The 3 Angel's Messages
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9 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,
Rev 14:10 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:
Rev 14:11 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.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
The messages proclaimed by these 3 angels just prior to the second coming, are the most serious, clear, and urgent warnings to be found in all of scripture, and they need to be understood by all Christians. They include clear instructions as to what needs to be done to heed the warning, so as to escape the full wrath of God that is sure to fall on those who worship "the beast", or his "image", by receiving the "mark of the beast". Knowing who and what these are is obviously of the utmost importance, and the key to understanding them is found in what that warning says should be done, to assure immunity from the terrible punishment to come. Two verses provide this crucial information that assure safety, verses 7 and 12.
Verse 12 provides in the clearest terms that the faithful saints of God "keep the commandments of God". Because of their obedience, they are not subject to the punishment that God will pour out in full measure. Clearly if commandment keeping provides safety and immunity, breaking God's commandments is what constitutes worshipping "the beast", or his "image", and receiving the "mark of the beast".
Verse 7 gives us more specific and clear information to identify, in no uncertain terms, the primary commandment of God that is involved in the warning: "worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." We need only to examine the 10 commandments of God and see what commandment this is quoting.
Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Could anything be more clear? The fourth commandment regarding keeping the seventh day Sabbath is the primary characteristic that distinguishes the saints of God, and prevents them from worshipping "the beast", or his "image", and from receiving the "mark of the beast". The seventh day Sabbath is Saturday. So the 3 angel's are warning that the "mark of the beast" and his "image" involves breaking God's Saturday Sabbath commandment.
Scripture also clearly prophesied that an apostate Christian church would boldly try to change the commandments of God, and persecute the true saints of God. For the details see Lawlessness In The Temple Of God.
