Mark of the Beast vs 1260 days, 42 months, 3.5 "times"

[BobRyan]

On another thread a side topic came up asking me about the Rev 13 statement on the Mark of the Beast where we are told that none-could buy or sell - "The mark of the beast or the name of the beast or the number of his name - in his hand or in his forehead".

Originally Posted by BobRyan
The "number of his name" is said to be 666 in Rev 13. It is an identifier for the beast. A way to identify the beast.

The word "OR" signifies that these are not the same thing -

So the mark, the number and the name of the beast are 3 different things but they all apply to the beast.

The name and number of his name - are both referring to the name of the beast. John is living at the time of the Roman Empire - the official language of the Roman empire is Latin even though John is writing in the common language legacy left from the previous Empire - Greek.

So John is saying that the name of the beast will include Latin letters -- some of which also have numeric values such as "V"(5) and "X"(10) and "C"(100) etc.

So for example
LXIII = 63.
XCIV = 94.

I believe it is correct to say that Rev 12 deals with the coming of Christ (as Messiah) and then what followed it - 1260 years of dark ages persecution of the saints by a certain Holy Roman Empire. (Takes you to 1700's) at the end of Rev 12 and Rev 13 recaps that 1260 year period and then takes us to the next phase.

As for the "Mark" or sign of the beast. It is also mentioned in Rev 14:8-12.

The saints worship the true God - who "made the heavens and the earth and the seas and the springs of waters" Rev 14:7 and the lost will take the mark of the beast and worship him instead according to Rev 14:8-11.

There will also be an "hour of his judgement has come" message according to Rev 14:7 as part of this final warning. We know it is the final message to earth because Rev 14 ends with a description of the 2nd coming.

The saints are said to be those who 'KEEP the commandments of God AND their faith in Jesus" in Rev 14:12. So that sort of gets us back to the idea of obedience vs rebellion against God.

The reference of 1260 is usually associated with one of the three and a half years of Tribulation or Great Tribulation. Where are you coming up with the 1260 days to years? Also, how do you get 1260 years ending up in the 1700s? What event around 500 AD started that counting of time, and what event ended the middle age persecution of the saints? Are you talking about the Reformation, which is 200 years earlier. Some of Revelation 12 parallels Joseph and his brothers, and the birth of Christ, but would appreciate it if you would expand on those figures.

So this will focus on the 1260 days, 42 months, 3.5 "times"

In Dan 7 the 3.5 times are first mentioned in scripture. In Rev 11, 12 and 13 this same number is mentioned as 42 months, 1260 days and as 3.5 "times".

In Dan 7 this period is specified as the dark ages period of time that comes starts with the rise of the 11th horn major power from out of the Ten horn division of the pagan Roman empire - and it specifically deals with the saints being persecuted by that 11th horn power that remains in power for 1260 years.

The "Times" of Dan 7 are prophetic years consisting of 30 days per month and 12 months per "time" - where each day is "day for solar year".

That same rule holds for Dan 8k 2300 years and Dan 490 years.

The same thing is seen in Rev 12 - after Christ is taken to heaven there" is persecution of the church - and a particular period of time -- 1260 prophetic day (= literal year).

It is mentioned repeatedly in Revelation in chapter 11, 12 and 13 and always associated with persecution.

538 A.D marks the rise to power of the "Roman" Catholic Church - with an official decree by Emperor Justinian recognizing the "bishop of Rome" as "the head of all christian churches".

See the following quote
from 'The History of the Christian Church, Vol.3':
"The (Roman Church-State) power became supreme in Christendom in 538AD, due to a letter of the Roman Emperor Justinian, known as Justinian's decree, which setup and acknowledged the bishop of Rome as the head of all churches. It gave the (Roman Church-State) political power, civil power, as well as ecclesiastical power. This letter became part of Justinians code, the fundamental law of the empire, and that year, pope Vigilius ascended the throne under the military protection of Belasarius (one of Justinians Generals)."

Then 1260 years later we have -- 1798 The French General Berthea takes the Pope captive and the Papal states (Holy Roman Empire) is dissolved, Rome loses the Vatican "state" as well.

papal crest - winged dragon
http://biblelight.net/gregory.jpg

============================================== quote begins

The coat of arms of Gregory XIII shown here is one of two that can be found above the doors in the Gallery of Maps in the Vatican.

From the book
"The New Illustrated Great Controversy"
Copyright © LLT Productions​

in Christ,

Bob

 

[BobRyan]

By losing the "vatican state" I just mean the church-state status.

It is later restored in 1929 - when to a certain point the "deadly wound is healed". In theory more restoration of that deadly wound will come in the future.

an article from the February 12th, 1929 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle.

For 59 years the Pope was a virtual prisoner in the Vatican, never leaving it until the pact was signed, resolving the "Roman question". Known as the Lateran Treaty or Lateran Concordat of 1929, this was the momentous event prophesied in the book of Revelation:​

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Newspapers at the time even proclaimed the "wound" to the Vatican as "healed". Here on the left is an article from the February 12th, 1929 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. To download a readable version (100K), click on the image at left.


​

The same story from page two of the Reno Nevada State Journal of Tuesday, February 12, 1929.

​

in Christ,

Bob

 

[Yeshua1]

By losing the "vatican state" I just mean the church-state status.

It is later restored in 1929 - when to a certain point the "deadly wound is healed". In theory more restoration of that deadly wound will come in the future.

an article from the February 12th, 1929 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle.




The same story from page two of the Reno Nevada State Journal of Tuesday, February 12, 1929.

​

in Christ,

Bob

The beast is the Antichrist of the Bible, NOT the papacy, as the catholic Church and Pope woul much better fit the false prophet!

 

[BobRyan]

Antichrist is said to be the Papacy - for those who follow the "Baptist Confession of Faith" and the "Westminster Confession of Faith" and even the Popes themselves referred to fellow Popes as "antichrist". I noticed that even though I am not necessarily a member of the denominations represented in those statements.

In the quotes above I reference the fact that the dark ages occur between the resurrection of Christ and the point at which the Papacy received the "deadly wound" at the hands of the French - in 1798.

in Christ,

Bob