The first option is what the first angel speaks of. Fearing the Lord, giving Him glory and worshipping the one who has made heaven, earth and all things. This message was sent to all, to everyone speaking every language on the earth. It seems so simple and so very common sense.
But, it's wonderful to remember, especially at this "most wonderful time of the year". It was wonderful (albeit endlessly tiring) to drive across the country together to get home for Christmas, because we got to witness the changing of many beautiful landscapes. From the dusty desert to the yellow plains of Amarillo to the big blue sky of Oklahoma to the snow of Indiana to the tree-covered hillsides of Pennsylvania. Seeing Shaya jump and play in the snow with Matt & Becky's pup Hayley was a very fun experience indeed. But, it was all too wonderful to look at all of the beauty that the Lord had created, the snow that decorated the branches of the trees or the many different kinds of cacti. As this verse says, "the seas and the springs of water". He made them all, and we worship the creator of all.
Angel #2: Worship the World, Things & Materialism
8 A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” ~Revelations 14:8
The second angel warned of a fate that is particularly tempting at this time of year. The angel talks of the fate of the people who followed the 'wine of its adulteries'. Wine and adultery are both temptations of the flesh, when one seeks after something in the material world. But, I don't believe "wine of adulteries" refers only to wine and adultery specifically. Instead, this phrase seems to encompass all of those temptations of the flesh, giving importance and worshiping things and materialism.
I'm often asking Brad, "Are you upset that our house isn't really decorated? That I'm not really a homekeeper?" I remember when Brad came to my room in La Aldea the first time to visit. I had the bed and dresser that they had provided. That was it. He must've though I was some kind of strange esoteric girl. Of course, I didn't realize this until I checked out one of my roommates' rooms. She had pillows, posters, a desk, a chair, another comfy chair. Wow. But then I had just come back from Brazil, where I had been living in a little room that had everything I needed. I learned that I could live a quite full and wonderful life without pictures and posters, but with amazing and wonderful friends.
Now, the question, of course, isn't 'to decorate or not to decorate.' Instead, it's what we give the utmost importance in our heart. As long as we are giving thanks and praise and honor to the Lord first and foremost, it can be a wonderful thing that we decorate our homes so beautifully. (I love it; I'm just not very skilled at it. Although I'm hopeful that I'll acquire that skills since I'll now be in one place for quite a few years- which is another change for me.) But, we must beware of caring only about the outward desires of the flesh, caring more about taking care of others, worshiping the Lord with our whole being, and praising Him for all of His blessings during this special time of the year.
Angel #3: Worship the Devil
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”~Revelation 14:9-13
This third option of living, described by Angel #3, is harder to imagine. I mean, we don't often hear people blatantly say, "I'm following the Devil." Oh, I'm sure there are a few crazies out there, but not that many. But Brad and I were remembering today one of our friend who was talking about going to a Yoga weekend, drinking only juices for a week and feeling 'cleansed.' It's interesting that this friend mentioned feeling 'cleansed.' People out there really are looking for that feeling, to feel refreshed and cleansed. These people who are seeking do not realize that it does not take a special juice fast or trip to a Guatemala Yoga camp to feel that. All it takes it God. To accept Him in your heart, to allow Him to enter in, and then you will feel the refreshing cleansing renewal that we all need desperately.
Maybe this Christmas is a wonderful time to praise the Lord again for the 'cleansed' feeling that only He can give to us, and to offer that that those who are seeking... who would benefit so much from a refreshed and renewed spirit. Give the best Christmas gift this season. Pray for those who don't believe. Pray that God would claim their hearts, change their hearts, that they would come to know and love and serve Him... and that we might do that even more every day.
Lord, we praise you this Christmas season, and we choose the best out of three!
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