No Holdout Nation

There are no geographic restrictions on the reign of the “Beast” in the Book of Revelation. All the “Inhabitants of the Earth” bow to its “image.” It is granted “authority over every tribe, people, tongue, and nation.” Contrary to some popular claims, there will be no “holdout nation” to resist its beastly reign. Only the followers of Jesus refuse its demands.

Nowhere does the Book mention any exception to the rule. No political ideology, form of government, or organized religion resists the authority of the “Beast” or the economic inducements of the “False Prophet.” Only the followers of the “slain Lamb” do not subjugate themselves to this beastly program.

[Photo by Kelsey Knight on Unsplash]

The Book details the attempts of the “Dragon” and its earthly vassals to destroy the “saints,” the men who have the “Testimony of Jesus.” Humanity is divided into two groups. First, the followers of the Lamb. Secondly, the “Inhabitants of the Earth,” the men who give their allegiance to the “Beast.” There is no third category.

When one of the “Seven Heads” of the “Beast” is mortally wounded but then healed, the “whole Earth marveled after the Beast and rendered homage to the Dragon.” In contrast, the “Lamb” redeems men “out of” every nation and ethnic group and incorporates them into his “Kingdom of Priests.”

If this language is limited geographically or ethnically when applied to the “Beast,” the same would be true of the extent of the “Lamb’s” authority. Just as Christ’s redeeming activities extend over the entire Earth, so Satan’s effort to persecute the Church and keep the world deceived touches every corner of the planet - (Revelation 7:9).

The names of the “Inhabitants of the Earth” are not written “in the Book of Life of the Lamb,” therefore, all of them “render homage to the Beast.” Whether you are included in the “Book of Life” is determined by how you respond to the “Lamb,” not by your geographic location or nationality. Likewise, membership in the “Inhabitants of the Earth” is not limited or defined by geography.

In Chapter 13, another “Beast” ascends, this time, “from the Earth.” He is the “False Prophet.” He uses deception and economic control to “cause the Inhabitants of the Earth to render homage to the first Beast.” The term “Inhabitants of the earth” refers to all men who rebel against the “Lamb” - (Revelation 3:10, 13:11-15).

Similarly, after the Fourth Trumpet sounded, an angel cried out, “Woe, woe, woe, for the Inhabitants of the Earth.” The “Inhabitants of the Earth” were targeted by the judgments unleashed by the “Seven Trumpets” since they refused to repent.

If this term referred to a group limited by geography, the effects of the “Seven Trumpets” would likewise be limited by geographic location - (Revelation 6:10, 8:13).

NO NEUTRALITY

The “False Prophet” deceived the “Inhabitants of the Earth.” Whether “small or great, rich or poor, free or slave,” every member took the “Mark of the Beast.” In contrast, those who “followed the Lamb wherever he went” had his Father’s name inscribed on their foreheads, the “seal of God.”

Two and only two groups are in view. There is no “third way,” no holdout nation, no middle ground on which to stand. One must declare for the “Lamb” or the “Beast.”

In Chapter 14, the angel announced the “everlasting gospel to the Inhabitants of the Earth, even to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.” If anyone gave homage to the “Beast, he also drank of the wine of the wrath of God.”

The warning in Chapter 14 anticipates the final judgment of the whole Earth when the angel will “gather the vine of the earth and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of God.” What is portrayed is the judgment of all men whose “names are not written in the Lamb’s Book” - (Revelation 14:9-10).

At the final battle, Satan gathered the “nations from the four corners of the Earth,” “Gog and Magog,” to destroy the “camp of the saints.” The reference to the “four corners of the earth” stresses the global scope of this final assault – (Revelation 19:17-21, 20:7-10).

Nowhere does the Book of Revelation describe or even suggest the possibility of any nation or government resisting the authority of the “Beast.” “All” means exactly that in Revelation, “ALL nations.” Only the followers of the “Lamb” do not submit to the demands of the “Beast” for worship. They refuse the Beast’s “mark” and suffer the consequences.

There will be no neutral ground and no room for compromise with Satan and his earthly agents. Every man and woman must choose whom they will serve - The “Beast from the Sea” or the “Lamb” who redeemed men from every nation by his shed blood.

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RELATED POSTS:

• The Recurrent Beast - (To identify the Antichrist, we must understand what the relevant passages say about him, his methods, and his agenda)

• The Beast from the Sea - (The Dragon began his attack against the Seed of the Woman by summoning his seed, the Beast from the Sea – Revelation 13:1-5)

• Inhabitants of the Earth - (The Inhabitants of the Earth represent the men who are omitted from the Book of Life because they embrace the Beast from the Sea)