God's Wrath (Revelation 16)

We are tempted to only want smooth things preached to us, yet that would ignore the whole counsel of God, including some things we might rather avoid. Let’s now look at the seven bowls or vials of God’s wrath and begin to understand why God is angry with sin, in Revelation 16.

Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

Whose is the great voice? We are not told. The trumpets and vials (bowls) have this in common, the last three are worse than the first four. Why is God’s anger aroused? It is against ungodliness, unrighteousness and suppression of truth (Romans 1:18).

God’s wrath is also against those who mock His messengers (2 Chronicles 36:16). It was against Israel for not believing God, nor trusting His salvation (Psalm 78:21-31). It is still because of unbelief (John 3:36). It is because of hard and unrepentant hearts (Romans 2:5). It is because of things like sexual immorality, impurity, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5-7; Colossians 3:5-7).

1st Vial

Revelation 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

Much like Job’s ulcers or boils this could refer to physical pain, but also spiritual affliction.

2nd Vial

Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

This seems similar to the plague in ancient Egypt, where the fish in the river died (Exodus 7:20-21). In the sea, every living thing dies.

3rd Vial

Revelation 16:4-7 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

The plague is extended to the water sources. This angel praises God for His judgment, unlike some who may falsely label God’s judgment as spiritual abuse. The angels have witnessed how human sin has hurt humanity since the beginning, and because of their experience seeing human misery throughout history, they know that God’s judgment is right and good.

Is God vengeful? Not in a human sense. The Godly purpose would be to teach the kind of lesson that only the one can teach, who can take and also give life back. It’s as if God is saying this is what it is like to have blood to the full. Will they learn?

In contrast to much human criticism of God’s judgments, those who really know are those who have witnessed the depravity of the entirety of human history, and they understand how true and righteous His judgments really are.

4th Vial

Revelation 16:8-9 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

Is this global warming, a military power scorching beast worshipers or something else? There has been much wild speculation down through history. One thing is certain, this punishment does not produce the desired result, but men continue blaspheming God and do not have a change of heart to give Him glory.

5th Vial

Revelation 16:10-11 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Darkness with pain is also similar to one of the Egyptian plagues (Exodus 10:21-22), and the result is similarly disappointing. Men still refuse to repent.

6th Vial

Revelation 16:12-14 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Three unclean spirits represent Christianity’s foes of the demonic world, the political world and counterfeit religion. These gather anti-Christian world leaders to the battle of the great day.

Revelation 16:15-16 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

This describes a diligent night watch, who keeps his clothes on. This watcher is clothed in the righteousness of faith (Philippians 3:9). This location of the battle of the great day of God Almighty is either literal or symbolic or both. It literally describes the hill of Megiddo, or Tel-Megiddo which overlooks the Valley of Jezreel, where many historic battles took place, and is symbolic of the final defeat of evil.

7th Vial

Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

It is done. The plagues are finished.

Revelation 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

An unprecedented great earthquake occurs (Haggai 2:6; Hebrews 12:26-27).

Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Which is the great city? It is not mentioned. Speculation abounds that it may be Rome, Babylon or Jerusalem. In the next chapter we are introduced to the great whore who has the name of Babylon written on her forehead. However, let’s not become dogmatic about it or sidetracked by speculation. The meaning is found in what is clear. What is clear is that God is angry with any civilization that sets itself against Him.

Revelation 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

Even the isolated islands and mountain retreats of this evil system are destroyed.

Revelation 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

These hailstones weigh about 75 pounds, 35 kilograms each. The incredible destruction does not have its desired effect. Stubborn hearts remain unrepentant, even in death.

Evil brings its own self-destruction. Sin hurts us and our families first, and destroys everything it touches. God’s destruction of all evil is for humanity’s own good, but those enslaved to sin find it hard to let go. The last plagues are upon those who refuse to repent. We who have repented need not fear God's wrath. In the end, those on God's side win.

The Seven Last Plagues

Let’s look at an introduction to the judgment and the seven last plagues in Revelation 15.

The Seven Last Plagues

Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

These remind us of the plagues of Egypt directed against the unrepentant. They are blows, wounds or a flogging of punishment.

Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

This may be the same sea of glass seen in heaven (Revelation 4:6). It may be mingled with the fire of judgment.

Revelation 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

The Song of Moses was a victory song over Egypt (Exodus 15:1-19). The addition of the Lamb to the title of this song means it is either a new song or the Lamb is now understood as the fulfillment in a new Exodus or both. The Exodus was an earlier victory over slavery to sin and oppressive human governments.

Revelation 15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

With these words the Song of Moses becomes complete as a song of Christ’s redemption.

Revelation 15:5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:

This refers to the holy of holies which was erected as a witness to God’s presence. Here it refers to its heavenly reality.

Revelation 15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

The duties of angels are many. The 7 punishments are carried out by duly appointed angels. Pure white or bright linen symbolizes righteousness. Breasts or chests clothed in gold may be similar to the ephod worn as priestly attire by Aaron and his sons (Exodus 28:8).

Revelation 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

This reveals heaven’s full involvement in the punishment to come, a thought that liberals and universalists have difficulty explaining.

Revelation 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

This particular smoke is not associated with the incense and our prayers directly but with the glory of God, like at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18) and in the temple (Isaiah 4:5; Isaiah 6:4). These plagues are punishment upon the belligerently unrepentant.

God will not allow destructive sin to ruin the lives of all it touches for very much longer. The unrepentant must and will be punished.

The Grapes of Wrath

Let’s now look at several events surrounding the Lamb, the 144,000 and the hour of judgment in Revelation 14.

The Lamb and the 144,000

Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

This is the same group revealed in Revelation 7, and seems to be symbolic Israel rather than physical Israel. Their identifying mark is the opposite of the mark of the beast, God the Father’s name in their foreheads. Why is the innumerable multitude not mentioned? Perhaps this reveals the 144,000 as holding special positions in eternity.

Revelation 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

This reminds us of a voice from heaven at Christ’s baptism. But here the voice is echoed by many.

Revelation 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

This is a new song and exclusively sung by them. Who are they?

Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Using the term firstfruits implies a special group and that others will also be saved but as second fruits. Sexual defilement here is related to the false religion of the whore of Babylon. By contrast, sexual purity marks all true Christians, as does its spiritual application, freedom from idolatry.

Revelation 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

No guile here refers to no lie. Idolatry is worshiping a lie. These are sincere, worshiping in spirit and truthful reality (John 4:24). Without fault means “blameless” (NIV, ESV, NASB) cleansed by the washing of water with the word (Ephesians 5:26-27). Only Jesus is able to make us stand blameless before the presence of His glory (Jude 24).

Angelic Announcements

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

This is the first of several angels carrying a vital message.

Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Rather than being in terror of the beast and worldly powers, we should fear God, which involves a deep reverence of Him. Judgment day, a topic often avoided by those who love to preach “smooth things,” is here connected with the good news, as the saints glorify God, because in Jesus we can have success on judgment day.

Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

The second of these angels brings his assigned message. The descendant of Babylon was pagan Rome, picturing all governments that persecute Christians. All nations have been driven mad, corrupted by a worldly system of greed and oppression inherited from ancient Babylon (Jeremiah 51:7).

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,

The third angel’s announcement includes the word “receive” which implies that receiving the sign, badge of servitude, or mark of the beast is voluntary.

Revelation 14:10 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:

The wine of God’s anger is not watered down. It pictures God’s intense anger which contrasts with the often casual and accepting attitudes of society towards sin. There is no avoiding the fact that the angels and Jesus will oversee this punishment.

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

In contrast with verse 13 and the eternal rest which the saints experience, there is no rest for the unrepentant worshipers of this world and its ways.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Christians keep the spiritual application of the commandments of God, not in a legalistic, letter-of-the-law manner as Paul was inspired to correct among the Galatians, but in the Spirit which gives life. This spirit-of-the-law obedience is coupled with faith in Jesus.

Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Contrasted with the unrepentant, these are granted rest as they die in the Lord.

Revelation 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Jesus’ ascension and return involve Him on a cloud (Acts 1:9-11; Matthew 24:30). The sickle pictures a hooked knife used in harvesting grapes.

The Time to Reap

Revelation 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

Now a fourth angel like an announcer, has a word of encouragement supporting our Lord and His next task.

Revelation 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

We are reminded that the harvest is plentiful, that wheat and weeds grow together, and that the fields are already ripe for harvest (Matthew 9:37; Matthew 13:30; John 4:35). The one slight difference here is a grape harvest rather than a wheat harvest, though there is some overlap in meaning.

Revelation 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

Now a fifth angel appears and his role is to join in the harvest with a sickle of his own.

Revelation 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

Now a sixth angel shouts encouraging the fifth to thrust in his vineyard reaping hook. The harvest is ready and reminds us of Jesus' words during His earthly ministry (Matthew 9:35-38).

Revelation 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

In winemaking, the first order of duty is to crush the grapes harvested from the vines producing fresh grape juice. This winepress is described as God’s wrath, picturing the final destruction of the wicked.

Revelation 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

The fresh-squeezed grape juice pictures the blood of the wicked, shed in a great slaughter, a lake of blood 1600 stadia, about 180 miles or 300 kilometers across.

Unlike our society, God takes sin deadly seriously, because He knows that its end result is eternal suffering for all involved. He cannot and will not tolerate that which only destroys.

Complete Love

Do we love God completely? How do we love God with our whole heart, soul, strength and mind? What does it mean to love our neighbor as ourselves? Let’s examine the more complete love taught by Jesus in Matthew 22:34-46.

Matthew 22:34-36 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

The Bible contains many excellent articles of faith, act justly (Micah 6:8), do what is right (Isaiah 56:1), seek God (Amos 5:4), live by faithfulness (Habakkuk 2:4). Jesus focused on loving God (Deuteronomy 6:5) and loving neighbor (Leviticus 19:18), summarizing the whole of Christianity.

Why such a question? When we teach what neither Jesus nor the Apostles taught, are we like the Pharisees and Sadducees? How can any church claim to be apostolic, yet teach dogmas not taught by Jesus or the apostles? If he was here on earth today, would we accept him?

Love God

Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.

Heart

The Shema Yisrael (Deuteronomy 6:5) teaches loving God with our entire heart. We are all guilty of not loving God completely and we ask for forgiveness. God’s love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5) and is expressed in thankfulness, praise and singing.

Soul

Soul means psyche, breath or spirit. The soul thirsts for God like a deer panting for water (Psalm 42), passionate spiritual desire. Loving God with our souls, we love assembling with others who love God. We love God with our souls through prayer, Bible study and meditating on godly things.

Mind

We cannot love God and hate theology. Any study of God and His Word is theology. Some Christians teach that we don’t need doctrine; we just need love. But, love is the principle doctrine. An anti-intellectual bias contradicts the Bible, because Jesus taught us to love God with our minds.

Love Neighbor

Matthew 22:39-40 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

The world shows reckless disregard for others. Yet, as we appropriately bless others, crime and other evils should decrease. The Great Commandment is a version of the golden rule (Matthew 7:12). This is so fundamentally important that even non-Christian religions and atheists recognize it as valid (Romans 1:19-21)?

Balance

If we say we love God and hate our brother, we are liars (1 John 4:20). If we love our brother and disobey God, we believe a social Gospel (Hebrews 1:9). If we love God with our hearts but not our minds, we worship emotionalism. If we love God with our minds and not our hearts, we worship intellectualism.

The Messiah Riddle

Matthew 22:41-46 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The Son of David.” He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’? If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

This is known as the Messiah riddle. Why did David refer to his son or descendant as “my Lord.” The Messiah is divine. Jesus did not answer the riddle. “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” Nobody could answer and no one dared question Him anymore.

Psalm 84

Desire to be where God is worshiped. “My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the Lord.” In the Valley of Baca, a place of weeping, worship is a refreshing spring (verse 6). In Zion (heavenly Jerusalem), we grow stronger. God’s action begins in the place of worship.

1 Corinthians 13

Agape does not always mean divine love. It can refer to a wrong kind of love. Men loved darkness (John 3:19), the praise of men more than God (John 12:43), and loved this world (2 Timothy 4:10). What kind of agape does God expect (1 Corinthians 13)?

Loving God is neither just emotional, nor intellectual, nor just spiritual, but it includes all of those dimensions. Jesus taught us to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and our neighbor as ourselves.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Readings:

Deuteronomy 34:1-12 How precious is the death of God’s saints?

Psalm 90 How is God our dwelling place?

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 Is conflict a natural part of church life?

Revelation 3:1-6 Is salvation still available in a dead or dying church?

Matthew 22:34-46 in Rhyme

The Pharisees asked a question
Which command in your confession
Is the great command in the law
You shall love the Lord and what’s more
-
With all of your heart, soul and mind
The first and great command defined
The second’s from the same bookshelf
You’ll love your neighbor as yourself
-
Now, Jesus asked them thoughtfully
About the Christ, Whose Son is He?
David’s son, they said in accord
Then how does David call Him ‘Lord’

The 2 Beasts (Revelation 13)

Do you remember the woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea (Revelation 12:12)? Let’s now look at the two beasts instrumental in those woes, one rising from the sea and the other from the earth, in Revelation 13.

The Beast from the Sea

Revelation 13:1 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.

As we have already seen, a beast represents a demon-influenced human government that persecutes the people of God. John was literally on the Isle of Patmos in the Mediterranean Sea. The sea pictures peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues (Revelation 17:15). Pagan Rome is a blasphemous system descending from Babylon, and is also symbolic of similar evils in other parts of the world.

The sea and abyss are two ways of describing where the beast arises from. The seven heads are explained later as seven mountains and also seven kings (Revelation 17:9-10). The ten horns are explained later as kings in waiting, who have not yet received a kingdom (Revelation 17:12). They are subordinate kings.

Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

In the succession of blasphemous kingdoms from Daniel’s prophecy, this Roman beast aligns itself with the predatory beasts which picture the preceding kingdoms, Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece.

Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

Perhaps this is referring to a revival of pagan Rome, a resurrection.

Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Politicians and governments like to play God. Who is like the beast is reminiscent of words used to worship God alone (Exodus 15:11).

Revelation 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Again we see the familiar period, time-limiting this secular power (Daniel 7:25; 12:7).

Revelation 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, [and] them that dwell in heaven.

The last “and” is not there in Greek, and so it should read, “his tabernacle, them that dwell in heaven.” The Word of God became flesh and tabernacled with us (John 1:14) as God had tabernacled or tented with ancient Israel (Exodus 33:7). The tent of meeting became the temple. Today, the people of God are that temple (2 Corinthians 6:16).

Revelation 13:7 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.

This arrogant anti-Christian world political power may overcome human lives but never the faith of those who endure to the end.

Revelation 13:8 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.

Worship here means to fawn or kiss the ground. The fawning adoration of politicians and worldly solutions is worshipping the hidden power of the devil.

Revelation 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

This means to pay particular attention to the message.

Revelation 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

This is patience indeed, to suffer with endurance under anti-Christian governments and to know that God will ultimately punish them.

The Beast from the Earth

Revelation 13:11 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.

This next beast looks like an innocent lamb, like Christ, but speaks like a dragon. His words betray him. Like a false prophet, this lamb is the opposite of what it seems (Revelation 16:13, 19:20, 20:10).

Revelation 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

This false lamb exercises political power and incites the pagan worship of a worldly human government.

Revelation 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

Like the false prophets of old, they are to be judged by their words, not their ability to perform miracles (Deuteronomy 13).

Revelation 13:14 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.

The words of this false prophet, like others before him, are to incite idolatry.

Revelation 13:15 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.

Miracles surrounding religious statues mean nothing, when used to enforce bowing down to those statues and death threats. The worship of human leadership exists in both dictatorships and democracies even today.

Revelation 13:16 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:

This expression comes from the Old Testament where the law and the words of God are to be a sign or mark in the hands and between the eyes, or in the foreheads, that is in our thoughts and deeds (Exodus 13:9; Exodus 13:16; Deuteronomy 6:8; Deuteronomy 11:18). Perhaps this includes a literal mark, as Paul bore some bodily marks of his suffering for Christ (Galatians 6:17), but more importantly it contrasts the seal of the beast with the seal of God.

The law is written in the minds (foreheads) and hearts of Christians (Jeremiah 31:33; Romans 2:15; Hebrews 8:10; Hebrews 10:16) and we are sealed by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30). We are either sealed with the mark of the beast, worshipping this world’s systems, or sealed with the Holy Spirit, worshipping God alone.

Revelation 13:17 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.

As in Thyatira, where one could not buy or sell if one did not offer meat to the god of the guild representing your profession, so people will not be allowed to trade and make a living if they refuse beast worship.

Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

First thing we must note about this number is that it is the number of a man, like Nero and others down through history who have acted like him. Using alphabets which have letters doubling as numbers, this has been associated with the names of various world leaders over time.

The political and religious beasts of this world want us to worship them and their worldly governments supported by false religion disguised as a lamb, but speaking as a dragon. The true Christian sees through these falsehoods and worships God alone.