1-2. What is one reason why we should be interested in the book of Revelation?

HAVE you ever been invited to look through a photo album belonging to someone else? As you glance at the photos, you see mostly unfamiliar faces. One particular photo, however, catches your attention. Why? Because you are in that photo. As you study it, you try to remember when the picture was taken and where. You also try to identify everyone else in the photo. That photo is especially meaningful to you.

² The book of Revelation is like that photograph. Why? For at least two reasons. First, this Bible book was written for us. In the very first verse, we read: “A revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place.” (Rev. 1:1) So, what is written in this book is not for people in general but for us, God’s dedicated servants. As God’s people, we should not be surprised to discover that we are sharing in the fulfillment of the prophecies found in this fascinating book. In other words, we find ourselves “in the photo.”

3-4. According to the book of Revelation, when would its prophecies be fulfilled, and what effect should that have on each one of us?

³ The second reason involves the time when these prophecies are to be fulfilled. The aged apostle John identified that time when he said: “By inspiration I came to be in the Lord’s day.” (Rev. 1:10) When John wrote those words in about 96 C.E., “the Lord’s day” was still far off. (Matt. 25:14, 19; Luke 19:12) But according to Bible prophecy, that day started in 1914 when Jesus was enthroned as King in heaven. From that year onward, the prophecies of Revelation, which involve God’s people, started to undergo fulfillment. Yes, we are now living in “the Lord’s day”!

⁴ Because we are living in this thrilling time, we are the ones who need to pay special attention to the loving counsel recorded at Revelation 1:3: “Happy is the one who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy and who observe the things written in it, for the appointed time is near.” Indeed, we need to ‘read aloud,’ to “hear the words of this prophecy,” and to “observe” them. What are some of these words that we need to observe?

 5. How does the book of Revelation emphasize the need to make sure that our worship is acceptable to Jehovah?

⁵ Right from the first chapter of Revelation, we learn that Jesus is fully aware of what is happening in the congregations of his people. (Rev. 1:12-16, 20; 2:1) Jesus demonstrated such awareness in the messages he sent to seven congregations in Asia Minor. In those messages, he gave specific direction to help first-century Christians make sure that their worship was acceptable to Jehovah. Moreover, what is said in those messages applies to all of God’s people today. What is the lesson for us? Our Leader, Christ Jesus, is well-aware of our spiritual condition. We are under Jesus’ protective oversight; nothing escapes his eyes. He knows what we need to do in order to continue enjoying Jehovah’s approval. What direction did he give that we need to observe today?

 6. (a) As highlighted at Revelation 2:3, 4, what fundamental problem was revealed in Jesus’ message to the congregation in Ephesus? (b) What lesson do we learn from this?

⁶ Read Revelation 2:3, 4. We must not lose our first love for Jehovah. Jesus’ message to those in the congregation in Ephesus indicated that they had shown endurance and that they had continued without letup to serve Jehovah in spite of various challenges. Even so, they had lost the love they had at first. They needed to rekindle that love​—otherwise, their worship would not be acceptable. Likewise today, we need to do more than endure. We need to endure for the right reasons. Our God is interested in not only what we do but also why we do it. Our motives are important to him because he expects our worship to be based on our deep love and appreciation for him.​—Prov. 16:2; Mark 12:29, 30.

 7. (a) As shown at Revelation 3:1-3, what problem did Jesus see with regard to those in Sardis? (b) What do we need to do?

⁷ Read Revelation 3:1-3. We must continue to remain awake and alert. The members of the congregation in Sardis had a different problem. Even though they had been spiritually active in the past, they were becoming lax in their service to God. Jesus therefore told them to “wake up.” What is the warning lesson for us? Of course, Jehovah will not forget our work. (Heb. 6:10) Still, we cannot rely merely on what we have done in the past in Jehovah’s service. Though we may have more limitations than before, we need to keep busy in “the work of the Lord,” remaining awake and alert right to the end.​—1 Cor. 15:58; Matt. 24:13; Mark 13:33.

 8. What lesson do we learn from the words that were directed to the brothers in Laodicea, as found at Revelation 3:15-17?

⁸ Read Revelation 3:15-17. We must be zealous and wholehearted in our worship. Jesus’ message to those in Laodicea highlighted yet a different problem. They were “lukewarm” in their worship. Because of their apathy, Jesus told them that they were in a “miserable and pitiful” state. They needed to display fiery zeal for Jehovah and his worship. (Rev. 3:19) What is the lesson for us? If we have lost a measure of our zeal, we must stir up our appreciation for the spiritual riches we have. (Rev. 3:18) Never would we want to allow the pursuit of a comfortable lifestyle to distract us, causing us to relegate spiritual activities to second place.

 9. As indicated in Jesus’ messages to Christians in Pergamum and Thyatira, what danger do we need to avoid?

⁹ We must reject the teachings of apostates. Jesus reproved some in Pergamum for promoting divisions and sects. (Rev. 2:14-16) He commended those in Thyatira who had steered clear of the “deep things of Satan,” and he urged them to “hold fast” to the truth. (Rev. 2:24-26) Weak Christians there who had allowed themselves to be seduced by false teachings needed to repent. What about us today? We must reject any teaching that is opposed to Jehovah’s thinking. Apostates may have “an appearance of godliness,” but they prove “false to its power.” (2 Tim. 3:5) It is easier to identify and reject false teachings when we are diligent students of God’s Word.​—2 Tim. 3:14-17; Jude 3, 4.

10. What further lesson can we learn from what Jesus said to the congregations in Pergamum and Thyatira?

¹⁰ We must not engage in, tolerate, or condone any form of immorality. There was yet another problem in Pergamum and Thyatira. Jesus condemned some in those congregations for not rejecting immorality. (Rev. 2:14, 20) What is the lesson for us? We cannot expect Jehovah to excuse any immoral activity on our part, even if we have served him for many years and presently enjoy a number of privileges. (1 Sam. 15:22; 1 Pet. 2:16) He expects us to maintain his high moral standards no matter how much the world’s standards plummet.​—Eph. 6:11-13.

11. What have we learned so far? (See also the box “Lessons for Us Today.”)

¹¹ How can we summarize what we have learned so far? We have seen the need to make sure that our worship is acceptable to Jehovah. If we are doing something that could make our worship unacceptable, we need to take immediate action to make things right. (Rev. 2:5, 16; 3:3, 16) Jesus, however, highlighted something else in his messages to the congregations. What is it?

12. What did Jesus say to the brothers in Smyrna and Philadelphia that should be of interest to us today? (Revelation 2:10)

¹² Let us now consider Jesus’ messages to the congregations in Smyrna and Philadelphia. He told Christians there not to be afraid to suffer persecution, since their faithfulness would be rewarded. (Read Revelation 2:10; 3:10) What is the lesson for us today? We must expect persecution and be willing to endure it. (Matt. 24:9, 13; 2 Cor. 12:10) Why is this reminder important?

13-14. How are God’s people affected by the events described in Revelation chapter 12?

¹³ The book of Revelation informs us that God’s people would be persecuted in our day​—“the Lord’s day.” Revelation chapter 12 mentions that war breaks out in heaven immediately following the birth of God’s Kingdom. Michael​—the glorified Jesus Christ—​and his armies fight against Satan and the demons. (Rev. 12:7, 8) As a result, those enemies of God are defeated and cast down to the vicinity of the earth, bringing untold suffering to the earth and its inhabitants. (Rev. 12:9, 12) But how does this development affect God’s people?

¹⁴ Revelation next tells us how Satan reacts. He no longer has access to the heavenly realm, so he focuses his anger on the remnant of anointed ones, who are the earthly representatives of God’s Kingdom and who “have the work of bearing witness concerning Jesus.” (Rev. 12:17; 2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 6:19, 20) How has this prophecy been fulfilled?

15. Who are represented by the “two witnesses” mentioned in Revelation chapter 11, and what happened to them?

¹⁵ Satan instigated an attack on the anointed brothers who were taking the lead in the Kingdom-preaching work. Prominent ones among them were the figurative “two witnesses” spoken of as being killed.b (Rev. 11:3, 7-11) In 1918, eight of the responsible brothers were convicted on false charges, and each was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. From a human standpoint, it appeared as if the work of these anointed ones had been “killed.”

16. What surprising development took place in 1919, but what has Satan continued to do since that time?

¹⁶ The prophecy in Revelation chapter 11 also stated that the “two witnesses” would be brought back to life after a short period of time. In the fulfillment, something surprising happened in the very next year of their imprisonment. Early in 1919 those anointed brothers were released from prison, and later the charges were dropped. The brothers immediately got back to work​—Kingdom work. But that did not stop Satan’s attacks on God’s people. Since that time, Satan has directed “a river” of persecution against all of God’s people. (Rev. 12:15) Truly, “this is where it calls for endurance and faith” on the part of each one of us.​—Rev. 13:10.

17. What unexpected help have God’s people received, even though they have been the target of Satan’s attacks?

¹⁷ Revelation chapter 12 then indicates that God’s people would receive some help from an unexpected source. It would be as if “the earth” swallowed up “the river” of persecution. (Rev. 12:16) This is exactly what has happened. At times, the more stable elements of Satan’s world, such as certain judicial systems, have come to the rescue of God’s people. Time and again, Jehovah’s servants have won court cases that have allowed them a certain measure of freedom. How have they used this freedom? They have made full use of any opportunities to do the work Jehovah has given them. (1 Cor. 16:9) What does this work include?

18. What is our primary work during these last days?

¹⁸ Jesus prophesied that his people would declare the “good news of [God’s] Kingdom” throughout the earth before the end would come. (Matt. 24:14) In so doing, they benefit from the support of an angel, or a group of angels, described as having “everlasting good news to declare to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.”​—Rev. 14:6.

19. What other message must be preached by those who love Jehovah?

¹⁹ The good news of the Kingdom is not the only message that God’s people are to declare. They also need to support the work of the angels who are described in Revelation chapters 8 through 10. These angels announce a series of woes for those who reject God’s Kingdom. Thus, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been declaring a judgment message, likened to “hail and fire,” revealing God’s judgments on the various elements of Satan’s wicked world. (Rev. 8:7, 13) People need to know that the end is near so that they can make drastic changes in their lives and survive Jehovah’s day of anger. (Zeph. 2:2, 3) But this message is not popular. Declaring it calls for courage on our part. During the great tribulation, the final judgment message will become more hard-hitting.​—Rev. 16:21.

20. What will we consider in the next two articles?

²⁰ We truly need to observe “the words of this prophecy” because we are included in the fulfillment of what we read in the book of Revelation. (Rev. 1:3) But how can we faithfully endure persecution and continue to do our part in boldly declaring these messages? We will be strengthened by two things: first, by what the book of Revelation reveals about God’s enemies and, second, by the future blessings we will receive if we remain faithful. We will consider those subjects in the next two articles.

 1. What does the book of Revelation reveal concerning God’s people?

THE book of Revelation reveals that God’s heavenly Kingdom has been established and that Satan has been expelled from heaven. (Rev. 12:1-9) That expulsion brings relief to the heavens, but it creates challenges for us. Why? Because Satan’s anger is focused on those who faithfully serve Jehovah here on earth.​—Rev. 12:12, 15, 17.

 2. What will help us remain steadfast?

² How can we remain steadfast in the face of Satan’s attacks? (Rev. 13:10) One thing that will help us is to know what the future holds. For example, in Revelation, the apostle John describes some of the blessings that we will soon enjoy. Among those blessings will be the elimination of God’s enemies. Let us now examine how Revelation describes these enemies and what will happen to them.

 3. What are some of the signs portrayed in Revelation?

³ In the very first verse, Revelation tells us that the information we are about to read is being presented “in signs,” that is, in symbolic language. (Rev. 1:1) God’s enemies are described symbolically. We see a number of wild beasts. For example, there is “a wild beast ascending out of the sea.” It has “ten horns and seven heads.” (Rev. 13:1) That beast is followed by “another wild beast ascending out of the earth.” That beast speaks like a dragon and makes “fire come down out of heaven.” (Rev. 13:11-13) Then we see a different beast, “a scarlet-colored wild beast,” which is being ridden by a prostitute. These three wild beasts represent long-standing enemies of Jehovah God and his Kingdom. Therefore, it is important that we identify them.​—Rev. 17:1, 3.

4-5. How does what is stated at Daniel 7:15-17 help us understand the meaning of these signs?

⁴ Before we can learn who these enemies are, we need to understand what this symbolic language means. The key to understanding it is to allow the Bible to explain itself. Many of the symbols found in Revelation are already explained in other books of the Bible. For example, the prophet Daniel had a dream in which “four huge beasts came out of the sea.” (Dan. 7:1-3) Daniel records their significance. These huge beasts represent four “kings,” or governments. (Read Daniel 7:15-17.) That clear explanation helps us understand that the beasts described in Revelation must also refer to political powers.

⁵ Let us now examine some of the signs described in Revelation. As we do, we will see how the Bible helps us identify what these signs mean. We will start with the series of wild beasts. First, we will identify whom they represent. Then, we will see what happens to these beasts. Finally, we will consider what these events mean for us.

 6. What is the meaning of the seven-headed wild beast mentioned at Revelation 13:1-4?

⁶ What is the seven-headed wild beast? (Read Revelation 13:1-4.) We notice that this beast has the general appearance of a leopard but the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion, and it has ten horns. All of these are also features of the four beasts mentioned in Daniel chapter 7. Yet, here in the book of Revelation, these characteristics are combined into one beast, not four separate beasts. This wild beast does not represent just one government or world empire. It is spoken of as ruling “over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.” So it must be greater than any single national government. (Rev. 13:7) This wild beast, then, must represent all the political powers that have dominated humankind down through history.b​—Eccl. 8:9.

 7. What do each of the seven heads of the wild beast represent?

⁷ What do each of the seven heads represent? A clue is found in Revelation chapter 17, which describes an image of the beast mentioned in Revelation chapter 13. At Revelation 17:10, we are told: “There are seven kings: Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet arrived; but when he does arrive, he must remain a short while.” Of all the political powers that Satan has used, seven have stood out prominently as “heads.” These are the world empires that have had a considerable impact on God’s people. By the apostle John’s day, five of these had already appeared on the world scene: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The sixth world power, Rome, was still ruling when John received the revelation. What would prove to be the seventh and final world power, or head?

 8. Whom does the seventh head of the wild beast represent?

⁸ As we will see, the prophecies in the book of Daniel help us identify the seventh and final head of the wild beast. What world power has been ruling during this time of the end, during “the Lord’s day”? (Rev. 1:10) It is the combination of the United Kingdom and the United States of America, in other words, the Anglo-American World Power. We may therefore conclude that it is the seventh head of the wild beast mentioned at Revelation 13:1-4.

 9. What is represented by the wild beast with “two horns like a lamb”?

⁹ Revelation chapter 13 goes on to tell us that this seventh head, the Anglo-American World Power, also acts as a wild beast with “two horns like a lamb, but it began speaking like a dragon.” This beast “performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of mankind.” (Rev. 13:11-15) Revelation chapters 16 and 19 describe this wild beast as “the false prophet.” (Rev. 16:13; 19:20) Daniel mentions something similar, namely, that the Anglo-American World Power would “bring terrible destruction.” (Dan. 8:19, 23, 24, ftn.) That is exactly what happened during World War II. The two atomic bombs that played a decisive role in ending that war in the Pacific were the results of a joint effort by British and American scientists. The Anglo-American World Power, in effect, made “fire come down out of heaven to the earth.”

10. What does “the image of the wild beast” represent? (Revelation 13:14, 15; 17:3, 8, 11)

¹⁰ Next we see another wild beast. This one looks almost the same as the seven-headed wild beast with the exception that it is scarlet-colored. It is called “the image of the wild beast” and is described as “an eighth king.”c (Read Revelation 13:14, 15; 17:3, 8, 11.) This “king” is spoken of as coming into existence, then going out of existence, and later reappearing. How well this description fits the United Nations organization, which promotes the interests of the worldwide political system! It existed first as the League of Nations. Then it went out of existence during World War II. It later emerged again in its present-day form.

11. What do the political beasts stir up, and why do we have nothing to fear from them?

¹¹ By means of their propaganda, the political beasts stir up opposition to Jehovah and his people. Symbolically, they gather “the kings of the entire inhabited earth” together to the war of Armageddon, which is “the great day of God the Almighty.” (Rev. 16:13, 14, 16) But we will have nothing to fear. Our great God, Jehovah, will react swiftly to save all those who support his rulership.​—Ezek. 38:21-23.

12. What will happen to all the beasts?

¹² What happens to all the beasts? Revelation 19:20 answers: “The wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur.” So while they are still functioning, these political enemies of God will be destroyed forever.

13. What challenge confronts Christians because of the world’s governments?

¹³ What does this mean for us? As Christians, we must be loyal to God and his Kingdom. (John 18:36) To do so, we need to remain neutral with regard to this world’s political affairs. Such neutrality can be extremely difficult, though, because the world’s governments demand our full support, both in word and in deed. Those who succumb to their pressure receive the mark of the wild beast. (Rev. 13:16, 17) Any who receive that mark, however, will incur Jehovah’s disapproval and lose out on everlasting life. (Rev. 14:9, 10; 20:4) How important it is, then, for each one of us to maintain strict neutrality, no matter what pressure is put on us to do otherwise!

14. What surprising thing does the apostle John next see, as described at Revelation 17:3-5?

¹⁴ The apostle John mentions that he “was greatly amazed” by something else he saw. What was it? A woman riding one of these ferocious beasts. (Rev. 17:1, 2, 6) She is portrayed as a “great prostitute” and is called “Babylon the Great.” She commits “sexual immorality” with “the kings of the earth.”​—Read Revelation 17:3-5.

15-16. Who is “Babylon the Great,” and how do we know?

¹⁵ Who is “Babylon the Great”? This woman cannot represent a political organization because she is spoken of as committing immorality with the world’s political leaders. (Rev. 18:9) In fact, she endeavors to control these rulers, symbolically riding them. Additionally, she cannot represent the greedy commercial elements of Satan’s world. These are portrayed separately as “the merchants of the earth.”​—Rev. 18:11, 15, 16.

¹⁶ In the Scriptures, the term “prostitute” can refer to those who claim to serve God but engage in some form of idolatry or in some other way become friends of the world. (1 Chron. 5:25; Jas. 4:4) By contrast, those who faithfully worship God are referred to as being “chaste” or as “virgins.” (2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 14:4) Ancient Babylon was a center of false worship. So, then, Babylon the Great must represent all forms of false worship. In fact, she is the world empire of false religion.​—Rev. 17:5, 18; see the Web article on jw.org “What Is Babylon the Great?”

17. What will happen to Babylon the Great?

¹⁷ What will happen to Babylon the Great? Revelation 17:16, 17 answers that question this way: “The ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire. For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought.” Yes, Jehovah will motivate the nations to use the scarlet-colored wild beast, that is, the United Nations, to turn on the world empire of false religion and completely destroy it.​—Rev. 18:21-24.

18. How can we make sure that we have nothing to do with Babylon the Great?

¹⁸ What does this mean for us? We need to maintain “the form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God.” (Jas. 1:27) Never would we want to allow ourselves to be influenced by the false teachings, the pagan celebrations, the lax moral standards, and the spiritistic practices of Babylon the Great! And we would continually call out to people to “get out of her,” so that they can avoid sharing in her guilt before God.​—Rev. 18:4.

19. Who is the “great fiery-colored dragon”?

¹⁹ The book of Revelation also describes “a great fiery-colored dragon.” (Rev. 12:3) This dragon fights against Jesus and his angels. (Rev. 12:7-9) It attacks God’s people, and it gives power to the political beasts. (Rev. 12:17; 13:4) Who is this dragon? It is “the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan.” (Rev. 12:9; 20:2) He is the one behind all the other enemies of Jehovah.

20. What will happen to the dragon?

²⁰ What happens to the dragon? Revelation 20:1-3 explains that an angel will hurl Satan into an abyss, which represents a prisonlike confinement. During that confinement, Satan will “not mislead the nations anymore until the 1,000 years [have] ended.” Finally, Satan and his demons will be destroyed once and for all, represented by their being hurled into “the lake of fire and sulfur.” (Rev. 20:10) Just imagine a world without Satan and his demons. What a wonderful time that will be!

21. Why can we be happy about what we have read in the book of Revelation?

²¹ How encouraging it is to understand the meaning of these signs that are recorded in the book of Revelation! Not only have we been able to identify the enemies of Jehovah but we have also seen what will happen to them. Yes, “happy is the one who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy”! (Rev. 1:3) But once God’s enemies have been removed, what blessings will faithful mankind enjoy? We will discuss that in the final article of this series.

 1. What important decision do all humans need to make?

PEOPLE today have an important decision to make. Will they support Jehovah God as the rightful Ruler of the universe, or will they stand behind his vicious enemy, Satan the Devil? There is no middle ground. Whatever decision they make will affect their everlasting future. (Matt. 25:31-33, 46) During “the great tribulation,” they will be marked either for survival or for destruction.​—Rev. 7:14; 14:9-11; Ezek. 9:4, 6.

 2. (a) What does Hebrews 10:35-39 encourage us to do? (b) How can the book of Revelation help us?

² Read Hebrews 10:35-39. If you have chosen to support Jehovah’s rulership, you have made a wise decision. Now you are eager to help others make the right choice. To that end, you can use the information in the book of Revelation to help them. That remarkable book reveals what will happen to those who oppose Jehovah, but it also highlights the blessings that come to those who loyally support his rulership. We do well to consider such vital truths. Doing so will strengthen our resolve to keep on serving Jehovah. In addition, we can use what we have learned to help others make the right decision and stick to it.

 3. What will we consider in this article?

³ In this article, we will consider these questions: What is in store for those who support God’s rulership? On the other hand, what will happen to those who choose to support the scarlet-colored wild beast, portrayed in the pages of the book of Revelation?

 4. What group does the apostle John see with Jesus in heaven?

⁴ In a vision, the apostle John sees two groups who support Jehovah’s rulership and receive the blessings of everlasting life. The first group numbers 144,000. (Rev. 7:4) They are taken from the earth to form a government, or Kingdom, with Jesus in heaven. Along with him, they rule over the earth. (Rev. 5:9, 10; 14:3, 4) In the vision, John sees them standing with Jesus on heavenly Mount Zion.​—Rev. 14:1.

 5. What will soon happen to the remaining ones of the 144,000?

⁵ Down through the centuries, thousands have been selected to be part of the 144,000. (Luke 12:32; Rom. 8:17) John, however, is told that only a remnant, or a small number, would be alive on earth during the last days. These “remaining ones” will receive their final “seal” of Jehovah’s approval before the outbreak of the great tribulation. (Rev. 7:2, 3; 12:17) Then sometime during the great tribulation, this remnant will be taken to heaven to join the rest of the 144,000, who have already died faithful. There they will become corulers with Jesus in God’s Kingdom.​—Matt. 24:31; Rev. 5:9, 10.

6-7. (a) What group does John next see, and what do we learn about them? (b) Why should Revelation chapter 7 be of interest to both the remnant and the “great crowd”?

⁶ After seeing the heavenly group, John sees “a great crowd.” Unlike the 144,000, this group cannot be numbered. (Rev. 7:9, 10) What do we learn about them? John is told: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:14) Upon surviving the great tribulation, this “great crowd” will live here on earth and enjoy amazing blessings.​—Ps. 37:9-11, 27-29; Prov. 2:21, 22; Rev. 7:16, 17.

⁷ Whether we have been selected to go to heaven or will remain here on earth, do we see ourselves in this description recorded in Revelation chapter 7? We should. What an exciting time that will be for both groups of God’s servants! We will be overjoyed that we chose to support Jehovah’s rulership. What else does the book of Revelation tell us about the great tribulation?​—Matt. 24:21.

 8. How will the great tribulation start, and how will most people be affected?

⁸ As mentioned in the preceding article, the political elements of this world will soon turn on Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. (Rev. 17:16, 17) This action will mark the beginning of the great tribulation. Will this result in a flood of new ones deciding to turn to the worship of Jehovah? No. To the contrary, Revelation chapter 6 shows that at that critical time, people who are not serving Jehovah will seek protection from the political and commercial systems of this world, which are compared to mountains. Since those people will not take a stand in favor of God’s Kingdom, Jehovah will consider them to be opposers.​—Luke 11:23; Rev. 6:15-17.

 9. How will Jehovah’s people stand out as different during the great tribulation, and with what result?

⁹ Truly, Jehovah’s faithful servants will stand out as different during that desperate time of tribulation. They will still be the only group of people on earth serving Jehovah God and refusing to give their support to “the wild beast.” (Rev. 13:14-17) Their firm stand will provoke the rage of those who oppose Jehovah. As a result, a coalition of nations will attack God’s people all over the earth. This act of mad aggression is described prophetically as the attack of Gog of Magog.​—Ezek. 38:14-16.

10. As described at Revelation 19:19-21, how will Jehovah react to this attack on his people?

¹⁰ How will Jehovah react to this vicious attack? He tells us: “My great rage will flare up.” (Ezek. 38:18, 21-23) Revelation chapter 19 describes what happens next. Jehovah sends forth His Son to defend His people and to defeat their enemies. Jesus will be joined in this counterattack by “the armies in heaven”​—the faithful angels together with the 144,000. (Rev. 17:14; 19:11-15) What is the outcome of this war? The total annihilation of all humans and organizations opposing Jehovah!​—Read Revelation 19:19-21.

11. What special event takes place as the climax of the book of Revelation?

¹¹ Just imagine how faithful ones on earth will feel to survive the total destruction of God’s enemies! What a time of rejoicing that will be! Although there will be a great shout of joy in heaven when Babylon the Great is destroyed, there is something else that will bring greater joy. (Rev. 19:1-3) It is, in fact, the climax of the book of Revelation​—“the marriage of the Lamb.”​—Rev. 19:6-9.

12. As indicated at Revelation 21:1, 2, when will the marriage of the Lamb take place?

¹² When does the marriage take place? All the 144,000 will be in heaven just before the war of Armageddon is fought. However, that will not be the time for the marriage of the Lamb. (Read Revelation 21:1, 2.) The marriage of the Lamb takes place after the war of Armageddon has been fought and all of God’s enemies have been removed.​—Ps. 45:3, 4, 13-17.

13. What does the marriage of the Lamb really mean for those involved?

¹³ What does the marriage of the Lamb really mean for those involved? Well, just as a marriage joins a man and a woman together, so this symbolic marriage unites the King, Jesus Christ, with his “bride,” the 144,000. That climactic event inaugurates the new government that will rule the earth for 1,000 years.​—Rev. 20:6.

14-15. To what does Revelation chapter 21 compare the 144,000? (See cover picture.)

¹⁴ Next, Revelation chapter 21 compares the 144,000 to an extremely beautiful city called “New Jerusalem.” (Rev. 21:2, 9) This city is based on 12 foundation stones that have written on them “the 12 names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb.” Why would this fact capture John’s interest? Because he saw his name written on one of those stones. What a grand privilege!​—Rev. 21:10-14; Eph. 2:20.

¹⁵ This symbolic city looks like no other. It has a main street of pure gold, 12 gates of pearl, walls and foundations adorned with precious stones​—and with perfectly balanced measurements. (Rev. 21:15-21) Still, something seems to be missing! Notice what John next tells us: “I did not see a temple in it, for Jehovah God the Almighty is its temple, also the Lamb is. And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp was the Lamb.” (Rev. 21:22, 23) Those who make up the New Jerusalem will have direct access to Jehovah. (Heb. 7:27; Rev. 22:3, 4) Thus, Jehovah and Jesus are the temple in that city.

16. What will mankind experience during the Thousand Year Reign of God’s Kingdom?

¹⁶ It is thrilling for the anointed to contemplate this city. But those who cherish the earthly hope also have reason to be interested in it. During the Thousand Year Reign of God’s Kingdom, the New Jerusalem will bring countless blessings. John sees these blessings flowing forth as “a river of water of life.” And on both sides of the river are “trees of life” that produce leaves “for the healing of the nations.” (Rev. 22:1, 2) All humans then living will have an opportunity to benefit from those provisions. Gradually, all obedient humankind will be brought to perfection. There will be no more sickness, no more pain, and no more tears of sorrow.​—Rev. 21:3-5.

17. As Revelation 20:11-13 shows, who will benefit from the Thousand Year Reign?

¹⁷ Who will benefit from these wonderful provisions? First of all, the great crowd of Armageddon survivors, along with any children who may be born in the new world. But Revelation chapter 20 also promises that the dead will be resurrected. (Read Revelation 20:11-13.) Faithful “righteous” ones who died in the past along with “unrighteous” ones​—who did not receive an adequate opportunity to learn about Jehovah—​will all come back to life here on the earth. (Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29) Does this mean that everyone will be resurrected to life on earth during the Thousand Year Reign? No. Those who wickedly rejected the opportunity to serve Jehovah before their death will not be raised to life. They had their chance and proved that they were not worthy of life on the Paradise earth.​—Matt. 25:46; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 17:8; 20:15.

18. What will be the situation on earth by the end of the 1,000 years?

¹⁸ By the end of the 1,000 years, all those living on earth will have been restored to perfect life. No longer will anyone living be affected by the sin that was originally inherited from Adam. (Rom. 5:12) The curse of Adamic sin will have been completely removed. In that way, those on earth will “come to life” as perfect humans at the end of the 1,000 years.​—Rev. 20:5.

19. Why is there a need for a final test?

¹⁹ We know that Jesus resisted Satan’s efforts to make him compromise his integrity. He remained faithful under test. But will all perfect humans be willing to do so when Satan is given an opportunity to test them? Each one will be able to answer this question for himself when Satan is released from the abyss at the end of the 1,000 years. (Rev. 20:7) Those who prove faithful during this final test will receive everlasting life and finally enjoy true freedom. (Rom. 8:21) Those who rebel will be destroyed forever, along with the Devil and his demons.​—Rev. 20:8-10.

20. How do you feel about the thrilling prophecies found in the book of Revelation?

²⁰ How do you feel after considering this brief overview of the book of Revelation? Is it not exciting to see yourself in these amazing prophecies? Does it not make you want to invite others to join us in the pure worship of our God? (Rev. 22:17) As our minds and hearts are stirred by these intriguing future events, we are certainly motivated to echo the words of the apostle John, who said: “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.”​—Rev. 22:20.