Revelation 14:9 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, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
These two options are made clear in Revelation 13: [1] Serve God at the cost of being cut off from every earthly support, with the possibility of forfeiting life and all material possessions. [2] Subscribe to the beast’s system of worship, and have your economic privileges preserved or in some cases, reinstated, as the case will sadly turn out to be. Even though Jesus has given us great, and precious promises to live by during that awful time, yet it will be a period of severe anguish and turmoil, for those who choose stay the course with Christ.
Luke 21: 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
And there’s serious preparation, as far as us cultivating the right perspectives, as well as character building, to take place. Hence the reason why persons are encouraged, and warned not to become entangled and overwhelmed with the things of this world so that the time spoken of would come upon us unawares. The warning given in the previous passage raises the prospect that some persons could, and will become trapped in 666, the beast’s system of worship, since in many instances, folks would have failed to count the cost.
Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first, and counts the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!