Next Part 7 The 144,000
Chapter 14 The 144,000 and the Victorious Judgment of the Lamb
Thus far, the preaching of the Everlasting Gospel (14:6-7) and a powerful reminder of the deadness of the Harlot's Religious System, i.e., "Babylon is fallen, is fallen" (14:8), have been given to all Earth dwellers by the first two angels; but, the third angel's warning is even more personal to his audience of entirely unregenerate mankind. Since the Pre-Wrath Rapture has just removed all the remaining Tribulation Saints, only a portion of lost humanity that remains is "elect-but-still-lost"-- to be saved at the appearance of Messiah Jesus. "Thus saith the LORD GOD, Behold, I will lift up Mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up My standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders" (Isaiah 49:22). The third angel begins a loud warning to all that remains of mankind on the planet-- unhushed by Satan, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and their minions-- saying, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand..." (14:10). Worship of the Antichrist and reception of the Mark of the Beast (13:11-18) have already been a stark fact of life for nearly 3 1/2 years. When the Faithful God tires of warning humanity of the eternal perils of their present course of actions, then all hope has been removed. "And the LORD said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man" (Genesis 6:3). After the warning stops, only Judgment remains. "God is a Consuming Fire" (Hebrews 12:29). "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28).
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- "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:"
Question? With only 8-9 days left in the Tribulation Week, all of the regenerate of mankind Pre-Tribulationally and Pre-Wrath Raptured from the Earth, and only the horrors of the Vial Judgments (16:1-21) remaining, why now would the angel warn those who have received the Mark of the Beast, about the consequences of receiving that mark? Evidently, the All Wise God expects to see the very Last Fruits to be finally and certainly harvested, for He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2Peter 3:9). But, how so?
First, the Almighty never gives anyone the impression that they can continue in present sin, without a "certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation" (Hebrews 10:27), i.e., the "same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God" (14:10). Even our witness that we are His, is based upon our present loving obedience to Him; whereas, a present disobedience can only be given God's anger, fearful displeasure, and threatening of Eternal Judgment. "3 And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His Commandments. 4 He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His Commandments, is a LIAR, and the Truth is not in him" (1John 2:3-4). "ALL LIARS, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the Second Death" (Revelation 21:8).
Next Part 8 The 144,000