“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:9–11
- IT IS A WARNING!
A WARNING!
The planet earth is wildly careening on the path to destruction—a runaway freight train without an engineer! A fearful wreck is looming ahead—and then judgments. Many will needlessly perish!
This, therefore, the message of Revelation 14:9–11, is the most important message and truth for our time! It is the last message, to the last church, to the last generation! Read on to see why.
Here we have the Third Angel of Revelation 14:1–9, the third of the three angels, all three—messengers of God, sent from heaven to give notice of the fall of Babylon, and those things that are consequent to that great and fearful event. It calls attention to the vital issues at stake in the final conflict between Christ and Satan, and in a most emphatic way calls for a decision from every individual on planet earth.
The message from the Third Angel contains the most fearful, grim, startling warning ever issued to mankind in the history of the world!
- But first, what do we mean by a “warning?” Well, “warning” as an adjective is descriptive of “serving as an alarm, a signal, a summons, etc., announcing something imminent, or impending, or the presence of danger.” –Webster’s Dictionary
- Furthermore, “warn—vt. 1) to put on guard; 2) caution, admonish; 3) Give advance information to; 4) notify authoritavely; warning—n. 1) a hint of harm, etc.; 2) admonition; 3) advance notice.” –Collins Compact Dictionary
- Moreover, “warning—as danger sign, (syn.) an omen. warn—v. to tell that danger or trouble is near, (syn.) to caution. –The Newbury House Dictionary of American English
- Perhaps, the best interpretation: “to inform plainly and strongly of possible trouble.”
–The Random House College Dictionary
- In essence these warnings, for our purpose, connote—providential, prophetic, faithful, and eternal—warnings!
PRESENCE OF DANGER!
Context, though, is all! So where is this “presence of danger” involved; or the summons found in the opening verses of Revelation 14:10, 11? We find after re-reading the above opening verse, that, again, this is the most fearful threatening ever addressed to mankind since the beginning of time!
Since it is such a sober warning shouldn’t it behoove us to know more pointedly, what the three things are that the angel warns against?
- a) The beast—a church/state system—the papacy.
- b) The image of the beast—a copy of the church/state system.
- c) The mark of the beast—of the religious and political mark in the forehead or right hand—a church and state mark.
Now that we have some inkling of the warnings, just what is the issue involved – and why the fuss over it? Ah! That is just the point! It has to do with the Law of God. Yes, the Law of God! The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). So, the beast power will make void the law of God. The apostle speaks of the “man of sin” as the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:3). The issues—the final showdown—will be between the commandments of God and the commandments of men—mankind will have chosen between one or the other. Those who chose the commandments of men will receive the “mark of the beast!”
A SIGNIFICANT MESSAGE!
Why is this message so significant? Hmmm, to the unwary this may appear irrelevant to one’s life. Ah! But the significance of this message—of the Third Angel—lies in the fact that there are no more to follow, no more invitations of mercy to be given after the message shall have accomplished its work. When the warning of this message is heeded the world will be prepared to meet God! Ah! But the world is not prepared to meet God, because God’s invitation to repent has been rejected by the large majority.
Are we faithful to our God-given trust?!
- THE CHARACTER OF THOSE LIVING BEFORE JESUS COMES
SANCTIFIED AND BLAMELESS
1) Firstly, they are sanctified and blameless. “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes, our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, both theirs, and ours.” 1 Corinthians 1:1–2. Only those who are justified can be sanctified. Because Christ purchased us from sin at Calvary, we have then no more—we stand guiltless before God. By walking in obedience we are “set apart” by God—we have been sanctified. We are not buying back our sins through disobedience—we are walking in Christ’s righteousness. The man who rejects Christ bought back his sins, and must pay with his soul. Fearful!
2) Secondly, they glorify Christ. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6–7. “When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” 2 Thessalonians 1:10
The chief purpose of Christ’s coming, you see, is not simply to judge the wicked, but to be glorified and honoured among His saints. There are three exceedingly clear identifying qualities of a saint:
- a) They “keep” the commandments of God (Revelation 12:17; 14:12).
- b) They “keep” the faith of Jesus—they keep their faith in Jesus (Revelation 14:12).
- c) They have patience (Revelation 14:12). This is quiet strength. See Isaiah 40:31.
- THE THIRD ANGEL’S MESSAGE IS A WARNING TO THOSE WHO REJECTED THE MESSAGES OF THE FIRST AND SECOND ANGEL’S (Revelation 18:1–5)
1) They are those that rejected the “everlasting gospel” under the everlasting covenant. “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” Revelation 14:6. “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.” Hebrews 8:10
2) They have no fear of God in the heart, therefore they cannot give Him glory. “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:7. “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear.” Hebrews 12:28
We glorify God in our bodies and spirit. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19–20
3) They rejected the judgment hour message, which calls mankind to recognize God as Creator. “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:7
The rejection of the First Angel’s message leads to “spiritual” confusion. The Bible clearly describes this as Babylon. “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:8
Remember the TOWER BUILDERS became the BABEL BUILDERS, because they rejected the word of the Lord that there would not be another flood—they defied the God of heaven (Genesis 9:11–13; 11:4). Furthermore, “they were warring against God and the Lord God of heaven. They wanted to ascend into heaven. The mortar and bricks in building the TOWER OF BABEL did not reach the builders until those that went up had completed a full year to ascend. This was done daily. The circumference of the TOWER was a three-day walk.”(Book of Jasher 9:21–38; Joshua 10:13; 2 Samuel 1:18). Incredible!!
The call of Revelation 18:1–4, moreover, is a call to true believers in Babylon. When all true believers are safely taken out of Babylon, her fall will be completed. The result will be the “mark of the beast.” Only those who received the “mark of the beast” will experience the final judgments of God in the pouring out of the “seven last plagues.” See Revelation 16. Those that refuse to come out of Babylon, when called, and resolve to partake of her sins, must receive of her plagues. They shall be miserable in soul and body.
- How are those, therefore, described who refuse to worship the beast? “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17. ”Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12
- What, therefore, is the reward of the saints? “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints. Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest.” Revelation 15:2–4
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4
The message of the third angel is a part of the everlasting gospel, because it warns against worshiping a system that rejects the “everlasting gospel.” “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth for ever.” 1 Peter 1: 24–25
It is the gospel that revives the fear of God, and retrieves His glory in the world. The gospel message will be carried by God’s people to a perishing world—with the power of God. This work will finish—triumphantly! It is important, therefore, to have principles and the blessings of God for those who believe—for His resources never fail!
Finally, it is a testing message for both saints and sinners. It tests the saint’s patience and loyalty to God, and warns the sinners of the terrible judgment of defying God’s truth; a test of life or death!
SAINT OR SINNER?
A mother calling to her son shouted, “Johnny, tell your sister to get in the house out of the rain.” “I can’t mom,” came the reply. “Hmmm, and just why can’t you?!” demanded his mother. “Because we are playing Noah’s Ark mom, and she’s one of the sinners.”
Ah! We like to make the distinction between the sinners on the outside of the ark and the saints on the inside, and it is a legitimate distinction. But in so doing, we tend to cover up the reality that the saints inside are still sinners. There is a difference though in that they are, sinners saved by grace, but nevertheless sinners. Although they may have overcome sin today, they are not free from ever committing sin in the future. There is no such thing as “once saved, always saved.” Noah didn’t take much time before he demonstrated that after the ark landed. Failure to be aware of this reality led the Pharisees of Christ’s day, and self-righteous saints all through history, to feel that the message of repentance does not apply to them. They say that repentance is only relevant to those sinners outside the ark. We are all victims of our culture where the only time we ever hear the word repent is in a context of scolding lost sinners. The lost only have to repent once to end their “lostness” (justification), but the saved have to repent innumerable times (sanctification).
Whisper it, but Mark tells us the very first message that Jesus preached was that the kingdom of God was near and, therefore, people are to repent and believe the good news; the same message that John the Baptist had been preaching; and it was culminated by the Apostle John on Patmos Island of Greece, that wise old sage, that brought us the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and an unfamiliar emotion for many sufferers—hope—in the Book of Revelation to His servants, the concluding book of the Scriptures, which unfolds to the wise those great events bringing history to consummation and the—
EARTH’S LAST PROPHETIC WARNING!
John Theodorou
Amen <>< <>< <><