Then a third angel followed them, shouting, "Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand must drink the wine of God's anger. It has been poured full strength into God's cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name." This means that God's holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying His commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!"
(Rev 14:9-13 NLT)
In the end we will either take the mark of the beast or remain faithful unto the Lord. No one is saying it will is something that will be taken lightly but regardless the choice is ours to make and when we do the consequences that come because of that choice will be out of our control. God’s Word will either enrage or be a life-giving spring of hope, there is no middle ground then as there seems to be today. Even today there is no middle ground, except that the enemy has fooled, deceived, and blinded all who will listen. The enemy’s first attack is to get you to believe God doesn’t exist. It’s only after you have stood your ground, by standing on God’s Word that he comes against you ready to battle in all the fury he can muster but God has raised a standard and the blood of the Lamb makes known who we are and who we belong to.
Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
(1Co 13:12 NLT)
We cannot understand what God has planned or why, for He has kept much understanding from us but there will be a day we will look back and understand all that God has done. He is great and greatly to be praised, for He knows exactly what He is doing and one day we will understand without fear what He now asks to believe by faith.
