“The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk” (20). John’s visions showed scenes of terrible judgment, and tragically, people experiencing these plagues were not turning to God in repentance. While suffering can drive men and women to seek God, in this case, amid chaos and confusion, John saw that people continued to live in violence and immorality (21). 

Rather than following the world’s obsession with the idols of wealth, power, and human glory, John’s visons urge us to “take to heart what is written” and worship Jesus (Rev 1:3).