Who Will You Worship? - Part 2

I guess you're here with anticipation, expectation, and ready to participate. I wonder how many looked up anything that I said last week. Actually, it wasn't last week. It was four weeks ago. Four weeks ago today, I gave part one of a sermon about the key issue in the book of Revelation, and we're going to add to that and repeat a lot of what we said at that time as well as we weave this together for part two of Who Will You Worship?

The airwaves are filled with end-time prophetic scenarios. You turn on YouTube and you can see almost any kind of documentary you want to name of a religious nature in which they have the prophecy that ends all prophecies with regard to the end is near. Apparently, they don't understand very much about the Bible, as I've told you many times, that we still have a temple to be built in Jerusalem, people to worship at that temple, according to what we understand there, that animal sacrifices will be reinstituted. I don't know how that would be possible in today's climate with regard to all the protests that are going on in the country about almost anything you want to name. You see those live and in color on your television sets every day, but we know that God is to be worshipped and He's to be worshipped at all times. They don't really understand what true worship is all about. They don't understand the truth. They bring forth a lot of interesting facts but miss the truth. Now, also, as I have mentioned last four weeks ago, we are living in one of the most terrifying, on the one hand, in times that the world has ever known. It is a great transitional time, and a lot of things are hanging out there to be fulfilled, and it seems that many of those are being fulfilled. And as I said, you could live in your own little world, bear your head in the sand, and think that all things continue as from the beginning, but all things are not continuing as from the beginning. There's so much going on.

None of these people really understand the book of revelations, but some of them will talk about, oh, here's the key to the book of Revelation. We talked about the central issue in the book of Revelation four weeks ago, the central issue that appears over and over again in Revelation 13 and 14 is, who will you worship? In those two chapters, 14 times, and those two chapters, eight times, it refers to worship. And all inhabitants of the earth, except those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life, are going to worship the beast, Satan, and the idol that is made by the false prophet in which all the world is forced to bow down and worship this idol, this image of the beast. Those who do not worship the beast, of course, will be killed.

So eight times in Revelation 13 and 14, attention is called to worship.

The inhabitants of the earth will be forced to worship the beast and Satan and the image. Let us note in Revelation 14 and verse 6. Revelation 14 and verse 6, the first scripture we will return to. I hope you turn to these scriptures. I hope you write them down. Revelation 14 and 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, the everlasting gospel. That means that's the time for salvation.

And then that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people. So everybody, it's a worldwide phenomenon, and no one is excused. The angel goes forth with that message. Now verse 7, saying with a loud voice, fear God and give glory unto him, for the hour of his judgment has come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of water. So the Sabbath day is cast in the creation as well, and on the Sabbath day we come to worship God in spirit and in truth. And their father and another angel saying, Babylon is fallen. Do you know that this is sort of a side point that Isaiah predicted? Babylon's fall back in Isaiah 21. You can hold your place there and we'll go quickly to Isaiah 21. And we'll read here Isaiah's prophecy. You know, this is at least 2,700 years ago that this prophecy took place. So in Isaiah 21 and verse 9, and behold here comes a chariot of men with a couple of horses. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, and all the graven images of her gods, he is broken unto the ground. It's quite amazing. 2,700 years ago, the fall of Babylon was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah. In Revelation 18 verse 2, I'm not turning there, but Revelation 18 verse 2, it also says that Babylon is fallen, come out of her, my people, that you be not particular of her plagues. And then a description of Babylon and her fall is given in Revelation 18.

So when all is said and done, the world is forced to focus on the way, the method, and the method is very important under God, the method of who are you going to worship. Cain and Abel were divided over the issue of worship. We go now to Genesis chapter 4, and we'll see that they were divided on worship. Cain brought a thank offering. Cain apparently thought that he was the fulfillment of the promise of the Messiah, and that Eve had perhaps told him that the Messiah was going to come. I don't know if that's true or not, but he viewed himself as not needing a sacrifice for his sins. He did not recognize God for who he is and what he is in his bringing forth a sacrifice, whereas Abel brought forth one of the members of his flock for an offering.

So we start in Genesis chapter 4 and verse 3. In the process of time he came to pass that Cain brought the fruit of the ground, an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof, and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering. But unto Cain, to his offering, he had not respect. And Cain was very angry, bad, wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said, Why are you mad, Cain? Why are you angry? If you do well, then you will have the preeminence. He was the firstborn. The preeminence of being the firstborn was a huge thing in the Old Testament, from the beginning of time almost, of the creation of humankind.

If you do well, this is verse 7, if you do well, then you are, will you not be accepted? If you do not well, sin lies at the door, and unto you shall be its desire, and it shall rule over him. And sin did rule over Cain because Cain and Abel talked, and finally the result was that Cain killed Abel. And it was over a sacrifice, the form of worship. The form of worship is so very important to God. On Mount Carmel, the showdown between Elijah and the priests of Baal, we go now to 1 Kings and 1 Kings and chapter 18. 1 Kings chapter 18 and verse 20. And this is really the title of the sermon and the question for all of us to contemplate in 1 Kings chapter 18 and verse 20. 1 Kings 18 and verse 20.

And Ahab sent unto the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel. Verse 21. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt you between two opinions? That the Lord be God, follow him. But if Baal didn't follow him, and the people answered him, not a word. Of course, you know the story how that Elijah asked God to show who he really was, and the sacrifices and even the water was dried up that they had prepared there in the showdown between the priests of Baal and between Elijah. We also come to the time that Joshua brought the people into the Promised Land, Israel into the Promised Land. Remember, Joshua had replaced Moses, and he was the one that led them into the Promised Land. So we go to Joshua in chapter 24 and verse 14. Joshua judges.

In Joshua chapter 24, we might find it eventually.

In Joshua 24 and verse 14, Joshua 24 verse 14, let's start in 12. And I sent the hornet before you, even the two kings of the Amorites, but not with your sword, nor with your bow. And I have given you a land of which you did not labor, and cities which you built not, and you dwell in them in the vineyards and the olive yards which is planted not to not do you eat.

Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth. Put away the gods, which your father served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt, and serve you the Lord. And if any man seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve. Whether the gods which your father served that were on the other side of the river or the flood, they cross the Tigers and Euphrates and come into the Promised Land. Of course, they cross Jordan to come into the Promised Land, but initially Abraham came from over the Chaldees.

The gods of the Amorites and whose land you dwell, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. So who will you worship? Now here's one of the most astonishing verses in one sense about this. It's found in Matthew chapter 4 and verse 8 in the great temptation that Satan presented to Christ after he was baptized. And of course, the the test that Satan was putting on Christ had to do with the fact that after Christ came up out of the water, a voice from heaven lighted on his head as a dove, and the voice said, "'This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.' So Satan tempts him in saying, "'If you be the Son of God, do such and such.'" So in Matthew 4 and verse 8, again the devil takes him up into a exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them.

So once again, this verifies that Satan is the God of this present evil age, as it says in 2 Corinthians 4 and verse 4, and shows him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. And he said unto him, All these things will I give you if you will fall down and worship me. So the greatest test, then said Jesus unto him, Yet you hint Satan, for it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve." Paul warns us that those who do not love the truth will be sent grand delusion, that they should believe the lie.

What lie? The lie that the one who sits in the temple. Let's go now to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 1. Of course, the apostles, early on in their ministry after Christ, was crucified and also ascended back to heaven, now sitting at the right hand of the Father in the heavenlies. In 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 1, of course, there are many things on the internet having to do with the Jews building a another temple, a third temple.

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him, you be not soon shaken in mind nor be troubled, neither by spirit nor word nor by letter as from us as the day of the Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. It's amazing that everyone, as we'll read later, that everyone whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be deceived.

Matthew 24, 24 says that the deception will be so great that if it were possible, the very elect would be deceived. We cannot even imagine how large that deception is going to be, and the only hope that we have is to remain faithful to God and Christ. Look at verse 10. And what are all deceivableness of unrighteousness and then that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved.

Brethren, I wonder how much do we really love the truth? Do we appreciate the truth? Do we understand what is involved in our calling and the fact that we do have the knowledge of the plan, the purpose, and the providence of God?

How that Jesus Christ gave up his glory, made himself of no reputation, took on the form of a man, humbled himself even to the death on the stake. We can't imagine really the sacrifice that he made. Do we love that truth?

So they believe the lie. What is the great lie? The great lie is the fact that the one who's sitting in the temple claims that he is God.

That they might be, verse 12, that they might be damned and believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. And one of the things that's going on in the country today, I gave a sermon several months ago titled The Clash of Two Ideologies. The two ideologies are on display right now of those who are rioting, who are fomenting like they used to talk about mad dogs foaming at the mouth. They're foaming at the mouth, as it were, in opposition to any kind of semblance of governance that would help everybody, but they want to cling to their unrighteousness. Oh, there are many cloaks that are put up to try to say, oh, it's not because of morality, it is because of X, Y, or Z. Verse 13, but we're bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. So, brethren, God has a specific way. Those who believe the lie will worship the beast.

And as I've mentioned already, the great lie is the one that's sitting in the restored temple claims that He is God.

I have read that in the past, I've read, and I don't know whether it's true or not, that they even have the technology to feign the return of Jesus Christ through holograms. You know, in Revelation chapter 1, it talks about that Christ is going to come, and every I shall see Him.

The focus of Satan's wrath centers on those who keep the commandments of God. And we turn now to Revelation chapter 12. In Revelation chapter 12, the first part talks about the church being able to be some of the church is able to be protected from the great tribulation. And so we pick it up in Revelation chapter 12 and verse 12.

And when the dragon saw that he was cast under the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth a man child.

So the great persecution at the end of the age is going to come upon Israel and the church of God.

And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she might fly into the wilderness to her place where she is nourished for a time and a half a time, three and a half years from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood. Flood represents the symbolic of a great army after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the great army. And the earth helped the woman. And the earth opened up its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And notice that the dragon was mad 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. The goal of the Beast System then is to control everything. Religion, jobs, economics, politics, education, government, police, military, banks, communication, entertainment. Have a cashless society controlled by the Beast System. The goal is to establish a new world order. And we hear about a new world order being established right now, but that new world order is also going to give way to the system of the beast in the future. To control a universal monetary system, universal government, and a unified universal religion. And everybody will be forced, whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life, to worship the Beast's power. Today's technology is tracking the movement of millions of animals using microchips the size of 1-20th of a grain of rice. And planted in the skin with a small needle containing information equivalent to 20,000 pages. One little grain of rice, 1-20th of the size of a grain of rice. Canada has approved it for cattle. The European Union requires all livestock to be implanted with microchips in other cities in America, Colorado Springs, and other cities. Microchips are being used instead of tags in the ears of dogs and cats to mark them. These ships need no batteries. They have a little coil and pre-programmed number all encapsulated in glass. This can be inserted under your skin with a special hypodermic needle. It won't get infected and you'll hardly know that it's there.

But scanning devices will know it's there. You remember the great furor when barcodes were introduced to these to society in the checkout counters and there's a little handheld or one at the cash register that you can swipe it across there and it will tell you what the item is, its number, and the price of it. Even items like sometimes you go to Walmart and you see this thing is marked down. It's on sale and they have a little barcode under the sale noting that it is for sale and no matter even there it brings it up, brings the item up, and it is identified.

Scanning devices could be used to tie into your bank accounts or whatever they want to do with it. In the future, they could perfect this so that it can actually be your smart card.

In a world where cash is eliminated and every financial transaction is done electronically, not only credit cards can be used but also your microchips number and retinal readers, voice recognition system, and signature dynamics. I received a message this week, an email, from where I have a small investment that says, abandon passwords, abandon antivirus programs, and use your fingerprints, voice, or facial recognition. So when you log into your account, this will recognize it and you can log in. In 1935, the Social Security Program was introduced, part of the Great New Deal that Franklin Delano Roosevelt introduced, in which the people of the South, because even in the the Great Crash, occurred in 1927, but as late as 1938, he came out of the Depression a bit in 1935-1936, along in there, and there was like a second Depression in 1937-3839. And of course, the South became democratic during that period of time. And then when the Civil Rights Movement began, then the South switched parties from Democrat to Republican. Of course, now there are many other issues involved in that whole scenario. So the Social Security System issued, voted to issue a Social Security card to every child entering the first grade in 1972. It was first introduced in 1935 for payroll contributions.

Now it's still active today, the FICA charge on your pay stub of your, where do you get your check for remuneration of whatever job you have. Well, Time magazine, on March the 13th, 1972, commented on this action saying, such a system would further enable the government to amass information on citizens and store it in a central computer under a single identification number. In 1989, a law was passed that every child over two years of age must have a Social Security number to qualify as a dependent on tax returns. Now a program has been implemented that when the baby is born, the hospital will automatically assign, apply for a Social Security number. The name of the program is Enumeration at Birth to enumerate means to issue a number. The mark of the beast will probably have a combination of two components, one that we've emphasized so much having to do with Sabbath keeping, but also a physical means of identification as indicated by Revelation 1317, which says, and no man can buy or sell except he had the mark of the name of the beast or the number of his name. It will have a religious spiritual basis, that is, it is connected with worship. Now I'm reading Revelation 14.

And he had power to give life under the image of the beast.

That the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of it should be killed. In contrast, those who follow God have their father's name written in their foreheads. Look at Revelation 14 verse 1. And I looked and Loa'a lamb stood on the Mount Zion. And of course, there is a geographical area in the environment of Jerusalem called Mount Zion. And in addition to that, the church is symbolic of Mount Zion, which you read in Hebrews 12. And with 144,000 having the father's name written in their foreheads.

So in the final analysis, worship will determine whereby you can be identified. Because if you refuse to worship on any other day than the Sabbath, you would be subject to being killed. So those who refuse worship will be identified by their refusal to bow down and worship the image of the beast. The mark of the beast may not be visible in all cases. Let's read now 2 Timothy 2.19 and see what God says there about the mark. 2 Timothy 2.19 Nevertheless, the foundation of God stands sure having this seal. The Lord knows them that are His. And let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. So God and Christ, they know who the true Christians are. And we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Of course, a lot of ministers use this. Protestant ministers use this sealing by the Holy Spirit. Turn to Ephesians, please. Ephesians 1.13. They use those verses here, and there are other verses that say that you cannot fall away from the truth because you're sealed by the Holy Spirit. You see, you can grieve the Holy Spirit. You can depart so far from the Holy Spirit from God and Christ. And of course, they are spirit that you commit the unpardonable sin. And when you commit the unpardonable sin, as it says in Hebrews 6, there's no way back. So Ephesians 1.13. In whom you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. In whom also after that you believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest. It is the down payment. Of course, it talks about that in 2 Corinthians 1, that we have received the earnest of the Spirit. We have received the earnest, the down payment, on eternal life. We're not there yet. And of course, that introduces the whole thing of when are you born again, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption. It's the earnest of our intent to inherit, until when, until the purchase possession unto the praise of His glory.

And so at the resurrection we shall be born as glorious radiant spirit beings.

The 144,000 Israelites who are sealed and protected from the wrath of God and the Lamb, are sealed with some kind of identifying mark.

I don't know if it is a literal mark, but let's notice Exodus 31.

Exodus 31. We used to emphasize this scripture quite often. It was in a lot of our literature. It is called the test commandment. It is a sign. And Exodus 31 and verse 13 will begin. Exodus 31 verse 13. Speak unto, speak you also unto the children of Israel, say, barely you shall keep my Sabbaths, you shall keep them forever. It is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that you may know that I am the Lord that does sanctify you, that sets you apart. You shall keep the Sabbath therefore, for it is holy unto you. Every one of you that defiles it shall surely be put to death, for whosoever does any work on them, that so shall be cut off from among the people. Six days you are to labor, no work on the Sabbath day, and the Sabbath, it is the Sabbath of rest. Holy to the Lord, whosoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore, the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a perpetual, that means forever, covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel, even in six days, the Lord made heaven and earth. See, once again, the Sabbath is connected to creation. The Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh he rested and was refreshed. See, in that God has made everything, of course, he has the right to tell us what to do. We'll read 18, and he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of communing with him on Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony. From that, that's where you get the term, the two tables of the law, the first four representing our relationship with God, and the last six, relationship with parents and neighbors. Tables of testimony, tables of stone written with a finger of God. Now we go to Ezekiel chapter 9. So what are we talking about? We're talking about the sign or a mark. In Ezekiel chapter 9, we'll start in verse 1, if I ever find it. In Ezekiel chapter 9 and verse 1, he cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. Behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lies toward the north, and every man toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand. And one man among them was clothed with linen with a rider's inkhorn by his side, and they went in and stood beside the brazen altar. So you got a rider's inkhorn. Sounds like it's a literal mark. This is, this is hard to know for sure. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the carob, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with the linen, which had the rider's inkhorn by his side. And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And, brethren, it is a time to sigh and cry for the abominations that are taking place in this world.

And to the others, he said in mine hearing, Go you after him through the city and smite, let not on your eyes spare neither have pity. See, if you don't have the mark, here's what happens. Verse 6, Slay utterly old and young, both maids and little children and women, but come not near any men upon whom the mark had begun at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. So, I dyer a warning there. In Revelation 7, those that come before God unleashes the trumpet plagues, he marks those, he seals those 12,000 from the 12 tribes. So, in Revelation 7, verse 10, And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God, which sits upon the throne and to the Lamb. And all the angels round about the throne and above the elders and the four beasts, and they fell upon their faces and worshiped God. Even those in the heavenlies worshiped God, saying, Amen, blessings and glory and wisdom, and thanksgiving and honor and power, and might be upon our God forever and ever. And one of the elders answered, saying, What are these which are red and white rose? Then it talks about those that have come out of great tribulation. So, the 144,000 were sealed, and we notice in Revelation 9, verse 4, that when the trumpet plagues began, those that were sealed were no harm comes to them. Revelation 9, verse 4, And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. So, once again, it's difficult to know whether or not the seal is literal or symbolic, or it's literal or where it is spiritual in nature. Of course, in order to be protected, it has to be spiritual first and foremost. God knows those that are His. 2 verses in the book of Revelation identify us as three principal characteristics of true believers at the end of this present evil age. Number 1, they obey the commandments of God. And we read Revelation 12, 17, where the Satan pursues those who fled into the wilderness.

God sent forth an army that swallowed up the army, and Satan was mad and went to destroy those who had the mark to destroy those who keep the commandments of God. Another characteristic of those that are faithful, they have the faith of Jesus Christ. Look at Revelation 14, verse 12. Revelation 14, verse 12. Here is the patience of the saints. Here are those that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ. Also, it says that those who hold the testimony of Jesus Christ. So there are three things. Three things. They that obey the commandments, they hold the testimony of Jesus, and they have the faith of Jesus. Of course, obeying the commandments. Of course, the Sabbath is one of the commandments. They hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ. What is the testimony of Jesus Christ? The testimony of Jesus Christ is everything that He brought about the plan, the purpose, the providence of God. Jesus Christ revealed the Father and what the purpose of human existence is and further explained by the Apostle Paul. And they have the faith of Jesus. What would we mean by the faith of Jesus? That they are faithful to the end. They hold to the end of the road. So the commandments teach us how to relate to God and our fellow humans. The testimony of Jesus Christ contains everything He taught. The faith of Jesus, in the final sense, means that He trusted and obeyed God through death on the stake. Think not that I could call for a legion of angels to deliver me, but He knew what His purpose was. Before the foundation of the world, He was slain, so He knew what His purpose for being made flesh and becoming the Savior of all humankind was.

Many of the commandments, such as prohibition against stealing, are commonly acknowledged, but revelation narrows the focus down to the conflict to one or more commandments, in particular. The focus on worship should cause us to focus on the day of worship, the Sabbath day which we have done. Clearly, the mark of the beast is a counterfeit of the first table of the law, those first four commandments, that teaches how to love God. He is our God, and we are to worship Him. And further, the first table of the law can be found in Revelation 14, 16, and 7. These passages offer the motivations for serving God. So what is meant by the word motivation? So let's turn again to Revelation 14, 16, and 7. We've been there once already. Revelation 14, verse 6. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel of priests, so salvation is being offered, as we have noted. And to them that dwell on earth in every nation and kindred in town, saying with a loud voice, Dear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come.

So God has been very patient. He's been very long-suffering. He has not brought justice and judgment upon the earth as He did in the days of Noah and the flood, but that time is coming. Worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And we talked about Babylon has fallen, how that the angel, that Isaiah even prophesied in Isaiah 24, in verse 9, of the fall of the city. May you know it's Isaiah 21, verse 9. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive the mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb. And the smoke of their torment has send it up forever and ever, and they have no rest, night or day, who worship the beast in the image, and whosoever receives the mark of the beast. Here is the patience of the saints and of those who keep his commandments, the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Now, let's notice this. First, the preceding verse is about the fire and the smoke goes up forever and ever, and they have torment, even a Protestant commentator clarifies this. It is not speaking of at any time. It is not speaking of those who are being consumed by the fire are burned up. They're burned up. Now, there's the fire. We could turn back to the scripture. The fire burns continually throughout the millennium. I think it's the last verse in Isaiah. Let's see if it is. Isaiah 66 and the last verse.

And Isaiah 66 verse 24, and they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgress against me, for their worms shall not die. Of course, the worms, the maggots, they're in the garbage dump, continue to breed and continue to be there through eternity. You don't go through eternity or in eternity. Neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. Well, that verse is similar to what is stated here. Now, the Protestant commentator Barnes. Barnes is pretty accurate in his commentary up to a certain point.

He says this verse does not indeed affirm their individual sufferings would be eternal, since it is only a declaration that the smoke of their torment ascends, but it is such language as would be used on the supposition that they would suffer forever, and it also can be explained only on that supposition. It implies that their torments continued and were caused of that ascending smoke. That is, they were tormented while it ascended, and as this declared to be forever and ever, it implies that the sufferings of the wicked will be eternal. And this language, as would not and could not have been used in a revelation from God, unless the punishment is eternal, and the punishment is not eternal. As far as an individual is concerned, it burns as long as there is something to burn, a combustible material. So we continue.

Of course, Satan, as we have noted, offers the way of death if you worship him, whereas God offers the way of life if you worship him. We have been called to worship God, and we have been especially called to assemble ourselves together on the Sabbath day, for yet not the Sabbath day, and for yet forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as some have.

So the Sabbath, as we noted last time, is very important to God.

You know, we have people who would not eat pork after they even leave the church, but they will work on the Sabbath day. Of course, many of them do both. They work on the Sabbath and eat pork. But just to note that some people think it's more important to give the impression that they're really with it and obeying God by their actions and what they do, that they're living a life, a facade, that is not really that important. We have people who do wonderful works, and that should be done. We were rewarded, as we heard last time from Dr. Erwiller, we were rewarded according to our works. But in doing whatever you do, you must not neglect the first table of the law, and that is our relationship with God. So, brethren, as we conclude this, I want to read the following verses without comment as I read them and then close with this.

This is Revelation 14.9. The third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast in his image and receive his mark or in his hand, the same, verse 10, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture in the cup of his Indian nation, he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And we talked about that just a few minutes ago, that it doesn't mean that a person who is burned in hell fire burns forever and is tormented forever. And the smoke of their torment is ended up forever. They have no rest day or night who worship the beast and his image and who receive the mark of his name. Now verse chapter, Revelation chapter 15 verse 2. And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mingled with fire, and them that had gotten the victory over the beast in his image, and over his mark and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass having the harps of God. Now Revelation 19 20.

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet, there wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had to receive the mark of the beast and then that worshipped his image. These were both cast alive into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone. And then finally, and I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. So this is what your destiny is. Whether you die before this time comes, or whether you are alive when this time comes, this is your final destiny that God has prepared for those that worship him, that love him, that serve him and the brethren. Of course, with the tables of the law, you could keep the law perfectly, you could tithe perfectly, you could do all the physical things that you might hear about, but they also have a spiritual intent. Hopefully, they do have a spiritual intent to them, but if you just do that and leave the other undone, take liberty with the Sabbath, take liberty with the Holy Days, and not really understand what they mean and how important they are to God. You are subject to the judgment that will come on the rest of the world. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them. And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesses of Jesus, for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received the mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. So that is the destiny that is before us if we remain faithful. We keep the commandments. We have the testimony of Jesus Christ. We know the plan, purpose, and providence of God, and we are faithful to the end. So, brethren, the question is, who will we worship? I hope we all made the right choice.