In 2007 the congregation read through "The Message" New Testament by Eugene Peterson. This lesson is taken from the assigned reading from September 2-8-07

1. The Victory & The Victorious Revelation 19:11 MSG Then I saw Heaven open wide--and oh! a white horse and its Rider.

2. On the white horse as a symbol of the final victory that is to be obtained over the beast and the false prophet, and of the final triumph of the church. (Barnes)

3. The Rider, named Faithful and True, judges and makes war in pure righteousness.

4. He is not designated here by his usual and real name, but by his attributes. “ Faithful and True” (Albert Barnes Notes on the Bible)

5. 12 His eyes are a blaze of fire, There can be no doubt that the Messiah is intended, as he goes forth to the subjugation of the world to himself.

6. on his head many crowns. To denote the multitude of his conquests, and the extent of his dominion.

7. He has a Name inscribed that's known only to himself. This is a reference to Yhvh; or what we call Jehovah. This name the Jews never attempt to pronounce: (Clarke)

8. He is dressed in a robe soaked with blood, Either in his own, by which he became the Saviour of his church and people;

9. or else in the blood of his saints, he now comes to avenge; or rather in the blood of his enemies, (Gill)

10. and he is addressed as "Word of God.“ This name for our Lord is found in the New Testament only in the writings of John.

11. It is one of the links which connects Revelation with John's other writings. (Vincent’s Word Studies)

12. 14 The armies of Heaven, mounted on white horses Angels and saints over whom Jesus Christ is Captain, (Adam Clarke’s Commentary)

13. These armies are the armies of the saints, purified, holy, a conquering host, led by Christ to victory. (People’s New Testament notes)

14. The heavenly hosts; particularly, it would seem, the redeemed, as there would be some incongruity in representing the angels as riding in this manner. (Barnes)

15. and dressed in dazzling white linen, follow him. The usual raiment of those who are in heaven, as everywhere represented in this book. (Barnes)

16. 15 A sharp sword comes out of his mouth so he can subdue the nations, then rule them with a rod of iron.

17. This appears to mean the word of the Gospel, by which his enemies are confounded, and his friends supported and comforted. (Clarke)

18. He treads the winepress of the raging wrath of God, the Sovereign-Strong.

19. As the grapes are trodden to express the juice, so his enemies shall be bruised and beaten, so that their life’s blood shall be poured out. (Clarke)

20. 16 On his robe and thigh is written, KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS. Of the various titles given to Christ in this passage this is the highest and marks him as supreme. (PNT)

21. 17 I saw an Angel standing in the sun, shouting to all flying birds in Middle-Heaven, "Come to the Great Supper of God

22. As to a great feast, which the vengeance of God will soon provide; a strongly figurative expression, denoting the vastness of the ensuing slaughter. (Wesley)

23. 18 Feast on the flesh of kings and captains and champions, horses and their riders. Eat your fill of them all--free and slave, small and great!"

24. The picture drawn is that of the terrible slaughter of a mighty defeat, which leaves the earth covered with the slain of every degree.

25. The conflict meant is that named in next verse. 19 I saw the Beast and, assembled with him, earth's kings and their armies, ready to make war against the One on the horse and his army.

26. This beast represents the world power opposed to Christ under its changing forms. 20 The Beast was taken It is the beast's last appearance. He is now finally overthrown. (PNT)

27. and with him, his puppet, the False Prophet, who used signs to dazzle and deceive those who had taken the mark of the Beast and worshiped his image.

28. They were thrown alive, those two, into Lake Fire and Brimstone. 21 The rest were killed by the sword of the One on the horse,

29. the sword that comes from his mouth. All the birds held a feast on their flesh.

30. That is, they were cut down by a word. They fell before him as he spake, as if they were slain by the sword. (Barnes)

31. Revelation 20 - SUMMARY.--Satan Bound for a Thousand Years. Thrones and Saints Reigning with Christ. The First Resurrection.

32. Satan Loosed at the End of a Thousand Years. The Gathering of Gog and Magog and of the Nations. Their Attack Upon the Saints.

33. Their Destruction. The Devil Cast into the Lake of Fire. The Great Judgment. (PNT)

34. 20:1 I saw an Angel descending out of Heaven. He carried the key to the Abyss and a chain--a huge chain.

35. 2 He grabbed the Dragon, that old Snake--the very Devil, Satan himself!--chained him up for a thousand years,

36. 3 dumped him into the Abyss, slammed it shut and sealed it tight. No more trouble out of him, deceiving the nations--until the thousand years are up.

37. After that he has to be let loose briefly. 4 I saw thrones. Those put in charge of judgment sat on the thrones.

38. I also saw the souls of those beheaded because of their witness to Jesus and the Word of God,

39. who refused to worship either the Beast or his image, refused to take his mark on forehead or hand--they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years!

40. 5 The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years were up. This is the first resurrection--

41. 6 and those involved most blessed, most holy. No second death for them! They're priests of God and Christ; they'll reign with him a thousand years.

42. 7 When the thousand years are up, Satan will be let loose from his cell, 8 and will launch again his old work of deceiving the nations,

43. searching out victims in every nook and cranny of earth, even Gog and Magog! He'll talk them into going to war and will gather a huge army, millions strong.

44. 9 They’ll stream across the earth, surround and lay siege to the camp of God's holy people, the Beloved City.

45. They'll no sooner get there than fire will pour out of Heaven and burn them up. 10 The Devil who deceived them will be hurled into Lake Fire and Brimstone,

46. joining the Beast and False Prophet, the three in torment around the clock for ages without end.

47. 11 I saw a Great White Throne and the One Enthroned. Nothing could stand before or against the Presence, nothing in Heaven, nothing on earth.

48. 12 And then I saw all the dead, great and small, standing there--before the Throne! And books were opened.

49. Then another book was opened: the Book of Life. The dead were judged by what was written in the books, by the way they had lived.

50. 13 Sea released its dead, Death and Hell turned in their dead. Each man and woman was judged by the way he or she had lived.

51. 14 Then Death and Hell were hurled into Lake Fire. This is the second death--Lake Fire.

52. 15 Anyone whose name was not found inscribed in the Book of Life was hurled into Lake Fire.

53. Revelation 21 - SUMMARY.--The New Heaven and New Earth. The Bride, the Lamb's Wife. The City Coming Down out of Heaven.

54. Its Walls, Gates, Foundation. The City of Gold and Gates of Pearl. The Light of the City. Its Holiness. (PNT)

55. 21:1 I saw Heaven and earth new-created. Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea.

56. 3 I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: "Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God.

57. 4 He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good--tears gone, crying gone, pain gone--all the first order of things gone."

58. 5 The Enthroned continued, "Look! I'm making everything new. Write it all down--each word dependable and accurate."

59. 6 Then he said, "It's happened. I'm A to Z. I'm the Beginning, I'm the Conclusion. From Water-of-Life Well I give freely to the thirsty.

60. 7 Conquerors inherit all this. I'll be God to them, they'll be sons and daughters to me. 8 But for the rest--the feckless and faithless,

61. degenerates and murderers, sex peddlers and sorcerers, idolaters and all liars--for them it's Lake Fire and Brimstone. Second death!"

62. 9 One of the Seven Angels who had carried the bowls filled with the seven final disasters spoke to me: "Come here. I'll show you the Bride, the Wife of the Lamb."

63. 10 He took me away in the Spirit to an enormous, high mountain and showed me Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God,

64. 11 resplendent in the bright glory of God. The City shimmered like a precious gem, light-filled, pulsing light.

65. 12 She had a wall majestic and high with twelve gates. At each gate stood an Angel, and on the gates were inscribed the names of the Twelve Tribes of the sons of Israel:

66. 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, three gates on the west.

67. 14 The wall was set on twelve foundations, the names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb inscribed on them.

68. 15 The Angel speaking with me had a gold measuring stick to measure the City, its gates, and its wall.

69. 16 The City was laid out in a perfect square. He measured the City with the measuring stick: twelve thousand stadia, its length, width, and height all equal.

70. 17 Using the standard measure, the Angel measured the thickness of its wall: 144 cubits. 18 The wall was jasper, the color of Glory, and the City was pure gold, translucent as glass.

71. 19 The foundations of the City walls were garnished with every precious gem imaginable: the first foundation jasper,

72. the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite,

73. the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

74. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate a single pearl. The main street of the City was pure gold, translucent as glass.

75. 22 But there was no sign of a Temple, for the Lord God--the Sovereign-Strong--and the Lamb are the Temple.

76. 23 The City doesn't need sun or moon for light. God's Glory is its light, the Lamb its lamp!

77. 24 The nations will walk in its light and earth's kings bring in their splendor. 25 Its gates will never be shut by day, and there won't be any night.

78. 26 They’ll bring the glory and honor of the nations into the City. 27 Nothing dirty or defiled will get into the City, and no one who defiles or deceives.

79. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will get in.

80. Revelation 22 - SUMMARY.--The River of the Water of Life. The Tree of Life. The Divine Light of the City. Its Heavenly Purity.

81. The Lord's Promise to Come. The Church Says Come. The Curse Upon Those Who Add to or Take from this Book. (PNT)

82. 22:1 Then the Angel showed me Water-of-Life River, crystal bright. It flowed from the Throne of God and the Lamb, 2 right down the middle of the street.

83. The Tree of Life was planted on each side of the River, producing twelve kinds of fruit, a ripe fruit each month. The leaves of the Tree are for healing the nations.

84. 3 Never again will anything be cursed. The Throne of God and of the Lamb is at the center.

85. His servants will offer God service--worshiping, 4 they’ll look on his face, their foreheads mirroring God.

86. 5 Never again will there be any night. No one will need lamplight or sunlight. The shining of God, the Master, is all the light anyone needs.

87. And they will rule with him age after age after age. 6 The Angel said to me, "These are dependable and accurate words, every one.

88. The God and Master of the spirits of the prophets sent his Angel to show his servants what must take place, and soon.

89. 7 And tell them, 'Yes, I'm on my way!' Blessed be the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

90. 8 I, John, saw all these things with my own eyes, heard them with my ears. Immediately when I heard and saw,

91. I fell on my face to worship at the feet of the Angel who laid it all out before me. 9 He objected, "No you don't!

92. I'm a servant just like you and your companions, the prophets, and all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"

93. 10 The Angel continued, "Don't seal the words of the prophecy of this book; don't put it away on the shelf. Time is just about up.

94. 11 Let evildoers do their worst and the dirty-minded go all out in pollution, but let the righteous maintain a straight course and the holy continue on in holiness."

95. 12 “Yes, I'm on my way! I'll be there soon! I'm bringing my payroll with me. I'll pay all people in full for their life's work.

96. 13 I’m A to Z, the First and the Final, Beginning and Conclusion. 14 “How blessed are those who wash their robes!

97. The Tree of Life is theirs for good, and they'll walk through the gates to the City. 15 But outside for good are the filthy curs: sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, idolaters--all who love and live lies.

98. 16 “I, Jesus, sent my Angel to testify to these things for the churches. I'm the Root and Branch of David, the Bright Morning Star."

99. 17 “Come!" say the Spirit and the Bride. Whoever hears, echo, "Come!" Is anyone thirsty? Come! All who will, come and drink, Drink freely of the Water of Life!

100. 18 I give fair warning to all who hear the words of the prophecy of this book: If you add to the words of this prophecy, God will add to your life the disasters written in this book;

101. 19 if you subtract from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will subtract your part from the Tree of Life and the Holy City that are written in this book.

102. 20 He who testifies to all these things says it again: "I'm on my way! I'll be there soon!" Yes! Come, Master Jesus! 21 The grace of the Master Jesus be with all of you. Oh, Yes!