6 He began to speak blasphemies against God: to blaspheme His name and His dwelling—those who dwell in heaven.
Here the Beast starts to curse God and those who are with Him in heaven. We see the heart of the enemy which is pure evil. His purpose in life is to destroy all that is good and righteous.
7 And he was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.
The Antichrist will be allowed for a short time of 3 1/2 years to conquer the world. God permits this to test His saints and to see who on earth will choose Him or Satan.
8 All those who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered.
Only the ones that do not have a genuine faith in Jesus Christ will receive the mark of the Beast (666). This verse here makes it very clear that a Christian whose name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will never receive the mark of the Beast or his name.
9 If anyone has an ear, he should listen:
Now what will be said in verse 10 will be of the utmost importance so we as Christians should listen closely and not forget.
10 If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone is to be killed with a sword, with a sword he will be killed.
This demands the perseverance and faith of the saints.
Christians will be put to the ultimate test during the great tribulation. Satan will throw some in prison and others will be put to death. He will do those things for the sole purpose of making them abandon their faith in Christ. Jesus says to persevere and not give in. For those who do give in and receives the mark of Satan to save their life here on earth will mean that their names were never written in heaven according to verse 8. Their final state will be in the Lake of Fire.
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