The Missionary’s Message
Note that this angel does not even recognize the Beasts or the Dragon. He does not argue a case for God over and above the fallen one. He says that the one who should be feared is God himself. The men and women still alive had reason to fear God for his acts had been great. At this stage in human history those still alive will have seen his judgments on the earth and on people. The world has gone through great God-directed dismantlings. What had been witnessed of his power had gone clearly beyond what humanity had heretofore witnessed. Hurricane Harvey? Katrina? Those are but drops in a destruction bucket hardly worth mentioning in comparison to the global crumbles in play at that time.
The fear was not to be acted out in rejection, but in reverence. Recognize the fear and then turn it to regard, to acclaim the angel was saying. The angel did not stop there, but said the reverence was to go further. They were to give God glory for this. The crusade of the second beast was infused with religious overtones. He made an image of Beast One, gave it life and directed all to worship it. Humanity the world over was to worship the Beast who had been cut down and healed. Attached to this injunction was the very real threat of death.
The missionary God did not come without his own threats. He said that the hour of God’s judgment had come. See God brings the second death. Beast Two can only bring the first. In Matthew 10:28 (ESV) Jesus said, “…do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Beast One and the Dragon will accept your worship caring not that you will be damned for it. God wants your worship, but is not so hungry for it. Satan lusts for your worship caring not that you will join him in eternal punishment for having done it. God wants you to worship him because it is good for you. All things now and forevermore benefit from the praise of God. Independence given back to God closes the loop on project man.
So reverence God, fear God because permanent punishment is at the doorstep. God does not desire it, but the principles of God will stand forever. Rebellion is not one of the things that will stand.
Judgment is a good enough reason to fear. Creation is a good enough reason to worship.
Beyond fear and glory
The angel went further saying that worship should be given to him who made the heavens and the earth, the salt water of the oceans and the fresh water springs on the land. Where did Beast One arise from? The sea (Revelation 13:1). Where did Beast Two arise from? The land (Revelation 13:11). The angel is saying, “Look these Beasts had mysterious origins, but they came from the sea and the land. They are creations; they are part of what was made.
So, don’t worship creatures of the world, but go farther back, deeper in and worship him who made the land and the sea, the heavens and the earth.
Some have said that Genesis 1 and 2 were written to specifically counter the Egyptian creation mythology of Moses’ time. The Egyptian nation had made great strides in science and technology. They were the Silicon Valley of the day, but had not discarded deity. Rather they said their deities rose from the cosmos. Moses did not give credence to that or even mention it. Rather he said, “In the beginning God…” His point was that God was not part of all things, but outside of all things. Serve him and give him glory. God is worthy because he built it all and one worthy should be one worshiped.
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