The Message of the Third Angel (Part 1)
Revelation 14:9-11
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand,
10 “he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11 “And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” (Rev 14:9-11 NKJ)
The Final Warning
After the proclamation of the eternal gospel with the appeal to humanity to return to God (the first angel’s message), followed by the alert to the fall of the religious-political system called Babylon (the second angel’s message), comes a warning about the fate of those who worship, or identify themselves with, the first beast of Revelation 13 (the third angel’s message).
We have noticed so far that the theme of worship is central to the Great Controversy between good and evil. It is also one of the major topics in the three angels’ messages (see Revelation 14: 7, 9, 11).[1] There are only two sides to take. Neutrality is not an option: we either worship God or we worship “the beast and his image, and receive his mark”. Most people are not aware of the spiritual battle that is going on in the world for their eternal lives. In the last days of this planet though, the options will become crystal clear. Each person will have to make a final decision as to which side to take. According to the Bible, the test of loyalty to God in the end-time period will be based on the Ten Commandments of the Decalogue (Exodus 20). Particularly with regard to the first four commandments which are concerned with one’s relationship with God. This will become the test of loyalty to God in the end-time period.
A Counter-proclamation
The message of the third angel is a counter-proclamation to that of the image in chapter 13. The third angel pronounces a much worse fate for those who worship the beast and bear his mark. They are to drink the wine of God’s wrath (if you drink the Babylonian wine, you will drink God’s wine too) and endure eternal torment in burning sulphur (brimstone).[2]
The vivid and strong language of this message has caused many Christians to wonder: if the God of the Bible is a gracious and loving God, how can He send people to ‘hell’ for eternity? How can we understand the phrase from verse 11: “and the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever”? Let’s take a look at a few of the many examples from the Bible that can help us understand this phrase better.
Eternal Conscious Torment?
The same drastic language used here was also used by the prophet Isaiah when he spoke of the judgment against Edom. It says: “Its land shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night or day; its smoke shall ascend forever” (Isaiah 34:9, 10). Edom was destroyed by fire as the prophet Isaiah predicted but is not burning today. Its “smoke” cannot be seen. The symbolic language employed here emphasizes the complete and total destruction of the land of Edom, not slow destruction throughout all eternity. Also, in Exodus 21:6 a servant’s ear was a sign that he was to serve his master “forever.” In this case, “forever” would be as long as the servant’s life would last. Samuel was to serve in the temple forever (1 Samuel 1:22,28) or as long as he lived. Jude 7 talks about Sodom and Gomorrah “as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” Those cities aren’t still burning today, but the fire was eternal in the sense that it resulted in permanent destruction.
Therefore, the phrase “forever and ever” in Revelation 14:11, does not mean endless existence; it means that the wicked are totally devoured or consumed by fire. Thus, the effects of the eternal fire are eternal. The Bible speaks about “everlasting punishment”, not endless punishment. Probably the most well-known passage of the Bible confirms this truth: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 NKJV)
While the wicked are said to have no rest, the righteous by, contrast, will have rest. Rediscover the beautiful gift of the Sabbath rest God created and gave to us in this free book: When God Said Remember – Discover Truth.
Find out the rest… The Third Angel’s Message (Part 2)
[1] C. Raymond Holmes, ‘Worship in the Book of Revelation’, Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 8.1–2 (1997).
[2] Mounce, p. 281.
This article was written by Ivan Petroski and edited by Diane Lewis and Omari Norman.
