Micah 4; Micah 5; Revelation 12

1 In the last days the mountain where the LORD's temple is located will be famous. It will be the most important mountain of all. It will stand out above the hills. And nations will go to it.

2 People from many nations will go there. They will say, "Come, let us go up to the LORD's mountain. Let's go to the house of Jacob's God. He will teach us how we should live. Then we will live the way he wants us to." The law of the LORD will be taught at Zion. His message will go out from Jerusalem.

3 He will judge between people from many nations. He'll settle problems among strong nations everywhere. They will hammer their swords into plows. They'll hammer their spears into pruning tools. Nations will not go to war against one another. They won't even train to fight anymore.

4 Every man will have his own vine and fig tree. And no one will make them afraid. That's what the LORD who rules over all has promised.

5 Other nations worship and trust in their gods. But we will worship and obey the Lord. He will be our God for ever and ever.

6 "The time is coming when I will gather those who are disabled," announces the Lord. "I will bring together those who were taken away as prisoners. I will gather those I have allowed to suffer.

7 I will make the disabled my faithful people. I will make those who were driven away from their homes a strong nation. I will rule over them on Mount Zion. I will be their King from that time on and forever.

8 Jerusalem, you used to be like a guard tower for my flock. City of Zion, you used to be a place of safety for my people. The glorious kingdom you had before will be given back to you. Once again a king will rule over your people."

9 Why are you crying out so loudly now? Don't you have a king? Have your advisers died? Is that why pain comes on you like the pain of a woman having a baby?

10 People of Zion, groan with pain. Cry out like a woman having a baby. Soon you must leave your city. You must camp in the open fields. You will have to go to Babylonia. But that's where the LORD will save you. There he will set you free from the powerful hand of your enemies.

11 But now many nations have gathered together to attack you. They say, "Let Jerusalem be polluted. We want to see others laugh when Zion suffers!"

12 But those nations don't know what the LORD has in mind. They don't understand his plan. He will gather them up like bundles of grain. He will take them to his threshing floor.

13 The LORD says, "People of Zion, get up and crush your enemies. I will make you like a threshing ox. I will give you iron horns and bronze hoofs. So you will crush many nations." They got their money in the wrong way. But you will set it apart to the Lord. You will give their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.

1 Jerusalem, you are being attacked. So bring your troops together. Our enemies have surrounded us. They want to slap the face of Israel's ruler.

2 The LORD says, "Bethlehem, you might not be an important town in the nation of Judah. But out of you will come a ruler over Israel for me. His family line goes back to the early years of your nation. It goes all the way back to days of long ago." Bethlehem was also called Ephrathah.

3 The LORD will hand his people over to their enemies. That will last until the promised ruler is born. Then his relatives in Judah will return to their land. The LORD will rule over them and the people of Israel.

4 The promised ruler will stand firm and take care of his flock. The LORD will give him the strength to do it. The LORD his God will give him the authority to rule. His people will live safely. His greatness will reach from one end of the earth to the other.

5 And he will bring them peace. The Assyrians will attack our land. Enemies will march through our forts. But we will raise up many shepherds against them. We'll send out against them as many leaders as we need to.

6 They will use their swords to rule over Assyria. They'll rule the land of Nimrod with swords that are ready to strike. The Assyrians will march across our borders and attack our land. But the promised ruler will save us from them.

7 Jacob's people who are still left alive will be scattered among many nations. They will be like dew the LORD has sent. It doesn't wait for a man's command. They will be like rain that falls on the grass. Rain doesn't wait for someone to give it orders.

8 So Jacob's people will be scattered among many nations. They will be like a lion among the animals in the forest. They'll be like a young lion among flocks of sheep. Lions attack and tear as they move along. No one can keep them from killing what they want.

9 Lord, your powerful hand will win the battle over your enemies. All of them will be destroyed.

10 "At that time I will destroy your war horses," announces the Lord. "I will smash your chariots.

11 I will destroy the cities in your land. I will tear down all of your forts.

12 I will destroy your worship of evil powers. You will no longer be able to put a spell on anyone.

13 I will destroy the statues of your gods. I will take your sacred stones away from you. You will no longer bow down to the gods your hands have made.

14 I will pull down the poles you used to worship the goddess Asherah. And I will destroy your cities completely.

15 I will pay back the nations that have not obeyed me. My anger will burn against them."

1 A great and miraculous sign appeared in heaven. It was a woman wearing the sun like clothes. The moon was under her feet. On her head she wore a crown of 12 stars.

2 She was pregnant. She cried out in pain because she was about to have a baby.

3 Then another sign appeared in heaven. It was a huge red dragon. He had seven heads and ten horns. On his seven heads he wore seven crowns.

4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky. It threw them down to earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to have a baby. He wanted to eat her child the moment it was born.

5 She gave birth to a son. He will rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was taken up to God and to his throne.

6 The woman escaped into the desert where God had a place prepared for her. There she would be taken care of for 1,260 days.

7 There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back.

8 But the dragon wasn't strong enough. He and his angels lost their place in heaven.

9 The great dragon was thrown down to the earth, and his angels with him. The dragon is that old serpent called the devil, or Satan. He leads the whole world down the wrong path.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven. It said, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God have come. The authority of his Christ has come. Satan, who brings charges against our brothers and sisters, has been thrown down. He brings charges against them before our God day and night.

11 They overcame him because the Lamb gave his life's blood for them. They overcame him by giving witness about Jesus to others. They were willing to risk their lives, even if it led to death.

12 So be joyful, you heavens! Be glad, all you who live there! But how terrible it will be for the earth and the sea! The devil has come down to you. He is very angry. He knows his time is short."

13 The dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth. So he chased the woman who had given birth to the boy.

14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle so that she could fly away. She could fly to the place prepared for her in the desert. There she would be taken care of for three and a half years. She would be out of the serpent's reach.

15 Then the serpent spit water like a river out of his mouth. He wanted to catch her and sweep her away in the flood.

16 But the earth helped the woman. It opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had spit out.

17 The dragon was very angry with the woman. He went off to make war against the rest of her children. They obey God's commands and hold firmly to what Jesus has said.