Matthew 21:1-17

Now Jesus has determined to enter the final phase of his earthly ministry, elsewhere in Luke in the King James vernacular He “set His face toward Jerusalem”. It is here that in Matthew's own style to point to Jesus as the prophecied Messiah using the verse from Zechariah while describing Jesus's actions.

Zechariah 9:9
[9] Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zechariah is writing a list of things to come while addressing the situation with the rebuilding of the walls and temple to replace the first destroyed Solomons temple. Don't forget that the first hearers and readers of Zechariah had no king.

Both the northern and southern kingdoms have been destroyed and there is no king in either. So when Zechariah says a King is coming, there is no doubt Zechariah anticipated this King to be the Messiah. The Jews understood this, so when Jesus rode that donkey into Jerusalem they clearly understood this to be the receiving of the Messiah.

Now here's the part where my ADHD brain begins asking, was there some supernatural knowledge that this colts owner was privy to regarding this or did he just faithfully accept, “The Lord has need of this” as a valid reason?
We will never know for sure but it is fun to think about.

The actions of the crowd are those of a city welcoming a king after a great victory or anointing. The laying out of cloaks, palm leaves and more were to not allow this arriving king to soil the feet of even the animal he's riding in on.

The children are calling out, “Hosanna” which means “God save us”. Let's make this clear, there was NO confusion about Jesus's claim here. The Jewish Leaders were well aware of the Messianic claim here. So when He dismounts in Jerusalem and begins what is considered the second cleansing of the temple there is no debate, Jesus is claiming to be the Messiah in no uncertain terms.

So when the leaders approach Him with the question, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2 in response.

Psalm 8:2
[2] From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established strength Because of Your enemies, To do away with the enemy and the revengeful.

In the Hebrew, the word used means strength from the root word for stronghold. Here, Jesus is quoting the Septuagint or Greek version where the word ‘praise’ is used. It's this praise that acts as a source of strength against God's enemies.

Yes, Jesus is calling the Jewish leaders the enemies of God. And without even attempting a debate with them, Jesus turns his attention to healings amidst the destruction.

Some Jews believed He was there to act as King and they were ready and willing to go to war against Rome to have a king back. They were willing to die for this new king. But He didn't take a throne they could see, didn't receive a crown of a king and simply continued preaching. And this event took place roughly a week prior to the cross.

So the calls took a week to devolve from Hosanna to “Crucify Him” because the Kingdom Jesus ushered in was the Kingdom of Heaven, not Israel. How many times in our lives do we go from thanking and praising Him to neglecting Him, because the answer to our praise and prayers isn't the answer we expected? It doesn't take much to turn someone from God. A week? God, please give us the strength to continue in faith.



[1] When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, [2] saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with it. Untie them and bring them to Me. [3] And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them on immediately.” [4] Now this took place so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled: [5] “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold your King is coming to you, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” [6] The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, [7] and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their cloaks on them; and He sat on the cloaks. [8] Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. [9] Now the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!” [10] When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” [11] And the crowds were saying, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” [12] And Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. [13] And He *said to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.” [14] And those who were blind and those who limped came to Him in the temple area, and He healed them. [15] But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant, [16] and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” [17] And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

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Product and Market

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Money and Rules

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THE GOSPEL FROM CALVARY

Wednesday, 19th August, 2026

JESUS: THE MIRACLE WORKER AND TEMPLE OF GOD

TEXT: JOHN 2:1–25

KEY VERSE:

«“This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” — John 2:11 (KJV)»

John 2 introduces us to two significant events in the ministry of Jesus: His first recorded miracle at Cana and His cleansing of the temple.

These two events reveal something powerful about Jesus.

He is not only able to change circumstances; He also desires to cleanse and transform lives.

At Cana, Jesus turned water into wine.

In the temple, Jesus confronted everything that had corrupted a place meant for worship.

The message is clear:

Jesus has power to transform what is empty, restore what is broken, and cleanse what has become polluted.

THREE LESSONS FROM JOHN 2

INVITE JESUS INTO YOUR SITUATION.

At the wedding in Cana, the wine ran out.

Mary brought the situation to Jesus.

John 2:3 says:

«“They have no wine.”»

The situation appeared embarrassing and hopeless.

But Jesus was present.

Sometimes we focus so much on what is missing that we forget who is present.

You may have a situation that seems impossible today.

You may have run out of strength.

You may have run out of resources.

You may feel like your joy has disappeared.

But if Jesus is present, there is still hope.

Take your situation to Jesus.

Don't only complain about it.

Don't surrender to fear.

Don't depend solely on human strength.

Bring it to Christ. 🏽

JESUS CAN TRANSFORM THE ORDINARY INTO SOMETHING GLORIOUS.

Jesus instructed the servants to fill six waterpots with water.

Then He performed the miracle.

Water became wine.

John 2:9 records the servants' astonishment at what had happened.

This teaches us that Jesus can take ordinary things and use them for extraordinary purposes.

Your life may look ordinary.

Your resources may seem small.

Your abilities may seem insignificant.

But when you place them in the hands of Jesus, He can do something extraordinary.

Never underestimate what God can do with a surrendered life.

Your testimony can change.

Your character can change.

Your family can change.

Your ministry can change.

Your future can change.

Jesus is still a transformer.

OBEDIENCE IS PART OF THE MIRACLE.

The servants at Cana had a role to play.

They had to fill the waterpots.

They had to draw out the water.

They had to obey the instructions of Jesus.

They did not understand everything Jesus was doing, but they obeyed.

Sometimes we want to see God's miracle while refusing to follow God's instructions.

But faith and obedience belong together.

When Jesus says forgive—obey.

When Jesus says pray—obey.

When Jesus says leave sin—obey.

When Jesus says serve—obey.

When Jesus says go—obey.

You don't need to understand everything before you obey God.

JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE

Later in John 2, Jesus entered the temple and found people buying and selling.

The house of worship had become a marketplace.

Jesus drove them out and declared:

«“Make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.” — John 2:16»

Jesus was deeply concerned about the holiness of God's house.

This should challenge us as believers.

Paul later teaches that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, we must ask:

What have I allowed into my life that Jesus would want to remove?

Are there attitudes that need to go?

Is there bitterness that needs to go?

Is there secret sin that needs to go?

Are there relationships that are pulling you away from God?

Are there habits that are damaging your spiritual life?

LET JESUS CLEAN YOUR TEMPLE

Sometimes we ask Jesus to bless our lives while resisting His desire to cleanse our lives.

We want His miracles but not His correction.

We want His blessings but not His discipline.

We want His presence but not His holiness.

But Jesus does both:

He transforms and He cleanses.

Allow Him to examine your heart.

Allow Him to remove what does not glorify Him.

Allow Him to restore your spiritual altar.

DON'T TURN YOUR WORSHIP INTO A TRANSACTION

The temple was designed for worship, but it had become a place of business.

This warns us against treating God like a transaction.

Don't serve God only because you want something.

Don't pray only when you need something.

Don't worship only when life is going well.

Don't follow Christ only for blessings.

Jesus deserves our worship because He is Lord.

JESUS KNOWS WHAT IS IN OUR HEARTS

John 2:24–25 says that Jesus knew all people and knew what was in man.

You may hide things from people, but nothing is hidden from Christ.

He knows your thoughts.

He knows your motives.

He knows your struggles.

He knows your secret battles.

And yet He still calls you closer.

Therefore, don't run from Jesus because of what He already knows.

Run to Him for transformation.

✍🏽 THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

When Jesus enters your life, He does not only change your circumstances; He also cleanses your heart and transforms you into a vessel for His glory.

🏽 PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for revealing the power and glory of Jesus Christ through His Word.

Lord Jesus, come into every area of my life. Transform what needs to be transformed and restore what has been broken.

Teach me to trust You even when I do not understand Your ways. Give me grace to obey Your Word completely.

Cleanse my heart from every attitude, habit, desire, relationship, and sin that does not glorify You.

Make my life a holy temple where Your presence is welcomed and Your name is honored.

Help me never to treat my relationship with You as a transaction. Let my worship come from a genuine heart that loves and honors You.

May Your glory be revealed through my life.

In Jesus' mighty name, Amen. 🏽

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

PSALMS 79–81

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NATIONS Attention: THE SON IS WARNING HIS CHURCH, SINNERS ,& UNBELIEVERS. Heb 1:2

SERMON TITLE: "COME OUT: RESIST THE DEVIL AND FOLLOW THE LAMB IN THE LAST DAYS"
Text: 1 John 5:19, Heb 1:2, Rev 12:11, Matt 6:33
Visions: RED7, SKELETON, GREEN7
Theme: Truth vs Flesh. Righteousness vs Babylon. Life vs Condemnation.

INTRO: THE WORLD LIES IN THE DEVIL'S POWER
1 John 5:19 “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

Brothers and sisters, look around.
Babylon is selling quick gain for your soul. Mark 8:36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

That’s why God gave the visions:

POINT 1: THE 3 VISIONS I RECEIVED & VANISHED & I TESTIFY THEM UNTO YOU WHICH THE SON SHOWED ME= 3 WARNINGS FOR THIS AGE. Acts26:16. Heb1:2, Joel 2:28-31.

RED7, vision:- THE BLOOD + THE JUDGMENT
The Son is warning: Heb 1:2 “in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son”
Repent and be washed Rev 7:14.
If not, 7 plagues will be poured on sinners Rev 16:1.
Job 33:18 “He keeps back his soul from the pit” - God is warning to turn.

SKELETON, vision:- DEATH TO SIN & TO THE WORLD
Warning to the faithless - those abandoning truth for flesh desires.
“You will set your soul on eternal condemnation” if you love this world 1 John 2:15-17.
Come out of Babylon Rev 18:4 “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.”

GREEN7, vision :- LIFE, HOLINESS, ENDURANCE
Warning to the backslidden church.
Rev 2:5 “Repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will remove your lampstand”
God wants righteous + fruitful people Psalm 1:3. Not quick gain.
Joel 2:28-31 - In last days God pours His Spirit. Visions, dreams, truth.

POINT 2: THE BATTLE - PERSECUTION BUT GOD GUARDS
2 Tim 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Yes, if you choose righteousness like Job, Satan will attack.
But here’s your weapon:

RESIST THE DEVIL - James 4:7 “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
CLEAN HEARTS THROUGH FAITH - Heb 10:22 “...with our hearts sprinkled clean”
INVOKE THE BLOOD - Rev 12:11 “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb”
WORD + PRAYER - 1 Tim 4:5 “...it is made holy by the word of God and prayer”
GOD GUARDS YOU - 2 Thess 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”

POINT 3: GOD REWARDS - BUT GOD FIRST
Matt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

God does reward wealth Deut 28:8, like Job Job 42:10.
But not through compromise. Not through Babylon.
Through righteous living + endurance + steadfast faith.

Gal 6:9 “...in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

ALTAR CALL:
The SON is calling NOW Rev 3:20:

Sinners & Unbelievers: Be washed in His blood. Receive forgiveness. 1 John 1:9
Backslidden Church: Repent. Obey. Or face Great Tribulation Rev 3:10.
All of us: Acts 26:16 “...appoint you as a servant and witness” - Not celebrity. Witness.

Rev 14:4 “These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.”

CLOSING PRAYER:
Father, in Jesus' name.
Deliver Your people from Satan’s power 1 John 5:19.
Wash us in the blood Rev 12:11. Make us GREEN7 - holy, enduring, fruitful.
Guard us from evil 2 Thess 3:3. Provide as we seek Your kingdom first Matt 6:33.
Keep us from Babylon and her plagues Rev 18:4.
All glory to THE SON Heb 1:2, John 16:14. Amen.

NATIONS Attention: THE SON IS WARNING HIS CHURCH, SINNERS ,& UNBELIEVERS. Heb 1:2

SERMON TITLE: "COME OUT: RESIST THE DEVIL AND FOLLOW THE LAMB IN THE LAST DAYS"
Text: 1 John 5:19, Heb 1:2, Rev 12:11, Matt 6:33
Visions: RED7, SKELETON, GREEN7
Theme: Truth vs Flesh. Righteousness vs Babylon. Life vs Condemnation.

INTRO: THE WORLD LIES IN THE DEVIL'S POWER
1 John 5:19 “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

Brothers and sisters, look around.
Babylon is selling quick gain for your soul. Mark 8:36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

That’s why God gave the visions:

POINT 1: THE 3 VISIONS I RECEIVED & VANISHED & I TESTIFY THEM UNTO YOU WHICH THE SON SHOWED ME= 3 WARNINGS FOR THIS AGE. Acts26:16. Heb1:2, Joel 2:28-31.

RED7, vision:- THE BLOOD + THE JUDGMENT
The Son is warning: Heb 1:2 “in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son”
Repent and be washed Rev 7:14.
If not, 7 plagues will be poured on sinners Rev 16:1.
Job 33:18 “He keeps back his soul from the pit” - God is warning to turn.

SKELETON, vision:- DEATH TO SIN & TO THE WORLD
Warning to the faithless - those abandoning truth for flesh desires.
“You will set your soul on eternal condemnation” if you love this world 1 John 2:15-17.
Come out of Babylon Rev 18:4 “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.”

GREEN7, vision :- LIFE, HOLINESS, ENDURANCE
Warning to the backslidden church.
Rev 2:5 “Repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will remove your lampstand”
God wants righteous + fruitful people Psalm 1:3. Not quick gain.
Joel 2:28-31 - In last days God pours His Spirit. Visions, dreams, truth.

POINT 2: THE BATTLE - PERSECUTION BUT GOD GUARDS
2 Tim 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Yes, if you choose righteousness like Job, Satan will attack.
But here’s your weapon:

RESIST THE DEVIL - James 4:7 “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
CLEAN HEARTS THROUGH FAITH - Heb 10:22 “...with our hearts sprinkled clean”
INVOKE THE BLOOD - Rev 12:11 “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb”
WORD + PRAYER - 1 Tim 4:5 “...it is made holy by the word of God and prayer”
GOD GUARDS YOU - 2 Thess 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”

POINT 3: GOD REWARDS - BUT GOD FIRST
Matt 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

God does reward wealth Deut 28:8, like Job Job 42:10.
But not through compromise. Not through Babylon.
Through righteous living + endurance + steadfast faith.

Gal 6:9 “...in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

ALTAR CALL:
The SON is calling NOW Rev 3:20:

Sinners & Unbelievers: Be washed in His blood. Receive forgiveness. 1 John 1:9
Backslidden Church: Repent. Obey. Or face Great Tribulation Rev 3:10.
All of us: Acts 26:16 “...appoint you as a servant and witness” - Not celebrity. Witness.

Rev 14:4 “These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.”

CLOSING PRAYER:
Father, in Jesus' name.
Deliver Your people from Satan’s power 1 John 5:19.
Wash us in the blood Rev 12:11. Make us GREEN7 - holy, enduring, fruitful.
Guard us from evil 2 Thess 3:3. Provide as we seek Your kingdom first Matt 6:33.
Keep us from Babylon and her plagues Rev 18:4.
All glory to THE SON Heb 1:2, John 16:14. Amen.

“Possible Deaths Of Those Who Refuse The Mark Of The Beast During The Great Tribulation”

This is not meant to glorify violence.

It is meant to confront you with the terrifying seriousness of what Scripture describes concerning the Great Tribulation, the beast, the mark, persecution, judgment, and hell.

There is one important distinction that must be understood.

The Bible does not say that every person who refuses the mark will necessarily die by the exact methods pictured in this image. These are illustrations of possible forms of persecution and execution.

But Scripture DOES explicitly teach that the beast will demand worship, that the mark will be connected with allegiance to the beast, that economic restrictions will be imposed, and that those who refuse the beast will face deadly persecution.

And this is where the subject becomes brutally serious.

Revelation 13:15 KJV says:

“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.”

Read that again.

“SHOULD BE KILLED.”

This is not merely inconvenience.

This is not being mocked.

This is not losing followers.

This is not being cancelled.

This is not getting fired.

This is not somebody disagreeing with your religion.

The prophecy describes a system where refusal to worship the beast can result in death.

The world can threaten your comfort.

The world can threaten your career.

The world can threaten your possessions.

The world can threaten your freedom.

But eventually the question becomes much darker:

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE WORLD THREATENS YOUR LIFE?

Will you bow because you are afraid to die?

Will you compromise because you are afraid to suffer?

Will you surrender because obedience to evil becomes easier than faithfulness to God?

That is the kind of pressure Revelation warns about.

Revelation 13:16 KJV says:

“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”

Then Revelation 13:17 KJV says:

“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.”

Think about the pressure.

No mark.

No ordinary buying.

No ordinary selling.

No normal economic participation.

The pressure will not merely be physical.

It will be economic.

Social.

Political.

Religious.

Personal.

You could be surrounded by people telling you that refusing the mark is foolish.

You could be told that accepting it is necessary for survival.

You could be told that everyone else is doing it.

You could be threatened with poverty.

You could be threatened with imprisonment.

You could be threatened with torture.

You could be threatened with death.

And eventually the issue becomes allegiance.

WHO DO YOU WORSHIP?

WHO DO YOU OBEY?

WHO WILL YOU REFUSE TO DENY?

And here comes an extremely important distinction concerning salvation during that prophetic period.

The present dispensation of grace is not to be confused with the prophetic conditions Scripture describes concerning the beast and his mark.

The salvation message and prophetic circumstances must be handled according to the passages being discussed.

In the present age, Scripture plainly teaches salvation by grace through faith, not by works.

Ephesians 2:8 KJV says:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith”

And Ephesians 2:9 KJV says:

“Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

That is unmistakable.

But when Revelation describes the Great Tribulation, the issue surrounding the beast and his mark becomes radically different.

Revelation does not present the mark as an innocent action that somebody can take while continuing to worship God.

The mark is connected directly with worship and allegiance to the beast.

Revelation 14:9 KJV says:

“If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand”

Notice the connection.

WORSHIP.

THE BEAST.

THE IMAGE.

THE MARK.

ALLEGIANCE.

Then comes the terrifying warning.

Revelation 14:10 KJV says:

“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God”

And Revelation 14:11 KJV says:

“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night”

FOR EVER AND EVER.

NO REST.

DAY NOR NIGHT.

This is why the idea of “easy salvation” during the mark of the beast period must be rejected as a careless way of presenting those passages.

A person cannot simply say:

“I believe in God, but I will receive the mark of the beast anyway.”

The Revelation passages do not permit that kind of casual separation between belief and allegiance.

If someone knowingly worships the beast and receives his mark, Scripture gives an extremely severe warning concerning that person.

The mark is not presented as a neutral transaction.

It is connected with worship.

It is connected with allegiance.

It is connected with rebellion against God.

Therefore, in the prophetic context of the Great Tribulation, the Scriptures describe a form of endurance and faithfulness that continues even when obedience to God costs earthly life.

This is why Revelation 14:12 KJV says:

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

PATIENT ENDURANCE.

FAITHFULNESS.

PERSEVERANCE.

REFUSING THE BEAST.

REFUSING HIS WORSHIP.

REFUSING HIS MARK.

EVEN WHEN THE COST IS DEATH.

That is brutally different from the idea that somebody can deliberately worship the beast, receive his mark, and simply assume that faith makes the decision irrelevant.

THE TEXT DOES NOT GIVE THAT COMFORT.

Revelation 20:4 KJV says:

“And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast”

Why were they beheaded?

Because they refused.

Why did they suffer?

Because they refused.

Why did they die?

Because they refused.

They would rather lose their earthly lives than surrender their allegiance.

And here is the brutal truth:

THEIR FAITH WAS NOT A CHEAP WORD.

THEIR FAITH WAS TESTED UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE.

THEIR ALLEGIANCE WAS NOT MERELY A SENTENCE THEY SPOKE.

THEIR PERSEVERANCE WAS DEMONSTRATED BY THEIR REFUSAL TO WORSHIP THE BEAST.

This is why it is dangerous to take the language of “faith alone” from the present dispensation and carelessly force it into every prophetic passage without considering the specific context of Revelation.

The present age of grace must be distinguished from the prophetic program concerning Israel, the beast, the mark, and the Great Tribulation.

During the Great Tribulation, Revelation describes people who must endure persecution and refuse the beast and his mark.

The issue becomes so severe that Revelation 13:10 KJV says:

“Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”

And Revelation 12:11 KJV says:

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony”

Then comes the brutal statement:

“And they loved not their lives unto the death.”

THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH.

That means earthly survival was not their highest priority.

They understood something that modern comfort addicted Christianity desperately needs to understand:

LIVING IS NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING FAITHFUL TO GOD.

A person can preserve his body and lose everything that matters eternally.

A person can lose his body and remain faithful.

A person can lose his possessions and keep his testimony.

A person can lose his freedom and refuse to bow.

A person can lose his earthly life and refuse the mark.

But there is something infinitely more terrifying than an execution chamber.

HELL.

Hell is worse than the flames pictured in this image.

Hell is worse than torture.

Hell is worse than starvation.

Hell is worse than imprisonment.

Hell is worse than persecution.

Hell is worse than earthly death.

Why?

Because earthly suffering has an end.

The judgment of God is another matter entirely.

Matthew 10:28 KJV says:

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul”

Then Christ says:

“But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

THERE IT IS.

HELL.

The world tells you to fear people.

Christ tells you to understand the greater reality.

Human beings can kill the body.

Human beings can torture the body.

Human beings can imprison the body.

Human beings can destroy earthly possessions.

But God remains the Judge of eternity.

And this is why Revelation 14 is so terrifying.

The beast can threaten your body.

The beast can threaten your livelihood.

The beast can threaten your freedom.

The beast can threaten your family.

The beast can threaten your life.

BUT THE BEAST DOES NOT HAVE THE FINAL WORD.

GOD DOES.

Revelation 14:9 KJV warns:

“If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand”

And verse 10 says:

“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God”

That warning is deliberately severe.

There is no casual language here.

There is no suggestion that worshipping the beast is harmless.

There is no suggestion that receiving his mark is spiritually irrelevant.

There is no suggestion that somebody can deliberately identify himself with the beast and then mock the consequences.

The warning is terrifying because the rebellion is terrifying.

HELL IS NOT A JOKE.

HELL IS NOT A FAIRY TALE.

HELL IS NOT A RELIGIOUS INSULT.

HELL IS NOT SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT.

HELL IS A WARNING.

And the Bible repeatedly warns about judgment because eternity is too serious for comfortable lies.

Matthew 24:21 KJV says:

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

Great tribulation.

Not ordinary trouble.

Not ordinary persecution.

Not an ordinary war.

Great tribulation.

And Matthew 24:22 KJV says:

“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved”

Think about the severity of those words.

Christ Himself described that period as unprecedented.

The suffering will be extraordinary.

The deception will be extraordinary.

The persecution will be extraordinary.

The pressure will be extraordinary.

And Revelation describes saints standing firm in the middle of it.

That is why Revelation 13:7 KJV says:

“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them”

MAKE WAR.

Not debate.

Not disagreement.

Not a theological argument.

WAR.

And the brutal reality is that some of those saints will be killed.

Revelation 20:4 KJV says:

“And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus”

They died because they refused to surrender their testimony.

They died because they refused to worship the beast.

They died because they refused to identify themselves with the beast.

They died because they refused the mark.

And that brings us back to the terrifying issue of works and faith during that prophetic period.

Do not confuse this with saying that human works can purchase the righteousness of God.

Works cannot purchase salvation.

Human effort cannot buy forgiveness.

Religious performance cannot force God to save somebody.

But the prophetic passages concerning the beast show that the professed faith of those saints is demonstrated through their endurance and their refusal to worship the beast or receive his mark.

In other words:

THEIR FAITH IS NOT BEING PRESENTED AS A CHEAP, EMPTY CLAIM.

THEIR FAITH IS BEING DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THEIR FAITHFUL ENDURANCE.

They do not merely say they believe.

They refuse the beast.

They refuse his worship.

They refuse his mark.

They endure persecution.

They remain faithful even unto death.

And Scripture gives them the name:

SAINTS.

This is why the Great Tribulation cannot be reduced to the slogan:

“Believe anything you want and the mark will not matter.”

The mark matters.

The worship matters.

The allegiance matters.

The endurance matters.

The refusal matters.

The consequences matter.

And hell matters.

Revelation 14:11 KJV says:

“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night”

FOR EVER AND EVER.

NO REST.

DAY NOR NIGHT.

Do not water that down.

Do not turn it into entertainment.

Do not transform Revelation into a horror movie.

The Bible is warning you.

And the warning is brutal because the reality is brutal.

A human execution can end physical suffering.

HELL DOES NOT FIT INTO THE SAME CATEGORY.

A bullet can end a life.

A sword can end a life.

Fire can destroy a body.

A rope can end breathing.

A guillotine can end physical life.

Torture can destroy the body.

But none of these earthly horrors should make a person forget the far greater seriousness of eternal judgment.

The world may say:

“Take the mark and live.”

But Scripture warns:

DO NOT TRADE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES FOR TEMPORARY SURVIVAL.

The world may say:

“Everyone is doing it.”

DO NOT FOLLOW THE CROWD INTO REBELLION.

The world may say:

“You will starve without it.”

DO NOT SELL YOUR ALLEGIANCE FOR FOOD.

The world may say:

“You will die without it.”

DO NOT ASSUME EARTHLY DEATH IS WORSE THAN HELL.

The world may threaten your body.

But God remains the Judge of eternity.

That is the brutality of the warning.

And here is another brutal truth:

PRESSURE DOES NOT CREATE CHARACTER.

PRESSURE REVEALS CHARACTER.

When obedience costs nothing, everyone can pretend to be faithful.

But when obedience costs your livelihood, your reputation, your freedom, or your life, the reality of your allegiance is exposed.

This is why Revelation presents the saints as enduring.

They are not being tested by convenience.

They are being tested by persecution.

They are being tested by death.

They are being tested by a system that demands worship.

And they refuse.

The devil does not always need to destroy you immediately.

Sometimes he only needs to teach you to compromise.

Compromise your convictions.

Compromise your conscience.

Compromise your worship.

Compromise your obedience.

Compromise once.

Then compromise again.

Then eventually you no longer recognize the person who originally said:

“I will never bow.”

That is why Daniel 7:25 KJV says:

“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High”

WEAR OUT.

Pressure.

Fear.

Exhaustion.

Persecution.

Economic restriction.

Social hatred.

Violence.

Death.

The objective is surrender.

But Revelation shows saints who refuse.

And here is the most brutal part:

YOU CAN LOSE YOUR EARTHLY LIFE AND STILL REFUSE TO LOSE YOUR TESTIMONY.

YOU CAN LOSE YOUR HEAD AND STILL KEEP YOUR FAITH.

YOU CAN LOSE EVERYTHING THIS WORLD VALUES AND STILL REFUSE TO WORSHIP THE BEAST.

BUT DO NOT PRESUME THAT RECEIVING THE MARK IS A SMALL MATTER.

Revelation does not present it that way.

Revelation 14 presents the mark together with worship of the beast and the wrath of God.

That is why the warning is so severe.

And that is why anyone teaching a careless “easy salvation” message concerning the mark of the beast is ignoring the terrifying warnings of Revelation.

Again, this does not mean that human works can purchase salvation from God.

It means that in the prophetic context, Scripture describes genuine allegiance to God through persevering faithfulness under persecution, including refusing the beast and his mark.

The saints are not saved because their suffering earns a price from God.

Their endurance demonstrates where their allegiance stands.

Their refusal demonstrates that they will not worship the beast.

Their perseverance demonstrates that they will not surrender.

Their death demonstrates that earthly survival was not more valuable to them than faithfulness to God.

And Revelation 12:11 KJV says:

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony”

Then:

“And they loved not their lives unto the death.”

THAT IS NOT EASY BELIEF.

THAT IS FAITH UNDER FIRE.

THAT IS FAITH UNDER PERSECUTION.

THAT IS FAITH UNDER THREAT OF DEATH.

THAT IS FAITH THAT REFUSES TO BOW.

And if someone says:

“I have faith, so I can receive the mark anyway”

Revelation gives no comfort for that attitude.

Because the mark is not presented as a meaningless stamp.

It is associated with worship and allegiance to the beast.

And the warning is terrifying.

HELL.

WRATH.

JUDGMENT.

TORMENT.

ETERNITY.

Revelation 20:14 KJV says:

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

And Revelation 20:15 KJV says:

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

The lake of fire.

Hell.

Judgment.

Eternity.

These are not words to use casually.

These are not words to soften.

These are not words to hide.

They are warnings.

And that is why this image should not merely make you think:

“How horrible those deaths look.”

It should make you think:

“HOW SERIOUS IS ETERNITY?”

Burned alive?

Terrifying.

Beheaded?

Terrifying.

Shot?

Terrifying.

Beaten to death?

Terrifying.

Hanged?

Terrifying.

Guillotined?

Terrifying.

Starved?

Terrifying.

Tortured?

Terrifying.

Executed?

Terrifying.

But the Bible warns of something even more terrifying than earthly suffering.

THE WRATH OF GOD.

THE JUDGMENT OF GOD.

THE LAKE OF FIRE.

HELL.

ETERNITY.

And the beast?

The beast is not God.

The beast is not eternal.

The beast is not sovereign.

The beast is not the final authority.

The beast has an appointed end.

Revelation 19:20 KJV says:

“And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet”

The one who terrorizes the earth will not reign forever.

The one who demands worship will not reign forever.

The one who persecutes the saints will not reign forever.

The one who threatens death will eventually face the Judge.

EVIL HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE.

GOD DOES NOT.

The beast may have authority for a season.

God has eternal authority.

The beast may control commerce.

God controls eternity.

The beast may threaten death.

God controls judgment.

The beast may terrify nations.

God remains King.

And when the final judgment comes, nobody will care how powerful the beast once appeared.

Because earthly power is temporary.

God is eternal.

So look at this image again.

Look at the fire.

Look at the weapons.

Look at the chains.

Look at the suffering.

Look at the executions.

Then look beyond them.

Look beyond the body.

Look beyond the pain.

Look beyond the blood.

Look beyond the grave.

THINK ABOUT ETERNITY.

Because the greatest tragedy is not simply dying brutally.

The greatest tragedy is facing the judgment of God unprepared.

The greatest tragedy is treating Scripture like entertainment.

The greatest tragedy is laughing at hell.

The greatest tragedy is exchanging eternal consequences for temporary comfort.

And the brutal message of Revelation is this:

THE BEAST MAY SAY BOW OR DIE.

BUT GOD SAYS THAT EARTHLY DEATH IS NOT THE FINAL REALITY.

THE BEAST MAY SAY TAKE THE MARK OR STARVE.

BUT GOD REMAINS THE JUDGE OF ETERNITY.

THE BEAST MAY SAY WORSHIP ME OR SUFFER.

BUT GOD ALONE IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP.

THE BEAST MAY CONTROL THE MARKET.

BUT GOD CONTROLS THE FINAL JUDGMENT.

THE BEAST MAY HAVE ARMIES.

BUT GOD HAS ALL AUTHORITY.

THE BEAST MAY THREATEN YOUR BODY.

BUT GOD REMAINS THE JUDGE OF ETERNITY.

And that is why the warning must be taken seriously.

Not tomorrow.

Not after the tribulation begins.

Not after the beast appears.

Not after the mark becomes mandatory.

The warning is being given beforehand.

Because once that prophetic crisis arrives, the consequences will be terrifying.

Do not romanticize the Great Tribulation.

Do not treat Revelation like a horror movie.

Do not reduce the mark of the beast to a casual conspiracy discussion.

Do not assume that receiving the mark is spiritually harmless.

Do not assume that a profession of faith makes deliberate allegiance to the beast irrelevant.

Revelation does not present that kind of easy escape.

Instead, Revelation presents saints who endure.

Saints who refuse.

Saints who remain faithful.

Saints who refuse worship of the beast.

Saints who refuse his mark.

Saints who love not their lives unto the death.

And then Revelation gives the terrifying warning concerning those who worship the beast and receive his mark.

That is why hell must be spoken about plainly.

HELL IS REAL.

JUDGMENT IS REAL.

THE WRATH OF GOD IS REAL.

THE LAKE OF FIRE IS REAL.

ETERNITY IS REAL.

And when the final judgment comes, nobody will be impressed by earthly status.

Hell will not care about your money.

Hell will not care about your followers.

Hell will not care about your career.

Hell will not care about your political position.

Hell will not care about your reputation.

Hell will not care about how comfortable you were.

Eternity will expose everything.

The world can teach you to fear death.

Scripture teaches you to understand eternity.

The world can teach you to protect your body at any cost.

Scripture teaches you that allegiance to God is more important than temporary comfort.

The world can tell you:

“Bow and live.”

But Revelation warns that there are things you must refuse even when refusal costs your life.

Because earthly life is temporary.

Earthly possessions are temporary.

Earthly power is temporary.

Earthly comfort is temporary.

Earthly suffering is temporary.

But eternity is not temporary.

And hell is not something to laugh away.

So remember the brutal distinction:

IN THIS PRESENT AGE, SALVATION IS BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH, NOT BY HUMAN WORKS.

BUT THE GREAT TRIBULATION PASSAGES CONCERNING THE BEAST DESCRIBE A DIFFERENT PROPHETIC CONTEXT IN WHICH FAITHFULNESS IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH PERSEVERANCE, REFUSING THE BEAST, REFUSING HIS WORSHIP, AND REFUSING HIS MARK EVEN UNTO DEATH.

Do not confuse the two contexts.

Do not use the grace message as an excuse to make Revelation 14 meaningless.

Do not turn the mark of the beast into something spiritually harmless.

Do not preach a version of prophecy where somebody can worship the beast, receive his mark, and simply shrug while claiming that faith makes the warning irrelevant.

Revelation does not speak that way.

The warning is severe.

The consequences are severe.

The judgment is severe.

HELL IS SEVERE.

And eternity is too serious for comfortable lies.

The question during that terrifying prophetic period will not merely be:

“Do you claim to believe?”

The question will be:

“WHO WILL YOU WORSHIP?”

“WHO WILL YOU OBEY?”

“WILL YOU RECEIVE THE MARK?”

“WILL YOU BOW?”

“WILL YOU ENDURE?”

“WILL YOU REMAIN FAITHFUL?”

Because when the world demands:

BOW OR DIE

the Scriptures reveal saints who choose:

I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN WORSHIP THE BEAST.

And that is the brutal warning.

EARTHLY DEATH HAS AN END.

HELL IS WORSE.

EARTHLY SUFFERING HAS AN END.

THE JUDGMENT OF GOD IS ETERNAL.

THE BEAST HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE.

GOD DOES NOT.

THE MARK MAY CONTROL YOUR ECONOMIC LIFE.

BUT IT CANNOT CONTROL THE THRONE OF GOD.

THE BEAST MAY THREATEN YOUR BODY.

BUT HE CANNOT BECOME YOUR GOD.

THE WORLD MAY THREATEN YOUR LIFE.

BUT ETERNITY STILL BELONGS TO GOD.

So look at the image.

Look at the fire.

Look at the torture.

Look at the executions.

And then remember the warning:

DO NOT EXCHANGE ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES FOR TEMPORARY SURVIVAL.

DO NOT BOW TO EVIL BECAUSE YOU ARE AFRAID TO DIE.

DO NOT TREAT THE MARK OF THE BEAST AS A HARMLESS DECISION.

DO NOT LAUGH AT REVELATION.

DO NOT LAUGH AT HELL.

DO NOT LAUGH AT JUDGMENT.

Because one day the warning will no longer be merely a warning.

And when eternity arrives, there will be no negotiation.

No bargaining.

No bribery.

No hiding.

No escape from the Judge.

HELL IS NOT A PUNCHLINE.

HELL IS NOT ENTERTAINMENT.

HELL IS NOT MYTHOLOGY.

HELL IS A WARNING.

And Revelation gives that warning because eternity is too important for silence.

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Jesus has just said that the fate of a person who drags a child into sin is going to be so terrible that it would be better for that man to be drowned in the depths of the sea. He has also said that if one's individual appendages causes one to sin that the fate of being in sin is so horrific that it is a better fate to cut that appendage from your body and cast it away.

Jesus was not advocating for bodily mutilation, He was bringing to mind that the penalty for sin is so severe that the horrendous alternatives to the punishment were to be considered minor in comparison.

He uses the parable of the shepherd who lost one sheep and the man's response to finding the lost sheep being one of joy. He celebrates the find which necessitated him leaving 99 sheep who had not gone astray. Jesus specifically linked this teaching to the children. And He makes it clear that God is not willing for any of these to be lost.

Are we training our children right? Or by following our example are we ‘teaching’ our children to sin in the same ways we do? But Jesus expands on our responsibility for our brethren. He tells us to warn our brothers if they are committing sin. “Show him his fault”

If we have a brother or sister in Christ and they are sinning, we have an obligation to pursue them and bring them back to God. It's sad that some will suffer just because we were busy “minding our own business” when we saw a brother in sin.

We may not even be successful in the endeavor because his response still has the freewill to reject the opportunity you present. If he chooses to reject your instruction, it is imperative to return with 2 to 3 witnesses. If he refuses to repent, it is time to address it within the church.

If he again rejects the opportunity to repent, he is to be treated as an outsider to the church. This is the concept of what some organizations call, ‘shunning’ or ‘excommunication’. So for the churches who proudly admit that their church won't mention ‘sin’ as a selling point for attending their congregation, they are admitting that they are NOT the church of true Christianity.

Sin is what sent Jesus to the cross. It was His very foundational reason for even coming the first time. So for organizations to ‘cover’ sin for purposes of advancing progressive doctrines is in itself a sin.

What is being discussed here is our commitment to the Gospel. Are we faithful enough to warn a brother or sister that is diving into sinful habits or situations? Are we concerned for the eternal consequences of our temporal lives?

We are all being tempted by the same enemy. His goal is to make sure that as many humans as possible end up in Hell with him. His hatred for the creation God intended to be higher than the angels, mankind, is palpable. Satan HATES humans. He knows it's too late for him, so all he can do is cause destruction and pain for us, and that he does on a daily basis.

Jesus then discusses the ‘gathering together’ only requiring 2 people. What is this ‘gathering together’? It comes from the word translated ‘church’ which literally means, “the called out ones”. That’s all of us. We were called out of the world to be a part of His people.

And when two or three are gathered in the name of Jesus, not only is that a “church” but Jesus is there with the gathered ones. This was in truth the reason we started Porch Ministries. And two years ago, it was myself and a few others who would meet on my front porch for worship, prayer and to be challenged in the things of the Lord.

And in that 2 year period I was earnestly desiring to be a part of God's kingdom as one of His witnesses. I was distraught at my physical limitations. I am incapable of going pretty much anywhere. I saw my handicap as a failure on my part. But when Porch Ministries started all I could do was these lessons and pray when asked.

Here's the thing, many Christians treat the “I'll pray for you” as an excuse they can't (or won't) do anything else. That is dead wrong. Our ability to gather in His name with Jesus in our midst is one of the most worthwhile, beneficial and powerful works a Christian can do, period.

God has taken the prayers I've offered as a believer and within this two year period, we've seen answers to prayer as we reach out, we are preparing to aid a mission in the Philippines where impacts are already being felt and people are being saved. And now we are praying for that mission, two schools in the same city, and we are reaching folks in Pakistan, Uganda, and Michigan.

I've seen miraculous answers to prayer, confirmation of God moving in this work and I truly hope you will join us on Lordsbook in the Porch Ministries page. If you are looking for an avenue of service to God, join us! If you've been wanting to see God work and be an integral part of God's kingdom there's no better place than a ministry dedicated to reaching those who churches do not pursue. Addicts, bikers, church-hurt individuals who have for cultural or political reasons been ostracized from a church, not due to sin, but strictly for reasons they couldn't control.

Does it matter if i take sin seriously? Yes. Does it matter how i treat prayer? Absolutely.


[12] “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost? [13] And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. [14] So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish. [15] “Now if your brother sins , go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. [16] But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be confirmed. [17] And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. [18] Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. [19] “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. [20] For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”