Zechariah 1; Zechariah 2; Zechariah 3; Zechariah 4; Revelation 18

Zechariah 1

1 In the eighth month of Darius' second year as king, the LORD spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo. He said,

2 "The LORD was very angry with your ancestors.

3 Tell the people, 'This is what the LORD of Armies says: Return to me, declares the LORD of Armies, and I will return to you, says the LORD of Armies.'

4 Don't be like your ancestors, who heard the earlier prophets preach to them, 'This is what the LORD of Armies says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds.' But they didn't listen or pay attention to me, declares the LORD.

5 Your ancestors--where are they now? And the prophets--are they still alive?

6 Didn't my warnings and my laws, which I've commanded my servants the prophets [to preach], finally catch up with your ancestors? Then your ancestors turned away from their sins and said, 'The LORD of Armies has done to us what he had planned to do. He has dealt with us as our ways and deeds deserve.'"

7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (the month of Shebat) in Darius' second year as king, the LORD spoke his word to the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo.

8 During that night I saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, chestnut, and white horses.

9 "What do these horses mean, sir?" I asked. The angel who was speaking with me answered, "I will show you what they mean."

10 The man standing among the myrtle trees explained, "They're the horses the LORD has sent to patrol the earth."

11 Then they reported to the Messenger of the LORD standing among the myrtle trees, "We have patrolled the earth. The whole world is at rest and in peace."

12 Then the Messenger of the LORD said, "LORD of Armies, how much longer until you show compassion to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah? You've been angry with them for 70 years."

13 The LORD responded to the angel who was speaking with me, using kind and comforting words.

14 The angel who was speaking with me said, "Announce: This is what the LORD of Armies says: I'm very jealous about Jerusalem and Zion,

15 and I'm very angry with the nations who think they are at ease. I was only a little angry, but they made things worse.

16 This is what the LORD of Armies says: I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion. My house will be rebuilt in it, declares the LORD of Armies. A measuring line will be used to rebuild Jerusalem.

17 "Announce again: This is what the LORD of Armies says: My cities will overflow with prosperity once more. The LORD will again comfort Zion and will again choose Jerusalem."

18 I looked up and saw four animal horns.

19 So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, "What do these horns mean?" He said to me, "These are the horns [of the nations] that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem."

20 Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.

21 I asked, "What are they going to do?" He answered, "Those horns scattered Judah so widely that no one could lift up his head. But the craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations. The nations raised their horns to scatter the land of Judah."

Zechariah 2

1 I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.

2 I asked him, "Where are you going?" He answered, "I am going to measure Jerusalem to see how wide and how long it is."

3 Then the angel who was speaking with me left. Another angel came out to meet him

4 and said to him, "Run, and say to that young man, 'Jerusalem will be inhabited like an unwalled village because it will have so many people and animals in it.

5 I will be a wall of fire around it, declares the LORD. I will be the glory within it.'

6 "Hurry, hurry! Flee from the land of the north, declares the LORD. I've scattered you to the four winds of heaven.

7 Hurry, Zion! Escape, you inhabitants of Babylon!

8 This is what the LORD of Armies says: Afterwards, the Glory sent me to the nations who looted you. Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye.

9 I'm going to shake my fist at the nations, and their own slaves will loot them. Then you will know that the LORD of Armies has sent me.

10 Sing for joy and rejoice, people of Zion. I'm going to come and live among you, declares the LORD.

11 On that day many nations will join the LORD and become my people. I will live among you. Then you will know that the LORD of Armies has sent me to you.

12 The LORD will claim Judah as his own in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.

13 "Everyone be silent in the presence of the LORD. He is waking up and setting out from his holy dwelling place."

Zechariah 3

1 Then he showed me Joshua, the chief priest, standing in front of the Messenger of the LORD. Satan the Accuser was standing at Joshua's right side to accuse him.

2 The LORD said to Satan, "I, the LORD, silence you, Satan! I, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, silence you! Isn't this man like a burning log snatched from a fire?"

3 Joshua was wearing filthy clothes and was standing in front of the Messenger.

4 The Messenger said to those who were standing in front of him, "Remove Joshua's filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken your sin away from you, and I will dress you in fine clothing."

5 So I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." They put a clean turban on his head and dressed him while the Messenger of the LORD was standing there.

6 The Messenger of the LORD advised Joshua,

7 "This is what the LORD of Armies says: If you live according to my ways and follow my requirements, you will govern my temple and watch over my courtyards. Then I will give you free access to walk among those standing here.

8 "Listen, Chief Priest Joshua and your friends sitting with you. These men are a sign of things to come: I'm going to bring my servant, the Branch.

9 "Look at the stone I have set in front of Joshua. That one stone has seven eyes. I am engraving an inscription on it," declares the LORD of Armies. "I will remove this land's sin in a single day.

10 On that day," declares the LORD of Armies, "each of you will invite your neighbor to sit under your vine and fig tree."

Zechariah 4

1 The angel who was speaking with me returned and woke me up as one might wake up someone who is sleeping.

2 He asked me, "What do you see?" I answered, "I see a solid gold lamp stand with a bowl on top and seven lamps on it. There are seven spouts for each lamp that is on top of it.

3 There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left."

4 I asked the angel who was speaking with me, "What do these things mean, sir?"

5 Then the angel asked me, "Don't you know what they mean?" "No, sir," I answered.

6 Then he replied, "This is the word the LORD spoke to Zerubbabel: You won't [succeed] by might or by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Armies.

7 What a high mountain you are! In front of Zerubbabel you will become a plain. He will bring out the topmost stone with shouts of 'Blessings, blessings on it!'"

8 Then the LORD spoke his word to me. He said,

9 "Zerubbabel's hands have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of Armies has sent me to you.

10 Who despised the day when little things began to happen? They will be delighted when they see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand. (These seven eyes of the LORD roam over all the earth.)"

11 I asked the angel, "What do these two olive trees at the right and the left of the lamp stand mean?"

12 Again I asked him, "What is the meaning of the two branches from the olive trees next to the two golden pipes that are pouring out gold?"

13 He asked me, "Don't you know what these things mean?" "No, sir," I answered.

14 So he said, "These are the two anointed ones who are standing beside the Lord of the whole earth."

Revelation 18

1 After these things I saw another angel come from heaven. He had tremendous power, and his glory lit up the earth.

2 He cried out in a powerful voice, "Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every evil spirit, every unclean bird, and every unclean and hated beast.

3 All the nations fell because of the wine of her sexual sins. The kings of the earth had sex with her. Her luxurious wealth has made the merchants of the earth rich."

4 I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of Babylon, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and suffer from any of her plagues.

5 Her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.

6 Do to her what she has done. Give her twice as much as she gave. Serve her a drink in her own cup twice as large as the drink she served others.

7 She gave herself glory and luxury. Now give her just as much torture and misery. She says to herself, 'I'm a queen on a throne, not a widow. I'll never be miserable.'

8 For this reason her plagues of death, misery, and starvation will come in a single day. She will be burned up in a fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is powerful.

9 "The kings of the earth who had sex with her and lived in luxury with her will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rise from her raging fire.

10 Frightened by her torture, they will stand far away and say, 'How horrible, how horrible it is for that important city, the powerful city Babylon! In one moment judgment has come to it!'

11 "The merchants of the earth cry and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore.

12 No one buys their cargo of gold, silver, gems, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, bright red cloth, all kinds of citron wood, articles made of ivory and very costly wood, bronze, iron, marble,

13 cinnamon, spices, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, slaves (that is, humans).

14 'The fruit you craved is gone. All your luxuries and your splendor have disappeared. No one will ever find them again.'

15 "Frightened by her torture, the merchants who had become rich by selling these things will stand far away. They will cry and mourn,

16 saying, 'How horrible, how horrible for that important city which was wearing fine linen, purple clothes, bright red clothes, gold jewelry, gems, and pearls.

17 In one moment all this wealth has been destroyed!' Every ship's captain, everyone who traveled by ship, sailors, and everyone who made their living from the sea stood far away.

18 When they saw the smoke rise from her raging fire, they repeatedly cried out, 'Was there ever a city as important as this?'

19 Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning, 'How horrible, how horrible for that important city. Everyone who had a ship at sea grew rich because of that city's high prices. In one moment it has been destroyed!'

20 "Gloat over it, heaven, God's people, apostles, and prophets. God has condemned it for you."

21 Then a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a large millstone. He threw it into the sea and said, "The important city Babylon will be thrown down with the same force. It will never be found again.

22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters will never be heard in it again. Skilled craftsman will never be found in it again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in it again.

23 Light from lamps will never shine in it again. Voices of brides and grooms will never be heard in it again. Its merchants were the important people of the world, because all the nations were deceived by its witchcraft.

24 "The blood of prophets, God's people, and everyone who had been murdered on earth was found in it."