SCRIPTURE
There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name. Here is the endurance of the saints, who keep the commands of God and the faith in Jesus. (Rev. 14:11-12)
OBSERVATION
When John wrote Revelation, the Roman Emperor was considered a god. In order to enter the marketplace, a person had to first offer incense to the emperor and would then receive a mark (a kind of admission ticket) granting him access. For Christians this was unthinkable. Jesus cannot be Lord if Caesar is lord (a clash of crowns). So they were faced with a dilemma. Refuse to worship Rome (the beast) and not be allowed to participate in the economy of the day, or bow down to the beast and gain access.
Why not receive the mark and not really mean it? Cross your fingers behind your back, offer the incense, and enjoy the favor of the culture. John reminds his readers there is no rest, day or night, for compromise. It is through endurance, keeping God's commands and faith in Jesus that we can have rest. This explains why Christians who are persecuted for their faith have a deep sense of joy, peace, and rest. They have not bowed down to the gods of this world.
APPLICATION
It is hard to live counter-culturally. It is much easier to go with the flow of society than to really discern if what I'm doing is bowing down to the gods of this world. It's not about making my own clothes and churning my own butter. It comes in more subtle ways from the smorgasbord of philosophies and worldviews promoted in the marketplace. Faith in Jesus means I persevere and listen to God's voice about the clamor of competing voices. The irony is, that when I try to quiet those voices by giving in, there is no rest, even if it is dead quiet, because only God gives true rest.
PRAYER
God, thank you for the rest that only comes from following you.
