12. How do God’s end-time remnant ultimately triumph?

Though God’s faithful church suffered greatly during the 1260 years of papal persecution (Revelation 12:14-16), Satan’s greatest fury is directed at those who are faithful to God just before His coming (Revelation 12:17 KJV). Those who obey God will experience the wrath of the dragon (Revelation 12:17) and eventually be threatened with death (Revelation 13:15), while those who choose to worship the beast and his image will incur the seven last plagues and finally “the lake of fire” (Revelation 15:1-8; Revelation 16:1-21; 14, 15). JTL22 14.1

While the choices of both involve suffering, their outcomes differ. Those who worship the Creator will escape the deadly wrath of the dragon and stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion (Revelation 14:1; 2, 4), where He offers them eternal safety. Those who worship the beast and his image receive the full wrath of God (Revelation 14:9, 10; 20:14). JTL22 14.2

God has children in all churches, but through the remnant church He proclaims a message that is to restore His true worship by calling His people out of the apostasy of spiritual Babylon. The victory of the final remnant represents the culmination of Israel’s salvation history. While the pure woman representing God’s faithful church is rescued, the great “prostitute” of Revelation 17:1-18 is destroyed by her former lovers who supported the church and state union against the remnant people of God. JTL22 14.3

Considering the soon coming of Christ and the need to prepare to meet Him, God’s urgent, compassionate call comes home to each of us: “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities” (Revelation 18:4, 5). JTL22 14.4