The word ‘mark’ is used no less than three times,1 and it will be used a total of seven times,2 with reference to the people who had received the mark (six as the number of natural, fallen man) and in the seventh time it refers to the people who have not received the mark of the beast on their forehead or on their hand, and who will rise from the dead to reign with Christ.3 There is every reason, therefore, to say ‘no’ to the beast and his image! Whoever says ‘yes’ will sail along ‘happily’ for a short while, without problems, in his own cosy little barge in the empire of the end-time. Looking down on those stupid, old-fashioned believers, accusing them of being responsible for all the problems that will undoubtedly still exist, agreeing with the raids that will be made on the Jews and Christians who remain faithful to the Bible, and delighting in the resulting executions, as happened at the time of the French Revolution when the guillotine did its gruesome work, or, as in Islamic countries, where executions of criminals and ‘traitors to the country’ and ‘spies’ from Israel and America take place in public. Just as they have cooperated – directly or indirectly – with the torture, they themselves will be tortured, with fire and sulphur. There is little doubt that hell-fire4 is being referred to here by the mentioning of ‘tormented’. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom (for the Kingdom has been proclaimed)5 everything that causes sin and all who do evil, Matthew 13:24-30; Luke 3:17. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun (just like Christ)6 in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.7 The torture takes place before the face of the Lamb and the holy angels. It says so literally. The Lamb, the ultimate embodiment of gentleness,8 loving kindness, grace and mercy, and total compassion now no longer pleads for sinners, but observes the punishment without intervening as the the wrath of God and of the Lamb9 is released. The Lamb that shed His blood for the godless sinners of the last days as well is now their Judge. They, who despised Him, are now themselves despised. Like the four ‘living creatures’ have no rest, day or night, from praising God’s glory,10 the godless endure their torture day and night, for ever and ever. Seeing the Lamb and the holy angels increases their distress as they realise what they had despised – willingly and consciously. This was how the suffering of the rich man was increased by seeing Lazarus in Glory.11 Even the plagues under the seals and the trumpets did not bring them to repentance and conversion. So now, they finally receive their due judgment. God’s measures are full, overflowing full.
• The description of God’s wrath about what will be coming to unrepentant sinners is shown nowhere else so vividly in the New Testament as in the Book of Revelation.12
• The Glory of the persecuted and tortured children of God, and the love of God, is described passionately as well.
• John is called the Apostle of love, but he says too: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son (i.e. refuses to believe in Him)13 will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.14
Bible References:
1.Revelation 13:16 and 17, 14:9 2.Revelation 14:11, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4 3.Revelation 20:4 4.Matthew 5:22 5.Revelation 11:15, 12:10 6.Revelation 1:16 7.Matthew 13:41-43, see too: Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:43-48 8.Matthew 11:29, 21:5 9.Revelation 6:16-17 10.Revelation 4:8 11.Luke 16:23 12.Revelation 12:12, 14:10 and 19, 15:1 and 7, 16:1 and 19, 18:4-6, 19:15 13.1 John 3:23 14.John 3:36
