Revelation 14:9

9 And the third angel followed them, and said [saying] with a great voice, If any man worship the beast, and the image of it, and taketh the character in his forehead, either in his hand [and take the character in his forehand, or in his hand],

Revelation 14:9 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 14:9

And the third angel followed them
The two preceding ones, and that very quickly; by whom is meant not Luther, and his associates in the Reformation, as some think; nor his successors, or the ministers of the Gospel in general from his time till Christ's second coming, as others have thought; but a set of Gospel ministers in the spiritual reign of Christ: the first set of them publish the everlasting Gospel, which leads on to the ruin of antichrist; the second set proclaim the downfall of Rome, and this third set denounce the wrath of God upon all that have professed the Popish religion: saying with a loud voice;
as the first angel did, with like authority and vehemence, in order to strike terror, and express indignation: if any man worship the beast and his image;
give in to the idolatries of the church of Rome, and embrace, maintain, and defend the Popish religion, which bears a resemblance to the worship of the Heathens, and is the very image of Rome Pagan; see ( Revelation 13:4 Revelation 13:12 Revelation 13:15 ) and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand;
openly profess Popery, and swear allegiance to the man of sin, and do all they can to support his interest; see ( Revelation 13:16 Revelation 13:17 ) .

Revelation 14:9 In-Context

7 and said [saying] with a great voice, Dread ye the Lord, and give ye to him honour, for the hour of his doom cometh; and worship ye him, that made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that be in them, and the wells of waters.

8 And another angel followed, saying, That great [city] Babylon fell down, fell down, which gave drink to all folks of the wine of [the] wrath of her fornication.

9 And the third angel followed them, and said [saying] with a great voice, If any man worship the beast, and the image of it, and taketh the character in his forehead, either in his hand [and take the character in his forehand, or in his hand],

10 this shall drink of the wine of God's wrath, that is mingled with clear wine in the cup of his wrath, and [he] shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the sight of [the] holy angels, and before the sight of the lamb.

11 And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up into the worlds of worlds [And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up into worlds of worlds]; neither they have rest day and night, which worship the beast and his image [that worship the beast, and his image], and if any take the character of his name.