glory, because the wedding celebration of the lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen. For the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Then the angels said to me, Write the following Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the lamb. He also said to me, These are the true words of God. So I threw myself down at his feet to worship him, but he said, No, don't do this, I'm only a fellow servant with you, and your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony about Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Then I saw heaven opened, and here came a white horse. The one riding it was called faithful and true, and with

The Rider On The White Horse

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justice he judges and goes to war. His eyes are like a fiery flame, and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself, and he's dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he's called the Word of God. The armies that are in heaven dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on the white horses. That's us, by the way. Remember that we are the saints who are dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. From the mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the wine press of the furious wrath of God, the all-powerful. He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Then I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky, Come, gather around for the great banquet of God, to eat your fill of the flesh of kings, the flesh of generals, the flesh of powerful people, the flesh of horses and those who ride them, and the flesh of all people, both slave and free, and small and great. Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army. Now the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf, signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulphur. The others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh. Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil,

The Thousand Years And Satan Bound

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and Satan, and tied him up for a thousand years. The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. After these things he must be released for a brief period of time. And then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with God for a thousand years. The rest of the dead didn't come to life until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they'll be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. Now, when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea, and they went up on the broad plain of the earth and encircled the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely. And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are too, and they'll be tormented there day and night forever. Then I saw a large white throne, and the one who was seated on it, and earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and

The Great White Throne Judgment

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the small, standing before the throne. Then books were opened, and another book was opened, the book of life, so the dead were judged by what was written in the books according to their deeds. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire. Tracking so far, so so far all of the end times figures, the beast, this antichrist, this false prophet, they are all cast into the lake of fire. Satan himself has now been cast into the lake of fire, and now those who were dead are now being judged according to their deeds. If they're not in the book of life, they are now thrown at the lake of fire, the permanent second death. And now here's where we get to let our shoulders drop a little bit and take a deep breath. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist,

New Heaven And New Earth

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and the sea existed no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look, the residence of God is among human beings. He will live among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. Again, do you see the parallels with how this all began? In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Here we have a new heaven and a new earth. And when what did God say when he established his tabernacle among his people? He said, He will live among them, they will be his people, and God himself will be with them. Here we are coming full circle. Now everyone gets to be with God. He gets to live among the humans that he created, this his special creatures to be his children. Verse four, He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any more or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist. And the one seated on the throne said, Look, I am making all things new. Then he said to me, Write it down, because these words are reliable and true. He also said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who's thirsty, I'll give water free of charge from the spring of the water of life. Does that sound like John chapter four and the woman at the well to you? The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. But as for the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and all those who practice magic spells, idol worshippers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death. And then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me, saying, Come, I'll show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb. And so he took me

New Jerusalem Comes Down

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away in the spirit to a huge, majestic mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. The city possesses the glory of God. Its brilliance is like a precious jewel, like a stone of crystal clear jasper. It has a massive high wall with twelve gates, with twelve angels at the gates, and the names of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel are written on the gates. There are three gates on the east side, three gates on the north side, three gates on the south side, and three gates on the west side. The wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. I wonder if John saw his. The angel who spoke to me had a golden measuring rod with which to measure the city and its foundation stones and walls. Now the city is laid out as a square, its length and width the same. He measured the city with a measuring rod at fourteen hundred miles. Its length and width and height are equal, and he measured its wall, 144 cubits according to human measurement, which is also the angels. The city's wall is made of jasper, and the city is pure gold, like transparent glass. The foundations of the city's walls are decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysalite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprace, the eleventh Jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls. Each one of the gates is made from just one pearl. The main street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass. Now I saw no temple in the city because the Lord God, the all powerful, and the Lamb are its temple. The city doesn't need the sun or the moon to shine on it because the glory of God lights it up, and the lamp is the lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their grandeur into it. Its gates will never be closed during the day, and there will be no night there, and they will bring the grandeur and the wealth of the nations into it, but nothing ritually unclean will ever enter into it, nor any one who does what's detestable or practices falsehood, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, water as clear as crystal, pouring out from the throne of God and of the Lamb, flowing down the middle of the city's main street.

River Of Life And Tree Of Life

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On each side of the river is the tree of life, producing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month of the year. Its leaves are for the healing of the nations, and there will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and the lamb will be in the city, his servants will worship him, and they'll see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads, night will be no more, and they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever. Then the angel said to me, These words are reliable and true. The Lord, the God of the spirit of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon.

Coming Soon And Final Warnings

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Look, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy expressed in this book. I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw them, I threw myself down to worship at the feet of the angel who was showing them to me, but he said to me, Don't do this, I am a fellow servant with you, and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who obey the words of this book. Worship God. Then he said to me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy contained in this book, because the time is near. The evildoer must continue to do evil, and the one who is morally filthy must continue to be filthy. The one who is righteous must continue to act righteously, and the one who is holy must continue to be holy. Look, I'm coming soon, and my reward is with me to pay each one according to what he's done. I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can have access to the tree of life and can enter into the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star. And 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 wants it take the water of life free of charge. I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book. If anyone adds to them, I will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life, and in the holy city that are described in this book. The one who testifies to these things says, Yes. I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. And that concludes the book of Revelation. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. Thanks for joining me here. I'll see you next time.