In the time of the 3rd angel’s message, men will
be compelled to worship the beast and his image through receiving the mark o
the beast. Obeying this command from the ruling earthly powers will be at the
cost of their lives (Revelation 13:15-16, 18).
But God’s word commands that those who do worship the beast
and his image will receive a punishment which is far greater than what the
world authorities can give: those who worship the beast and his image will face
“the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture.” Revelation
14:10
Thus the choice is between worshiping God, or worshiping the
beast and his image: the main point of controversy will be the 4th
commandment. This is the main point at which the followers of God are at
variance with the worshipers of the beast.
While the whole world moves towards receiving the mark of
the beast, the worshiper’s of God will refuse to violate God’s commandments.
The only, and highest argument that the followers have in going against the
whole world in this regard will be that: “we ought to obey God rather than men”
(Acts 5:29)
Every earthly motive for keeping the Sabbath will be
removed. The only reason remaining for observing the Sabbath over the Sunday
will be that it is because God said so. Because
they have put their trust in God, God’s people will chose to follow Him even if
it is at the cost of their lives. They have learnt to trust that God’s way is
ultimately the best, even if obeying is at the cost of life.
This will require an unyielding faith, a faith that will not
be moved even by the threat of death. A faith will be required in Gods faithful
such that they will obey Him even when it makes no ‘logical’ sense to. To obey
God at the cost of one’s life is “unreasonable” to the worldly mind, but it is
such a faith that is needed, and it is such a trust in His will that will keep
them from following the whole world in worshiping the beast and His image.
But what could
inspire such a faith in the followers of Christ? What could drive them to
exercise such a trust where the only reason they have to obey God is because of
who He is?
1. The cross of Christ
Those who are justified by the blood of Christ, shed on the
cross, will not receive the wrath of God (Rom. 5:9). These are not the ones who
worship the beast and his image. What we find is that the experience that the
redeemed have with the experience of Christ on the cross will be what keeps
them from worshiping the beast and his image, even at the cost of their lives. This
will be what keeps them still abiding in Christ through the time of trouble.
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.“ John 3:14-15
When Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, the
Israelites were going through and experience of fiery serpents biting them
because of their own murmuring and rebellion. They were being bitten and had no
way of escape. Picture them trying to run from the snakes, only to find more
snakes in whatever direction they turned, imagine them, some already bitten,
with blood on their clothes, and other still having the serpents still hanging
off of their flesh. In vain are their efforts to wrestle and fight off the
serpents. Realising that all this was the result of their casting God away as
their protector, the Israelites cry out to Moses and to God for deliverance.
In this terrible ordeal, God gives them in instruction
which, should they follow, would be their only way of escape from the terrible
torment. “And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it
upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he
looketh upon it, shall live.” Number 21:7. Picture the scene: they are in pain,
they are surrounded by snakes, and this is the way of escape God offers them,
without any other alternative. They were to look, to behold the bronze serpent
on the pole, and this was to be their source of deliverance from the biting
snakes around them: the only other option was death.
Now to the examining mind this does not make sense. What is
the logic in looking at a pole with metal shaped like a serpent on it? The
children of Israel could have reasoned with Moses that it does not make sense
to look at the serpent while they were dying, but this was the only option they
were given. They were to look and live, and there was no time to debate about
how it is that looking would save them from the bites of the poisonous
serpents, especially because all their own efforts to save themselves from the
snakes were in vain. They were in a hopeless situation. Their only way of
escape was to look and live. They had to exercise a faith in the word of God
which was solely dependent on His trustworthiness: that looking at the bronze serpent would give them life and deliver them
from the biting serpents. Although, to them, this did not make any sense at all,
the only other alternative was death.
“And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.“ Numbers 21:9
Because God’s word is true, when men looked at the serpent
that Moses made, they lived, even everyone whom the serpents had bitten. Even
so then, “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the
Son of man be lifted up.” The same way that the serpent was the only way of
escape form the deathly bites of the serpents, even so, Jesus lifted up is the
only deliverance form the deathly bites of the serpent of sin, self and satan.
As useless as the efforts of the children of Israel were to save themselves
from the snakes, even so are men’s efforts in vain to save themselves from the
death bite of transgressing His law. It is only in looking to Christ lifted up
as the serpent was that men may be saved from sin:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all [men] unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.” John 12:33-34
Jesus Christ being
“lifted up” is a reference to His death on the cross. As the Israelites found
life and help only as they beheld the serpent on the pole, even so must those
who are in need of deliverance from sin behold
Christ on the cross, suffering on the sinners behalf. As they thus fix their
eyes on Christ, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, realisating that
that is the only way of escape available, they
are then exercising faith. As men look to the sacrifice of Jesus, not as a
historical event that took place one Friday some 2000 years ago, but realizing that that is the only available way of escape from the sting of sin, they
experience the promise that “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have eternal life.” John 3:15.
"The primary reason why the serpent of sin still has its grip is that men have not beheld Christ on the cross, have not beheld him with the same mind-set that the Israelite's were to behold that serpent on the pole..."
As with the Israelite's in the wilderness, this way of escape
is seemingly without sense. It does not follow with the “rational” mind, yet
the only other alternative is death. While
it seems like the serpent of lust has been wrestled of, the sting of pride and
self-love is felt, the bites of immodestly is cast away while the serpent of
hatred leaves its marks. Look and live is the only way of escape offered.
This faith in Christ on the cross, as the only way of escape form sin, rises far
above man’s feeble logic. Look, behold,
realise in that sacrifice of Christ on the cross, the only way of escape
offered. The primary reason why the
serpent of sin still has its grip is that men have not beheld Christ on the cross, have not beheld him with the same mind-set that the Israelite's were to
behold that serpent on the pole.
"This faith in the sacrifice of Christ on sinner’s behalf is the surest preparation for the second coming of Christ..."
This faith in the
sacrifice of Christ on sinner’s behalf is the surest preparation for the second
coming of Christ. It is those who would have cultivated this kind of faith
that will be willing to obey God even at the face of persecution and death.
They have realized, by their experience with the cross, that even though
trusting God may seemingly be above reason, it is only the most reasonable
choice: because all other alternatives are death and in vain.
“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…” Revelation 14:9-10
“Much more then, being now justified by his blood [shed on the cross], we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Romans 5:9
To be continued…
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