September 25: GOD’S INCREDIBLE PATIENCE AND COMPASSION
Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” Revelation 14:9-10
There is nothing arbitrary about the Lord’s final message of warning to the world. His patience and compassion are unrivaled. From the start, He has held out His hand to erring humans, communicating His plan to stand beside them with perfect counsel; to lead out of the dark cloud of error, to embrace a life-affirming path and believe in the coming Savior.
After the Lord’s earthly ministry, His patience was reiterated: Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). Christ’s first coming shone a bright light onto the signs and symbols given in the written word we sometimes call the Old Testament – to help our walk with Him through the Plan of Salvation in its entirety.
The third angel’s message refutes the erroneous doctrine of God’s abandonment to endless burning and torture throughout the ceaseless ages for unrepentant sinners. Note carefully the words “in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” At the Lord’s second coming, He will come in His full, unveiled glory. The intense brightness, and flaming fire of His presence will be a thrilling sight for those who have turned away from their sin and allowed His transformation to recreate their hearts. They will exclaim, “Behold, this is our God! We have waited for Him, and He will save us!” (Isaiah 25:9) But this very same sight will destroy the unrepentant. Some will drop dead on the spot while others try to hide among rocks and in caves. It is the presence of the Lamb that brings the greatest joy to the saved. And it is the presence of the Lamb that is the most frightening terror for those who chose to cling to their sin.
Bear in mind that the beast’s mark, while seeming a minor point or inconsequential to many, is a sign that totally simplifies the matter of identifying the last day antichrist system in its fully developed form. It has been “hiding in plain sight” for centuries. While the reformers were gaining awareness of other errors that were part and parcel of the wine of Babylon, the most obvious one – the “branding” – is being highlighted last. Our patient and compassionate Savior will not come before everyone has a fair opportunity to see it for themselves. It is a banner under which a variety of errors are tucked away among bits of carefully selected truth. Mixed wine indeed! Without exception, these errors mischaracterize God. The final warning is to be repeated to the world in authoritative, unmistakable terms:
After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” Revelation 18:1-3 For further study: Jeremiah 50 and 51