Lesson 43
Revelation
Chapter Fourteen
Snapshots of the
Victory of Christ
14:9-12
Part 2 of the Pronouncement of Judgment (3rd snapshot)
- Focuses on those who choose to worship the beast!
- vs:9
"If" 1cc makes an emphatic statement; pointing to the
dogmatic assertion of the results of the
action.
If you choose to worship the beast this is what
will happen to you; you can count on it!!
Not open to arbitration; or negotiation.
The punishment is noted in vs:10-11
In vs:8b in the indictment
of
If one drinks of the cup of the Beast, does so by
taking the mark, sign of worshiping the Beast;
That one also will drink of the cup of God's wrath;
What are men's options during this period??
#1. Reject the mark of the
beast, reject worship.
#2. Other option is to
choose to worship the beast!
The consequence is to fall under the wrath of God!
The Contrast is this:
- If you say no to the Beast, the body is affected;
edict is death.
- If you say yes to the
beast the result is spiritual death perpetuated for all eternity.
- The issue that those of
that period will have to face is this:
Do they see only time, only the temporally with its
comforts or can they see eternity!
- torment
= basanismosj
- org.
Cl. Gk. used for testing; then of torture as a means
of examination, to elicit info and finally to torment generally.
We need to remember that God has said, "I
am the Lord;... I will not give My glory to another" Isa
42:8
Many today have bought into the argument that if
God is a God of love than
how can He actually allow one of His creatures to suffer torment
for eternity.
Today, We're totally
desensitized to what it really means for God to be righteous and just!
The seal, the trumpet and the vial judgments are
all part of the warning to man to refocus their attention from the temporal to
the Eternal, from worshiping the beast to worshiping the Creator God!
"perseverance
of the saints" u`pomonh, patient endurance; steadfastness under great pressure;
Patient endurance is related to 2 things here:
1. Keeping the
commandments of God, applying the Word; pres; continuing pattern of life to
live out the Word.
#2. Faith in Jesus;
objective genitive; object of faith is in Jesus.
John intended for his readers to see the stark
contrast between the 2 categories of people in the
Tribulation; The Now people;
vs:9-12; Martyred saints vs:13
- One of the consistent
teachings of Scripture is that the sufferings of this present life are
inconsequential in view of the eternal blessing prepared for those who are
His. Rom
** The investment of
faithfulness to Jesus Christ today will earn eternal dividends.
Rev
14:14-20 Preview
of Armageddon Campaign;
1. 14:14-18 The Reapers; The Executors or
administers of God's wrath
#1 Lord 14:14-16 #2 Angels 14:17-20
2. The Reasons Given: vs:15,
18 revolves around "harvest is
ripe"
3. Result Great Judgment
carried out vs:19-20