Mark of the Beast- and it's simplicity

Hmmmm... I put this on this message board yeaterday but I dont see it now so I will re-post it.

Have you ever noticed that Christians seem to have come up with all sorts of interpretations concerning what the Mark of the Beast is in the Book of Revelation? Speculation abounds and stories are made up about the government implanting a computer chip in your body, and all manner of strange explanations. Have you ever missed something that was right in front of your face, only to discover much later that all you had to do is look at the obvious?

Let’s just go ahead and take a look at Revelation Chapter 14 where we are actually told what the Mark of the Beast is…

Revelation Chapter 14:
6: And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7: Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8: And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9: And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10: The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
12: Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

After the warning against the worship of the beast and his image the prophecy declares: "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Since those who keep God's commandments are thus placed in contrast with those that worship the beast and his image and receive his mark, it follows that the keeping of God's law, on the one hand, and its violation, on the other, will make the distinction between the worshipers of God and the worshipers of the beast.


The last thing in the world that human nature wants to do is obey God. People who retain their sinful nature do not want to keep the law of God.
Rom:8:7: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”

Jn:3:20: For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Jn:3:21: But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

You know, human nature is funny… sometimes when we do not want to do something, we can manage to come up with all sorts of excuses, pretending not to see things, and so on, to avoid facing the truth. But are we not really hurting ourselves by doing that? Don’t you want to know what the truth really is? Don’t you want to be ready for the second coming of Christ? People do not wish to see that God plainly is warning them that if they do not keep His commandments they will receive the Mark of the Beast. And instead of just taking the Bible as it reads, they would rather act as if it were some great mystery and then set about to concoct all manner of explanation about what the Mark of the Beast is. Sad but true.

And you know, just in case some how, some way, in your Bible studies you came away with the impression that the death of Christ has made it where you no longer have to keep God’s commandments, He is trying to set you straight on this in the very last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. Over and over again God sends the message to us that His people are those who do His law, His enemies are those who don’t. And His people are the ones who are going to heaven, His enemies who do not keep His commandments are not going to enter into heaven.

Rv:12:17: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Rv:14:12: Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rv:22:14: Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.


Can anyone honestly believe, after reading and pondering just this one passage in the Book of Romans, that God is excusing us from keeping His Law because Jesus died on the cross? Is it now acceptable to God that we keep our carnal mind, which is at enmity with God (an enemy to God) because we are forgiven of our past sins? Please read this and think about it…

Romans Chapter 8:
1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3: For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6: For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8: So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10: And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11: But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12: Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.


1Jn:2:29: If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

1Jn:3:7: Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

 

Okay, now we already saw that in Revelation 14:6-12 those who have the Mark of the Beast are put in contrast with those who are God’s people (“the Saints”) who are described as “they who keep the Commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus” (Verse 12). And this entire message that God is giving to the world in the last days, is called “The Everlasting Gospel” message. And if people refuse to obey it then God’s wrath, His plagues, unmixed with mercy shall be poured upon them (Verse10).

God warns of those who are not His children and who “receive his mark (of the beast) in his forehead, or in his hand” (verse 9).

Does it take much to figure out what it is that constitutes in the Bible a “child of Satan” or a “Child of the devil”?

1Jn:3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

1Jn:3:10: In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Ok then, if we sin, we are children of the devil. Sin is Transgression of the Law, the Commandments. 1Jn:3:4: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” Once again we see that those who transgress the Commandments are followers of Satan, though they may claim to be followers of God, correct? So why would it surprise us to read in Revelation that those who have the Mark of the Beast are contrasted with those who don’t and are God’s children, who “keep the commandments” ?

Now going back to the idea that those who have the Mark of the Beast are going to have this mark in their “forehead and hand”… does this mean literally? Let’s read Deuteronomy chapter 6, where we are told that God’s people are supposed to “bind the commandments as a SIGN on their hand and between their eyes (their forehead)”. Also they were to “write the commandments on the posts of their house and gates” (Verses 8,9):

Deuteronomy 6:
1: Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
2: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
3: Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
4: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6: And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8: And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9: And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.


Do you remember the Passover and the plagues when God told His people to put the blood on their doorposts and when the angel saw it he would “pass over” their houses and not pour out the wrath of God, the plagues, upon them? Well here we are told they must have the commandments on their doorposts. Remember in Revelation 14 it says God’s people would do TWO THINGS: “keep the Commandments of God AND have the Faith of Jesus” (Verse 12).

Remember, the Mark of the Beast, or Satan’s people would also have HIS MARK on their forehead and hands… the sign of DISOBEDIENCE to God’s Commandments.

Now why is it that God’s people were supposed to have the Commandments on their forehead and hands? You see, God’s people were always supposed to be REPRESENTATIVES of God’s character, of His Government and way of life…. To the world. And now let us go forward to the writings of the New Testament, that we might discover the role that the children of God are to play in today's modern world. Have God's purposes changed? Let's listen to Jesus...

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt. 5:13-16.

What is the actual purpose for God's Church? God has a reason for calling out a special people to Himself. The Lord desires to separate His people from the customs, habits, and practices of the world, that in life and character they may reveal the principles of His law.

The ten commandments of God are a transcript of His unselfish character of love. By beholding the goodness and the love of God revealed in His Church, the world is to have a representation of His character. When the law of God is thus exemplified in the life, the world will recognize the obvious superiority of those who love and serve God above every other people.

And if observed from the heart, the law of God would cause all of humanity to prosper and live in true peace and happiness: "He that keepeth the law, happy is he" Prov:29:18. And now let us go back to the writings of the Old Testament, that we might discover the intended role that the children of Israel were to play in the world. Listen to Moses...

"Behold," said Moses, "I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?" Deut. 4:5-8.

But although Israel were called to be a light to the world, they resisted Heaven's grace, abused their privileges, and slighted their opportunities.

Instead of instructing those in the world around them by example about the God of Abraham, His chosen people fell into the idolatrous practices of the surrounding nations. Rather than the Church leading the world to God, the world led them instead into the ways of the heathen!

Baal worship was practiced in their borders, even though the prophets of God spoke out against the false gods of their day See 2 Kings chapter 21 and 23.

Yet as Israel fell into idolatry, the worship of the God of Abraham was not openly renounced. Rather, the nation combined the old rituals with that of the pagan mysteries. And thus, slowly the demarcation between true and false worship became eroded until finally it was to a great extent lost sight of.

To glorify the God of Heaven, keeping His commandments, thus drawing all of mankind unto Himself was the very purpose for the existence of the Church.

But unfortunately, Israel had failed to fulfill it's divine mission. Thus the Lord declared of this nation,

"I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me?" Jer. 2:21. "Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself." Hosea 10:1. "And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt Me and My vineyard. What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" Isa. 5:3-7.

The Elijah Message
Before the day of the Lord, Elijah was to be sent to the world to warn them:

"Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD." Malachi 4:4-6

And what was the message that Elijah gave? The Israelites had at that time forsaken God, and turned to the worship of Baal. In this they had departed from God's commandments, and the work of Elijah was to cry out against their worship of Baal, pleading with them to return to the commandments of God.

"And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him ." 1 Kings 18:18, 21

Baal worshippers thought of nature itself as their god idols, created things and worshipped the creature, not the Creator. This prophecy concerning the Elijah message was partially fulfilled in John the Baptist: "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come." Matt. 11:13,14


A Counterpart Message

This warning is brought to view in Revelation 14. Here is a threefold message represented as proclaimed by heavenly beings and immediately followed by the coming of the Son of man to reap "the harvest of the earth."

The angels are represented as flying in the midst of heaven, proclaiming to the world a message of warning, and having a direct bearing upon the people living in the last days of this earth's history. No one hears the voice of these angels, for they are a symbol to represent the people of God who are working in harmony with the universe of heaven.

The Three Angel's Messages of Revelation are a counterpart of that proclaimed by Elijah, because it too calls for people to decide between the worship of the beast and the worship of God (Revelation 14:6-12). This will cause those who understand the sign of the times to cry out against the sinful practices of the people, appealing to them to return to God by keeping His commandments.

Revelation 14:9-12: "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation... Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

Now God once again in these last days is calling people to worship the true God, the Creator, not the creature…
Revelation 14:
6: And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7: Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8: And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Now the part where it says something about worshipping God who “made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” is taken right directly from the 4th commandment, the Sabbath commandment.

Exodus 20:

8: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

You see, the true God was distinguished by the fact that He is the CREATOR who created everything, in contrast with the false Baal god… or today “the god of Babylon”.

This entire idea is enforced when we start to study into the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, and see that the wicked Beast power would “seek to change times and laws”.
Dan:7:25: “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws”

I wont now go into this part of the message, but the Sabbath was admittedly changed by the Papacy to Sunday. Which may not seem like any big thing, to the casual seeker of truth. But they who really understand their Bibles realize that the Sabbath is regarded as the “Sign” that one worships the true God, who created the heavens and the earth, instead of the false Baal god.

Unfortunately, nearly the entire Protestant world has in effect bowed down to the authority of the Roman Catholic Church in their command to keep Sunday holy instead of the Lord’s Day, which is the seventh day Sabbath.


"I have repeatedly offered $1,000 to any one who can prove to me from the Bible alone that I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the holy Catholic Church alone. The Bible says, 'Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.' The Catholic Church says, 'No; by my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day, and command you to keep holy the first day of the week.' and lo! The entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic Church. 'Priest Enright, C.S.S.R., Kansas City, Missouri.
"The Pope is of so great authority and power that he can modify, explain, or interpret, even divine laws....The Pope can modify divine law, since his power is not of man but of God, and he acts as vicegerent of God upon earth with most ample power of binding and loosing the sheep."-From the Prompta Bibliotheca published in 1900 in Rome by the press of the propaganda.
"The pope has power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ."-Decretal de Translat, Episcop. Cap.
The pope's will stands for reason. He can dispense above the law, and of wrong make right by correcting and changing laws."-Pope Nicholas, Dis. 96.
"Question.-Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept?"
"Answer.-Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her,-she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority."-Rev. Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism, p. 174.
This quotation emphasizes the fact that since the world accepts Sunday as a day of worship, this acknowledges her supremacy.
As I said, I wont now go into the Bible prophecies about the Sabbath and the Roman Catholic Church, But I wanted to show you how … disobedience to God’s Law and the reluctance of the sinner to want to accept the idea that they are told to KEEP the commandments… has closed the door to a vast amount of knowledge in the Bible. If Christians would open their minds and accept the fact that God calls them to do something more than say “Gee Im glad Jesus died for me, and Im saved” they would get much further in their studies of the Bible prophecies.
Please accept the fact that Revelation Chapter 14 doesn’t say anything about “computer chips” or anything of the kind. It talks about God’s people WHO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS AND HAVE THE FAITH OF JESUS. That is the issue.

Claudia