Area: 30,244,000 sq km
20.3% of the world's surface area. Of this, 20.6 million sq km are in countries south of the Sahara, and 9.68 million in the nations of North Africa. Population: 1,033,042,510 Annual Growth: 2.30% Urbanites: 40%
1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who "will rule all the nations with an iron scepter."[a] And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. 7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
1You who live in the shelter of 'Elyon, who spend your nights in the shadow of Shaddai,2who say to ADONAI, "My refuge! My fortress! My God, in whom I trust!"3he will rescue you from the trap of the hunter and from the plague of calamities;4he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his truth is a shield and protection.5You will not fear the terrors of night or the arrow that flies by day,6or the plague that roams in the dark, or the scourge that wreaks havoc at noon.7A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand; but it won't come near you.8Only keep your eyes open, and you will see how the wicked are punished.9For you have made ADONAI, the Most High, who is my refuge, your dwelling-place.10No disaster will happen to you, no calamity will come near your tent;11for he will order his angels to care for you and guard you wherever you go.12They will carry you in their hands, so that you won't trip on a stone.13You will tread down lions and snakes, young lions and serpents you will trample underfoot.14"Because he loves me, I will rescue him; because he knows my name, I will protect him.15He will call on me, and I will answer him. I will be with him when he is in trouble. I will extricate him and bring him honor.16I will satisfy him with long life and show him my salvation."
Psalm 134 (New International Version) A song of ascents. 1 Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who minister by night in the house of the LORD. 2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.
3 May the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion
Psalm 134 (Complete Jewish Bible)
1A song of ascents: Come, bless ADONAI, all you servants of ADONAI, who serve each night in the house of ADONAI.2Lift your hands toward the sanctuary, and bless ADONAI.3May ADONAI, the maker of heaven and earth, bless you from Tziyon.
