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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Revelation 14:8 - 14:12
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Of this effect and result of the Reformation and of the fall of spiritual Babylon the next angels made announcement:
v. 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.
v. 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,
v. 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;
v. 11. and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever 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.
v. 12. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
The voice of the second angel is like a resonance or echo of that of the first: And a second angel followed, saying, Fallen, fallen is great Babylon, who of the wine of the wrath of her fornication made all nations drink. That was the effect of the Reformation: it brought about the exposure and the fall of spiritual Babylon, of Rome, the seat of Anti-Christ. And this judgment came upon the Roman Church because she had introduced such abominations of idolatry into the temple of God, the Pope cult and the saint cult and the cult of good works and other methods by which God's honor was taken from Him. Wherever the missionaries of the Roman Church had come, they had spread this adulterous idolatry, by which men left the love of Jesus Christ as the only Savior and trusted in the intercession of various saints. In many cases the very idols of the heathen nations were Christianized by giving them the names of saints, while the old idolatry proceeded as before.
The third angel pronounced the sentence of God upon the kingdom of Anti-Christ: And the third angel followed them, saying with a powerful voice, If any one worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark upon his forehead or upon his hand, he shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out unmixed into the cup of His anger, and he shall be tortured with fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb. This is the curse and the punishment of God upon those that deliberately, willfully, maliciously, worship Anti-Christ and his hierarchical system, and willingly yield to having his impress or sign fastened upon them. He is not speaking of those that have been deluded by the outward pomp of the Roman Church and are members there, although in their hearts they cling to Jesus, their Savior. He is speaking of the willing servants of Anti-Christ. These shall feel the full wrath of God at the idolatry with which they have identified themselves; they shall be made to drink the cup of God's anger, like strong, unmixed wine. And their end will be the torments of hell, to be tortured with fire and brimstone in the very presence of the holy angels and of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. That fact will increase their torture a thousand fold, that they will be able to see the bliss of heaven, but will not be able to share it, Luk_16:23.
The torture of hell will be an eternal torment: And the smoke of their torment will arise forever and ever, and they will not have relief day and night that have worshiped the beast and his image, and if anyone has received the mark of his name. This simple statement overthrows all the false dreams of sectarians that are trying to lull men to sleep by preaching a final dissolution. The torment of hell will be a physical torment; but, the bodies of the damned having been rendered immortal, their torture will never have an end; the horrible pain will never cease, the fire will burn forever, and yet will never consume. Such is the fate of those that have sold themselves to Anti-Christ as his servants and thus have become partakers of his sin and of his damnation. All the more impressive, then, is the word which is added: Here is the patience of the saints, that keep the precepts of God and the faith of Jesus. In this way the patient steadfastness of the saints is manifested, namely, that they, in spite of all the blandishments of Anti-Christ, adhere simply to the will of God, whose highest commandment is this, that we believe in His Son Jesus Christ and have salvation in Him.