THE MARK OF THE BEAST — TAKEN BY ACCIDENT?
Revelation 14:9-11: “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 for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
Notice that verse 9, says — “IF any man WORSHIP the beast and his image, and RECEIVE his mark in his forehead, or in his hand” — WHO WORSHIP the beast. . . Also verse 11, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who WORSHIP the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” — who WORSHIP the beast. . .(so this also incorporates a definite time frame — a time when the beast is known and existing.)
It becomes apparent from those verses that several things are KNOWN and DONE by the recipients of the MARK — 1. They KNOW who the beast is (even though deceived as to his true nature) and 2. They willingly WORSHIP the beast (one cannot WORSHIP unknowingly). it’s a voluntary act of WORSHIP (forced worship is not worship).
When someone receives the mark of the beast, they do so, willingly, knowing what they are doing — worshipping the beast, or his image. it is a sign of allegiance and WORSHIP of the beast or his image — and rejection of a Holy God.
In Revelation 16:2, when the mark of the beast is mentioned, it includes worship: “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.”
Again Revelation 19:20, makes the connection to worship: “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”
In Revelation 20:4, worship is mentioned with the mark of the beast: “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 worshipped 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.” Some chose death rather than to worship the beast — both of these acts are CHOICES. This is a voluntary allegiance and WORSHIP of the beast or of his image — done knowingly and willfully.
Rev: 14:6-7 shows that the mark is obtained only by those who sell their soul to the Beast. This involves a willful rejection of God. What is alarming is. . . despite all the horror and terror of the tribulation, the people of the tribulation, still worship devils, blaspheme God and refuse to repent!
“And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”
When the anti-Christ comes, people who “received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. . .”FOR THIS CAUSE “… “God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” They willfully rejected one to willfully accept the other.
And FOR THIS CAUSE God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
For those who knowingly and willfully reject the gospel and knowingly and willfully refuse to worship God but knowingly and willfully worship the beast will knowingly and willfully take the mark!
—jlg—