Revelation 14:9-10; If Any Worship the Beast and His Image

Posted on Posted in Devotions Tagged with , ,

Revelation 14:9-10 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, 10 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: 

The terrible doom of worshippers of the beast, as announced in these verse, is fearsome in the extreme. Judgment, unequaled in its severity and proportioned to the guilt and horrible iniquity openly practiced, is now about to all. With a great voice this third angel declares the unending torment of all who have followed the beast. [Herbert Lockyer, All About the Second Coming – The Drama of the Ages, Hendrickson, 2007, 129]

The picture of torment is meant as a warning to the unbelievers, who in their daily lives reject the revelation of God and his Christ.

 Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 412). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 

Jeremiah 25:15-17 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it. And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. Then took I the cup at the LORD’S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me: 

The third angel’s dire warning is addressed to anyone who worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand.

As sign of loyalty to Antichrist and in order to function in his world economy, everyone will be required to receive a mark on his forehead or on his hand. It will seem to the deceived followers of Antichrist who receive that mark that they are backing the winning side. But the angel warns that a terrible fate awaits those who, despite all of God’s judgments and warnings, persist in worshiping Antichrist. Once again, God graciously calls on sinners to repent in the final hour.

 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2000). Revelation 12–22 (p. 91). Chicago: Moody Press.