Introduction
Memory text: “Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, ‘Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads’ ” (Revelation 7:2, 3, NKJV).
Love is the
great motivating force of the kingdom of God in contrast to the power that tries
to usurp God’s authority by force, coercion and at times bribes and rewards¾all in order to compel worship. We are
committed to God because we know God is committed to Him. Only the love for
Jesus so deep that can keep us away from the mark of the beast.
What two characteristics do we discover in Revelation 14:12?
Patience and Obedience to God’s law
What is at the heart of the great controversy?
The heart of the great controversy between good and evil is
going to be the Sabbath.
What can we draw from Revelation 14?
Worshipping the Creator (Rev. 14:7) stands in direct
opposition to worshipping the beast (Rev. 14:9) and finds its expression in a
people who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus (Rev.
14:12).
What is the result of living by faith?
Living by faith, we receive His grace, and our lives are
changed. The committed believers will not only have faith “in” Jesus but also
will have the faith “of” Jesus.
What kind of faith did Jesus have?
The faith of Jesus is a faith that trusts when it cannot see,
believes when it cannot understand, hangs on when there is little to hang on
to. The “faith of Jesus” is itself a gift we receive by faith. It enables us to
worship Christ as supreme and steadfastly endure when Revelation’s mark of the
beast is enforced.
What is the mark-of-the-beast prophecy about?
‘The mark-of-the-beast prophecy is about the final link in
this ungodly chain. Like the persecutions in the past, it is designed to force
everyone to conform to a certain set of beliefs and an approved system of
worship.’
What will God’s end-time people face?
Persecution, everyone will be forced to have the mark of the
beast, else he/she will not be able to buy or sell. Death decree can be passed
to any who refuses to compromise by receiving the mark of the beast.
What will preserve God’s people during the troublous times?
‘God’s love for each one of us will strengthen us and
preserve us during the troublous times ahead.’
Where does the beast come from, and who gives the beast his authority?
The dragon, Satan (Revelation 12:9 and Revelation 20:2)
working through Pagan Rome will give the seat of its government to this emerging
power, the Papal Rome.
What does the contrast between those who follow the lamb and those who
follow the beast imply according to Revelation 13:!3 and Revelation 14:4?
It will be the one side or the other, for Jesus or against.
To not firmly commit to following the Lamb is consciously or not, to commit to
the other side.
Who is our only Mediator?
Jesus is our only Mediator. According to 1 Timothy 2:5 ,
there is one Mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ. ‘In contrast,
the Roman Church teaches that the Priest is the mediator between God and sinful
humanity.’ The Priest himself is sinful in need of a Mediator.
How can we understand "antichrist"?
The antichrist doesn’t always mean “against” but also can
mean “in the place of.” Hence, antichrist also means “in place of Christ.” Talk
about blasphemy!
In Conclusion,
There is no middle ground, you either have the seal of God
or you receive the mark of the beast. I pray that God gives us not only the
faith “in” Jesus but the faith “of” Jesus to overcome in these troublous times
in Jesus’ name.
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