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.