Bible Readings for the Home
Chapter 52
The Third Angel's Message
Against whose worship are the dwellers of earth warned by the third angel?
"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." Revelation 14:9.
What
beast had been seen coming up out of the sea?
"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast
rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon
his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy."
Revelation 13:1.
What
power was given to this beast?
"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints,
and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and
tongues, and nations." Revelation 13:7.
What
was the result of his overcoming the saints?
"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,
whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world." Revelation 13:8.
What
did the "mother of harlots" do to the saints?
"And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the
saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw
her, I wondered with great admiration." Revelation 17:6.
And
what did she succeed in accomplishing by her course?
"With whom the kings of the earth have committed
fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with
the wine of her fornication." Revelation 17:2.
NOTE. - The beast of
Rev. 13, and the woman of Rev. 17, are identical. They are symbols of the
Roman Church. She put to death millions of saints, and finally so nearly
overcame the whole world that even "the kings of the earth" were subdued,
and made to pay her homage and worship.
What
other beast was seen to arise after the one last described?
"And I beheld another
beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he
spake as a dragon." Revelation 13:11.
NOTE. - This symbol
represents the United States of America. For confirmation of this, see
reading on "The Last Nation Noticed in Prophecy." page 226.
What
is the two-horned beast to do?
"And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the
means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the
beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an
image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live."
Revelation 13:14.
What
will the two horned beast require all under its jurisdiction to receive?
"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and
poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in
their foreheads." Revelation 13:16.
What
will be the result?
"And that no man
might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the
beast, or the number of his name." Revelation 13:17.
How
much power is to be given to the image of the beast?
"And he had power to give life unto the image of the
beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as
many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed."
Revelation 13:15.
NOTE.- The image of
the beast is to have the same power as the beast itself has had to kill
those who will not obey its dogmas.
After uttering His warning by the third angel against all this, what does
God offer instead, as that which will manifest the patience of the saints?
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that
keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
Revelation 14:12.
What
does the Bible set forth as the "commandments of God?"
"And the LORD
spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the
words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice. And he declared unto
you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten
commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone." Deuteronomy
4:12,13.
Were
these ten commandments the complete law of God?
"These words the
LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the
fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and
he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and
delivered them unto me." Deuteronomy 5:22.
Why
should the law of God be obeyed?
"Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the
transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4.
How
much of the law should one keep to be called a commandment keeper?
"For whosoever
shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty
of all." James 2:10.
How
does the apostle illustrate his meaning in this statement?
"For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also,
Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art
become a transgressor of the law." James 2:11.
NOTE. - If keeping the
commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will be proof against
worshiping the beast and his image, and receiving his mark, then it is
plain that those who do worship the beast do not keep the commandments.
It is also established by this that the great religious controversy of the
last generation is to be over the commandments of God.
Why
will the remnant church be persecuted?
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to
make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of
God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation 12:17.