What's Your Mark?

Text

Revelation 22:12–17 NASB95

12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

Introduction

The book of Revelation might be described as puzzling, but it is powerful

It has great mystique but more importantly, it also has a great message

The content, to our ears, might seem strange but it is designed to strengthen

Some have misused and abused its contents to spout erroneous ideologies and theologies, failing to grasp its meaning and not treating the book in its proper literary, cultural, historical and biblical context.

Many, because of its difficulty to interpret, have resigned it to being an unnessary book for the Christian walk [a lie from the pits of Tartarus]

Who gives me the right to conclude that what the all-knowing, omniscient, perfectly wise God has said something that is unnecessary?

Everything God has to say, about anything is absolutely necessary!

Revelation 1:3 “3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

I want that blessing!

If I can sum up the Book of Revelation in one sentence: In the end, God wins!

Regardless of the threats the people of God face becasue of political pressures, economic instabilities, injustices in society, persecution, false teachers, distress and even death: In the end, God wins!

The great battle between good and evil, God and Satan, the seed and the serpent. In the end God wins! - This is the framework we should keep in mind as we make our way through this book.

Context

The story of God finds its conclusion in this book, the pen of revelation ends here. It is a cosmic picture of a conquering God and His kingdom.

“The storyline of the Bible concludes with Revelation, and not surprisingly the book climaxes with God’s reign over all, with the righteous vindicated and the wicked punished, with the righteous rejoicing and the wicked grieving” Tom Schriener

The literature employed in this book is called “apocalyptic” literature. The features of this language include:

Heavy usage of symbology, typology, numerology, and various figures of speech

What this means for you, is that you can’t interpret everything you see, literally - you need to ask what is the image pointing you to?

What is the message behind the things that are being described in this book?

It’s message, is where the book meets us

Meaning, there is a conflict between God and Satan, but Satan extends his hostility and also goes after God’s children through his influence of world powers.

The writer describes Him has a dragon with power and authority; “the accuser of the brethren” who is thrown down (Rev 12:10)

He is violent, deceptive, malicious, a murderer, a hostile opposer of God, but: In the end God wins!

BABYLON - One of the agents used by the dragon in this book is the city of Babylon. It is a major figure in the book and it functions as the center of an anti-God culture that is completely opposed to God

She is destructive and deadly and goes after the people of God:

Drinks the blood of the saints (Rev 17:6)

Slays the saints and the prophets (Rev 18:24)

Corrupt the earth with immorality (Rev 19:2)

Facilitates the worship of false gods (Rev 16:2;13:1)

There are those who are influenced and enticed by her and follow her ways. God even makes a plea to his own people such was the greatness of the influence (Revelation 18:4 “4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;” )

Thought the influence is great, in the end God wins - there is no power like God’s power. There is no rule like God’s rule - there is nothing and nobody that can stand up against God and be victorious!

Chap 19 opens with a four-fold Hallelujah because God is triumphant over the harlot (Babylon)

Glory and power belongs to God not Babylon

God’s saints and prophets are slain but God brings vengance

Rev 18:5, her sins rose up, but after God is done, her smoke is rising up

Idolatry was enforced towards the beast, now worshipped is directed to God

God, not Babylon, reigns supreme - HALLELUJAH!

I don’t have to worry about what’s happening in the world today, keep faith in God, and go make disciples - God will deal with the rest

Don’t lose sleep over the Red House, or White House or the Palacio de Miraflores - God will win!

I can say Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, today because in the end God wins!

As the prophecy concludes, we see God make an appeal, as He always does in most prophetic writings. This appeal is to be on His side, to exercise your will to be in submission to His will, because this state of existence will not persist forever.

There is a new heaven and new earth to follow, a New Jerusalem, the place where God is. This is something to look forward to!

This battle is in the spritual realm but is manifested into the realm of the flesh.

Ephesians 6:12 “12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

We are engaged, we struggle, we wrestle, but the true enemy is the devil. He influences and moves in those who are in rebellion to God and seeks to oppose the work of God.

SPOILER ALERT! In the end God wins, Satan loses - which side are you going to choose?

What is your Mark?

Our text mentions something crucial that is highlighted and expanded on throughout the book: the choice of who is going to have your allegiance.

Where do we see that in the text?

Revelation 22:14 “14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.”

There are those who “wash their robes” - They are the ones according to chap 7:14, “came out of the tribulation” i.e. they remained faithful to the Lamb, they stayed with Jesus, they maintained their alleigiance - THEY HAD A MARK!

So now, They are blessed and they have a right to the tree of life

Those who chose the devil’s side the text says Revelation 22:15 “15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.”

APPL. Your destination is really a summation of who had your devotion. The last day will expose who really had our loyalty.

This ‘show of allegiance’ is evident throughtout the book - it is within the contextual framework of Revelation.

Nations made a choice - Revelation 18:3 “3 “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.””

Kings made a choice - Revelation 18:9 “9 “And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning,”

Disciples made a choice - Revelation 12:11 “11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

Even the church in Thyatira made a choice [some of them] (Rev 2:18) who was “tolerating Jezebel” were called to repent

These groups of people were making a choice to be with God or to be in league with Satan

BTW, there are only to sides in this conflict

Matthew 12:30 “30 “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”

The context of this scripture was the Pharisees accusing Jesus was working for the devil’s side.

There is no neutrality, no space to figure things out and settle yourself, no ‘let me try and get my life together/clear up some things’, no safe zone and y’all could battle about religion - IF YOUR ARE NOT WITH ME YOU ARE AGAINST ME!

Where is your allegiance tonight? What is your mark?

Because your devotion can impact your destination

Rev 13, presents this idea in a very intersting way. Together with chap 14, they juxtapose those with the mark of the beast and [the mark of the lamb!]

#1 The Description of the Beasts

Two beasts are mentioned, a land beast (Empire) and a sea beast (False religion)

They are described as powerful [ten horns, seven heads, diadems on the horns]

A combination of beasts indicates an exponential and ferocious power like never before seen

The land beast waged war (vs. 7) [hostile and aggressive]

Those who do not worship the image of the beast were killed (vs. 15)

The second beast “exercises authority of the first beast in his presence”

What John is describing is nothing new to Scripture. There were powers in the past that sought to impose their will on the people of God.

What John is describing is to highlight to us the seriousness and severity of the threat, while they are no match for God, they are more than a match for you if you don’t have God!

#2 Deception of the Beast (both of them)

The whole earth (vs. 13) was amazed at the beast [it captivated their attention]

He spoke arrogant and blasphemous words against God

He decieves those who dwell on the earth (vs. 14)

We are seeing the violent picture painted by John as he describes the manifestaion of this cosmic war that is now engaging those who have chosen God’s side. There is violence, war and hostility simply because they chose God’s side.

#3 Devotion to the Beast

Revelation 13:16 “16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,”

Papal insignia, coins with the emperor’s face, introduction of VISA and Mastercards, RFID chips, cryptocurrency, barcodes, palm payments and the list goes on.

The word mark means: stamp, exact representation or reproduction - this is not talking abot chips, cards, COVID vaccines, and currency - but LOYALTY - who’s reputation do you have? Who’s nature do you have?

The end of those who had the mark was judgement from God which is depicted by those being thrown into a lake of fire. (Rev 19:20)

#4 The Devil behind the Beast

This is the part a lot of people miss:

Revelation 13:4 “4 they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?””

Revelation 13:11 “11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon.” [a tree is known by its fruit] - Matthew 7:15 “15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

The enemy is the devil and He is opposed to the will of God and the plan of God and he wants people of God to follow him.

He is a deceiver, liar, accuser, murder - and you are no match for him without God on your side.

If you continue to wear his mark - if you continue fashion your life after him, if you continue to act consistent with his nature, your destiny is an eternity away from divinity

2 Corinthians 4:3 “3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,” 2 Corinthians 4:4 “4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Ephesians 2:1–3 “1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

1 Peter 5:8 “8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

This is who he is, but this is GOD IS!

1 John 3:7–8 “7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”

You’re busy looking for a literal mark (a card, a chip, coin, cryptocurrency) but your blind to your rebellion, self-centeredness, unrighteousness, your immorality, pride, unforgiving heart, and your sin

These are the things that indicate where your loyalty lies and one of the devil’s biggest tools outside deception is distraction!

This is why God is making an appeal! The preaching of the gospel is an appeal to trun from darkness to light. To renounce evil and pursue good. To turn away from the dragon and run to the lamb

So that, you to wear a different mark!

Be thankful Revelation doesn’t end in chap 13.

The next verse opens up with Revelation 14:1a “1 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion,

This is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world

This is the Lamb who caused blood brought victory for the saints

This is the Lamb whose blood waashed the robes of the saints

This Lamb who was worthy to open the book

This Lamb that John the B. saw when saw Jesus coming

This is a victorious, might and powerful Lamb, His name is Jesus

He’s not the psuedo-lamb in chap 13, a false lamb - HE is the real deal

This is Mary’s little lamb

Here is the victory

This is why the book concludes by declaring

Revelation 22:14 “14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.”

They are blessed, and they have the right to the tree of life because Jesus, the Lamb is VICTORY

The fight is more than fixed, it’s already won - This is fight is a mismatch of weight classes

Rev 14:1b. “and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.”

They don’t have beast’s mark they have Jesus’ mark - JESUS’ NAME

The multitude of the saved are those who were faithful, committed, and steadfast and loyal to the Lord. (vs. 4 this virginity is symbolic of Covenant Faithfulness)

“They follow the Lamb wherever He goes” - FAITHFULNESS, DEVOTION, FIDELITY

Every the Lamb went, the saints were sure to go!

There is life and wellness when you follow Jesus - even when the road becomes difficult I still have Jesus. When the storms are raging I still have Jesus - I might not have anything else, but I’ll be ok if I have Jesus.

There is danger in the darkness, because this is where the devil has his power for all those who remain/choose the darkness risk losing it all.

Revelation 14:9–10 “9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”

The devil does not want you to see what’s really in the dark!

There is danger in the dark, but thank God there is hope in Jesus

Revelation 14:12–13 “12 Here is the perseverance [hypomone] of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.””

God’s victory is so spectacular that even in death you still win!

Why don’t you put on a new name, where a new mark, put your faith in Jesus

This name is a good name

Conclusion