BibleBlox
80. john's vision of the end times
/ revelation 1-5 /
/ listen as you follow along /
One of the twelve disciples was named John. When he was younger, 👨🏻 John had been one of Jesus's best friends. John had walked 🚶 with Jesus, eaten meals 🥘 with Him, and seen Him do amazing miracles. ❇️ Now John was an old man, 👴 and the Romans (who didn't like people teaching about Jesus) had sent him to live alone on a small island 🏝️ called Patmos. Even though John was far from his friends and family, he still loved 🥰 Jesus with all his heart ❤️ and spent lots of time praying. 🙏
It started like any other day on the rocky island. 🏝️ John was praying 🤲 to God when suddenly he heard something that made him jump 🐸 - a voice 🗣️ as loud as a trumpet. 🎺 "Write down everything you're about to see!" the voice said. When John turned around, his eyes 👀 grew wide with wonder. 💭
There stood Jesus, 😇 but He looked different from how John remembered Him! Jesus was wearing a beautiful robe 👘 that went all the way to His feet, 🦶 with a golden sash around His chest. His hair was as white as fluffy snow, ❄️ and His eyes looked like flames of fire, 🔥 full of love ❤️ and wisdom. His face was as bright as the sun. 🌞 When John saw Jesus looking so magnificent, he fell down like he was sleeping, 😴 but Jesus gently touched him and said, "Don't be afraid!" 😱
Then John got to peek 🫣 into heaven itself. There was a throne 🪑 that seemed to be made of precious stones, with beautiful colors shining everywhere. Around the throne was a rainbow 🌈 that sparkled like an emerald. There were twenty-four smaller thrones in a circle, ⭕️ where wise leaders sat wearing crowns 👑 made of gold. They would take their crowns off and lay them before God's throne, showing how much they loved 🥰 and respected Him.
Near God's throne, 🪑 John saw four 4️⃣ incredible creatures unlike anything on Earth:
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One looked like a mighty lion, 🦁 with a strong, brave face
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Another was like a young ox, 🐂 strong and ready to help
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The third had a face that looked like a kind person 🧍🏻♂️
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The fourth was like a majestic eagle, 🦅 soaring and watchful
Each of these special creatures had six 6️⃣ wings covered with eyes, 👀 and day and night they sang, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!"
Then John saw more angels 😇 than he could count - millions and millions of them. They were all singing 🎶 beautiful songs 🎤 of praise, their voices filling heaven with the most wonderful music. 🎵
John then noticed something very important in God's hand 🖐️ - a scroll 📜 with writing on both sides, sealed with seven 7️⃣ special seals. Everyone was wondering who could open this important scroll. No one seemed worthy to open it, but then John saw something that made him smile 😊 - a Lamb 🐑 that looked like it had been hurt 😔 but was now alive and strong. 💪 This was Jesus! He was the only one who could open the scroll. 📜
As the vision continued, John saw a new heaven and a new Earth. 🌍 Everything old had gone away, and everything was becoming new and beautiful. 🤩 From heaven, John saw a stunning city 🌆 coming down like a bride 👰♀️ dressed for her wedding. 💒 This was the New Jerusalem, and it was more beautiful than any city anyone had ever seen.
The city 🏙️ was huge and shaped like a perfect cube. 🧊 Its walls were made of crystal-clear jasper, and the whole city 🌃 was made of pure gold. It had twelve gates, each made from a single giant pearl. Every foundation of the city was decorated with precious jewels. 💎
In the middle of the city, 🏙️ John saw God's throne, 🪑 and from it flowed the River 🏞️ of Life. The water 💦 sparkled like crystal. Along both sides of the river grew the Trees 🌳 of Life, which had a different kind of fruit 🍎 each month. The leaves 🍃 of these trees could help make people feel better. ❤️🩹
The city didn't need a sun ☀️ or moon 🌙 - God's glory made everything bright and beautiful! 😻 The gates 🚪 were always open because there was no night there, and nothing scary 😨 or dangerous 🐍 could ever come in. People from every country, speaking every language, lived there together in peace ✌️ and joy. 🥹
The most wonderful part was that God himself lived there with His people. 🤗 Jesus was there too, like a loving 🥰 shepherd caring for His sheep. 🐑 God wiped away every tear from people's eyes, 😭 and there was no more sadness or pain. Everyone had special new 🆕 names that God gave them, written in gold.
At the end of the dream, 💭 Jesus told John: "Write ✍️ down everything you've seen, because these words are true. I am coming soon!" John was so happy 😁 to hear this that he wrote "Come, Lord Jesus!" And ended his letter with the last words written in the Bible: “The Grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” 🙏
79. paul writes letters to churches / 80. john's vision of the end times / a special thanks
