Some people mistakenly believe that, at some time in the future, God is going to so totally overwhelm the world with evidence of his power that they will have little choice but to worship him. Unfortunately, real life is not like that. There is always room for doubt; and prophecy is no exception. Look at some Old Testament prophecies about Jesus. Even now, with 2,000 years of hindsight, it is not so crystal clear in places.
Most of the world may not even be aware of what is happening in spiritual terms when the final events unfold before the return of Jesus. And even those most aware of what is happening will almost certainly find some aspects of prophecy difficult to understand, as has been indicated in this chapter. But that is when they must rely on their conscience.
What God wants are people who will trust him and serve him even when they do not have all the answers. That is what the 144,000 believers represent... one person in 50,000 who will do the right thing simply because it is right, and not because they have been forced into action.
However, one thing we must not do, is to meddle with events in such a way as to try to either fulfil or alter what has been prophesied. Prophecy needs no help, nor can it be altered. It is not that we do not have free will, but rather that prophecy merely reports what will happen as a result of our free will.