First Nations Version

by Terry M. Wildman

  12“So let your hearts be glad, you who live in the spirit-world above. But to those who live on land and sea there will be great sorrow and trouble, for the evil trickster snake has come down upon you with great anger, because he knows that his time will soon come to an end.”

  EAGLE HELPS THE WOMAN

  13So when the fiery-red sea serpent saw that he had been thrown down to the ground, he hunted down and mistreated the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, so she could fly deep into the desert wilderness to a place where she would be cared for. There she was hidden from the face of the evil trickster snake—for a season, and seasons, and half a season.29

  THE LAND HELPS THE WOMAN

  15The sea serpent spewed a raging river of water out from its mouth at the woman, to carry her away in its flood. 16But the land helped the woman by opening its mouth to swallow the river the sea serpent had spewed from its mouth.

  17The serpent’s anger toward the woman grew fierce, so it left her and attacked the rest of her descendants—the ones who walk in the ways of the Great Spirit and stand true to the message of Creator Sets Free (Jesus).

  THE WILD BEAST FROM THE GREAT WATERS

  1The fiery-red sea serpent took its stand on the shore of the great waters. Then I saw a wild beast with ten horns and seven heads emerging from the waters. On each horn was a headdress like a chief would wear. Its heads had names carved into them that spoke evil against the Great Spirit. 2I saw that the wild beast looked like a leopard with feet like a bear and a mouth like a mountain lion. The fiery-red sea serpent gave the wild beast its power, its seat of ruling, and its far-reaching dominion.

  3I saw that one of the heads of the wild beast was fatally wounded, but the wound had healed, and all the people of the land were filled with wonder as they followed after the wild beast. 4They were all bowing down and honoring the fiery-red sea serpent, because it had given power to the wild beast. So they gave honored service to the wild beast, saying, “Who can be compared to the wild beast? Who can make war with it?”

  5The fiery-red sea serpent filled the mouth of the wild beast with arrogant words and insults spoken against the Great Spirit. And for forty-two moons the wild beast was permitted to do whatever it wanted. 6So it spoke with boldness against the Great Spirit, his name, his sacred lodge in the spirit-world above, and against all who live there. 7The wild beast was given the ability to make war against Creator’s holy people and defeat them. It was also given authority over every tribe and people and language and nation. 8All who dwell in the land will honor and serve the wild beast—all whose names have not been written down in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was chosen to be violently killed from the formation of the world.30

  9Let the one who has ears, hear this: 10“All who lead others into captivity will themselves become captive. All who take up the long knife to kill will by the long knife be killed.”31

  This will test the faithfulness of Creator’s holy ones to stay true to the path of trusting in the ways of the Great Spirit.

  THE WILD BEAST FROM THE LAND

  11Then I saw another wild beast emerging from the land. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a fiery-red sea serpent. 12Representing the first wild beast, it used its power to make all who dwell in the land honor and serve the first wild beast whose deadly wound had been healed. 13It performed great signs and wonders in the sight of everyone, even making fire come down on the land from the sky.

  14Because of the signs that were done as it represented the first wild beast, it was able to trick the people who live in the land. It instructed them to carve an image to honor the first wild beast who was fatally wounded by the long knife yet lived. 15It was given the power to give breath to the carved image and make it speak. It could then have anyone killed who would not bow down to honor the carved image of the first wild beast.

  16The second wild beast then required everyone, small or great, rich or poor, slave or free, to be tattooed on their right hand or on their forehead, 17so that no one could buy or sell without this mark, which represents the name of the wild beast or the number of its name.

  18Wisdom is needed here. The one who understands will count the number representing the name of the wild beast. It is the number of a human being, and this one’s number is six hundred sixty-six.

  THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND

  1Then I looked, and there on Strong Mountain (Mount Zion) stood the Lamb. Standing with him were one hundred forty-four thousand who had his name and the name of his father tattooed on their foreheads. 2And coming from the spirit-world above I heard a voice that sounded like the roar of rushing water or the sound of loud thunder. And the voice I heard was like the sound of music being played on stringed instruments.

  3The singers were standing before the seat of honor and the four living spirit animals and the elders. They sang a new song that no one was able to learn except for the one hundred forty-four thousand, who, at a great cost, had been rescued from the land. 4These are the ones who have kept themselves spiritually as pure as a virgin. Wherever the Lamb goes, they walk the road with him. They are the first from among humans to be set apart for the Great Spirit and for the Lamb. They are the ceremonial first fruits of the harvest, for a great price has been paid to rescue them and set them free. 5They speak only what is true, for they are spiritually pure and have no false ways within them.

  A SPIRIT-MESSENGER ANNOUNCES THE GOOD STORY

  6Then I saw another spirit-messenger flying high above me. The messenger had the words of the good story that tells about the good things of the world to come. This good story is to be told to all who dwell in the land, to every nation, tribe, language, and people!

  7“Show great respect and honor to the Great Spirit,” the messenger said with a loud voice, “for the time has come for him to decide who has done right and who has done wrong. Bow down and humble yourselves before the one who created the sky above, the earth below, the great waters of the sea, and the springs of water that flow out from the ground.”

  8A second spirit-messenger followed the first, saying, “It has fallen! The great Village of Confusion (Babylon) has fallen! She is the village that has made the nations drink of the wine of Creator’s anger toward her spiritual impurity.”

  A WARNING TO THE FOLLOWERS OF THE WILD BEAST

  9The first two spirit-messengers were followed by a third spirit-messenger, who spoke with a thundering voice, saying, “All who bow down to serve the wild beast or its carved image or any who accept its mark on their foreheads or on their hands 10will also drink the wine of Creator’s great anger. The wine in the cup of his deep anger will not be watered down, and those who drink it must face great suffering with fire and burning rocks in the presence of the holy spirit-messengers and the Lamb. 11And the smoke from their suffering will rise to the time beyond the end of all days. And there will be no rest day or night for all who bow down to serve the wild beast or its carved image, or for any who accept the mark that represents its name.”

  12This is the time when Creator’s holy people, who follow his instructions and trust in the way of Creator Sets Free (Jesus), will be required to walk with firm steps and stay true to the path.

  13Then I heard a voice from the spirit-world above saying to me, “Write this down: from this time forward Creator’s blessing will rest on those who die, the ones who will make the ultimate sacrifice for their Honored Chief.”

  “It is true!” says the Spirit. “The weary will find rest from their troubled path, and what they have done will follow them into the world to come.”

  THE LAND IS RIPE FOR THE HARVEST

  14Then I looked up and saw a bright cloud, and there seated on the cloud was one that looked like a True Human Being. He wore a golden headdress and held a sharp harvesting stick in his hand. 15Another spirit-messenger came out from the sacred lodge. With a loud voice he called out to one who was seated on the cloud, “Take your stick
and start harvesting, for the time has come and the land is ripe.”

  16Then the one seated on the cloud swung his stick over the land and harvested the crop.

  17Another spirit-messenger came out from the sacred lodge that is in the spirit-world above. He also had a sharp harvesting stick. 18He was followed by another spirit-messenger, one who has the power of fire. The messenger came out from the sacred altar and called out to the spirit-messenger with the sharp harvesting stick, “Take your sharp stick and harvest the grapes from the land, for her grapes are ripe.”

  19So the spirit-messenger swung his harvesting stick over the land, gathered the grapes, and threw them into the great winepress of Creator’s fierce anger. 20Then, outside the village, the grapes were trampled on, and blood poured out from the winepress to the height of a horse’s shoulders for a distance of about two hundred miles.

  A POWERFUL OMEN FROM ABOVE

  1Then in the spirit-world above I saw another omen. It was powerful enough to take one’s breath away! There were seven spirit-messengers with seven last disasters. After these, Creator’s fierce anger will come to an end.

  2And then I saw what seemed to be a great sea, smooth and crystal clear, glowing with fire. And standing on this great sea were the ones who had won the victory over the wild beast, its carved image, and its mark. In their hands they held stringed instruments gifted to them from the Great Spirit. 3They were singing the song of Creator’s servant Drawn from the Water (Moses) and the song of Creator’s Lamb.

  “O Great Creator and Honored One!” they sang with one voice. “All that you do is powerful and full of wonder! Your ways are right and true, O Chief of All Nations! 4Who is there who does not honor you with deep respect for who you are and what your name represents? Only you are holy! Because your right ways have been clearly shown to all nations, they will come to bring honor to you and serve you.”32

  THE SEVEN SPIRIT-MESSENGERS

  5After this I looked up and in the spirit-world above I saw that the sacred tent of Creator’s peace treaty33 was opened. 6The seven spirit-messengers who hold the power of the seven disasters came out from the sacred tent. They wore regalia made from pure, shining white garments with golden sashes wrapped around their chests.

  7Then one of the four living spirit animals gave to the seven spirit-messengers seven golden smudge bowls that were filled with the fiery anger of the Great Spirit, the one who lives beyond the end of all days. 8Smoke that came from Creator’s shining-greatness filled the sacred tent, and no one was able to enter until the seven disasters from the seven spirit-messengers had come to an end.

  THE SEVEN SMUDGE BOWLS POURED OUT

  1I then heard a loud voice coming from the sacred lodge in the spirit-world above.

  “Go!” the voice said to the seven spirit-messengers, “and pour out on the land the seven smudge bowls of Creator’s fiery anger.”

  2So the first spirit-messenger poured his smudge bowl onto the land, and horrible and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the wild beast and bowed down to serve its carved image.

  3The second spirit-messenger poured his smudge bowl into the waters of the sea. And the waters turned into blood that was like the blood of a dead body—and all living things in the sea died.

  4The third spirit-messenger poured his smudge bowl into rivers and springs of water, and their waters also turned into blood.

  5Then I heard the spirit-messenger of the waters say, “You are upright and true, O Holy One Who Is and Was. Your decisions are right and true! 6For the ones who shed the blood of your holy ones and prophets have been given blood to drink, and this is what they deserve.”

  7And I heard a voice from the sacred altar, saying, “All your decisions are upright and true, O Honored and all-powerful Great Spirit!”

  8Then the fourth spirit-messenger poured out his smudge bowl on the sun, which was permitted to scorch people with fire. 9When scorched by the fierce heat, they cursed the Great Spirit, the one who had the power over these disasters. But they did not return to Creator’s right ways and give him the honor he deserves.

  10The fifth spirit-messenger poured out his smudge bowl on the wild beast’s seat of power. And all that the wild beast ruled over was covered in darkness. The people the wild beast ruled over gnawed their tongues in pain 11and cursed the Great Spirit from the spirit-world above. But they would not turn back from their evil ways to Creator’s right ways.

  12The sixth spirit-messenger then poured out his smudge bowl on the great river named Much Fruit (Euphrates). The waters of the river dried up to prepare the way for the rulers that would come from the east.

  13Then I saw three impure frog-spirits coming out from the mouth of the fiery-red sea serpent, the wild beast, and the false prophet. 14These spirits are evil demons, performing misleading signs and omens. These spirits go out into all the lands, to gather their rulers to make war against the Great Spirit on the day of the great battle when he shows his mighty power.

  HE COMES LIKE A THIEF

  15“Behold, I am coming like a thief!” says Creator Sets Free (Jesus).34 “Creator’s blessing will rest on the one who remains awake, wearing regalia, and not naked and ashamed for all to see.”

  16And the evil frog-spirits gathered the rulers together to the place called in our tribal language35 Mountain of Invasion (Armageddon).

  17Then the seventh spirit-messenger poured out his smudge bowl in the air. Out of the sacred lodge came a loud voice from the seat of honor. “It is done!” the voice roared.

  18The lightning flashed, the thunder rumbled, and the earth shook violently! The earthquake was greater than humankind has ever seen or felt before! 19The great village was split into three parts, and the villages of the Outside Nations fell to the ground. Creator remembered all that the great Village of Confusion (Babylon) had done and gave her the cup that was filled with his fierce anger.

  20Every island sank into the great waters, and the mountains could not be found. 21Monstrous one-hundred-pound hailstones fell from the sky onto the people. The people cursed the Great Spirit for the hailstones that brought on them such a great disaster.

  THE FATE OF THE GREAT VILLAGE OF CONFUSION

  1One of the seven spirit-messengers who had the seven smudge bowls came to talk with me.

  “Come,” the spirit-messenger said to me, “and I will show you the fate of the infamous woman who sits on many waters and trades her body for possessions. 2The rulers of the land have participated in her broken and impure ways. And the people of the land have become drunk on the wine of her impurities.”36

  THE WOMAN WHO SITS ON THE WILD BEAST

  3The spirit-messenger carried me away in the spirit to a desert wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a wild beast that was red in color. The wild beast had seven heads with ten horns and was filled with names that spoke evil against the Great Spirit.

  4The woman wore purple and red garments sparkling with gold, costly stones, and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup filled with all of her horrible, shameful, and impure ways. 5Carved into her forehead was a mysterious name:

  VILLAGE OF CONFUSION, MOTHER OF ALL WHO DWELL IN THE LAND AND FOLLOW SHAMEFUL AND IMPURE WAYS

  6I could see that this woman was drunk with the blood of Creator’s holy ones and with the blood of the truth tellers for Creator Sets Free (Jesus). I could only stare at this woman with wonder and amazement.

  THE MYSTERY OF THE WOMAN IS REVEALED

  7“Why are you amazed?” the spirit-messenger asked me. “I will tell you the mystery of this woman and the wild beast with seven heads and ten horns that she rides on.

  8“The wild beast, which you saw, once was and now is not, but will soon emerge from the dark and bottomless pit and meet with disaster. All who live on the land, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world, will be amazed when they see the wild beast that once was and now is not, but will soon emerge from the dark and bottomless pit.

  WISD
OM IS NEEDED

  9“Much wisdom is what is needed to understand this mystery. The seven heads of the wild beast represent the seven mountains that the woman sits on. The seven heads also represent seven rulers— 10five who have fallen, one who now rules, and the seventh, who has not yet come into power. But when he does, he will remain for only a short time. 11The wild beast that once was and now is not is an eighth ruler, who is of the seven and will come to a bad end.

  12“The ten horns you saw are ten rulers. They have not yet risen in power. But when they do, they will rule for only one hour with the wild beast. 13Their one purpose is to give their power and authority to the wild beast.

  MAKING WAR AGAINST THE LAMB

  14“They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will win the victory, because he is Grand Chief over All Chiefs! And those who stand with him are the called-out ones, who have been chosen and are loyal to the Great Spirit.”

  THE WOMAN AND THE WILD BEAST

  15Then the spirit-messenger said to me, “The many waters you saw the woman sitting on, the one who trades her body for possessions, are many peoples, tribal groups, and languages. 16The ten horns and the wild beast that you saw will hate the impure woman. They will ruin her, strip her naked, and eat her flesh, and with fire they will burn her until nothing is left.

  17“With one heart and mind the ten horns gave their ruling power over to the wild beast. This is what Creator wanted them to do, so that the words he had spoken would finally happen.