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● Matt 24:21 . . For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-- and never to be equaled again.
Some of the individual events in the book of Revelation may not seem all that significant by themselves, but when the entire scenario is compiled, the era depicted becomes spectacular.
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Tribulation Trivia
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WebersHome
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Re: Tribulation Trivia
Post #11.
● Rev 13:4 . . And they worshipped the Dragon which gave power unto the Beast:
and they worshipped the Beast, saying: Who is like unto the Beast? Who is able to
make war with him?
* The Dragon is identified at Rev 12:9 as the Serpent, the Devil, and Satan; so
there can be no doubt who this creature really is. (cf. Rev 20:2)
It's quite possible that the people of that day will honestly believe the Beast is
empowered by a divine being; and unaware they are actually giving glory to a
demonic being instead. For example:
● 2Thess 2:9-12 . . .This evil man will come to do the work of Satan with
counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of wicked
deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to
believe the truth that would save them. So God will send great deception upon
them, and they will believe all these lies.
Worship of the Beast will be universal, mandatory, and strictly enforced regardless
of age, race, gender, and/or ethnic identity-- a one-world mega religion that blows
all others out of the water, e.g. Islam, Mormonism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism,
Baha'i, Buddhism, etc.
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● Rev 13:4 . . And they worshipped the Dragon which gave power unto the Beast:
and they worshipped the Beast, saying: Who is like unto the Beast? Who is able to
make war with him?
* The Dragon is identified at Rev 12:9 as the Serpent, the Devil, and Satan; so
there can be no doubt who this creature really is. (cf. Rev 20:2)
It's quite possible that the people of that day will honestly believe the Beast is
empowered by a divine being; and unaware they are actually giving glory to a
demonic being instead. For example:
● 2Thess 2:9-12 . . .This evil man will come to do the work of Satan with
counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of wicked
deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to
believe the truth that would save them. So God will send great deception upon
them, and they will believe all these lies.
Worship of the Beast will be universal, mandatory, and strictly enforced regardless
of age, race, gender, and/or ethnic identity-- a one-world mega religion that blows
all others out of the water, e.g. Islam, Mormonism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism,
Baha'i, Buddhism, etc.
_
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Re: Tribulation Trivia
Post #12.
● Rev 13:5a . . And there was given unto the Beast a mouth speaking great things
That's pretty much describes the rhetoric of most every politician, viz: promises of a better world under the auspices of their own administrative practices.
● Rev 13:5b . . and blasphemies
In this scenario, the Beast is God's political opponent. Well political opponents in today's world make it their mission in life to destroy the other guy's reputation and call into question his motives. I suspect the Beast's tactics will be no different because it's to his advantage to emphasize the old God's perceived faults and failures and show how himself as the new God can do a much better job managing the world's affairs.
"He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (2Thess 2:3-4)
NOTE: I would imagine that a first order of business for the Beast will be to come up with a plausible explanation for the world-wide extraction described by 1Thess 4:13-18 wherein nigh unto 2,000 years of deceased Christians will appear out of thin air all over the globe and join those alive to go up and rendezvous with Christ in the clouds.
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● Rev 13:5a . . And there was given unto the Beast a mouth speaking great things
That's pretty much describes the rhetoric of most every politician, viz: promises of a better world under the auspices of their own administrative practices.
● Rev 13:5b . . and blasphemies
In this scenario, the Beast is God's political opponent. Well political opponents in today's world make it their mission in life to destroy the other guy's reputation and call into question his motives. I suspect the Beast's tactics will be no different because it's to his advantage to emphasize the old God's perceived faults and failures and show how himself as the new God can do a much better job managing the world's affairs.
"He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (2Thess 2:3-4)
NOTE: I would imagine that a first order of business for the Beast will be to come up with a plausible explanation for the world-wide extraction described by 1Thess 4:13-18 wherein nigh unto 2,000 years of deceased Christians will appear out of thin air all over the globe and join those alive to go up and rendezvous with Christ in the clouds.
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Re: Tribulation Trivia
Post #13.
● Rev 13:5c . . and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Prophetic months aren't the same as calendar months. Prophetic months are thirty days each; so that forty-two such months add up to 1,260 days, i.e. 3½ prophetic years, e.g. Rev 11:2 & Rev 12:6
Prophetic months are sort of like a baker's dozen. Though a baker's dozen isn't a dozen of twelve; it's nonetheless a dozen in its own right: the same with solar time vs sidereal time, and true north vs magnetic north.
* Scripture introduces prophetic months in Genesis relative to the Flood where a period of five months adds up to exactly 150 days.
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● Rev 13:5c . . and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Prophetic months aren't the same as calendar months. Prophetic months are thirty days each; so that forty-two such months add up to 1,260 days, i.e. 3½ prophetic years, e.g. Rev 11:2 & Rev 12:6
Prophetic months are sort of like a baker's dozen. Though a baker's dozen isn't a dozen of twelve; it's nonetheless a dozen in its own right: the same with solar time vs sidereal time, and true north vs magnetic north.
* Scripture introduces prophetic months in Genesis relative to the Flood where a period of five months adds up to exactly 150 days.
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Re: Tribulation Trivia
Post #14.
● Rev 13:7-8 . . 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. 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.
Because we're talking about all kindreds, and tongues, and nations; then I think we may safely assume that the "saints" in this case are possibly anyone and everybody that can be counted as loyal to God; both Jew and Gentile. This may or may not refer to armed conflict but for sure it's related to oppression; and it's going to be very effective if we reckon these saints to be the innumerable crowd depicted at Rev 7:9-17.
The Beast's management practices are extreme, but not all that unusual. Take for example modern communist China. It's very dangerous to be openly religious in that country, and/or hold values that differ with the regime's, where they harvest the organs of Falun Gong adherents without their consent. The situation in North Korea is little better where God is second place to Kim Jong-Un.
The Lamb slain "from the foundation of the world" reveals that Jesus wasn't a stand-by paramedic sent to an unexpected train wreck, rather; he was designated, and scheduled, to die on a cross for the sins of the world prior to God creating even a single atom for the current cosmos. (cf. 1Pet 1:18-21)
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● Rev 13:7-8 . . 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. 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.
Because we're talking about all kindreds, and tongues, and nations; then I think we may safely assume that the "saints" in this case are possibly anyone and everybody that can be counted as loyal to God; both Jew and Gentile. This may or may not refer to armed conflict but for sure it's related to oppression; and it's going to be very effective if we reckon these saints to be the innumerable crowd depicted at Rev 7:9-17.
The Beast's management practices are extreme, but not all that unusual. Take for example modern communist China. It's very dangerous to be openly religious in that country, and/or hold values that differ with the regime's, where they harvest the organs of Falun Gong adherents without their consent. The situation in North Korea is little better where God is second place to Kim Jong-Un.
The Lamb slain "from the foundation of the world" reveals that Jesus wasn't a stand-by paramedic sent to an unexpected train wreck, rather; he was designated, and scheduled, to die on a cross for the sins of the world prior to God creating even a single atom for the current cosmos. (cf. 1Pet 1:18-21)
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Re: Tribulation Trivia
Post #15.
● Rev 13:9 . . He who has an ear, let him hear.
This particular ear refers to paying serious attention rather than merely auditory perception. For example:
● Deut 29:2-5 . . Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them:
. . .Your eyes have seen all that The Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders. But to this day The Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.
In other words: Moses' people were attentive to God's providence; and at times even took it for granted, but were indifferent to His counseling-- oftentimes His words went in one ear and right out the other, so to speak. Samuel was just the opposite.
● 1Sam 3:20 . . And Samuel grew, and The Lord was with him, and did let none of His words fall to the ground.
During the awful circumstances depicted and described in the book of Revelation, quite a few folks are going to wake up and begin looking to the Bible for answers. I'm guessing it will be difficult, and dangerous, trying to locate copies as I suspect the Beast will initiate something similar to Mao Zedong's cultural revolution and/or Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 to eradicate competing ideologies.
Nevertheless; just as certain agencies at the Federal level have failed to totally suppress so-called misinformation relative to the Covid thingy, so the Beast will fail to prevent every last ear from hearing.
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● Rev 13:9 . . He who has an ear, let him hear.
This particular ear refers to paying serious attention rather than merely auditory perception. For example:
● Deut 29:2-5 . . Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them:
. . .Your eyes have seen all that The Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders. But to this day The Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.
In other words: Moses' people were attentive to God's providence; and at times even took it for granted, but were indifferent to His counseling-- oftentimes His words went in one ear and right out the other, so to speak. Samuel was just the opposite.
● 1Sam 3:20 . . And Samuel grew, and The Lord was with him, and did let none of His words fall to the ground.
During the awful circumstances depicted and described in the book of Revelation, quite a few folks are going to wake up and begin looking to the Bible for answers. I'm guessing it will be difficult, and dangerous, trying to locate copies as I suspect the Beast will initiate something similar to Mao Zedong's cultural revolution and/or Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 to eradicate competing ideologies.
Nevertheless; just as certain agencies at the Federal level have failed to totally suppress so-called misinformation relative to the Covid thingy, so the Beast will fail to prevent every last ear from hearing.
_
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Re: Tribulation Trivia
Post #16.
● Rev 13:9-10 . . If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.
I think that just might be a reiteration of the perseverance and the faith of Job; where it's said:
"In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." (Job 1:22)
"Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15
That of Habakkuk:
"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in The Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (Hab 3:17-18)
And that of the apostle Paul:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." (Rom 8:35-36)
It's generally agreed among conservative Christians that no saved person will enter the Tribulation; but there will be a large number of lost souls saved out of it; though at great cost to their welfare. They mustn't allow their misfortunes during that era to persuade them that they've bought into a fraud.
* Believers are not a protected species; nor are they insulated from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.
When there's a pandemic, they get sick the same as everybody else. When there's war, they get caught up in it. When there are economic catastrophes like the Great Depression and the housing bubble of 2008, they lose their jobs and sometimes their nest eggs. When there are shortages of goods and services, they have to make do with what there is the same as everybody else. When the weather becomes disagreeable with tornadoes, hurricanes, and flooding, they lose their homes right along with non believers. Wild fires in California burn the homes of believers the same as everybody else's homes. Believers get cancer, they get in car wrecks, they get taken by crime, nature drops tree limbs on them, and the postman delivers their mail to the wrong address, etc. etc. etc.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say:
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
(Horatio P. Spafford, 1828-1888)
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● Rev 13:9-10 . . If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.
I think that just might be a reiteration of the perseverance and the faith of Job; where it's said:
"In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." (Job 1:22)
"Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15
That of Habakkuk:
"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in The Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (Hab 3:17-18)
And that of the apostle Paul:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." (Rom 8:35-36)
It's generally agreed among conservative Christians that no saved person will enter the Tribulation; but there will be a large number of lost souls saved out of it; though at great cost to their welfare. They mustn't allow their misfortunes during that era to persuade them that they've bought into a fraud.
* Believers are not a protected species; nor are they insulated from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.
When there's a pandemic, they get sick the same as everybody else. When there's war, they get caught up in it. When there are economic catastrophes like the Great Depression and the housing bubble of 2008, they lose their jobs and sometimes their nest eggs. When there are shortages of goods and services, they have to make do with what there is the same as everybody else. When the weather becomes disagreeable with tornadoes, hurricanes, and flooding, they lose their homes right along with non believers. Wild fires in California burn the homes of believers the same as everybody else's homes. Believers get cancer, they get in car wrecks, they get taken by crime, nature drops tree limbs on them, and the postman delivers their mail to the wrong address, etc. etc. etc.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say:
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
(Horatio P. Spafford, 1828-1888)
_
Last edited by WebersHome on Sun Apr 30, 2023 3:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Tribulation Trivia
Post #17.
● Rev 13:11 . . .Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.
This particular beast will be, from all appearances, a seemingly harmless individual, viz: he won't have the look of a menace.
For example; German SS officer Heinrich Luitpold Himmler had the look of a classic Mr. Milquetoast; but underneath that facade was an unbelievable capacity for cruelty, subterfuge, and murder on a grand scale. In other words: you couldn't tell at first glance that Himmler was a monster in whose opinion human lives are inconvenient.
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● Rev 13:11 . . .Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.
This particular beast will be, from all appearances, a seemingly harmless individual, viz: he won't have the look of a menace.
For example; German SS officer Heinrich Luitpold Himmler had the look of a classic Mr. Milquetoast; but underneath that facade was an unbelievable capacity for cruelty, subterfuge, and murder on a grand scale. In other words: you couldn't tell at first glance that Himmler was a monster in whose opinion human lives are inconvenient.
_
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Re: Tribulation Trivia
Post #18.
● Rev 13:11-17 . . .Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth . . . and he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men . . . he deceived the inhabitants of the earth and ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast . . . He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be executed.
The dimensions of the image aren't given but I should think it will be large enough to be imposing.
For example: side by side statues of former North Korean leaders Kim Il sung and Kim Jong-IL, located on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang, are 22 meters (72+ feet) tall. If one of those statues ever came to life, it would make quite an impression because something that big would be very difficult to fake for even a top-notch magician like David Copperfield.
* The Greek word translated "beast" refers to dangerous animals as opposed to peaceful critters like goats, sheep, prairie dogs, and squeaky little gerbils.
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● Rev 13:11-17 . . .Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth . . . and he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men . . . he deceived the inhabitants of the earth and ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast . . . He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be executed.
The dimensions of the image aren't given but I should think it will be large enough to be imposing.
For example: side by side statues of former North Korean leaders Kim Il sung and Kim Jong-IL, located on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang, are 22 meters (72+ feet) tall. If one of those statues ever came to life, it would make quite an impression because something that big would be very difficult to fake for even a top-notch magician like David Copperfield.
* The Greek word translated "beast" refers to dangerous animals as opposed to peaceful critters like goats, sheep, prairie dogs, and squeaky little gerbils.
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Re: Tribulation Trivia
Post #19.
● Rev 14:6-7 . . And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, announcing with a loud voice: Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
The everlasting gospel is a bounce from the very first chapter of Genesis; and reiterated at Ps 19:1-4 and Rom 1:19-20. It's very elementary; pretty much all it says is:
1) There's a supreme being.
2) People should not take Him lightly.
3) He deserves to be honored and respected.
4) There's a reckoning looming on the horizon.
5) The cosmos-- all of its forms of life, matter, and energy --is the product of intelligent design.
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● Rev 14:6-7 . . And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, announcing with a loud voice: Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
The everlasting gospel is a bounce from the very first chapter of Genesis; and reiterated at Ps 19:1-4 and Rom 1:19-20. It's very elementary; pretty much all it says is:
1) There's a supreme being.
2) People should not take Him lightly.
3) He deserves to be honored and respected.
4) There's a reckoning looming on the horizon.
5) The cosmos-- all of its forms of life, matter, and energy --is the product of intelligent design.
_
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Re: Tribulation Trivia
Post #20.
● Rev 14:9-12 . . A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.
. . . He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.
The holy city depicted at Rev 21:9-27 will never experience nightfall nor darkness. On the basis of that, some have proposed that Rev 14:9-12 is entirely symbolic because it says that the folks assigned to the burning sulfur will be given no rest day or night in a place where supposedly there will be no night.
However "in the presence of" doesn't necessarily mean the site of the burning sulfur is located inside the city's walls, mostly because Rev 21:27 says: "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." And also Rev 22:14-15 which says: "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood."
Though there will be neither day nor night inside the city that doesn't preclude the possibility that there will be day and night outside. At an rate; I think we have to expect there will be no breaks in the torment but that it will be perpetual 24/7/365 with neither intermission, nor interruption, nor time off for good behavior. That will be an awful scene; yet quite possibly a rather ghastly tourist attraction. (Isa 66:23-24)
● Rev 14:12 . .This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
People will find themselves caught in a sort of Catch 22, so to speak. If they follow the Beast, they'll be safe from execution but end up in the sulfur. If they follow God and His son Jesus, they'll be safe from the sulfur but end up executed.
● Rev 14:13 . . .Then I heard a voice from heaven say: "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
One of the deeds sure to follow those folks is their decision to remain true to God and His son Jesus instead of following the Beast. (cf. Matt 10:22)
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● Rev 14:9-12 . . A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.
. . . He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.
The holy city depicted at Rev 21:9-27 will never experience nightfall nor darkness. On the basis of that, some have proposed that Rev 14:9-12 is entirely symbolic because it says that the folks assigned to the burning sulfur will be given no rest day or night in a place where supposedly there will be no night.
However "in the presence of" doesn't necessarily mean the site of the burning sulfur is located inside the city's walls, mostly because Rev 21:27 says: "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life." And also Rev 22:14-15 which says: "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood."
Though there will be neither day nor night inside the city that doesn't preclude the possibility that there will be day and night outside. At an rate; I think we have to expect there will be no breaks in the torment but that it will be perpetual 24/7/365 with neither intermission, nor interruption, nor time off for good behavior. That will be an awful scene; yet quite possibly a rather ghastly tourist attraction. (Isa 66:23-24)
● Rev 14:12 . .This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
People will find themselves caught in a sort of Catch 22, so to speak. If they follow the Beast, they'll be safe from execution but end up in the sulfur. If they follow God and His son Jesus, they'll be safe from the sulfur but end up executed.
● Rev 14:13 . . .Then I heard a voice from heaven say: "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
One of the deeds sure to follow those folks is their decision to remain true to God and His son Jesus instead of following the Beast. (cf. Matt 10:22)
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