666

If the Foundations be Destroyed, Part IV

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Our heavenly Father has told us that the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. The Bible further tells us that spiritual things are spiritually discerned and that the Holy Spirit teaches us. (See 1 Corinthians 2:14.) We should daily plead and ask that the Holy Spirit will be our divine teacher and watcher to guide our minds that we may have an answer for every man who asks of us for the reason of the hope we have. We should, as well, pray that God will help us to be on firm footing, so the devil will not be able to sweep our feet away by the winds of doctrine that are blowing around us.

Identifying Marks

One of the texts that is under attack today, and that is being denied, is Revelation 13:18. It is one of two texts in Revelation that calls for wisdom, the other being Revelation 17:9. Revelation 13:18 says, “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six.” We know that this number is an identifying mark of the papacy and especially of the pope himself, but it is only one of many.

Through a study of three Bible chapters (Revelation 13, 11 Thessalonians 2, and Daniel 7) I found 44 identifying marks of the papacy. There could be well over 100 identifying marks of the papacy given in the Bible, as my study did not include Daniel 8 and 11 or Revelation 17 and 18, but this text gives only one.

I do not think we should make a big issue about having numerous identifying marks, but I am always concerned when we start to compromise on what the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church have discovered. They laid a foundation, and we know from Psalm 11:3 that, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” What should we do? What do we need to do? We need to stick with the original foundation. So, in this article, we will study Revelation 13:18 and this number of the beast.

A Parallel

Daniel 3 is a parallel to Revelation 13; an image is described in both chapters. Daniel 3 is a real, live illustration of what is going to happen to God’s people at the very end of time when the image to the beast is established. They are going to go through the same experience as did the three Hebrews.

You may wish to read Daniel 3 again to refresh your memory of how King Nebuchadnezzar set up an image, and all the world was commanded to worship the image. Your study of this chapter should reveal that the people were not just giving their homage to a statue; they were giving their allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar – the one who had set himself in the place of God and who wanted to be worshiped. It was not enough for Nebuchadnezzar to see everybody bow down; he wanted them to give him their allegiance. It is going to be the same way at the end of time.

Take notice of the first verse. It says, “Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height [was] threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof six cubits.” What is “threescore cubits”? It is sixty cubits. And then there is “six cubits.” Are you starting to see a pattern of sixes here? How many instruments were used in verse 5? There were six of them. Indeed we have a parallel between Daniel 3 and Revelation 13!

In Babylon, the number six was one of the favorites of the sun god. You will notice, in the figure on this page, that these amulets contain the triple sixes. Whichever way you add them, horizontally or vertically, they add up to 666.

Donation of Constantine

Let us trace the history of this number and how it entered into papal Rome. We know that the Catholic Church adopted all its practices out of paganism. Constantine, in the fourth century, gave the Pope a statute which bears an inscription that reads, in Latin, Vicarius Filii Dei. Today, it is still in the Vatican in Rome. The English translation of those words is, “The Vicar [or Representative] of the Son of God”; the actual full Latin of the inscription is “Vicarius Filii Dei on Earth.” The Donation of Constantine in the fourth century to the papacy of this title, which, by the way, was a forged document, was retained by the papacy for six centuries.

We will now follow the history of this throughout the Catholic Church’s own writings. The Donation of Constantine is the most famous forgery in European history. Its “original” was discovered in the Pseudo-Isadorian Decretals, which are now also recognized to be forgeries – a complete fabrication of Church history in the ninth century. Parts of the Donation of Constantine were later incorporated into most of the medieval collections of Catholic canon law. Did you take note of that? They were instituted into Catholic canon law.

For centuries, this forged document, the Donation of Constantine, was held to be genuine. The Catholic Church continued to use it for hundreds of years. As one example of Constantine’s Donation being incorporated into Catholic canon law, it was incorporated into Anselm’s Cardinal Deusdedsit’s in a.d. 1087 and into Johannes Gratian’s Decretum in a.d. 1148, also known as Concordia Discordantium Canonum. The Decretum was intended as a collection of everything that Gratian could find which could give historical precedent to the teaching of papal primacy, and therefore the authority of tradition, which could then carry the force of law in the Church. It had such success that it became the standard work of the law of the Roman Church and, thus, the basis of all canon law and Scholastic theology.

Gratian’s Decretum

“In this work [Gratian’s Decretum] the Isidorian forgeries were combined with those of the other Gregorian (Gregory VII) writers . . . and with Gratian’s own additions. His work displaced all the older collections of canon law, and became the manual and repertory, not for canonists only, but for the scholastic theologians, who, for the most part, derived all their knowledge of Fathers and Councils from it. No book has ever come near it in its influence in the Church, although there is scarcely another so chokeful of gross errors, both intentional and unintentional (Johann Joseph Ignaz von Döllinger, The Pope and the Council (Boston: Roberts, 1870), pp. 76−77, 79, 115−116).” William Webster, “Papal Forgeries,” <http://po67.ezboard.com/fthetruth11187frm2.showMessage?topicID=1028.topic> (May 18, 2007).

In his writings, Gratian stated that the blessed Peter in the earth is the Vicar of the Son of God, so the Church retained this. In the Catholic Encyclopedia, it states that Gratian is the true founder of the science of canon law. Popes who have claimed infallibility made some of the statements presented here. They would read through this man’s work (Gratian, founder of Catholic canon law) and would say that it was without flaw, and continued to use the forgery for centuries. Again Pope Pius V, appointed in a.d. 1566, commissioned to prepare a new edition of the Corpus Jurus, which is the Catholic canon law, and its gloss (comments of canonists). (See The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. VI, 392.)

It must be admitted that the work of Gratian was as near perfection as was then possible. For that reason, it was adopted at Bologna and soon elsewhere, as the textbook for the study of canon law. Today the Church will deny that this work was ever valid. They tell us that they are infallible, but Gratian’s words are still found in their encyclopedias, in their canon law, and in the Corpus Jurus.

Religion of Human Nature

Ellen White, the prophet of the Lord, sanctioned the book Daniel and Revelation (Uriah Smith, Pacific Publishing Association, 1897). She said that the book should be circulated throughout the world: “Daniel and Revelation, Great Controversy, Patriarchs and Prophets, and Desire of Ages should now go to the world. The grand instruction contained in Daniel and Revelation has been eagerly perused by many in Australia. This book has been the means of bringing many precious souls to a knowledge of the truth. Everything that can be done should be done to circulate Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation. I know of no other book that can take the place of this one. It is God’s helping hand.” The Publishing Ministry, 356. Uriah Smith’s book, Daniel and Revelation, was the first to be published containing the words Vicarius Felii Dei adding up to the number 666.

Before we look at some Seventh-day Adventist sources, I would like to show you a few things from other writings.

Lucius Ferraris, in about 1755, revised this canon law of the Catholic Church in his book, Prompta Bibliotheca. (Vol. VI, 43, col. 2, Rome, 1890.) He quotes from the Donation of Constantine, including the phrase Vicarius Felii Dei. On the fifth line of the original article, it says, “blessed Peter in the earth is the vicar of the Son of God – Vicarius Felii Dei.” This was later revised, and each one of the revisions also contains that same title within it as an official title of the pope. The revision in 1890 still contained the title, Vicarius Felii Dei.

In the February 19, 1894, issue of The Signs of the Times, an article written by Ellen White, entitled “Romanism the Religion of Human Nature,” was published. In part, it says, “Popery is a religion of human nature, and the mass of humanity love a doctrine that permits them to commit sin, and yet frees them from its consequences.” Popery is the religion of human nature!

The Bible says, in Revelation 13:18, “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man.” It is a number of a man. That is why you read, in Daniel 7:8, that the fourth beast had eyes like the eyes of a man. In 11 Thessalonians 2:3, he is called the “man of sin.” So, I am convinced that the number 666, since it can be traced in many ways, does represent humanity, and I believe that is only a part of it.

The following quote is from a 1911 newspaper. I found it in newspaper achives.com, which contains 39 million copies of newspapers dating back to 1756. Wondering whether or not anyone else was talking about Vicarius Filii Dei, I did a search on this website. In the Sandusky Register (Sandusky, Ohio) of March 13, 1911, a Pastor Russell, a non-Adventist, was asked what the words on the pope’s triple mitre – Vicarius Filii Dei – mean. He answered from the Bible that those words are the pope’s official title and that they add up to the number 666, meaning he is the antichrist.

The Challenge

The story begins at Loma Linda University Hospital, Loma Linda, California, in 1941, where a night nurse was taking care of the General Conference Treasurer, J. L. Shaw. The nurse could tell one night that his patient was troubled, and when asked why he was so restless, he replied: “I am very worried. For many years we have been preaching that the Pope has the title Vicarius Filii Dei, which adds up to 666, and now we have been challenged officially by the Catholic Church to prove this allegation by producing not some Protestant testimony, but reliable Catholic sources.”

Then Elder Shaw told how it all started with Elder [Francis D.] Nichol, who had written an article in The Signs of the Times that stated that someone in Rome saw the title Vicarius Filii Dei on the Pope’s tiara. No sooner was this published, than Elder Nichol was challenged by an editor of a Jesuit paper (by letter and by editorial) who wrote that Adventists for years had maintained that the Pope had this undocumented title, and now the Catholic Church demanded proof be presented or we desist from preaching such preposterous assumptions. Elder Nichol, who was known as a great defender of the faith, did not take this challenge lightly. He immediately wrote to scholars around the world to share with him any information they might have on this subject. He received no response.

Eventually, it was put into the hands of a special General Conference committee. Francis Nichol was a member of a committee of many scholars who wrote the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary. The committee had been working on this for a long time, but could not find any official paper from the Catholic Church stating that the pope’s official title was Vicarius Filii Dei. This night nurse decided that he was going to go to the General Conference and ask if he could help in this search. Upon receiving permission to join in the search, he commenced an exhaustive research in the religious deck of the Library of Congress.

Joined in the search by a fellow student from Washington Missionary College (now Columbia Union College), who spoke Italian, it was learned that some years previous to this time a minister in Huntington, Indiana, was able to get a photocopy of an article that appeared in the April 18, 1915, issue of Our Sunday Visitor (the largest Catholic weekly in America), which stated that the Pope’s tiara had the title Vicarius Filii Dei. When this information was presented to the General Conference Committee, they were informed that one of their influential members insisted that this source was unreliable, because in the very next issue of Our Sunday Visitor, the editor published a denial indicating that he was mistaken about what was mentioned in the previous issue regarding the Pope’s title. In order to check on this alleged denial, it was necessary to review the back copies of Our Sunday Visitor which were available only at the publishing house in Indiana.

So the night nurse, along with his college buddy, dressed in black suits and traveled to Huntington, Indiana. Arriving at the publishing house of the paper, their entrance was denied, as it was just closing for the weekend. However, they pleaded with the doorman and told him they were seminarians doing a research paper, and they needed some help. The doorman ushered them to the secretary to the editor, where they once again explained their situation. The secretary, noting that they were both Latino seminarians in black suits, took them to the vault where they were able to look through bound volumes of back issues of the publication only to discover that the particular volume for which they were searching was missing.

When asked about the missing volume, the secretary responded that there had been a lot of problems with that volume, so it was kept in a secret vault. They asked if she would allow them to look at that year’s volume, and she complied with their request. The secretary retrieved from the vault a stack of papers with this particular issue of interest being at the very top. By coincidence, the young man’s birth date was April 18, 1915, the date of the publication, and when he told the secretary, she said she would love to make his day by giving him the original copy of the publication.

The two young men returned to the General Conference with the original copy of Our Sunday Visitor that states, “The letters inscribed in the pope’s mitre are these: Vicarius Filii Dei which is the Latin Vicar of the Son of God.” (See http://biblelight.net/vicarious-filii-dei-documentation.htm.)

In the November 15, 1914, issue of Our Sunday Visitor, the following was printed in response to a reader’s question: “The title of the Pope of Rome is Vicarius Filii Dei. This is inscribed on his mitre; and if you take the letters of his title which represent Latin numerals and add them together, they come to 666.” The author, who repeated the claim later in 1915, withdrew it. Among the errors he said he made was to mix up tiaras.

Denials

Notice what was happening. The Catholic Church began to deny the fact that the statement was ever written. Though the magazine itself discussed the topic again in September 1917 and August 1941, it never denied the claim published in the 1915 article that the title appeared on the mitre. Critics of the Seventh-day Adventist’s interpretation of the comment have argued that if there was some secret Catholic title that it was denying, it would have been unlikely to publish the secret in a magazine widely read by peoples of all faiths.

So, first of all they said that there was a mix-up on the tiaras. Then they argued that if the question asked about papal tiaras was such a secret, why then would the present author have proceeded to answer a question he was not asked about supposedly secret mitres? When questioned, the magazine wrote to the Seventh-day Adventist Church to inform them that the contributing priest had gotten his facts wrong.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church no longer regards the magazine article as anything other than an error and no longer promotes belief in the claim that Vicarius Filii Dei is a papal title. The Seventh-day Adventist Church abandoned its quest for the evidence after years of searching; however, some minority groups within the church still hold onto the belief that such a tiara with a title existed. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicarius_Filii_Dei.) Well, I believe such a tiara did exist.

Search Continued

Now, the two men who went to Our Sunday Visitor also went to the Jesuit University in Washington, D.C. Again, both dressed in black, as if they were from the seminary, and they said, “We need some help.” They were told that help would be given with whatever they needed. They then shared that they were doing a research paper and wanted to know if Vicarius Filii Dei was an official title of the pope. They were told that there was someone who could talk to them about it, and they were ushered into a man’s office who was an expert on canon law. The gentleman, a Monsignor, referred them to a man named Dr. Johannes Quasten, whom they could not see that day, but they were assured they would be called when he was available. A few days later they received the anticipated call and rushed to Dr. Quasten’s office, where they repeated the purpose of their visit their quest to learn whether or not the pope’s official title was Vicarius Filii Dei. Dr. Quasten responded verbally, but also, upon request, in writing. “Dr. Quasten pulled out his pen and in his own handwriting wrote on official Catholic University stationary the following: ‘The title Vicarius Christi, as well as the title Vicarius Filii Dei is very common as the title of the Pope’ and signed his name.” <http://biblelight.net/vicarius-filii-dei-documentation.htm> May 20, 2007.

Bible Commentary

These two young men went directly back to the General Conference Committee, got two notaries to sign it, seal it, and date it. These two men risked their lives to get that information in 1941. Because of the two strong evidences of support they secured, the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary came out very strongly with the fact that Vicarius Filii Dei is the official title of the pope.

“This interpretation [that 666 stood for Vicarius Filii Dei, meaning ‘vicar of the Son of God,’ one of the titles for the pope of Rome] was based on the identification of the pope as the Antichrist, the historic Reformation concept. The principal exponent of this interpretation was Andreas Helwig (c. 1572-1643; See L. E. Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2, pp. 605-608). Many since his day have adopted this interpretation. Inasmuch as this commentary identifies the beast as the papacy, it also accepts this view as being the best thus far presented, though recognizing that there may be more implied in the cryptogram than this interpretation provides.

“Regarding the title Vicarius Filii Dei, the Catholic journal Our Sunday Visitor, of April 18, 1915, reported in answer to a query, ‘What are the letters supposed to be in the Pope’s crown, and what do they signify, if anything?’ ‘The letters inscribed in the Pope’s mitre are these: Vicarius Filii Dei, which is the Latin for Vicar of the Son of God.’ . . . The issue of November 15, 1914, admitted that the Latin numerals added together total 666. . . . The Catholic Encyclopedia distinguishes between the mitre and the tiara by describing the tiara as a non-liturgical ornament and the mitre as one worn for liturgical functions. Whether the inscription Vicarius Filii Dei appears on the tiara or the mitre is really beside the point. The title is admittedly applied to the pope, and that is sufficient for the purposes of prophecy.” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 823, 824.

2002 Bible Study Guide

In the Seventh-day Adventist General Conference Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for April, May, June 2002, Great Apocalyptic Prophecies, 85, 86, the following note is presented: “Vicarius Filii Dei (Vicar of the Son of God). Since the Reformation, this papal title has been used to calculate the number 666. But there are several questions that should make us cautious. First, it is not clear that this title is an official one.” As shown previously, this information was received from doctors of canon law. We have seen the evidence. “Second, there is no clear indication in Revelation 13 that the number is based on the numerical value of the letters of a name.” The Catholic Church supports that view, but we cannot! “The phrase ‘it is the number of a man’ (vs. 18, NIV) could be translated ‘it is the number of [humanity]’; that is, of humans separated from God. Third, those who insist in counting the numerical value of letters confront the problem of deciding which language will be used. Because the text does not identify any language, the selection of a particular one will be somewhat arbitrary. At the present time, the symbolism of intensified rebellion, six used three times, and total independence from God seem to be the best option. Time will reveal the full meaning of the symbol.” <www.ssnet.org/qrtrly/eng/02b/> May 20, 2007.

It should concern us that there is a compromise on these issues. What is next? Is a complete denial going to come out in one of the church’s publications? It is going to lead to an effect upon Protestants today; they are going to forget about history; they are going to forget what it means to be a real Protestant.

The Catholic Church, over the past few years, has made numerous pronouncements in defense of religious liberty. Does this truth affect in any way what Revelation 13 says? Does it impact how we witness regarding Rome? Does the Catholic Church love religious freedom? That is not what Revelation 13 tells us, nor is that what the Spirit of Prophecy tells us. The Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy tell us that the papacy never changes. It is the same cruel, despotic power that it was during the Dark Ages.

“Protestants are losing the mark of distinction that distinguished them from the world, and they are lessening the distance between themselves and the Roman power. They have turned away their ears from hearing the truth; they have been unwilling to accept light which God shed upon their pathway, and are therefore going into darkness. They speak with contempt of the idea that there will be a revival of the past cruel persecution on the part of Romanists and those who affiliate with them. They do not recognize the fact that the word of God fully predicts such a revival, and will not concede that the people of God in the last days shall suffer persecution . . . .” The Signs of the Times, February 19, 1894.

The Future

From Revelation 13:16, 17, we read: “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” We will not be able to buy or sell if we do not have those qualifications. In Nebuchadnazzer’s day, he not only wanted people to bow down, he wanted people to reverence him, to pay him homage. In the Dark Ages, when people were asked, “Do you accept the pope as the vicar of the Son of God on earth?” what would happen if they said, “No”? It was a death decree. I believe it is going to be the same today, because it says that we cannot buy or sell unless we have the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name. “Vicar of the Son of God” means that the pope has absolute control over everything – governments and churches.

Ellen White tells us that, “Under one head – the papal power – the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 182. A time will come when we will be required to give our allegiance to the pope. But, “I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, [and] over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” Revelation 15:2. These are the people who will not accept that the pope is the ruler of the world.

Pope Benedict XVI has made an appeal to all churches to recognize him as the head of all churches, including Protestantism. (See http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_060612pope.shtml.) An appeal by the Pope to non-Catholic Christians to recognize papal primacy risks reinforcing divisions between churches, according to an Italian Protestant theologian. “Pope Benedict asserted that Jesus himself had entrusted the leadership of the Church to his apostle Peter.

“ ‘Peter’s responsibility thus consists of guaranteeing the communion with Christ,’ said Pope Benedict. ‘Let us pray so that the primacy of Peter, entrusted to poor human beings, may always be exercised in this original sense desired by the Lord, so that it will be increasingly recognised [sic] in its true meaning by brothers who are still not in communion with us.’ ” This is what the pope is calling for.

Do you want to recognize that the pope is the vicar, the one who takes the place of Christ on earth? The Bible tells us that there is only one head of the church, and that is Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 5:23.) If we are going to make it to the end, Jesus must be all in all in us.

Pastor Mike Bauler serves as pastor of the Historic Message Church in Portland, Oregon. He may be contacted by e-mail at: mbauler@earthlink.net.

The Significance of 666

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The number of the beast power in Revelation 13:1–10 is 666, and it is also the number of a man. (Revelation 13:18.) As explained in the Catholic Bible in the note under Revelation 13:18: “The numeral letters of his name shall make up this number.”

  1. The beast power was to be a superpower over all the nations and tribes and languages of the earth. (Revelation 13:7.)
  2. It was to receive its seat of government or throne from the dragon power, (Revelation 13:2) which represented in its celestial sense the devil, (Revelation 12:9) but in its human or terrestrial form the pagan Roman Empire. (Revelation 12:4.)
  3. It was to be a religious power because all would worship it. (Revelation 13:8.)
  4. It was to persecute God’s saints (Revelation 13:7) and to overcome them.
  5. It was to make great claims against the God of heaven (Revelation 13:5) that is blasphemy. Blasphemy in the Bible was understood to refer to a man claiming to be God (John 10:33) and a man claiming the authority to forgive sins. (Matthew 9:2,3.)
  6. It was to have persecuting power, or authority, to continue for forty-two months or 1260 days or 1260 literal years. In the Douay Bible Father Reaves says: “The prophet’s weeks are, by all interpreters of the Holy Scriptures, understood to include years for days.” Bible History, 345.
  7. This power was to have a number. His number is 666. (Revelation 13:18.)

Is there a power whose official title has a numerical value equal to 666, and who also fulfills all the identifying marks of the beast described in Revelation 13:1–10?

In an early collection of canon law first published in 1148 (the “Decretum of Gratian” we read (latin) “Beatus Petrus in terris Vicarius Filii Dei videtur esse constitutus.” Translated into English this is, “Blessed Peter is seen to have been constituted vicar of the Son of God on the earth.” Gratian is considered the founder of the science of canon law.

In the Corpus of Canon revised and published by order of Gregor XIII it was stated by Pope Gregory XIII to be corrected by “the plenitude of apostolic power,” so that it is “entirely freed from faults,” we find the same statement: “Beatus Petrus in terris vicarius Filii Dei esse videtur constitutus.”

  1. Lucii Ferraris, another Catholic writer states, “Ut secut Beatus Petrus in terris vicarius Filii Dei fuit constituts, ita et Pontifices eius successores in terris principatus potestatem amplius, quam terrenoe imperialis nostroe serenitatis mansuetudo habere videtur.” Translated: “As the blessed Peter was constituted Vicar of the Son of God on earth, so it is seen that the Pontiffs, his successors, hold from us and our empire the power of a supremacy on the earth greater than the clemency of our earthly imperial serenity.”

Philippe Labbe, a Jesuit writer, in his historical work Sacrosancta Concilia and Regiam Editionem Exacta, vol. 1, 1534 (Paris 1671), used “Vicarius Filii Dei” as the official title of the pope.

“What are the letters supposed to be in the Pope’s crown, and what do they signify, if anything?

“The letters inscribed in the Pope’s miter are these: Vicarius Filii Dei, which is the Latin for Vicar of the Son of God. Catholics hold that the Church which is a visible society must have a visible head. Christ, before His ascension into heaven, appointed St. Peter to act as His representative. Upon the death of Peter the man who succeeded to the office of Peter as Bishop of Rome, was recognized as the head of the Church. Hence to the Bishop of Rome, as head of the Church, was given the title of ‘Vicar of Christ.’

“Enemies of the Papacy denounce this title as a malicious assumption. But the Bible informs us that Christ did not only give His Church authority to teach, but also to rule. Laying claim to the authority to rule in Christ’s spiritual kingdom, in Christ’s stead, is not a whit more malicious than laying claim to the authority to teach in Christ’s name. And this every Christian minister does.” Our Sunday Visitor, April 18, 1915, thirteenth question under “Bureau of Information,” on page 3.

In addition to these Catholic sources there are a number of Protestant eye-witnesses to this official title being inscribed on tiaras (crowns) which were worn by the Pope.

Count the number of: Vicarius Filii Dei

I=1; V or U=5; L=50; C=100; D=500

” Vicarius Filii Dei “

V=5 I=1 C=100 A=0 R=0  I=1 U=5 S=0    F=0 I=1 L=50 I=1 I=1    D=500 E=0 I=1

      5 + 1  +  100   +  0  +   0 +  1  +  5 +  0           0 + 1   +  50 + 1  + 1          500 +   0  +  1
        
             = 112                                                                   = 53                                   = 501

              112 + 53 +  501 = 666

Who is Antichrist?

 

The Bible teaches that there are many antichrists 1 John 2:18. Although there are many antichrists, the Bible speaks of “the antichrist.” 1 John 2:18. The Greek word ‘anti” is equivalent to the latin word “vicar.” It means primarily, one who stands in the place of another. The antichrist, then, is a person who stands in the place of Christ. If a person claims to be the vicar of Christ, he is claiming to be the antichrist. Since God says that He will not give His glory to another, (Isaiah 42:8) if a human being claims to stand in the place of Christ he places himself against Christ. This is the common understanding of antichrist. (See Matthew 23:8–12.)

The antichrist, in its celestial form is the devil—he is the ultimate antichrist or false Christ. (See 2 Corinthians 11:13–15) However, the antichrist has a human or terrestrial form also and is identified in several places in the scriptures. (See Daniel 7; 2 Thessalonians 2; Revelation 13.)

The identifying marks given are:

  1. He “will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple [church] of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
  2. It is described three times in this chapter in association with breaking God’s law and teaching men to break God’s law.
  3. This power had it’s roots, or beginnings, in the time of the apostles. (2 Thessalonians 2:7.)
  4. It will continue until the second coming of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:8.)
  5. It will work miracles and deceptive wonders.
  6. It will deceive everybody in the world who did not receive the love of the truth.
  7. It ill arise among the ten nations which divided up the Western Roman Empire. (Daniel 7:8.)
  8. It will persecute the saints. (Daniel 7:25.)
  9. It will arise to political authority after 476 A.D. (Daniel 7:8, 24.)
  10. In the process of arising to power it will destroy three of the original ten nations that divided up the Roman empire.
  11. It will persecute the saints of God for 1260 prophetic days, or 1260 literal years.
  12. It will speak great words against the Most High.
  13. It will intend to changed times and laws.
  14. It will have eyes like the eyes of a man.
  15. This power does not confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh (2 John 7; 1 John 4:1–3. Compare with Galatians 5 and Romans 8 and 1 John 2:15–17 for the technical meaning of the world “flesh” in Scripture.)
  16. Would receive a deadly wound at the end of the 1260 year period.
  17. This deadly wound would be healed
  18. It will be worshipped by all the world in the end of time except those who are saved.
  19. It would have worldwide influence and authority during the 1260 year period and again at the end of time.
  20. It would have a number, and this number would be the number of a man.

The number would be 666.

 

What is the Mark of the Beast?

 

  1. It must be something that is a characteristic of the beast power for which the identifying marks have already been listed. (One of the main identifying characteristics of the beast power or the antichrist power is its intention to change God’s law thereby setting itself up above God. (Daniel 7:25; 2 Thessalonians 2:4–8.)
  2. If you receive it you will receive the wrath of God. (Revelation 14:9–11.)
  3. The only people who receive the wrath of God are those who obey unrighteousness. (Romans 2:8.)
  4. All unrighteousness is sin. (1 John 5:17.)
  5. Sin is the transgression of the law. (1 John 3:4.) Therefore the mark of the beast must involve breaking the law of God.
  6. This breaking of the law of God is deliberate—“shall think to change times and laws.” Daniel 7:25.
  7. It will be enforced by human law, and all who do not receive it will not be able to buy or sell. (Revelation 13:15–17.)

The Bible uses the symbol of a beast to represent a nation or a kingdom in Bible prophecy. We use this symbolism in our everyday speech. Just think of the bald eagle, the bear, the elephant and the donkey.

The only power that meets all the identifying marks found in Revelation 13:1–10, is the papacy. What part of God’s law has been deliberately changed by the papacy? And what change is spoken of as a mark of her power and authority?

Lucius Ferraris, in his Prompta Bibliotheca, an official Catholic book, declares: “The pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man, but as it were God, and the vicar of God . . . Moreover the superiority and the power of the Roman Pontiff . . . are even over angels, than whom he is greater . . . The pope is as it were God on earth . . . (and) is of so great authority and power that he can modify, explain, or interpret even divine laws.”

In the 18th General (or Ecumenical) Council of the Catholic Church, the Council of Trent, held from 1545 to 1563, the church officially stated: “It pleased the church of God, that the religious celebration of the Sabbath day should be transferred to ‘the Lord’s day’ [meaning Sunday].” Catechism of the Council of Trent, 4.

The Catholic Church admits that she changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Reverend John A. O’Brien of Notre Dame University, wrote: “Let me address myself to my dear non–Catholic reader: You believe that the Bible alone is a safe guide in religious matters. You also believe that one of the fundamental duties enjoined upon you by your Christian faith is that of Sunday observance. But where does the Bible speak of such an obligation? I have read the Bible from the first verse of Genesis to the last verse of Revelation, and have found no reference to the duty of sanctifying the Sunday. The day mentioned in the Bible is not the Sunday, the first day of the week, but the Saturday, the last day of the week.” The Faith of Millions, 136, 137, published by Our Sunday Visitor, Copyright 1974.

The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, a catechism that received the “apostolic blessing” of Pope Pius X, also speaks of this change in a question–answer form:

“Question: Which is the Sabbath day?

“Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day?

“Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

“Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A.D. 364), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.”

History shows that the Catholic Church is the one that changed the day. The Catholic Church herself admits to it. In fact, this is what she claims as the proof of her power. God’s authority is based upon His ability to make laws. The pope claims to be equal with God, and claims to be in effect above God, when he claims that he can change God’s law.

The mark of the beast is enforced Sunday observance which will become a worldwide oppressive law just before the end of the world. (See Revelation 13:15–17.)

What is the Seal of God?

The terms “seal” or “sign” or “mark” are synonymous (though not identical) terms. A seal is something that gives a law, reality, force and legality. It shows (1) who gave the law, (2) their jurisdiction or territory governed and (3) their title or office or authority.

God does have a seal, (Revelation 7:1–3) and it will be received by the 144,000 before the end of the world. (Revelation 7.) Although this is a special seal or mark is placed on a special group of people, God has always had a seal or mark that He placed on His children. (See 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13.)

God’s seal or mark has always been the Sabbath. (See Exodus 31:12–17; Ezekiel 20:12, 20.) The Sabbath commandment is the seal of God’s law (Isaiah 8:16). God’s seal shows who gave His law, His jurisdiction or territory governed and His title and authority. (See Exodus 20:8–11.)

The special sign of God’s people in the last days is that they keep the commandments of God (Revelation 12:17; 14:12; 22:14) and this could not be said of them if they were not Sabbath-keepers. Because, if you keep the whole law, and yet break one you are not a commandment-keeper. (James 2:8–12.)

The Sabbath commandment above all other commandments, points out a person as a worshipper of (1) the God who created the heavens and the earth in six days (2) that this person is under the authority of this creator as His subject,. (3) that this person will keep all other commandments of God’s law since he cannot keep the Sabbath “holy” unless he is holy (Romans 7:12.) To be holy one must be in harmony with all of God’s law which is holy.

The Sabbath is the seal or mark that a person is a subject of God’s government and not under the authority of any antichrist power.

 

What does it mean to receive the Holy Spirit?

 

  1. When a person receives the Holy Spirit He will overcome sin in his life. (Romans 8:1–14.)
  2. When a person receives the Holy Spirit He will witness for his faith. (Acts 1:8.)
  3. Only those who choose to obey can receive the Holy Spirit. (John 14:15–18; Acts 5:32.)
  4. The Holy Spirit is given only to those who desire and request Him in their life. (Luke 11.)
  5. The Holy Spirit has nothing to do with the bedlam and noise and gibberish which has come into many Christian churches today. (See 1 Corinthians 14:40.) No church can receive any gifts of the Holy Spirit if it is in open and deliberate violation of God’s law.

“The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place just before the close of probation. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.” Selected Messages, vol. 2, 36.

“Some of these persons have exercises which they call gifts and say that the Lord has placed them in the church. They have an unmeaning gibberish which they call the unknown tongue, which is unknown not only by man but by the Lord and all heaven. Such gifts are manufactured by men and women, aided by the great deceiver. Fanaticism, false excitement, false talking in tongues, and noisy exercises have been considered gifts which God has placed in the church. Some have been deceived here. The fruits of all this have not been good. ‘Ye shall know them by their fruits.’ Fanaticism and noise have been considered special evidences of faith. Some are not satisfied with a meeting unless they have a powerful and happy time. They work for this and get up an excitement of feeling. But the influence of such meetings is not beneficial. When the happy flight of feeling is gone, they sink lower than before the meeting because their happiness did not come from the right source. The most profitable meetings for spiritual advancement are those which are characterized with solemnity and deep searching of heart; each seeking to know himself, and earnestly, and in deep humility, seeking to learn of Christ.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 412.

 

Report from Denver

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It was during the summer of 1992 that I first learned that the Pope was coming to Denver, Colorado, in August of 1993. At the Printed Page Camp Meeting in September of 1992, Evan Sadler, Carey Rowlendson, Rick Breckenridge, and myself formed a task force to meet the challenge. After consulting with Elder John Osborne and others, we decided to use this occasion to spread the three angels’ messages.

Earlier, in Australia, Carey Rowlendson had printed a million copies of the Protestant newspaper. Though this publication had met with opposition by the conference office, resulting in a lawsuit, we immediately laid plans for a special printing of the paper for America, for distribution in anticipation of the papal visit.

In October of 1992, I met Danny Vierra for the first time. He shared with me his billboard evangelism project. We saw this as an important part of the Denver campaign and settled on the use of a sign that said: The Bible says…”The man of Sin shall be revealed.” II Thessalonians 2:3. A free copy of The Great Controversy was offered, and our telephone number was given.

We signed a contract with Gannett Outdoor, a large billboard company, to place twenty-one billboards in Denver, starting just ten days before the Pope ’s visit.

Because we needed a substantial amount of funds to place these boards, we circulated a fund-raising letter. The Oregon Conference, having obtained a letter, faxed a copy to the North American Division, as well as the Colorado conference and the Midwest Union. This resulted in an emergency meeting about ten days before the billboards, causing a furor in the media and resulting in myself, as well as other members of my staff, being interviewed on several talk shows and by the newspapers.

On August 2, our billboards were to go up. We had raised the necessary funds and sent a cashier’s check and the posters that were to be used to Gannett Outdoor. I called the Gannett sales person to have a copy of the location map faxed to us, and she asked me if I had heard from the Denver office. I indicated that I had not, and she inferred that they might e wanting to break their contract because of the furor caused by those opposing it. You can imagine our surprise and chagrin to discover that it was not the Catholics who mounted the opposition, but the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We have since had it confirmed that it was the combined pressure of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, government officials and the Catholics that led to Gannett’s breaking the contract.

We quickly called Root Outdoor in Fort Collins, Colorado. They agreed to post the billboards, and again, we sent out a cashier’s check, only to have them notify us the following day that they had changed their minds and would no longer post them.

At this point, we know that Satan did not want us in Denver. This only worked to strengthen our conviction that this was where God would have us go. We quickly contacted our printer, and in less than fort-eight hours, we had 50,000 copies of the Protestant printed. Several volunteers from the Troy Seventh-day Adventist Church helped us label them, and by the grace of God, we were able to mail them in time to coincide with the Pope ’s arrival.

While this was taking place, Bill Grimm, our street evangelist, David Musodole from Fiji, myself, and others, were converging on Denver with 100,000 tracts and several thousand copies of the Protestant.

We applied for, and received permission to pass out literature at Stapleton Airport, and this proved to be so effective that we intend to continue with an airport ministry in the future.

Some of us were able to gain an entrance to several of the papal events to videotape and photograph them. The young people, treated to what amounted a rock concert, were wildly enthusiastic as the pope mobile made a lap around Mile High Stadium. The procession of people, including high government officials that knelt before the pope ,  kissing his ring and hugging him, sickened us.

On the streets, Catholics had been deployed to stand right beside us offering “Catholic answers” including a tract that said Ellen White’s name adds up to 666. In all this, the Lord was glorified, however, as the attention drew the media and people who were interested in what we had to offer.

If we learned anything from our experience in Denver, it was that when we are undertaking anything of this nature, it is never wise to reveal your plans ahead of the event. On Friday, August 13, we brought to bear what had been our secret weapon—an airplane pulling a large banner on which it was stated: “pope =antichrist, free book 1-800-REFORMER.” This was on local news, and resulted in a number of phone calls, with requests for our free book, The Great Controversy.

On Sabbath we attended the Renaissance Seventh-day Adventist Church, and independent church, and were able to share what we had been doing. As a result, several members joined us in the afternoon when we went back to pass out literature. We were also joined by a former Catholic priest, as well as by other brothers and sisters who were in town on their own.

Even though the number of us who participated in this project was small, we felt the Lord’s blessing as we distributed thousands of tracts and copies of the Protestant newspaper. We were able to study the Bible with several people, some of whom accepted the Sabbath.

As we reviewed the week’s events, we were encouraged to set new goals. We ate planning to start a two week training school to train people in street evangelism. We urge you to prayerfully consider whether the Lord might not have you chare in this soul-winning experience. If you feel the Lord is calling you to receive more training in evangelism, contact our office by calling 1-800-REFORMER.

The End

Image to the Beast

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We are Seventh-day Adventists and I am proud of that name. It is a name that God has given to us as a people.

I remember my first experience in attending a Seventh-day Adventist Church. A young minister was giving a study on Daniel 7. As I listened, the pastor read the various descriptions of the little horn power from Daniel 7 and Revelation 13. There are over a dozen identifying marks of the Roman Church given in these two chapters—marks that when collectively considered could not possibly apply to any other power. Just imagine being a Roman Catholic for thirty-two years, and hearing for the first time that the leader of your church was the Antichrist.

“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8. The Roman Papacy is Satan’s crowning achievement, and through this power he hopes to bring the whole world under his control.

I make no apologies and I am deeply stirred within my soul. God has a message of stern rebuke to this church. We know that the Protestant nations will clasp hands with the Roman Church and that the papacy will use Protestant America as a puppet to bring all the world under its control.

“In a special sense Seventh-day Adventists have been set in the world as watchmen and light bearers. To them has been entrusted the last warning for a perishing world. On them is shining wonderful light form the Word of God. They have been given a work of the most solemn import—the proclamation of the first, second and third angel’s messages. There is no other work of so great importance. They are to allow nothing else to absorb their attention. The most solemn truths ever entrusted to mortals have been given us to proclaim to the world. The proclamation of these truths is to be our work. The world is to be warned, and God’s people are to be true to the trust committed to them. They are not to engage in speculation, neither are they to enter into business enterprises with unbelievers; for this would hinder them in their God-given work.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 19,20

We have been entrusted with a work like no other people on the face of this earth. This is the time when the Seventh-day Adventist Church should be on the front line, but the leaders are retreating, waving white flags. Peace and safety messages are being preached while those who are acting as faithful watchmen, seeking to expose the man of sin with billboards, are being disfellowshipped.

“Our message is a life-and-death message, and we must let this message appear as it is—the great power of God. Then the Lord will make it effectual. We are to present it in all its telling force. The first and second angel’s messages are bound up with the third angel’s message. The power of the proclamation of the fist and second angel’s messages is to be concentrated in the third.” The Voice in Speech and Song, 329

“When men stand out in defiance against the counsel of God, they are warring against God. Is it right for those connected with such ones to treat them as if they were in perfect harmony with them, making no difference between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not? Though they be ministers or medical missionaries, they have dishonored Christ before the forces of the loyal and the disloyal. Open rebuke is necessary, to prevent others from being ensnared.” Testimonies for the Church Containing Letters to Physicians and Ministers Instruction to Seventh-day Adventists, 9

Today, God is calling eleventh hour workers to fill the ranks, to take the last message of mercy to a perishing world. “There are many souls to come out of the ranks of the world, out of the churches—even the Catholic Church—whose zeal will far exceed that of those who have stood in rank and file to proclaim the truth heretofore. For this reason the eleventh hour laborers will receive their penny. These will see the battle coming and will give the trumpet a certain sound. When the crisis is upon us, when the season of calamity shall come, they will come to the front, gird themselves with the whole armor of God, and exalt the law, adhere to the faith of Jesus, and maintain the cause of religious liberty which reformers defended with toil and for which they sacrificed their lives.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 387,388 They will receive eternal life because they went to the front, saw the enemy coming and rose up to battle—they were numbered with the cowardly and fearful.

When the Lord’s Day Alliance recently came out with a book, they praised the executive director what he had accomplished during his years of service. They said that he had made history for the Alliance when he spoke at Andrews University Theological Seminary in Berrien Springs, Michigan. In spite of the differences of opinion with reference to the Sabbath question, their leader explained, “We clapsed hands across these differences.” See The Great Controversy, 588.

From the Gleaner, May 17, 1993, part one of a five part series states: “We may have less to say in some lines in regards to the Roman power and the Papacy.” Quoting Ellen G. White, it continues, using quotations that emphasize the fact that we need to speak the truth in love. But I submit to you that to warn the world, giving the three angel’s messages in its entirety and exposing the man of sin, is love.

As I read: “Billboard derides Catholics, forgets to speak the truth in love,” I am concerned for my church. Then, when I read in the fourth part of the five part series in the Gleaner, July 12, 1993, “The Great Controversy: Taming the Strong Language: Such a practical approach to inspiration is not popular with some.” I find that this article concludes that Seventh-day Adventists might need to change the language of The Great Controversy. I asked myself, “Is Adventism making an image to the beast?”

The Adventist Review is now speaking up against the billboard campaign, but the thing that troubled me the most was a picture of a Roman Catholic nun, called the “cookie nun.” “Sister Jean Thuerauf, who, in an effort to get youngsters off the streets and away from gangs, started a bakery in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has earned the affectionate title of ‘Cookie Nun.’ Profits from Sister Jean’s Cookie Cart are used for scholarships so the youngsters can attend Catholic schools.” Why are we putting this in our magazine?

I received a letter in regard to the billboards from the Catholic Campus Ministry of the Ecumenical Affairs office. To support their position, they quoted from a book by George Vandeman, What I Like About….They are using our material to support the Catholic position. I am shocked at what I see.

I take no pleasure in speaking strongly, but I see our church beginning to blend with the rest of the ecumenical world. The Sacramento Bee came out with an article entitled: “Intolerance in America still a pattern of life for many.” “Intolerance in America, a billboard says, ‘And all the world wondered after the beast.’ When religion’s love is lost. Driven by fear, ignorance, fanatics sow seeds of violence.” Do you see the handwriting on the wall when it is considered intolerant in America to speak against Rome and the Papacy? The following is a part of that article.

“On a billboard along 16th Street about a month ago, high above the traffic, a faintly smiling caricature of John Paul II waved benignly to passing motorists.

“At first glance, the cartoon image of the pope might have appeared to be an advertisement for Catholicism, but a telephone call to the 800 number on the board provides a different picture. What callers received in the mail—after leaving their address—was a booklet that calls the pope the Antichrist or ‘the beast.’

“The pope is the satanic dictator who will send the world into misery and war before Jesus Christ’s second coming to save the faithful.

“To some, the billboard is an example of religious intolerance. To the billboard proponents, it is the truth.

“‘I am exercising religious liberty,’ said Danny Vierra, the Lodi man and former Catholic leading the billboard effort locally. ‘Protestant reformation was in harmony with what I am saying. The Papacy is the Antichrist.’

“He draws that conclusion, in part, because of what is inscribed on the pope’s miter, his tall ornamented cap, which carries the title Vicarius Filii Dei, Latin for Vicar of Christ.

“The booklet by author A. Jan Marcussen assigns roman numerals to the various letters in Vicarius Filii Dei….and gets 666.

“And in chapter 13, verse 18 of Revelations, the number is linked to the beast.

“Al Menendez an Episcopalian and research director for Americans for Religious Liberty in Silver Springs, Md., said the billboards—which have sprung up all over the West—are examples of religious intolerance.

“Intolerance need not be murderous. The Union of American Hebrew Congregations, representing 1.3 million reform Jews, denounce singer Sinead O’Conner for publicly defacing a photograph of the pope during a ‘Saturday Night Live’ television show.

“Roger Keller, a professor of world religion at Brigham Young University, said that there is continuous antipathy toward those who are different.

“Vierra, the ex-alter boy with the anti-papal billboards, said the doctors and business owners behind the billboards are not part of a hate group. He professed love for the Catholic people.

“‘Our goal is to get people to study the Word of God,’ he said. ‘We have had 500 phone calls. People have thanked us. They have ordered other books that expose the Papacy in detail.’

“Although the pope billboard was taken down, others have taken its place in other locations. The billboards have the ‘the phone ringing off the hook. The few calls we get against us say the pope is our holy father. The Bible says call no man father.’”

It is a sad day when Brigham Young University, the Episcopalian Church and the American Hebrew Congregations all speak out against the billboard, but shocking when officials of the Oregon Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Portland have said the ads do not represent the views of the church.

“With rapid steps we are approaching this period. When the Protestant churches shall unite with the secular power to sustain a false religion, for opposing which their ancestors endured the fiercest persecution: when the state shall use its power to enforce the decrees and sustain the insututions of the church, –then will Protestant America have formed an image to the to the Papacy, and there will be national apostasy which will end only in national ruin.” Signs of the Times, March 22, 1910

“In the very time in which we live, the Lord has called His people and has given them a message to bear. He has called them to expose the wickedness of the man of sin who has made the Sunday law a distinctive power, who has thought to change times and laws, and to oppress the people of God who stand firmly to honor Him by keeping the only true Sabbath, the Sabbath of creation, as holy unto the Lord.” Evangelism, 705

“The Lord has a controversy with His professed people in these last days. In this controversy men in responsible positions will take a course directly opposite to that pursued by Nehemiah. [They will not be trying to repair the breach, will they?] They will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but they will try to keep it from others by burying it beneath the rubbish of custom and tradition. In churches and in large gatherings in the open air, ministers will urge upon the people the necessity of keeping the first day of the week. There are calamities on sea and land: and other calamities will increase, one disaster following close upon another; and the little band of conscientious Sabbath-keepers will be pointed out as the ones who are bringing the wrath of God upon the world by their disregard of Sunday.” Review and Herald, March 18, 1884

As I see our church today speaking out, denying the message of those billboards—that the man of sin shall be revealed is the view of Seventh-day Adventism—and as I see Kenneth Cox professing that, “We really don’t believe that the pope is the Antichrist,” I am confused.
“I saw the nominal church and nominal Adventists, like Judas, would betray us to the Catholics to obtain their influence to come against the truth. The saints then will be an obscure people, little known to the Catholics; but the churches and nominal Adventists who know of our faith and customs (for they hated us on account of the Sabbath for they could not refute it) will betray the saints and report them to the Catholics as those who disregard the institutions of the people; that is, that they keep the Sabbath and disregard Sunday.” Spalding-Magan Collection, 1

Once a person starts working against God’s message as given by the three angels, anything is possible, because when there is not a love of the truth, the mind will very quickly move on to accept advanced delusions.

When I read in our church paper about the cookie nun, and when I see my brethren’s names being turned in to the archdiocese, I no longer am confused. “As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position, and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light.” The Great Controversy, 608

The Episcopalians, Brigham Young University, the Baptist Church, the Ecumenical Movement, Roman Catholicism and Seventh-day Adventists are all agreed in their assertion that the billboards are not speaking the truth in love.

“Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbath-keepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them.” Ibid.

“When Christ saw in the Jewish people a nation divorced from God, he saw also a professed Christian church united to the world and the Papacy. And as He stood upon Mount Olivet, weeping over Jerusalem till the sun sank behind the western hill, so He is watching over and pleading with sinners in these last moments of time. Soon He will say to the angels who are holding the four winds, ‘Let the plagues loose; let darkness, destruction, and death come upon the transgressors of My law.’ Will He be obliged to say to those who have had great light and great knowledge, as He said to the Jews, ‘O that thou hadst known, even thou in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace. But now they are hid from thine eyes.’?” Kress Collection, 153. Who do you think is the people spoken of in this prophecy?

“All unite in heaping their bitterest condemnation upon the ministers. Unfaithful pastors have prophesied smooth messages;…Now, in their despair, these teachers confess before the world their work of deception. The multitudes are filled with fury. ‘We are lost!’ they cry, ‘and you are the cause of our ruin;’ and they turn upon the false shepherds….Now the angel of death goes forth, represented in Ezekiel’s vision by the men with the slaughtering weapons, to whom the command is given: ‘Slay utterly old and young, both maid, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.’ Says the prophet, ‘They began at the ancient men which were before the house.’ Ezekiel 9:1-6. The work of destruction begins among those who have professed to be the spiritual guardians of the people. The false watchmen are the first to fall. There are none to pity or to spare. Men, women, maidens, and little children perish together.” The Great Controversy, 655, 656

The End

Editorial – Description of the Beast

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The third angels’ message determines the destiny of every person in the world who is alive when Jesus returns. If rejected, it will result in a person’s receiving the seven last plagues (see Revelation 16:2) and finally being destroyed (see Revelation 19:20, 21). The third angels’ message is a warning against worshipping the beast (Revelation 13:1–10) or his image or receiving his mark. Before a person can understand the third angel’s message, he must understand who and what the beast is. Following is a description from Scripture of the beast power.

  1. A beast in Bible prophecy represents a kingdom or nation or power (Daniel 7:17, 23).
  2. This beast received his power, throne, and great authority from the dragon (Revelation 13:2). The dragon primarily represents the devil (Revelation 12:9). Secondarily, the dragon represents the pagan Roman empire because it was the pagan Roman empire that attempted to kill Jesus at his birth (see Revelation 12:3–5 and Matthew 2).
  3. The beast received a deadly wound, at which time it looked as if it would cease to exist.
  4. The deadly wound was healed. It recovered from this deadly wound and became worldwide in its authority again.
  5. This beast is a worldwide power—“all the world marveled and followed the beast” (Revelation 13:3).
  6. This beast is also a religion, because the whole world will worship this power (verses 4 and 8).
  7. This beast would blaspheme God, His name, His sanctuary and those who dwell in heaven (verse 6).
  8. This religion would be a persecuting religion, as it would make war with the saints and overcome them (verse 7).
  9. This beast would gain authority over every tribe, language and nation. In other words, this is a religion that would apparently conquer and control all other religions, all languages and peoples (ibid).
  10. his beast would eventually go into captivity—that happened at the time that this beast received the deadly wound (verse 10).
  11. The beast would eventually be killed by the sword (ibid.) This will happen in the future.
  12. This beast had a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. According to the Bible, blasphemy is described as a man assuming power to forgive sins (Mark 2:7) and as a man making himself God (John 10:33).
  13. This beast arose from the sea. Compare Revelation 13:1 with Revelation 17:15.
  14. This beast had certain characteristics in common with all the beasts in the vision of Daniel 7. Compare the vision of Daniel 7 with Revelation 13:2.
  15. The number of this beast is the number of a man and his number is 666.

Is the Virgin Mary Dead or Alive? Chapter 8

by Danny Vierra

Is the Virgin Mary Dead or Alive booklChapter 8 – Other Characteristics of the Little Horn of Daniel 7 – He Blasphemes God

Before I resume my effort to unravel the role that the counterfeit Virgin Mary will play in deceiving the whole world, there are a few other characteristics about the “beast” or “little horn” that I would like to address. The Bible says that he would not only “make war with the saints” and “reign for 1260 years,” but that he would also “blaspheme God,” “think to change times and laws,” and influence “all that dwell upon the earth” to “worship him.” (See Dan. 7: 25; Rev. 13: 6- 8).

The Bible tells us that the papal power “opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name.” (Rev. 13: 6). The title of pope is actually derived from the word papa, which means father. In fact, many nations of the world now recognize the pope as the “Holy Father.” He is also known as “Pontifex Maximus,” which means “the Greatest Bridge- Builder,” signifying that he claims the position of Christ the true “ladder” (or “bridge”) who would span the gulf sin had made between Heaven and earth. (See Gen. 28: 12 and John 1: 51). He also is known by the name of “Vicarius Filii Dei” (the vicar, or official ruling representative, of the Son of God on earth). Thus, he claims to hold the title, position, and authority of God the Father (il papa), God the Son (Pontifex Maximus), and God the Holy Spirit (Vicarius Filii Dei [These texts show the Holy Spirit is Christ’s true vicar on earth: John 14: 16- 18, 26; 15: 26; 16: 7, 8, 13, 14]) Hence the Pope is crowned with a triple crown [the tiara], as king of heaven, and earth, and the lower regions.

Ecclesiastical literature is replete with exhibits of the arrogant, blasphemous claims of the papacy. Typical examples are the following extracts from a large encyclopedic work written by a Roman Catholic divine of the 18th century, plus other examples of more recent times:

“The Pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man, but as it were God, and the vicar of God….

“The Pope is as it were God on earth, sole sovereign of the faithful of Christ, chief of kings, having plenitude of power, to whom has been intrusted by the omnipotent God direction not only of the earthly but also of the heavenly kingdom….

“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 sheep.” (Translated from Lucius Ferraris, “Papa II,” Prompta Bibliotheca, Vol. VI, pp. 25- 29).

“The Pope is infallible….[ He] cannot err when, as Shepherd and Teacher of all Christians , he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals, to be held by the whole church.” (A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, p. 16).

“People who see him— and countless millions have— do not forget him. His appearances generate electricity unmatched by anyone else on earth . That explains, for instance, why in rural Kenyan villages thousands of children, plus many cats and roosters and even hotels, are named John Paul. Charisma is the only conceivable reason why a CD featuring him saying the rosary— in Latin— against a backdrop of Bach and Handel is currently ascending the charts in Europe. It accounts for the dazed reaction of a young woman who found herself, along with thousands around her in a sports stadium in Denver, cheering and applauding him: ‘I don’t react that way to rock groups. What is it that he has? ’

“… When he talks, it is not only to his flock of over a billion ; he expects the world to listen. And the flock and the world listen .

“… John Paul can also impose his will, and there was no more formidable and controversial example of this than the Vatican’s intervention at the U. N. ’s International Conference on population and development in Cairo in September. There the Pope’s emissaries defeated a U. S.- backed proposition John Paul feared would encourage abortions worldwide. The consequences may be global and— critics predict— catastrophic, particularly in the teeming Third World, where John Paul is so admired.

“…. John Paul’s impact on the world has already been enormous, ranging from the global to the personal. He has covered more than half a million miles of travels…. He is an army of one….‘ He’ll go down in history as the greatest of modern Popes, ’ says the Rev. Billy Graham. ‘He’s been the strong conscience of the whole Christian world. ’ ” (Time, Dec. 26, 1994/ Jan. 2, 1995, pp. 53, 54). Didn’t the prophecy of Revelation 13: 3 say that “all the world wondered [admired or marveled] after the beast”! And this includes the youth, for the Stockton Record, as well as many other major newspapers, featured the following article from the Associated Press: “1 million youths rally to pope’s call . The huge crowd, gathered for a Mass at Poland’s holiest shrine during the sixth annual Vatican- sponsored World Youth Day , interrupted John Paul for nearly 10 minutes with applause, singing, and chants of ‘Long live the pope! ’ ”

Another interesting note is that John Paul is not the only one interested in World Youth Day. “The ‘Mary of the New Advent’ to whom the pope referred in Denver is particularly associated with World Youth Day, which John Paul II has been promoting for some years. She was displayed at the all- night prayer vigil of pilgrims who walked to Cherry Creek Park (near Denver) to meet the pope, who came in a helicopter. A journalist who was present writes: ‘It is well past 9 P. M. when the icon, the official one of World Youth Day, is presented. This part of the vigil is referred to as ‘Veneration [worship] of the image of the Virgin Mary: Our Lady of the New Advent. ’

“…. The next day, Sunday, the pope returned in his helicopter. The pilgrims… greeted him again with renewed excitement. There he celebrated Mass and 3000 priests took several hours to minister the wafers to the crowd of 375,000. Addressing Mary in heaven personally at times during his talk, the pope began: ‘With my heart full of praise for the Queen of Heaven , the sign of hope and source of comfort on our pilgrimage of faith to the heavenly Jerusalem, I greet all of you who are present at this solemn liturgy…. This liturgy presents you, Mary, as the woman clothed with the sun … O woman clothed with the sun… the youth of the world greet you with so much love…. In Mary the final victory of life over death is already a reality. ’” (A Woman Rides the Beast, pp. 442, 443). Obviously, the pope of Rome is a major player in selling the counterfeit Mary to the world, youth included.

Daniel the Prophet, in further describing the characteristics of the “little horn,” which he saw in vision coming out of Rome, said that “in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” (Dan. 7: 8). And Jesus Christ further warned us through His servant John of the following: “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six [666].” (Rev. 13: 18). You have no idea how amazed I was the day I learned that if you take the pope’s title, “Vicarius Filii Dei,” which is on his miter, and assign the appropriate value for each Roman numeral (such as V= 5, I= 1( 6 times), C= 100, U= 5, L= 50, and D= 500), the total comes to 666! That means that every pope that has ever lived and every pope that is to come has the number 666— the title of the Antichrist— and the prophecy is then applicable to the present pope!

Not only is the pope of Rome revered as the great moral leader of the world, he is also, according to Roman Catholic belief , a direct successor of St. Peter, whom Rome refers to as the first pope— the rock on whom Jesus Christ built His church. Friends, this is an untrue conclusion, since Peter was never referred to as the “the rock” by Jesus. The Scripture the Catholic Church uses to support its claim that Peter was the “rock” is Matthew 16: 18: “And I [Jesus] say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” But, if you take this verse, using the original Greek, it actually says: Thou art Peter [Christ called the Apostle by his first name, which in the Greek is Petros— a (piece of) rock , (Strong’s Concordance)], and upon this rock [Christ now refers to Himself as the Rock, which in the Greek is an entirely different word with a different gender— namely, Petra, a (mass of) rock, (Strong’s Concordance)]. In effect, this is like a mountain compared to a pebble, as Divinity rightfully is when compared to humanity. In fact, just a few verses later, when Christ said “that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day,” Peter began “to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” Peter was actually saying, “No way, Lord, You will not die.” Friends, without the death of Christ as the Lamb of God, sacrificed for the sins of the world, salvation would be impossible. Peter didn’t understand Christ’s true mission at this time and, therefore, responded emotionally. To this response, Christ “said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense to me.” (Verses 21- 23). Remember that Matthew 16: 18 said that the “gates of hell shall not prevail” against the “Rock.” Well, Satan had just prevailed against Peter, so he could not be the Rock, but the devil certainly will never prevail against the “Rock of Ages”— Jesus Christ!

The Bible says in I Corinthians 10: 4 that “that Rock was Christ.” In fact, Peter himself, when referring to Jesus in the Bible, called Him the “chief corner stone … the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner .” (I Pet. 2: 6, 7). “In infinite wisdom, God chose the foundation stone and laid it Himself. He called it ‘a sure foundation. ’ The entire world may lay upon it their burdens and griefs; it can endure them all. With perfect safety they may build upon it. Christ is a ‘tried stone. ’ Those who trust in Him, He never disappoints. He has borne every test. He has endured the pressure of Adam’s guilt, and the guilt of his posterity, and has come off more than conqueror of the powers of evil. He has borne the burdens cast upon Him by every repenting sinner. In Christ the guilty heart has found relief. He is the sure foundation. All who make Him their dependence rest in perfect security.” (The Desire of Ages, pp. 598, 599). Christ is the true foundation, the “chief corner stone,” on which the Christian church is built; and by His dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit, we become living stones in His spiritual temple, for we are “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Eph. 2: 20- 22). But since the Roman Catholic Church uses the argument that Peter was the rock, the first pope, it concludes that its popes, as descendants of Peter, along with its bishops and priests, have the power to forgive sins, which the Bible declares is blasphemy. (See Matt. 9: 1- 6).

I remember kneeling, many times, in a confessional and telling my sins to a priest who sat behind a dark screen. Little did I know at that time, that the confessional had its origin with the pagan priests of Babylon (to be addressed later). After hearing my confession, the priest would give me a number of prayers to recite for my penance. On one occasion, I was given a whole rosary [a string of beads of pagan origin] to say for my penance, which included fifty three Hail Marys: “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions , as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” (Matt. 6: 7). Since I was young and ignorant of the Scriptures, I did not know that the Bible gives the following instructions in regard to the confession of sin: “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” And “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 2: 1, 2; 1: 9).

Go to Chapter 9 ⇒

All emphases in this article are mine.
Published by Modern Manna Ministries

Surviving the Great Tribulation

by Michael C. Wells

Surviving the Great TribulationIn recent years, one of the great movie themes coming out of Hollywood has been the destruction of the earth by nuclear warfare. Story after story has graced the screen to delight the public with half mutated humans and a world thrown into chaos. Everything from a brave new world where people have learned the lesson of cooperation, to a time of great tribulation, war, strife, and anarchy has been suggested as the destiny of this earth. Some of these stories have even taken themes from the Bible itself. Audiences have been given a distorted view of Bible prophecies from these Hollywood movies, so much so that the subject of end time events have been muddled under a facade of lies.

If this wasn’t bad enough, the Christian world have started their own version of “end time events.” Now we have Christian movies coming out that seem to portray the idea of a great tribulation that will follow an event called the rapture (See our post The Rapture and Israel’s Future). Of course, people don’t expect to get a fully truthful depiction of what will happen during the end times from Hollywood, but it does tend to mold their minds just as movies like the Ten Commandments or Noah Ark, and of course these movies are far from the truth of the Bible. They do, though, expect to receive a clear cut picture of end time events from religious television evangelists who claim to know what will happen, and then offer videos in “living Hollywood style color” to entice the people to believe their theories.

To be able to “see” what will happen, by way of an enactment by actors on video, helps to reinforce these ideas. It is said that people retain more by seeing and hearing than just by hearing. Television and the “big screen” directly implants these ideas into our mind, and they are immediately stored for future reference. Our minds do not even have to process the information. And what if that scenario that has been put forth on the screen was incorrect? Now it has been permanently burned into your memory. Through all these mediums, the idea of a great tribulation has taken many forms. A little Bible truth mixed up with a little fiction (lies) make for a great story, but gives misconceptions and leads to a greater misunderstanding of what the Bible really says.

Why all this confusion? Jesus said about the last days “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” Matthew 24:11,12. The truth is not well received by the majority because of their love for sin. These lies have been put forth by the adversary himself. When the Pharisees (religious leaders of Jesus’ day) were promoting the fiction and deceit of their day, Jesus said to them, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” John 8:44.

The Tribulation of Matthew 24

So how are we to find out the truth about the tribulation that Jesus talks about in Matthew 24? Is there any clear evidence that can show us the truth? Does the Bible give tangible scriptures that show what the tribulation is all about? The answer is a definite yes! And you can see it, follow it, and understand it without being a Greek scholar. We are going to investigate the tribulation, and who is behind it. We will look at how to survive this tribulation and be one of God’s people. Jesus gave us obvious instruction that, if followed, would produce a result that would bring eternal happiness.

Some obvious questions we should ask are; when will this tribulation occur? Who will be involved? Will it involve us and can we avoid it? Notice these statements that the Apostle Paul wrote in II Thessalonians 2: “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in the mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away (apostasy) comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called god or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

Paul points out that a great apostasy is to come upon the earth. The word apostasy is a Greek word, which means to “fall away” or “to turn back” from something. Paul was speaking of Christians who would “fall away” from true Bible doctrines and principles and be turned to the traditions of man. All this was to happen before the coming of the Lord Jesus. This “man of sin” was to be revealed and claim to be able to do what only God has the authority to do. Jesus speaks of this when He is giving insight to the disciples in Matthew 24. He says, “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” Matthew 24:15,16,21,22

At the time of this apostasy, a great tribulation will occur.  Notice that Jesus used two words that will help us understand this tribulation. First notice that He speaks of many days. So many that if they are not shortened, “not flesh would be saved.” Jesus also uses the word great, which mean “lengthy.” This is tribulation will be a great (lengthy) tribulation, over a long period of time. It will affect the people of God, and even cause great spiritual darkness to fall on the earth. For the “man of sin” will be revealed, and people will follow him thinking he is of God. “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you before hand.” Matthew 24:23-25. Jesus warns us when this tribulation will take place. He says it will happen during a time when this “man of sin” will claim to be Christ. He will exalt himself as god and claim to sit in the place of God. He will have signs and wonders that will surround him and his religion, and he will deceive many.

Jesus said in Matthew 24:15 that we must “understand” those things written by the prophet Daniel if we are to know the truth about this deceptive power and when to expect this great tribulation to come upon the earth. We must first study the book of Daniel and find out who this “man of sin” truly is. He is spoken about in many places. In Revelation 13, he is called the “beast” power and in Daniel 7, he is called the “little horn.” Let’s look at his identifying marks.

Marks of the “Little Horn”

In our book, The End of War and Injustice, we showed that in Daniel 7 four beasts arose from the sea. A beast in Bible prophecy represents a kingdom. We can even see that today. We characterize the United States as an eagle, and the Soviet Union as the bear. So it is in Bible prophecy. God used animals to depict certain nations. We saw that the lion represented Babylon, the bear, Medio-Persia, the leopard was Greece, and the dreadful and terrible beast was no other than Rome. Out of this fourth beast, the Roman Empire, ten horns sprouted. A horn in prophecy symbolizes a kingdom also. “The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom.” Daniel 7:24.

In the middle of these ten horns, a little horn comes up and plucks out three of the first horns by the roots. “I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.” Daniel 7:8. This little horn is a kingdom that has a man at its head who speaks “pompous” words. Remember that we saw that the man of sin was to exalt himself above all that is called God. In Revelation 13:5,6, this beast power speaks “great things and blasphemies against God.”

What are two ways that a man can blaspheme against God? Jesus was accused of just such a thing, so we have some criteria to look at to interpret the word blasphemy. In Matthew 9:1-8, Jesus heals a paralytic and more importantly He says to him, “Son, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you.” The scribes who stood around Jesus and heard and saw these things were astounded that a mere man would presume to claim to be able to forgive sin. It is recorded that the said, “And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, ‘This Man blasphemes.” So our first example of blasphemy is for a man to claim to be able to forgive sin. In Luke 5:17-26, we see the same story. Here the scribes and Pharisees blatantly say, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Of course, they were right. No one can forgive sin except God. They failed to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, as the Son of God, and that He had the ability to forgive sin.

The second example we have in regard to blasphemy is in John 8:54-59. Here Jesus makes a statement that even the Jews could figure out. They realized that He was claiming to be the Son of the God of heaven. “Jesus answered, ‘If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. and if I say, “I do not know Him,” I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to Him, ‘you are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’ Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” Jesus claimed to be the great I AM who brought the people out of Egypt, who gave the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. See Exodus 3:10-15. So to claim to be able to forgive sin and the exalt oneself as God are considered to be blaspheme according to the Bible.

We can see that this “little horn/beast power/ man of sin” will claim to be able to forgive sin, claim to be God on earth, and will be involved in religious matters. Notice that this little horn is different than the other horns. “. . . and another shall arise after them (the ten horns); he shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue (pluck out by the roots) three kings.” Daniel 7:24. What shall he try to do? “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.” verse 25.

We see this same thing in Revelation 13:4-8, “So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’ And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Now let us look at some other scriptures that speak about this same power, then we will put it all together. In order to understand the great tribulation, we must first put together some prophecies out of the book of Revelation. Let us first look at some important texts. In Revelation 12 we see a woman dress in the sun, with a garland of twelve stars, and with her feet on the moon. She is giving birth to a child, who was to rule the nations with a rod of iron (Revelation 12:1,2,5). We also see a red dragon with seven heads and ten horns. This dragon tries to destroy the child and then becomes enraged with the woman and makes war with the remnant of her offspring (Revelation 12:3,4,17). We will also note another woman that is riding a beast having seven heads and ten horns. This woman is called a harlot (a defiled woman). She is also drunk with the blood of the saints and of the martyrs of Jesus (Revelation 17:1,3,6).

The Bible Interprets Itself

In the Bible, we let the scriptures interpret themselves. Many times when reading prophecy, the terms that are used are symbolic. We can read in Revelation 1:1 that Jesus, Himself, signified (put into symbols) this book. Let’s first interpret the term woman in the Bible. We can find many places that this terminology is used. In Jeremiah 6:2, speaking of the church of that day, the Lord says, “I have likened the daughter of Zion (the church) to a lovely and delicate woman.” So God describes His church, His true people as a lovely and delicate (pure and holy) woman. Paul says, “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” II Corinthians 11:2.

God’s people are called the bribe of Christ, His wife (Revelation 21:9; 19:7). This pure church is a mother. She gives birth to a child. Jesus was the child to whom the church gave birth. Remember that a church is nothing more than a body of believers. It represents the body of Christ. “And He (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:18. In Old Testament times, the church was the Israelite’s. It was this church that God used to bring Jesus into the world as a man. So a woman represents a church in Bible prophecy. This pure woman in Revelation 12 has a garland of twelve stars on her head. Stars represent “angels” (which means messengers in the Greek). So this church has the twelve apostles as its charter members. This is not speaking of any denomination, but God’s true and faithful.

A Woman in Prophecy

If a pure woman signifies a pure church, then a harlot woman would have to represent a fallen or corrupt church. Notice that this harlot woman in Revelation 17 is “drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” This church is involved in the death of many of God’s people. It is a persecuting power that is call “Mystery, Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots” (verse 5). This church is a mother, too. If a church is called a “mother,” does it stand to reason that she would have offspring? Of course. She would be the mother of other corrupt churches that have taken her doctrines and belief for their own. Now a daughter has her own characteristics, but does she still carry some of her parents’ characteristics also? Most definitely! So it is with these daughter churches. They are not exactly the same as their mother church, but still carry some of the same doctrinal beliefs that she instilled in them.

Notice also that this harlot “sits on many waters.” Revelation 17:1. Water symbolizes people. “Then he said to me, ‘The water which you saw, where the harlot sits, are people, multitudes, nations, and tongues.” Revelation 17:15. This corrupt church does not enjoy the support of God, but takes for itself the support of the world. This church is also called a city. “And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” Revelation 17:18. This harlot church is garbed in special clothing that identifies it. “The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication” (verse 4). So this church sits in the hub of society, is decked out in purple and scarlet and pomp, and she is called a great city.

The Dragon and the Harlot Woman

We also saw a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns in Revelation 12. This dragon symbolizes two entities. First and foremost, it represents Satan, that serpent of old. “So the great dragon was cast out of heaven, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:9. This dragon hated the pure woman of Revelation 12, and hated her child. “His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.” Verse 5. Although the devil is called the dragon, he had to use human agencies to do his dirty work. Who was it that tried to have Christ killed at his birth? Who was it that sent troops into Bethlehem? It was King Herod, who was the Roman authority figure over Judea. See Matthew 2:1,7,16. Who eventually killed Christ on the cross? It was the Roman governor Pilate. See Matthew 27:23-27. So the great red dragon also refers to the Roman power. Jesus’ parents had to take Him to Egypt to secure His life from the power of Rome (Mathew 2:13,14).

This great red dragon also has seven heads and ten horns. We noted earlier that the beast that the harlot woman sits on also has seven heads and ten horns. In Revelation 13:2, we read that the beast with seven heads and ten horns was a composite of beasts and that the “dragon gave him his authority.” So this dragon and beast come from the same source, which is Rome. In Revelation 17:9 it says, “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.” So the seven heads symbolizes seven mountains. We already saw that the harlot was situated where there were many “peoples and nations” and that she was also a city. Where is there a city that sits on seven mountains? “The Tiber (river) divides Rome into two parts, the section on the east bank constituting the oldest and most important part of the city. In this ancient section of the city are the famous ‘Seven Hills,’ which are now only relatively low elevations because of the gradual accumulation of rubbish in the valleys which separate them.” The American Peoples Encyclopedia, Vol. 16, pg. 903.

Rome is the city that sits on seven hills. It is the beast that the woman sits on. During the Dark Ages and Medieval times this constituted the actual city of Rome itself. Today the city that is spoken of here is the city within the city of Rome. The corrupt church sits on (in charge of ) the city, guides and controls this city, which is the Vatican. The Roman Catholic Church rules over the city of the Vatican. It controls its commerce, trade, political, and religious functions. This “beast” is religious as well as political. It is involved in worship (Revelation 13:4,8) and has great political authority (Revelation 13:5,7).

The “Little Horn” Arises

As we discovered earlier in this book, in Daniel 7, we  see this same persecuting power called the “little horn” as it arises from among the ten horns (kingdoms) of Europe. “The ten horns are ten kings (kingdoms) who shall arise from this kingdom (speaking of the fourth kingdom in verse 24,which is the Roman Empire). I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.” Daniel 7:25,8. This “little horn” or “beast” comes up in Europe among the divided Roman Empire. It is “different from the first ones (horns)” and “plucked out by the roots” three of these horns, or kingdoms.

As the Roman Catholic Church rose to power in the 4th and 5th centuries, it began to mold the minds of the people to its false worship if idols and festivals. In the 5th and 6th centuries, it played a major part in causing three kingdoms to be eradicated. The Heruli, the Ostrogoths, and the Vandals, who were Arian in power, rejected the authority of the papacy and was consequently “rooted out” or destroyed. The papacy arose as a religious and political power, and held sway over the Christian world for 1260 years. Before the papacy could have control over Rome, the Emperor hierarchy had to be removed. As long as it was there, the bishop of Rome could not have total control. Paul spoke of this in II Thessalonians 2:2,7 when he says, “And now you know what is restraining, that he (the man of sin/papacy) may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he (the Roman hierarchy of Emperors) who now restrains will do so until he (the Emperor) is taken out of the way.” In 330 AD, Constantine, Emperor of Rome, left Rome to establish his kingdom in Constantinople. He gave his authority the bishop of Rome, the pope. “The removal of the capital of the empire from Rome to Constantinople in 330 AD, left the western church practially free from imperial power, to develop its own form of organization. The Bishop of Rome (pope), in the seat of the Caesars, was now the greatest man in the west, and was soon forced to become the political as well as the spiritual head.” The Rise of the Medieval Church, pg. 168.

As the Roman church continued to gain spiritual influence over the people, it also gained in political power. But full authority was not granted for many years. In 533, Emperor Justinian gave full temporal power to the Church of Rome, yet the pope could not take control until these three tribes of “heretics” were removed from Rome. After the removal of the three kingdoms which were against the papacy, the pope took the throne of Rome in 538 AD. He became the supreme authority in Rome in not only religious matters but also in the political realm. Through his power, he held in check the kings of the nations of Europe. The Roman Catholic Church sent cardinals as advisers and mentors to the kings to “guide them in the way” of the Roman Church.

The “mystery of lawlessness” or the papacy was in its infancy in the days of Paul. He could see its formation and the dangers it presented. He saw that this was to cause a great “falling away” from the straight Bible truths and warned against it several times. There are four warnings, one very specifically speaking of the Roman Church. It is a prophecy of the latter times. “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times (our day) some will depart from the faith (true Biblical doctrine), giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrine of demons (the doctrines of men influenced by Satan), speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry (such as priest and nuns), and commanding to abstain from foods (for certain “holy days” such as Lent) which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” I Timothy 4:1-3.

Paul is worried for the Corithians as he sees this deceptive power creeping into the church. He writes, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted- you may well put up with it!” II Corinthians 11:3,4. Also see Galatians 1:6-9 and Colossians 2:8. Not only Paul, but also Peter warns of these same false doctrines worming its way into the Christian church. “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them (by praying to the “Virgin Mary” for salvation), and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” II Peter 2:1-3.

Pompous Words

From 538 AD to 1798 AD, the papacy had dominion over the earth. Speaking of the papacy, Daniel writes, “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.” Daniel 7:25. This same description is given in Revelation. “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue of forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” Revelation 13:5-7.

Every pope has made the claim that he is infallible, can forgive sin, and the pope is called “God on earth,” which is obvious blaspheme. Here is a quote from The Catholic World, June 1871, pages 422,423, “All dogmatic decrees of the Pope, made with or without his general council, are infallible . . . Once made, no pope or council can reverse them . . . This is the Catholic principle, that the Church cannot err in faith.” “The Pope is infallible . . . (he) cannot err when, as Shepherd and Teacher of all Christians, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals, to be held by the whole church.” A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, pg. 16. You may remember that this current pope has been on record as supporting the theory of evolution. Does this now disprove the story of creation?

In this quote, the pope claims the position of God. “The Pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man, but as it were God, and vicar of God . . .” “The Pope is a it were God on earth, sole sovereign of the faithful of Christ, chief of kings, having plenitude of power, to whom has been entrusted be the omnipotent God direction not only of the earthly but also of the heavenly kingdom . . .” Prompta Bibliotheca, Vol. VI, pp. 25-29. Are we now to bow before the pope instead of the God of heaven? Can a mere man stand in the place of God? If you remember, this is exactly what caused Satan to fall from heaven. He wanted to become as God.

Tribulation

The little horn/beast power will also “persecute the saints” and they will be given into his hands for a time and times and half a time.” He was to “continue for forty-two months.” In Bible prophecy the term “time” stands for a year. In each year, there were 360 days in the Jewish Calendar. In Daniel 7:25, we find a total of three and a half years. By calculating out this by 360, we come up with 1260 days. By using the Bible definition for understanding time prophecies, we find a day represents a year. See Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6. Therefore, we are talking about a 1260-year period of time when the papacy will bring the Christian world under their submission. We can also see this same time prophecy in Revelation 13:5, when speaking of the forty-two months (which equals out to 1260 years). Notice that this tribulation is “great” not only because of persecution, but also because of the great length of time the people on the earth was to endure it.

For 1260 years (from 538 to 1798) the papacy was to wield its sword of persecution over all whom would not obey its authority. Christian people like the Albigenses and Waldenses were ruthlessly hunted down and murdered because they would not pledge their allegiance to the authority of the Roman Church and the pope. These people held to the belief that God’s people would honor Him by “keeping the commandments and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. ” ‘They shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and three-score days, clothed in sackcloth.’ During the greater part of this period, God’s witnesses remained in a state of obscurity. The papal power sought to hide from the people the word of truth, and set before them false witnesses to contradict its testimony. (See Appendix.) When the Bible was proscribed by religious and secular authority; when its testimony was perverted, and every effort made that men and demons could invent to turn the minds of the people from it; when those who dared proclaim its sacred truths were hunted, betrayed, tortured, buried in dungeon cells, martyred for their faith, or compelled to flee to mountain fastnesses, and to dens and caves of the earth–then the faithful witnesses prophesied in sackcloth. Yet they continued their testimony throughout the entire period of 1260 years. In the darkest times there were faithful men who loved God’s word and were jealous for His honor. To these loyal servants were given wisdom, power, and authority to declare His truth during the whole of this time.” Great Controversy, pg. 267.

During the Dark Ages and Middle Ages, it has been estimated that over 50,000,000 people were killed because they would not submit to the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. The papacy was in the business of subjugating the people. It tried to control how and when they worshiped. Over the next 1750 years, after the death of Christ, first the Roman Empire, then the Roman Church dictated whom, how, and when a person should worship. In 321 AD, Constantine created the first Sunday law of worship. This was not a Christian day of worship. Far from it! It was called the “Venerable Day of the Sun.” All who did not worship as the emperor dictated would be killed. This day of worship was then adopted into the Roman Catholic Church who, through persecution, initiated it into the Christian world. For centuries Christians fought against this change in God’s law. They died for their faith and continued to worship on the Sabbath in the face of certain death. Remember that in Daniel 7:25 it says, “he will think to change times and law.”

This time period of 1260 years is of eminent importance. It is so important to God that in Revelation 11-13, He speaks of it five times. It is also spoken of in Daniel 7. This is not just a short time period of persecution. This is quite lengthy. It is the same period of time Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:21,22, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” Notice that Jesus said that if these days of persecution were not shortened, none of His people would have been alive. This is how serious the persecution of these 1260 years became.

The massive martyrdom of God’s people and even those who were just suspected, as heretics were tortured, maimed, and killed. Many people were burned at the stake for their faith or spent their life in prison. In Revelation 6, this time period is documented. “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held” (verse 9). “Thousands were imprisoned and slain, but others sprang up to fill their places. And those who were martyred for their faith were secured to Christ and accounted of Him as conquerors. They had fought the good fight, and they were to receive the crown of glory when Christ should come. The sufferings, which they endured, brought Christians nearer to one another and to their Redeemer. Their living example and dying testimony were a constant witness for the truth; and where least expected, the subjects of Satan were leaving his service and enlisting under the banner of Christ.” Great Controversy, pg. 42.

These people were killed because they held fast to the word of God. They were those who went through the 1260 years of papal persecution. In Revelation 6:11, they are symbolically asking the Lord when their deaths will be avenged, and the Lord told them that another time of trouble was to come upon the earth before the end of time. “Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was complete” (verse 11).

We see that there will be another time of trouble that will result in the death of many people, but that this troubled time is not the “great tribulation” that is spoken of in Daniel 7, and Revelation 13:1-10. In Revelation 7:13,14, one of the elders tells John that this first group who are given the white robes are the one who came out of that great tribulation. “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, ‘Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?’ And I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’ So he said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

In Matthew 24:22, the Lord promised that He would not allow His people to be totally exterminated by this persecuting power. In the late 15th and early 16th centuries when the Protestant movement went forth, God granted His people new light to bring them out of the papal darkness they have been in for over 1000 years. Vigilantly, Martin Luther, the great German reformer, using the Word of God, spiritually fought against the papacy and eventually proclaimed the pope and the Roman Church as antichrist. He protested against the evils of the Roman Catholic Church that he had been a part of for so many years. He saw the abuses, and the false ideology of this pagan religion wrapped in the garb of Christianity. He saw that the identifying marks in the Bible that spoke of the antichrist pointed right at the papal power.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, God opened a new haven for His people. He gave them a refuge from the persecuting power of the papacy in the form of the New World. America became the home for thousands who fled from the tyranny of Europe and the Roman Catholic Church to establish a country where religious freedom was a right and not a privilege. Here the papacy also tried to gain a foothold, but Catholicism was not welcome in the New World north of Mexico in the early years. In 1798, Berthier, general to Napoleon, marched into Italy and captured the pope. The general imprisoned the pope, who later died in prison. From 538 AD to 1798 AD, exactly 1260 years later, the papacy fell and the “Great Tribulation” ended.

“Deadly Wound” healed

It was said that the papacy would never be a power to reckon with again, but someone didn’t study the prophecies of the Bible. “And I saw one of his heads wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.” Revelation 13:3. In 1929, Mussolini, dictator of Italy, gave the papacy the land to build a city within the city of Rome. He also gave them back their temporal power to govern. The “deadly wound” was healed and the papacy began to gain power and dominion over the earth again.

In World War II, the papacy endorsed Hitler’s grab for power and supported him behind the scenes. Cardinal Pacelli, who later became Pope Pius XII, can be seen in photographs presenting Hitler with the backing of the Roman Catholic Church in the form of the concordat between the Vatican and the Nazi party. Hitler was Catholic after all and was pushing forward Roman Catholic ideals and policies. He made this statement: “I reject that book by Rosenberg. It was written by a Protestant. It is not a party book . . . as a Catholic I never feel comfortable in the evangelical church or its structures . . . as for the Jews, I am just carrying on with the same policy which the Catholic Church has adopted for fifteen hundred years, when it has regarded the Jews as dangerous and pushed them into ghettos, etc., because it knew what the Jews were like. I don’t put race above religion, but I do see the danger in the representatives of this race for church and state, and perhaps I am doing Christianity a great service.” The Nazi Persecution of the Churches by J.S. Conway, pp. 25,26,162.

It was the Church who systematically condemned Jews for years and did all in their power to put up divisions between Christians and Jews. Remember that it was the Roman government, with the help of the Jews, who crucified Christ on the cross, and they have tried to use to Jews as a scapegoat and separate themselves from anything “Jewish” ever since. Rome is still Rome. It does not change its policies, just its outward subterfuge. When a building is given a face-lift it does not change the inside operation. This is the same with Rome.

While supporting Hitler, they also were involved in hiding Jews so it could be said that they were immersed in “humanitarian” concerns. The papacy has always played both sides of the fence and has continued the practice today. In Eastern Europe, the papacy has stirred up religious conflicts in the Balkan States and Serbia, who happen to be Greek Orthodox and not Catholic. This “beast” of a power is reemerging again today as a player in world events. It is the only church that has a representative to the United Nations and sends ambassadors to other countries. This “harlot” church is again preparing for world domination through political agencies and puppet powers. It stays behind the scenes pulling the strings of nations and countries, political and religious organizations, and will soon be worshiped through the “image of the beast.”

The Great Tribulation lasted 1260 years, and was shortened as Christ predicted. The last few remaining years out of the 1260-year prophecy were relatively free from persecution. But Jesus did warn of a soon coming time of trouble for everyone who will live at the end of time. It will not be a lengthy tribulation as was the Great Tribulation. It will last just a short time. This time of trouble will happen shortly before the coming of Christ to redeem His people. “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book (of Life).” Daniel 12:1.

End Time Persecution

This will be the end time persecution which Jesus talks about in Revelation 13:11-18, and again we see the papacy emerging to be worshiped with a death decree hanging over everyone’s head who does not comply. “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.”

We read in Revelation 6:11 that many will be martyred in this last conflict with the beast, yet many will stand for the truth of God’s word. Many who once scorned the Bible and the love of God will be turned from sin and become a mighty force for the truth of God. One Bible writer describes the events of the victory of God’s saints this way. “Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. Next are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith. And beyond is the ‘great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, . . . before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.’ Revelation 7:9. Their warfare is ended, their victory won. They have run the race and reached the prize. The palm branch in their hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an emblem of the spotless righteousness of Christ which now is theirs.” The Great Controversy, pg. 665.

There are serious times ahead of us whether we stand for God, or take the mark of the beast. One may cause our physical death, but we will receive the gift of eternal life. The other will give us momentary peace, but will eventually cause us great pain and eternal death. If we are to survive the coming time of trouble, we must take lessons from those who weathered the 1260 years of the Great Tribulation. They remained strong in the Lord, not giving heed to the devil, his doctrines, his enticements, or his earthly agents. They are those who are spoken of in Revelation 12:11. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

We can have this same experience if we put our trust in God above. We, too, can overcome and be counted as one of God’s true and faithful. Are you willing to give your heart to the One who gave all for you? Are you willing to lay your life on the line for Jesus? He gives this promise to all who will follow Him. “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:15,16.

Appendix:

The Biblical Identifying Marks of Antichrist

  1. The little horn is Antichrist: “speaks great words against the Most High.” Daniel 7:25
  2. The Antichrist arises among the 10 horns, the 10 divisions of the Roman empire Daniel 7:8 The Antichrist
  3. In the process of arising, uproots 3 of the original horns (the 3 who were uprooted were the kingdoms of Odoacer, or Heruli, (A.D. 493) the Ostrogoths (A.D. 538) and the Vandals (A.D. 534)
  4. At the beginning of his time of civil power he was a little horn–smaller than the others.
  5. This Antichrist power has a human leader, “were eyes like the eyes of a man.” Daniel 7:8
  6. This Antichrist power makes great claims. Daniel 7:8; 25
  7. This power became greater than any of the other horns or kingdoms of Europe. Daniel 7:20
  8. This antichrist power persecuted the saints and overcame or destroyed them. Daniel 7:21, 25 (see also Revelation 13:7)
  9. The little horn power would come into power after the first 10 horns had already divided up the Roman Empire (which occurred from A.D. 351 to A.D. 476).
  10. This antichrist power would attempt to change times and laws (Daniel 7:25). He would teach people to break God’s law by saying that the original law had been changed (by himself).
  11. This antichrist power would continue to exist until the court of God’s judgement would execute sentence against it and consume and destroy it. Daniel 7:26
  12. This same antichrist power is spoken of in II Thessalonians 2 and we know again that it is antichrist because it says, “who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God; or that is worshiped so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” II Thessalonians 2:4
  13. This power is called the man of sin (breaking the law I John 3:4) and the son of destruction and the lawless one, so it is a power that teaches people to break God’s law and breaks the law himself. II Thessalonians 2:3, 8
  14. This power exalts itself above all that is called God or that is worshiped. II Thessalonians 2:4
  15. He considers himself to be as God: “he sits as God.” II Thessalonians 2:4
  16. He sits “in the temple of God” or in other words, the antichrist would arise out of the apostolic Christian church because the church is the temple of God (see Ephesians 2:11-22 and I Corinthians 3:16, 17.) (It has been forgotten by most, but the early Christians knew that the antichrist would arise out of the church.)
  17. The antichrist has its roots in the apostolic church because in speaking of the antichrist power Paul says, “the mystery of lawlessness does already work.” II Thessalonians 2:7. So, the roots of the antichrist power were present and working already in the days of the apostles.
  18. When the Roman Caesar was taken out of the way, then the antichrist power, who had its roots back in the days of the apostles, was to be manifested openly: “he who now restrains (the Roman Caesar who was worshiped as a God and would not allow another to be worshiped, even killing Christians for worshipping another Lord) will do so until He is taken out of the way (A.D. 330-476) and then the lawless one (the antichrist) will be revealed.
  19. When the Lord comes, the Lord will consume the antichrist power with the breath of His mouth and will destroy the antichrist power with the brightness of His coming. II Thessalonians 2:8. The antichrist power will not continue for 3 ½ years or 7 years beyond the coming of the Lord as many people think. Rather, when the Lord comes the antichrist power (which has been in existence since the days of the apostles and became openly manifested to the world after the demise of the Roman Empire) will be destroyed.
  20. Since the antichrist power has its roots in the days of the apostles (see above) and since it will not be destroyed until the Lord comes (II Thessalonians 2:8) and since the Lord has not returned yet, we know that the antichrist power must be in the world today.
  21. The antichrist power will work with all manner of power, signs, and lying wonders. (II Thessalonians 2:9) There will be many miracles and therefore we cannot depend on miracles for evidence of anything in the realm of religion or faith.
  22. The antichrist will develop as a consequence of a great apostasy in the Christian church. II Thessalonians 2:3
  23. The day of the Lord will not come until the antichrist power has arisen first as a result of the great apostasy. II Thessalonians 2:1-3
  24. The beast power in Revelation 13:1-10 is the antichrist power, because it says concerning this power in verse 6, “he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.” Revelation 13:6
  25. The antichrist power received his throne (seat of government), power, and great authority from the dragon. The dragon represents primarily the devil, but secondarily the Pagan Roman empire. (see Revelation 12:1-5)
  26. The antichrist power has to do with religion because people worship it. Revelation 13:4
  27. The antichrist power has elements from Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and the pagan Roman Empire within it. Revelation 13:2. The common denominator of all these ancient powers was that none of them allowed religious liberty to their subjects. (See Daniel 3, 6, and the history of the Jews under the Ptolemies and Seleucid kings and the history of the Maccabees and the history of the early Christian church.) In addition to intolerance, all of these powers have in common, the worship of men and other creatures, see Romans 1; Daniel 3, Daniel 6 etc.
  28. The antichrist power arose from the sea. (Revelation 17:15) In other words, in a populated area of the world.
  29. This antichrist power obviously has kingly power, because his horns have crowns on them. Revelation 13:1
  30. The Antichrist power receives a deadly wound, and it appears that it will not survive. Revelation 13:3
  31. The deadly wound to the antichrist power is healed. Revelation 13:3
  32. After the deadly wound is healed, all the world will marvel and follow after the antichrist power. Revelation 13:3
  33. The antichrist power will appear so powerful during this time, that it will be thought that nobody can resist or make war with the antichrist power. Revelation 13:4
  34. The antichrist power has a blasphemous name. Revelation 13:1. The name that this power has which is blasphemous is the name of Christ. Although it is a power that is against Christ, it bears the name of Christ. The word “antichrist” means somebody or something who stands in the place of Christ, the Latin word which is equivalent to the Greek word “anti” is the word “vicar.” That which is blasphemous about the name is the fact that it claims to be of Christ, when actually this power is fighting Christ in the person of His saints and representatives. By bearing the name of Christ and acting out the policy of the dragon, this power does blasphemy to its name.
  35. The antichrist power is given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. Revelation 13:5
  36. This antichrist power was given authority to continue for 42 months. Revelation 13:5. Or in other words, 1260 prophetic days or 1260 literal years.
  37. This power blasphemes four things: God, God’s name, God’s sanctuary or temple, and those who dwell in heaven. Revelation 13:6
  38. The antichrist would be given authority over every tribe, language, and nation. Or in other words, it would be both a world power and a super-power because it would have authority over all nations and languages. Revelation 13:7
  39. All who dwell on the earth who are not saved, will worship this power. Revelation 13:8
  40. This antichrist power, who leads the saints into captivity and martyrdom, will itself be led into captivity and to the sword. Revelation 13:10
  41. The antichrist has a number and it is the number of a man, and that number is 666. Revelation 13:18
  42. The antichrist power has an identifying mark. Revelation 13:15-17, Revelation 14:9-11. This identifying mark is His attempt to change times and laws (Daniel 7:25). This mark is to be enforced on all the world by an oppressive law that will not allow any man to buy or sell unless he has either the mark of the beast or worships his image or has the name of the beast. The people at the grocery store will be able to tell whether you have the mark of the antichrist or not.
  43. In the last generation anybody who worships this antichrist power will lose eternal life and be cast into hell-fire. Revelation 14:9-11
  44. In the last days, an image of the antichrist power is formed by the two-horned beast (something that looks just like the antichrist,) and this image will cooperate with the antichrist, and all the world will be commanded to worship it. Revelation 13: 12-17
  45. Those who do not receive the mark of the beast or worship his image or receive his mark are described as those who “keep the commandments of God” and “the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 15:2. So we know that receiving the mark of the beast involves breaking the commandments of God and not keeping the faith of Jesus, and we know that the commandment that is broken as a mark of the beast’s authority, is the commandment concerning time. (Daniel 7:25)

Sources:

  • J.T.C., Smokescreens
  • White, E.G., Great Controversy
  • J.S. Conway, The Nazi Persecution of the Churches pp. 25,26,162
  • Prompta Bibliotheca, Vol. VI, pp. 25-29.
  • The Catholic World, June 1871, pages 422,423
  • A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, pg. 16
  • The American Peoples Encyclopedia, Vol. 16, pg. 903.
  • Wells, Michael C., The End of War and Injustice
  • Wilkinson, B.G., Truth Triumphant
  • The Rise of the Medieval Church, pg. 168

All Bible references are taken from the New King James Bible unless otherwise indicated.

If you would like to reprint or translate this book, please contact Steps to Life for permission.

Copyright ©1999 by Steps to Life

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The Two Marks

by Cody Francis

The Two MarksThe mark of the beast—it strikes terror into the hearts of all who hear it, and rightly so. The most fearful warning in all of the Bible is given against receiving the mark of the beast, but did you know that the mark of the beast is not the only mark recorded in Revelation? There are actually two marks, and your destiny hinges upon which mark you receive. There is so much said about the mark of the beast, but the more important of the two marks is God’s mark—the seal of the Living God. Do you know the difference between these two marks? Do you know which one you will have? Do you know how you can be certain to have God’s mark and not the beast’s mark? The only way that you will be able to know the answers to these most important questions is through the Word of God. What does the Bible say about this life and death question, the two marks?

There have always been two marks in the Word of God—a mark upon the righteous and a mark upon the disobedient. The concept of two marks goes all the way back to Cain and Abel. When Cain became angry and slew Abel, the Lord put a mark upon him. This mark was not a desirable mark, but it was still a mark that was put upon rebellious Cain. “And the Lord said to him, ‘Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.’ And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.” Genesis 4:15. Just a few years outside of the Garden of Eden, a mark is placed upon disobedient Cain. This was not God’s mark, marking one of His faithful and true children, but this was the mark of a murderer. It was a mark of transgression against God’s law. The idea of a mark is not something new to the book of Revelation; it starts in Genesis and continues throughout the entire Bible.

A mark upon both the righteous and the wicked and the fate of each is clearly portrayed in the story of the exodus from Egypt. This account of the children of Israel being delivered from Egypt is the very story that the latter scenes of Revelation are based upon. There are the two groups of people—those who were following and obeying God and those who were following the customs and traditions of men. The children of Israel had a sign or mark of deliverance upon their houses, so that the angel of death would pass by. “For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.” Exodus 12:23. Thus it was for the people of God. For those who followed and obeyed the directions of the Lord, they were preserved from the destroying angel. But it was only those who had God’s mark of deliverance that were saved. If there were any of the children of Israel who did not have God’s mark, they were not protected, but rather their firstborn perished with the disobedient. The Egyptians also had a mark, but this mark did not save them, it marked their destruction. “And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock.” Exodus 12:29. It was a mark of death. Why did they have this mark of death? It was because they did not receive God’s mark of deliverance. All who refuse or neglect God’s mark of protection will receive the mark of death as the Egyptians did. It was not that the Egyptians did not know. They knew. Moses and Aaron had faithfully warned Pharaoh and the news had trickled down the to the ear of the lowliest servant. There were even those who had joined the Israelites and had been preserved, and these individuals became a part of the “mixed multitude.” Exodus 12:38. There were two marks then, and there are two marks now.

As marks are a symbol that is used throughout the Scriptures, it becomes the climax and the focal point of the book of Revelation. Just as in the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt there were two marks, so in the final deliverance of God’s people from this wicked world there will be two distinct marks. There will be the mark of disobedience that the Egyptians had, and there will be the mark of deliverance that God’s true people will have. “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.’” Revelation 14:9, 10. The same mark of disobedience that both Cain and the Egyptians received, in the last days is called “the mark of the beast,” and the results will be the same as in Egypt. In Egypt, it was death to the firstborn, in the last scenes of this earth’s history it will be death to all who receive this dreadful mark. The mark of the beast is not the only mark; there is the seal of the living God. “Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, ‘Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.’” Revelation 7:2, 3. Those who receive the mark of the beast receive the most awful judgments ever threatened upon mankind, but those who have the seal of the living God are miraculously preserved from the terrible judgments that devastate this world. “They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” Revelation 9:4. If you did not understand the difference between God’s seal of protection and the devil’s mark of destruction during the plagues of Egypt, you would have received the mark of destruction and been lost. So today, if we do not understand this most important topic of the two marks, we will inevitably be lost. The world is going to be brought to a choice just as the country of Egypt was brought to a choice. Who will you serve? Then only the country of Egypt was affected, but today it will be the whole world. (See Revelation 13:3.) Everyone will be brought to a choice—which mark will you receive? There are only two; it will be one or the other.

God’s Mark

It is important to note that marks are usually symbolic. “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.” Psalm 37:37. The Lord had given direction to mark the perfect man. This mark was not a literal brand that he received, but a mark of character. Marks are usually symbolic, and this is certainly true with God’s mark. It is a mark of character, a mark of the heart. The Lord looks deeper than man does. Man is always looking to externals, but God does not look at the external appearances, God’s eyes pierce into the very depths and intents of the heart and soul. “And the Lord said to him, ‘Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.’” Ezekiel 9:4. The Lord commands one of the angels to put a mark upon the men who are sighing and crying for the abominations. This mark is put on by an angel, not by a man. This mark is read by angels, not by men. This mark is marking “the perfect man.” It is a mark of character; not a literal brand burned into the forehead. God’s mark of deliverance is a symbolic mark.

“Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always…. Therefore you shall keep every commandment which I command you today, that you may be strong, and go in and possess the land which you cross over to possess… And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul… Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” Deuteronomy 11:1, 8, 13, 18. The Lord says exactly what His sign or mark is. It is obedience to God’s Ten Commandments. Clearly not a literal mark, but a mark of character. Just like David said, “mark the perfect man” (See Psalm 37:37) so he also says, “The law of the Lord is perfect,” Psalm 19:7. James also agrees calling the Ten Commandments, “the perfect law of liberty.” James 1:25; 2:11. In order to be marked as a perfect man, you must be keeping that perfect law of liberty, or the Ten Commandments. It is obedience to this holy law that is a sign on our hands and upon our foreheads that we are God’s people. God looks deeper than mere external ornaments; He looks into the heart to see if a person is living in obedience to the holy Ten-Commandment law. If an individual is obeying the law of liberty, God knows that He can trust him, and so He puts his mark or seal upon him. “It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt.” Exodus 13:9. Even in the children of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, they knew that the mark of deliverance was obedience to God’s Ten-Commandment law.

God’s mark of deliverance is obedience to His Law. It is a sign upon the hand and on the forehead. The Pharisees in Jesus’ day took this completely literal. They tied portions of the law around their head and on their hands so that they would have that actual sign, but Jesus rebuked them for relying upon the external requirements and not allowing the real meaning to occur. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Matthew 23:27, 28. Jesus sternly rebuked those who fulfilled the letter of the law, but not the spirit. They hung God’s mark on the outside, but inside they were not keeping it. Jesus said that even though they hung these portions of the law upon them, they were lawless. Simply hanging the sign on the outside is not God’s true mark. God’s true mark is having His law in our forehead and in our hand. The forehead is where our thought process occurs. God wants His law, not on the outside, but inside our forehead. He wants His law in our thoughts and in our minds. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly… but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1, 2. Those who have God’s mark in their foreheads are the ones who think upon God’s law. By having God’s mark on the hand is represented actually doing God’s Law. With our hands we work and do all of our actions. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might,” Ecclesiastes 9:10. So those who not just think about the Law, but who do it, are the ones who receive God’s true mark of deliverance. “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14. Those who think and meditate upon God’s Law with their minds and who do His commandments with their hands have God’s mark of deliverance.

Obedience to God’s holy Law is what has continually distinguished between the children of God and the children of this world. With Cain and Abel this difference is seen, and prophecy teaches that it will be the distinguishing mark in the future, as well. Abel obeyed the Lord by following His directions, while Cain did what he wanted and not what God had said. As a result of Cain’s disobedience, the Lord said, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.” Genesis 4:7. Cain disobeyed and his children followed his lawless example. Thus, there were the descendants of Cain and the descendants of Seth, those who disobeyed and those who obeyed. The distinguishing mark continues through Abraham’s time. “Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Genesis 26:5. Abraham obeyed God’s commandments and was honored for His obedience. Through all time, obedience to God’s Law has been the mark that divides God’s true people from His disloyal subjects. Especially in our time, at the close of this earth’s history, God’s Law becomes a distinguishing mark. “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17. The very last remnant of God’s people is described again as obedient to the commandments. Clear to the close of time this mark of obedience is in affect. Obedience to God’s commandments is a line of demarcation distinguishing between those who are truly following Jesus and those who are not.

God’s Sign or Seal

Obedience to God’s Holy Law is what has marked God’s people from the very beginning, but there is a special part of God’s Law that is designated as His special sign or seal of obedience. It is this seal that God’s last day people receive. “After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, ‘Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.’ And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:” Revelation 7:1-4. The children of Israel represent God’s faithful people in the last days just as they have represented God’s faithful people from the beginning of time. (Romans 2:28, 29; Galatians 3:7, 9, 14, 26-29; Ephesians 2:12-16; James 1:1) Simply stated, the one hundred and forty-four thousand are God’s faithful people at the end of time. (For more information see Steps to Life’s booklet, The Rapture and Israel’s Future.) They receive the seal of the living God in their foreheads. While obedience to the commandments is the mark that distinguishes God’s faithful people, what is the special seal? The Bible does say that there is a seal within the Ten Commandments. “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Isaiah 8:16.

A seal was something that was very common to all of the Biblical writers, for it was something that was repeatedly used in ancient times. In order for a king to make a law, he would have the law written and then put his seal upon the Law so that all would know that he had indeed signed it into law. It was like putting his signature or fingerprint upon it. When his subjects saw the seal, all knew that they had to obey it and that it was an authentic seal. Frequently this seal was a signet ring or a cylinder. “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet ring on My right hand, yet I would pluck you off;’” Jeremiah 22:24, margin. In order to be an authentic seal, it needed to have three essential elements—name, title and dominion. An example of a seal is found in Daniel 4:1, “Nebuchadnezzar, the king, to all peoples, nations and languages that dwell in all the earth:” Nebuchadnezzar is writing an official decree to his subjects and he begins it with his seal. It has his name—“Nebuchadnezzar.” It contains his title—“the king.” It has his dominion—“all peoples, nations, and languages.” Nebuchadnezzar was the king of the entire world. Thus when people read the official document they would see Nebuchadnezzar’s seal containing his name, title and dominion. They would know that this was something that they needed to heed. Another example of a seal is given in Ezra 7:12, 13, 21, “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of heaven: Perfect peace, and so forth. I issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm, who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem may go with you…. And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, do issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the region beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, let it be done diligently.” Once again the three essential elements to a seal are seen—Artaxerxes, king of kings, and people of Israel and those beyond the River. This was a specialized law that only applied to the children of Israel and to those beyond the river, but it shows again the three essential parts to any seal—the name, title, and dominion.

God as the true king and ruler of this world also has a seal. This seal can be seen several places in the Bible, so that we can know that God has put His official seal upon His Holy Word. The first place that this seal appears is the very first verse in the Bible. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1. Notice that there are the three essential elements in this verse. The Lord’s name—“God.” His title—“created.” He is the creator and that is why He has the right to give us a Book of Directions, the Bible. His dominion—“heavens and the earth.” In the very first verse in the Bible, God stamps His seal upon it, by giving His name, title and dominion. The very first verse of the Bible contains the seal of God, showing that the entire Bible is His Word to us. God’s seal is also in the last book of the Bible. “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’” Revelation 14:6, 7. God records the last worldwide messages that are to go to the entire world, and in the midst of it He stamps His seal. His name—God. His title—Creator, for he made heaven and earth. His dominion—heaven and earth and sea. This last message that is to go to all the world bears God’s stamp and seal showing that it is His message.

“Seal the law among my disciples.” Isaiah 8:16. There are several places where God’s seal is seen, but the focal point must be in the law, for His Law must be sealed. While the entire Bible is God’s Book, the Law is the most official document ever given and to be valid must contain His seal. If the seal was broken or missing on an earthly king’s law, it was known that the law did not need to be honored, for it was a counterfeit. So if the seal is taken out of God’s Law then the entire Law becomes void. What is the seal in the Law? “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11. There is only one commandment in the entire Law that contains the essential elements to a seal. It is the Sabbath commandment. In verse 10, is found the Lord’s name—the Lord your God. In verse 11, is seen the Lord’s title—the Creator, for he made the heaven and the earth. In the same verse is also seen the Lord’s dominion—the heavens and the earth and the sea. The fourth commandment is the only commandment that contains God’s seal. It is the fourth commandment that binds up the testimony and seals the Law. (See Isaiah 8:16.) The seventh day Sabbath is the seal of the Living God.

“Hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.” Ezekiel 20:20. The Lord has said that the Sabbath is the sign between God and His people. It is the sign that clearly distinguishes them from the world, but more than this is meant by this verse. Sign and seal are synonymous terms is the Scriptures. The very fact that the seal was frequently applied with a signet (signing) ring testifies to this fact. There is a verse showing this without a doubt, “and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised,” Romans 4:11. The sign of circumcision was the seal of righteousness by faith. Sign and seal are used interchangeably. Thus, when the Lord says that the Sabbath is a sign, He is saying that the Sabbath is His seal! “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is sign [seal] between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you…. It is a sign [seal] between Me and the children of Israel [God’s people throughout all time, Hebrews 4:9] forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.” “Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign [seal] between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.” Exodus 31:13, 17; Ezekiel 20:12. The seventh day Sabbath is the seal of the Living God!

While obedience to the entire Law is a distinguishing mark between the people of God and children of the devil, the Sabbath commandment is the specially designated sign, or seal, that marks them as His people. While the entire world is willfully violating the fourth commandment of keeping holy the seventh day as the Sabbath, God will have a people who receive His seal in their foreheads. (Revelation 7:3.) He will have a people who will keep the Sabbath no matter what the rest of the world is doing. Prophecy has predicted that almost the entire world would bow down and worship the beast in the last days. “I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.” Revelation 13:3. But God’s people will stand up against the prevailing tide of lawlessness just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego did twenty-five hundred years ago. They will “call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words.” Isaiah 58:13. Although the entire world is breaking the Sabbath by worshipping on the first day of the week (Sunday) instead of the seventh day of the week (Saturday), they will hold fast to “the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. Because they keep holy God’s seventh day Sabbath and refuse to break God’s Holy Law, they are sealed by the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 4:30.) They have the seal of God (the keeping of the seventh day Sabbath) and are preserved from the threatened judgments. The Devil’s Mark

The devil attempts to counterfeit everything that God has done. There are numerous examples of this and many pages could be written on this topic; but it is sufficient to say that he is “a liar and the father of it.” John 8:44. He is the biggest copycat the world has ever known, and he has counterfeited God’s true mark, as well. He has set up a mark that is as close to the true as possible, but is just far enough off to deceive millions into being lost. “Then a third angel followed them saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength 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. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.’ Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:9-12. The devil’s mark is referred to throughout the book of Revelation as the “mark of the beast.” As we have previously noted, God’s mark is a mark of character and not a literal brand. It only makes sense that the mark of the beast would be the same. “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” I Samuel 16:7. Man always looks to the outside. The nicest house, the nicest car, the nicest clothes, but forgets the inward adornment of the heart. It is the same way with the mark of the beast. Man thinks of a brand, a computer chip, a credit card, but these are outward appearances. God does not look at the outward appearance. God’s mark is not an outward sign or seal; it is a decision of the heart and mind. Since the devil has counterfeited God’s mark, he has not counterfeited it as an outward sign, but as a decision of the heart. (The devil may use some of these outward signs, but it is not the Biblical mark of the beast.)

There is another way that we know for sure that the mark of the beast cannot be some outward sign. We know that whoever receives the mark of the beast will be lost—bar none. There are no exceptions to the Loud Cry of the Third Angel. This has led many mothers to ask me a question, “What if my child is too young to understand and they are forced to receive the mark of the beast?” This would indeed be a problem if the mark of the beast were an outward sign. A person could be physically forced to receive a sign that they did not want, and then would be arbitrarily lost. Does that sound like a God of love and mercy to you? Absolutely not! But the mark of the beast is not an external sign that someone can be forced to receive. It is a decision of the heart, just like the mark of God is a decision of the heart. No one can force another person to make a decision. They may coerce, but they cannot force you, or anyone else, to make a choice. God gives all a choice. The mark of the beast, like every other sin, is a choice. (I John 3:4; James 4:17.) It is a decision that each person must make; it is not a brand, computer chip, or a card.

The Beast’s Mark

Some individuals have mistakenly gotten the idea that the mark of the beast is 666. It is true that 666 is the number of the beast (see Revelation 13:18), but the number and the mark are not synonymous. “And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over the mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” Revelation 15:2. There are four distinct things that the people of God are going to be victorious over, the beast, his image, his mark, and his number. Obviously, from this verse we can see that the mark and the number are two different things. What we are concerned with is his mark. What is it and how can it be avoided?

There are three basic descriptions of the beast power. They are found in Revelation 13, II Thessalonians 2, and Daniel 7. A different aspect of this power is given in each of these passages, but they are similar enough to know that it is the same power that is being described. There is one mark that is continuous through all three. It is the most blasphemous and presumptuous mark of all. This continuous thread is that the beast power is lawless. “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.” Daniel 7:25. Under the symbol of the little horn, the beast power is described. There are over ten points in this chapter alone that conclusively identify who this power is, but the most blasphemous of all is that he intends to change times and law. This power exalts himself so much above God that he intentionally claims to change God’s holy Law. Of course, he could not really change God’s Law for the Bible says, “I am the Lord, I do not change;” Malachi 3:6. God’s Law cannot really be changed for it is a transcript of God’s very own character, and He does not change. Jesus said, “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 16:17. It would be more likely that both heaven and earth would melt away than for the smallest part of God’s Law to be done away with, but this is exactly what this bold and blasphemous Little Horn does. He is indeed a lawless power. Notice that in Revelation this power is guilty of breaking the first commandment, “So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’” Revelation 13:4. The beast is worshiped as God; thus, breaking not only the first, but the second commandment as well. He puts himself in the place of God and sets himself up as an idol to be worshiped. His ruthless violation of God’s law does not stop here, though. “Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. And it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue and nation.” Revelation 13:6, 7. He breaks the third commandment by blaspheming God’s name and is guilty of breaking the sixth commandment by making war with God’s true people. Truly this is a lawless power. The mark of the beast is most clearly described by Paul, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition… For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,” II Thessalonians. 2:3, 7-9. Three times in this passage the beast power is referred to as the lawless one. The beast not only breaks the law himself, but he intentionally changes God’s law and leads others to break God’s holy law. He is called the “man of sin.” “Sin is the transgression of the law.” I John 3:4, KJV. He is the man of lawlessness. Wherever the beast is described his specific mark is breaking God’s law. Throughout scripture the mark of the beast is disobedience to God’s holy law.

God’s mark is obedience to His law and the beast’s mark is disobedience to God’s law. They are not literal brands or computer chips that people receive, but rather a decision of who you are going to obey that is the identifying mark as to which side you are on. Those who follow the beast are described as lawless and those who refuse the mark of the beast are described as commandment keepers. “Then a Third Angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God…’ Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:9, 10, 12. Here two groups of people are described, as is frequently done in Revelation. One group receives the mark of the beast. The other group keeps the commandments of God. Those who do not receive the mark of the beast are the ones who have been obedient to all of God’s commandments. Those who receive the mark of the beast are those who have broken the commandments. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.’ Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23. Jesus here describes those who are deceived into following the beast power. They think that they are saved. They have done all of these miraculous signs, but they are still lost. Why? Because they followed the lawless beast power. They have broken God’s law, thinking that it was unimportant and done away with, and now when they come face to face with their Maker; they realize too late that they have received the mark of the beast and are lost. The mark of the beast is much more deceptive than what many people think. It is simply breaking God’s Law.

The Bible zeros in even further and pinpoints the commandment that those who receive the mark of the beast are breaking. “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law.” Daniel 7:25. Prophecy states that this power will intentionally change times and law. There is only one commandment in the Ten Commandments that deals with time. That one commandment is the fourth commandment, the Sabbath commandment. It specifically states which day is the Sabbath, the seventh day. You can search every word in all other nine commandments and not find another word mentioning time. The only commandment that could possibly fit the description of times and law is the Sabbath commandment. Has some despotic power presumptuously changed the Sabbath commandment? Prophecy is fulfilled! Have you ever wondered why the entire world is worshipping on Sunday, the first day of the week, when the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, is the day mentioned in the Bible? It seems strange doesn’t it? Why would the entire world be going directly contrary to God’s Ten Commandment Law? The answer is because some power has attempted to tamper with God’s Holy Law There is a power that claims that it was the one responsible for this most blasphemous act of attempting to change God’s Law. “Question: Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to institute festivals of precept? Answer: Had she not had such power 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.” An Abridgement of Christian Doctrine, 58. Ages ago, the early church leaders thought that it would be advantageous to the growth of the church to mix some pagan ideas with Christianity. The supposed change of the Sabbath is one of the reminders of that great apostasy. “The sun was a foremost god with heathendom… hence the church… would seem to have said, ‘Keep that old pagan name. It shall remain consecrated, sanctified,’ and thus, the pagan Sunday, dedicated to Balder, became the Christian Sunday, sacred to Jesus.” The Catholic World (March 1984), 809. Sunday came straight from paganism and is a blatant violation of God’s Law. Nowhere in the Bible does it call the first day of the week a day of worship, assembly or any such thing. It is totally based upon the authority of the beast power that this change was instituted. Not only did this power do just what prophecy predicted, but it also claims this change in God’s law as the mark of its authority, just as prophecy predicted as well. “Sunday is our mark of authority… The church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of this fact.” Catholic Record, September 1, 1923. The Bible clearly teaches that lawlessness is the identifying mark of the beast, and then it goes even further to state that it is violation of the fourth commandment that is its specific mark. Then the power that presumptuously attempted to change God’s Law claims this change as the mark of its authority as well. Surely the Bible and history both testify that exalting Sunday above the Sabbath is the mark of the beast! “I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.” Revelation 13:3. Nineteen hundred years ago, the Lord told us through prophecy that the entire world would worship the beast, and sure enough, that is exactly what is happening. “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 Thomas Enright, CSSR, President of Redemptorist College, Kansas City, MO, in a lecture at Hartford, Kansas, February 22, 1884.

Twenty-five hundred years ago prophecy foretold that a power that would arise and attempt to change the part of God’s law dealing with time, and it has happened exactly as God’s Word predicted. Not only does the Word of God teach that this power was going to change the Sabbath commandment, but it also pinpoints this as the mark of the beast. Then this power comes along, changes the Sabbath commandment from the seventh day to the first day, and claims that this is the specific mark of their authority! This power itself testifies that honoring the first day of the week above the seventh day of the week is the mark of the beast! God’s Word and history are too plain to be misunderstood. The mark of the beast is breaking the Sabbath and keeping Sunday when it is enforced by law to do so. “And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,” Revelation 13:16. When this decree is given, all of the world will be brought to the decision of whom they will serve. When a person, knowing that there is absolutely no scriptural authority for keeping the first day, goes along with this decree to keep holy the first day of the week and break the Sabbath, he has chosen to follow and obey the beast above the God of heaven. He has rejected the seal of God (Sabbathkeeping) and has made the choice to receive the mark of the beast. These scenes are just around the corner.

It may seem like such a minute point. Someone may think, “It is only a day.” Yes, it is only a day, but it’s the decision behind the day. Eve convinced herself that it was only a tree and it wouldn’t really matter if she ate of the forbidden fruit. “After all,” she may have thought, “it is just like any other tree. There are thousands of trees, surely this one is no different from any of the others. God is not that particular. God loves me.” The tree of knowledge of good and evil was just like all the other trees and it was only a tree, but it was the choice behind the tree. Eve chose to disbelieve God and believe the serpent. Eve obeyed the serpent instead of God, and paradise was lost. It is the same way with the Sabbath day. Oh, it may seem like such a mute point. It may not seem that important, but it is the difference between serving God or the beast. God says to keep holy the seventh day; the beast says to keep the first day. Who are you going to serve? Who are you going to love? Who are you going to obey? “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?” Romans 6:16. If we obey the beast’s laws we become his slaves, but if we obey the laws of our loving God we become his servants. Whose servant will you be?

The Consequences

There are only two marks, it is only two days, it is only a choice, but the consequences are eternal. Those who choose to receive the seal of God will be safely hidden under God’s wing of protection, but for those who go along with the rest of the world and receive the mark of the beast; it will be the most dreadful scourge ever to fall upon mankind.

Those who receive the seal of God are protected from the terrible disasters that fall upon the earth. “They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” Revelation 9:4. The judgments fall not upon those who have the seal of God, but upon those who have rejected it and received the mark of the beast. “Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your habitation, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;” Psalm 91:9, 10. Those who have followed the Lord, no matter what the cost, are now protected from the horrendous disasters falling all around them. They can see it with their eyes, but it cannot come any closer than that because the Lord’s protecting hedge is about them. “Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.” Isaiah 26:20. Those who have received the seal of the Living God are safely hidden in God’s chambers. His sheltering wings are over them, and no evil shall befall them. It requires a sacrifice to keep holy God’s Sabbath day because the entire world is doing something different, but it is worth it in the end. There is a cross to lift (Matthew 16:24), but the eternal consequences well repay the burden that must be borne. Those who honor the Lord by loving and obeying Him, will be honored by the Lord by being preserved from the terrible judgments so soon to fall. (I Samuel 2:30.)

As there are two marks, there are likewise two consequences. The vast majority of the world will receive the mark of the beast (See Revelation 13:8), but those who receive this mark of apostasy will also receive of the dreadful consequences. Those who receive the mark of the beast do not have a heavy cross to lift. They go along with the rest of the world. They do not have to be different from the rest of the world. They are not boycotted by the ban “that no one may buy or sell” (See Revelation 13:17) for they have the mark of the beast. They can buy and sell all that they desire. They do not have to worry about losing their life because they have the mark of the beast and have no fear of death by man. Although it appears like the easy way, it is the hardest way imaginable. (See Proverbs 13:15.) They may have all the things that this world has to offer, but they have lost the most valuable possession in the whole world—God’s presence. (See Exodus 33:14, 15.) They have forfeited God’s loving protection and he can do no more. The words that Jesus wept over Jerusalem so many years ago apply with even greater force to the entire world who have chosen the Beast’s mark instead of God’s. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Matthew 23:37. The world has rejected the last pleas of God’s Spirit and there is nothing more that our loving Lord can do. He has pled and called year after year, “Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?” Ezekiel 33:11. The Lord has waited year after year, until there is no more hope. He has borne as long as He possibly can, but the vast majority has chosen to go along with the world instead of their Creator. Now the only thing that God can do is pour out His dreadful judgments upon the despisers of His grace.

God is a God of love. All that He does is because He loves His children, but He is also a God of justice. “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;” Psalm 89:14. God bears long, but there is a limit to His forbearance. Justice must also be done. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Galatians 6:7. If a person persists in following his own course and receiving the mark of the beast, he must reap the judgments of a just God. “Then a Third Angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation.” Revelation 14:9, 10. All who obey the Beast instead of God; will receive of the wrath of God; but what is the wrath of God? “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.” Revelation 15:1. The terrible judgments that are poured on those who receive the mark of the beast are none other than the seven last plagues. God’s wrath is complete in these dreadful seven last plagues. The consequences for receiving the seal of God is protection from the final judgments, but the consequences of accepting the mark of the beast is to experience the outpouring of the seven last plagues.

“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God upon the earth.’ So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image.” Revelation 16:1, 2. When the plagues begin to be poured on those who have received the mark of the beast, the consequences of obeying man instead of God begin to be felt. Those who have the mark of the beast receive a terrible sore, but those who have the seal of God do not have one sore on their bodies. Which side would you rather be on then? Probably it will be as when Job was smitten with painful boils. The pain was so great that he said, “Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?” Job 3:11. But the terrible sores are just the beginning; it gets much worse. Under the second and third plagues the oceans and fresh waters become as the blood of a dead man. “For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.” Revelation 16:6. Imagine having only blood to drink! The wicked have slain some of God’s true followers and now the Lord gives them their reward of blood to drink. Indeed “the way of transgressors is hard.” Proverbs 13:15, KJV. But for those who have chosen to follow and obey the Lord no matter what, the promise is “Bread will be given him, his water will be sure.” Isaiah 33:16. Then, while men are still dying from thirst, the Lord turns the sun on double high and scorches those who have followed the traditions of man. “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.” Revelation 16:8. By exalting Sunday above the true Sabbath of God, the world has been worshipping the sun, and now the Lord smites them with the god of their choosing. God’s faithful people can, in calm faith, claim the promises in the Word of God. “For over all the glory there will be a covering. And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.” Isaiah 4:5, 6. Under the fifth plague, the Lord turns off the scorching sun and sends painful darkness on the seat of the beast, but still there is no repentance for “the day of salvation” has passed. (II Corinthians 6:2.) In the sixth plague, the Euphrates is dried up and Armageddon is prepared for, but then the seventh and final plague brings an end to the terrible judgments of God and he finally delivers His people. “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And great hail from heaven fell upon men, every hailstone about the weight of a talent. And men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceeding great.” Revelation 16:17-21. The destruction wrought by this final plague is indescribable. The sky unleashes its fury, the greatest earthquake ever to occur shakes this planet to pieces, and hail weighing from sixty to seventy pounds pelts the surface of the earth. It is the last plague, for at the end of this plague there is nothing left. It is as if the earth is turned upside down (See Isaiah 24:1, KJV) and every wall falls to the ground (Ezekiel 38:20.) The destruction wrought upon the wicked and all their habitations under the seventh plague leaves the earth without form and void. (Jeremiah 4:23.) Although the terrible destruction is terrifying to those who have received the mark of the beast, the worst is when they see their Creator coming with great power and glory. “Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’” Revelation 6:14-17.

Two Marks, Two Choices

In the final generation there are only two marks, only two choices, and only two consequences. We must decide whom we are going to obey. Will we obey the God of heaven or the traditions and customs of the men? Our destiny depends upon the choice that we make. The most terrible judgments known to man will be poured upon those who chose to obey man instead of God. It will be worse than the holocaust. It will be worse than World War I and World War II combined. It will make all the terrible atrocities of this world pale in insignificance. It is the “just due” of those who have despised the Word and mercy of God. Which side will you be on? Which choice will you make? The mournful words are forced from the lips of the lost during the seventh plague, “Who is able to stand?” There is only one group who is able to stand in that day. It is those who have received the seal of the Living God. Those who love the Lord enough to keep His commandments instead of the traditions of man. Those who will stand for the Word of God though the heavens fall. Those who will not follow a crowd to do evil. (See Exodus 23:2.) Those who keep holy the seventh day Sabbath of the Lord our God instead of the pagan Sunday of the beast. It doesn’t seem like such a big thing now, but think of the day when that mournful cry is forced from the lips of the lost. How they will wish that they had yielded to the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit, but now it is too late. They have made their decision. They have made their choice. They have received their mark. They are lost. There are just two marks, just two days, just two choices, and just two destinies. Which mark will you chose?

All emphasis the authors unless otherwise stated.
All texts from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Sources:

  • An Abridgement of Christian Doctrine, page 58.
  • The Beast’s Mark, Michael Wells, Steps to Life, 1999.
  • The Catholic Record, London, Ontario, Canada, September 1, 1923.
  • The Catholic World (March 1984), page 809.
  • Priest Thomas Enright, CSSR, President of Redemptorist College, Kansas City, MO, in a lecture at Hartford, Kansas, February 22, 1884, and The American Sentinel, a New York Roman Catholic Journal in June 1893, page 173.
  • Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary, “Seal,” pg. 997, 998, Review & Herald Publishing Association, 1979.

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The Beast’s Mark

by Michael C. Wells

The Beast's MarkHave you ever wondered why so many people today are fearful of the future? Many are afraid because of a prophecy in Revelation that warns the world about a dreaded mark that every person will receive if they follow the “beast.” The penalty for receiving this mark is death! Is it no wonder people are scared to receive it and want to avoid it at all cost? Yet today, society is so complacent about the book of Revelation that many preachers are teaching that it doesn’t apply to Christians at all, but only to those who will be left here to face the wrath of God. Is this what the Bible says? Why would Jesus spend His time giving a personal prophecy about these end times if it didn’t apply to you and me?

Unfortunately, people are easily deceived into believing doctrines that make them feel safe and secure. Paul tells us to watch out for such doctrines, “For when they say, ‘Peace and safety! ’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape [destruction].” I Thessalonians 5:3. If I came running into you’re house screaming “Fire! Fire!” would you be alarmed and take action, or would you just let yourself die in the fire? But so many times when we hear a warning from the Bible, we dismiss it as not important or not being applicable to us.

John the Revelator writes concerning this mark, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Revelation 14: 9- 11. What a warning! I don’t think there is anyone who wants to receive the mark of the beast.

What is this mark and how do we avoid receiving it?

What is this mark and how do we avoid receiving it? That is the question at hand. In order to answer that question, we must look at what this mark entails. Notice that this beast is involved in worship. “So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him. ’ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13: 4,8. Therefore, this must be a religious power. Only religious organizations are involved in invoking the worship of someone.

He is also involved in civil authority and government. He will be involved in the persecution and killing of those who oppose him. He will use his agents to do his work for him while he sits behind the scenes and reaps the results. “It was granted to him [the first beast] to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. And he [the second beast] exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Revelation 13: 7, 12, 15- 17.

This power will subjugate the people of the earth to do his will. He will cause them to worship him, which is against God’s law. Therefore, he will teach the people of the earth to break God’s law! This is not just speaking about those who do not believe in God, but also those who profess to be His people. Could you receive the mark of the beast and still think you are following God? Jesus said many would have this experience. We read in Matthew 7: 21- 23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ (notice that they are acknowledging Jesus as Lord. These are professed Christians), shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, ’ have we not prophesied in Your name, cast our demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”

These people really thought they were Christians. They thought they were “filled with the Holy Spirit,” but they had not searched hard enough for God’s will and were not willing to submit fully to His law. Jesus says to them “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do the things which I say?” Luke 6: 46. They are lawbreakers. They are those who claim that God’s law is not binding on Christians today. Someone might say, “Doesn’t the Bible say we live under grace and not the law? That we live by the Spirit of the law, not by the letter?” The answer is yes! But what does it mean to live under grace? If you were a murderer in prison on death row waiting to be executed, and the warden gave you a pardon and freed you, you would have just moved from condemnation to grace. Now that you are under grace do you have the right to go out and kill someone again? Does grace give you the authority to break the law or are you still required to keep it?

You see how simple it is. This is the spirit of the law, that you keep it out of gratitude for your life and because it is right in the sight of God. It shows where our loyalties lie, and how our character is formed. It is an outward sign of an inward change. The letter of the law brings condemnation, because we are keeping it solely out of the fear of the punishment for breaking it. The letter of the law kills not because the commandments are wrong or bad, but because a book with words in it can not make a change in us if we do not apply it to our lives. Children who obey their parents exclusively out of fear of punishment may well break the laws of the land, because they were not instilled with a love for truth and righteousness. We must keep God’s law, because we love Jesus and we want to obey Him, otherwise, we are doing it out of “works” and not “faith.” Jesus came to set us free from condemnation by His great sacrifice of His life on the cross, one of the worse forms of torture ever devised by man.

He gave us His pardon (grace) from the sentence of death that hung over our heads, yet He did not say “go and sin as much as you want,” but “Go, sin no more.” John 8: 11. He wants to help us overcome sin by writing His laws on our hearts and establishing them in our minds (Hebrews 10: 16), not by doing away with them. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” and He said, “I do not change.” Hebrews 13: 8; Malachi 3: 6.

What is Sin?

What is sin anyway? “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness (or transgression of the law), and sin is lawlessness.” I John 3: 4. So sin is breaking God’s Ten Commandment law. James 2: 10 speaks to this when he quotes from the Ten Commandments and declares “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one, he is guilty of all.” Every person has committed sin in his or her life. Paul exclaims, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” and “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 3: 23; 6: 23. That is why we need Jesus. Someone had to pay the penalty for our sin, and if not ourselves, someone else had to die for the wickedness that we have committed. Jesus made that sacrifice for you and me so that we might have life. It is a free gift, but we have a part to play in receiving it.

We know that the beast power in Revelation 13: 1- 10 is the antichrist power because it says, “he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,” Revelation 13: 6. In two other places in the Bible the antichrist power is also described, first in Daniel 7 where the antichrist power is described as the “little horn.” We know that this is the antichrist power, because it says, “he shall speak great words against the Most High,” Daniel 7: 25. Then in II Thessalonians 2: 3 where the antichrist power is described as the “man of sin.” We know that here, Paul is talking about the antichrist power because he says concerning this “man of sin” that he “opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, [among God’s professed people, the professed church of God] showing himself that he is God.” II Thessalonians 2: 4, Concerning the antichrist power, Paul shows us that he teaches people to break God’s law: “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” II Thessalonians 2: 8.

In fact, not only will this beast power break God’s law, but he will also think to change God’s law. Can you imagine someone thinking that they could get away with changing God’s law? No way, you might say! But look at Bible prophecy and again notice that this is the same power. It has all the same identifying marks as those we find in Revelation 13 and II Thessalonians, “he shall speak pompous (great, blasphemous) words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law . Then the saints shall be given into his hand (to be persecuted) for a time and times and half a time.” Daniel 7:25.

Paul says that this “man of sin” or beast power was already working in his day, he said, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.” II Thessalonians 2:7. Paul also makes it clear that this power will continue until Jesus returns to this world again and that it will then be destroyed: “And then shall the lawless one be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” II Thessalonians 2: 8. Peter tells us from where this power will come. He points specifically to where the “man of sin” power will emerge. “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way the truth will be blasphemed.” II Peter 2:1,2. Where does Peter say he will arise? Right among the believers of Christ! This man of sin will come out of the early church and will use his false doctrines to contaminate the pure doctrine of Jesus. He will introduce false teachings and deceptive lies to turn people from the true worship of God, to a false worship of man, and most of the people will put up with it! (See II Corinthians 11:3,4).

Obviously, if this beast power (better known as the antichrist) was alive in Paul’s day, and he is still work today, this cannot be speaking of an individual man, but a system of religion. Notice how long this system was to persecute the saints. “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty- two months. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” “Then the saints shall be given into his hands for a time, times, and half a time.” Revelation 13:5,7; Daniel 7:25. We have two prophecies that deal with time here. Because this is the same power that is being described in both Daniel and Revelation, the time prophecies both deal with this same “beast/ little horn” power.

The Bible gives two examples of prophecies dealing with time. One is in Ezekiel 4: 4- 6, and the other is in Numbers 14: 34, which says, “According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear you guilt one year, namely forty year, and you shall know My rejection.” So the Lord uses a day to equal a year in Bible prophecies. In Revelation and in Daniel we see two time prophecies, one for forty- two months, and the other for a “time, times, and half a time.” A “time” represents one year, so “times” would speak of two years, and, of course, half a time would be a half a year. The total years mentioned here would be three and a half years. Since a day equals a year in Bible prophecy, we must convert these years and months into days.

First let’s calculate the months of Revelation. Forty- two multiplied by 30 days for each month (the Bible specifies 30 days for one month see Genesis 7: 11; 8: 3, 4) will give us a total of 1260 days, which would convert to 1260 years. Now the 3½ years multiplied by 360 would again give us 1260 days/ years. Again we see that still another characteristic of this beast/ little horn power is the same. If this power will be around for at least 1260 years, these prophecies cannot be speaking of a person, but a religious power that will endure for a long time.

Now notice what will happen to this power. “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.” This beast was to be “mortally wounded.” If you are mortally wounded it means that you are close to death. The King James Bible translates this term as “wounded to death.” This beast, or religious power, was to be wounded so bad (lost so much power and prestige) that all the world will believe that it was to become extinct, yet its “deadly wound was healed.”

This antichrist power was to arise out of the fourth beast in Daniel 7. A beast represents a kingdom or empire. “The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces.” Daniel 7: 23. Out of this fourth kingdom will arise ten horns. A horn also represents a kingdom. “The ten horns are ten kings (kingdoms) who shall arise from this kingdom” (verse 24). So ten other kings, or kingdoms will come up out of this fourth beast.

Notice that another “horn” or kingdom will also arise. “And another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings,” Daniel 7: 24. This kingdom will arise after the other ten kingdoms have been established and will be different than the rest. Yet this power will be a persecuting power. It subdues three of the kingdoms, or in other words, he destroys them. “I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots . And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man (there will be a man at the head of this power), and a mouth speaking pompous words,” Daniel 7: 8. “And the ten horns were on its head (the head of the fourth beast), and the other horn which came up, before which three fell , namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows. I watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom” (Daniel 17: 20- 22).

Identifying marks of the “little horn” from Daniel 7

Here are some identifying marks of this “little horn” that are found here in Daniel 7.

  1. It arose out of the fourth beast. Verses 7,8
  2. It arose after the ten horns. Verse 24
  3. It arose among or in the same geographical area of the ten horns. Verse 8
  4. It was “different” from the other horns. Verse 24
  5. It destroyed three of the other horns Verses 8,20,24
  6. Its appearance was greater than the other horns (meaning it became more prominent). Verse 20
  7. It speaks pompous (blasphemous) against the Most High. Verse 25
  8. Thought to change times and God’s law. Verse 25
  9. Would have temporal power (civil govern mental authority) for 1260 years. Verse 25
  10. Would persecute God’s people (true Christians). Verse 25
  11. A man would be at the head of this power. Verse 24, 25.

In our booklet, The End of War and Injustice, we examined the four beasts of Daniel 7: 3- 7, showing that they represent four world empires. These consisted of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and the fourth was Rome. Notice that this little horn power comes out of the fourth kingdom (Rome). Also notice that it comes up after the ten kingdoms that split off and divided the Roman Empire. So we can say that this little horn power, which is diverse from the rest of the kingdoms, takes its power from Rome. This is made clear when we take the prophecies of Revelation and combine them with Daniel. This beast in Revelation 13 takes its power from the dragon and is a composite of all the beasts of Daniel 7. “Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.” Revelation 13:2.

Clearly, we can see this is like no other beast on the face of the earth. If this beast really existed, some carnival or circus would be making big money showing it off. No, this beast represents the characteristics of each of the following beasts before it. This was a swift power like a leopard. A leopard is so fast that it can chase down its prey quickly. It also has great agility to get out of scrapes. This beast power has these same abilities to be able to survive through varying situations. It also has feet like a bear. A bear’s feet are big, strong and very sure- footed. He really can put some weight behind him when he “puts his foot down.” So it is with this beast power. He has authority and power to actuate his policies and doctrines. He has the weight of political and religious power behind him. Remember that we notice earlier that he would be involved in worship (or religion). The beast speaks as the lion of Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar. He speaks pompous words as the king of Babylon did. Check out the words of King Nebuchadnezzar in defiance to God, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” Daniel 4: 30.

As King Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself and did not give God the glory for what he had, so does the beast or Revelation 13. It is common among rulers, kings, and religious leaders to forget where their sovereignty came from. Daniel reminds the king of Babylon in Daniel 2: 20,21, “Daniel answered and said: ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.”

Finally, let’s investigate the power base of this beast. He receives his power, authority, and throne from the dragon. Who does this dragon represent? “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12: 9. Ultimately, it is Satan who gives this beast his authority. But does this dragon also represent an earthly power, too? In Revelation 12, we find the prophecy of Jesus’ birth and the oppression that the “dragon” gave Him at His birth, What tyrannical power tried to destroy the Christ child at birth? It was Rome, of course. The Roman soldiers, under the direction of Herod the Great, killed all the children of Bethlehem up to the age of two years old. It was also the Roman Empire, through its despotic and cruel leaders, who pursued and tried to destroy the early church through murder and torture.

We can see that the dragon not only symbolizes Satan but also denotes Pagan Rome. So from Rome, this beast receives power and authority (muscle to enforce its will) to rule over all the people of the world. It also receives its “throne” from the Roman Empire. It is always so interesting how God presents His truth so clearly, leaving nothing to speculation. In 532 A. D., the Roman Emperor Justinian made a decree to force everyone to submit to the papacy. The historian says, “By an edict which he issued to unite all men in one faith, whether Jews, Gentiles or Christians, such as did not, in the term of three months, embrace and profess the Catholic faith, were declared infamous, and as, such, excluded from all employments both civil and military, rendered incapable of leaving anything by will, and their estates confiscated, whether real or personal. These were convincing arguments of the truth of the Catholic faith; but many, however, withstood them; and against such as did, the imperial edict was executed with the utmost rigor. Great numbers were driven from their habitations with their wives and children, stripped and naked.” Bower, The History of the Popes, vol. 1 p. In 533 A. D Justinian exalted the papacy as “the head of all the holy churches.” Croly The Apocalypse of St. John pages 167, 168. But this could not be put into effect as long as the Arian nations did not acknowledge it. The kingdom of Odoacer which had ruled Italy had already been destroyed in 493 A. D. and his people universally massacred (Italy and Her Invaders, book IV chap VI) In 533 A. D Justinian sent his armies to conquer the Vandals in Northern Africa. When this was accomplished by his general Belisarius in 534, “Impatient to abolish the temporal and spiritual tyranny of the Vandals, he proceeded, without delay, to the full establishment of the Catholic Church. . . .Arian worship was suppressed, the Donatist meetings were proscribed;” Gibbon Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire chapter 12) As soon as this was done, Justinian turned his arms against the East Goths (Ostrogoths) in Italy itself who also were Arian Christians and not Catholic. In March of A. D 538, for the first time Rome was delivered completely from the rule of the Ostrogothic kingdom, “They (the Ostrogoths) had lost their king (an inconsiderable loss), their capital, their treasures, the provinces from Sicily to the Alps, and the military force of two hundred thousand barbarians, magnificently equipped with horses and arms.” (Gibbon Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire chapters 41, 43) The historian Milman in History of Latin Christianity book 3 chapter 4 states it like this, “The conquest of Italy by the Greeks was, to a great extent at least, the work of the Catholic clergy… The overthrow of the Gothic kingdom was to Italy an unmitigated evil… In their overthrow began the fatal policy of the Roman see… which never would permit a powerful native kingdom to unite Italy, or a very large part of it, under one dominion. Whatever it may have been to Christendom, the papacy has been the eternal, implacable foe of Italian independence and Italian unity; and to the welfare of Italy.” Emphasis supplied. So A. D. 538 is the year that marks not only the destruction of the kingdom of the east Goths but, the true date which marks the establishment of the independent temporal authority of the papacy and the exercise of such authority as a world power.

Characteristics of the “Beast” of Revelation 13

Let’s list some of the characteristics of the “beast” of Revelation 13 and see if there are not a lot of similarities to the little horn in Daniel.

  1. He receives his power, seat, and authority from the pagan Roman empire. Verse 2. Arises among the ten horns on the fourth beast Daniel 7: 8
  2. Speaks blasphemy (pompous words) against God and His tabernacle (His church). Verses 5,6 Speaks great things or pompous words against the Most High Daniel 7:25
  3. Is a superpower- has authority over all nations Revelation 13: 7
  4. His appearance is greater than his fellows Daniel 7: 20
  5. Is not only a superpower (see #4 above) but is a religious power because it is worshiped. Revelation 13: 4, 8, 12; the little horn is different from the other horns Daniel 7:24
  6. Receives a deadly wound that was later healed. Verse 3 6. Persecutes the saints of the Most High (people of God). Verse 7 also Daniel 7:25
  7. It is a worldwide religious and political power that the whole world will follow and worship in one form or another. Verse 3,4,8
  8. Will continue for forty- two months (1260 years). Verse 5; also Daniel 7: 25
  9. Will be led into captivity at the end of the 1260- year period. Verse 10
  10. Has a man at its head that has a number of 666. Verse 18

After examining all of the identifying attributes of this power, it is not hard to figure out whom it designates. God makes sure that we can identify who the beast is, for He does not want us to be deceived. If we know just a little bit of history it certainly appears that the little horn/beast power cannot apply to any other power than the papacy. But let us go through the identifying marks in Revelation 13 again and see if every single one is an exact fit- if even one identifying mark did not fit then we would know that we have made a mistake because it is impossible for God to lie.

  1. Did the papacy receive its power, seat (throne) and authority from the Pagan Roman Empire? We will give the answer from a Catholic source. “Long ages ago, when Rome, through the neglect of the Western emperors, was left to the mercy of the barbarous hordes, the Romans turned to one figure for aid and protection, and asked him to rule them; . . . and thus. . .commenced the temporal sovereignty of the popes. And meekly stepping to the throne of Caesar, the vicar of Christ took up the scepter to which the emperors and kings of Europe were to bow in reverence through so many ages.” –James P. Conroy, American Catholic Quarterly Review, April 1911.
  2. Does the papacy have a “blasphemous name?” The Jewish definition of blasphemy in the days of Christ was when a man claimed to be able to forgive sins (Matthew 9) and when a man claimed to be God (John 10). The name will be discussed under item 10 below.
  3. Has the papacy spoken great words (pompous words Daniel 7: 20, 25) against the Most High (against God). Again, let us look at the official Catholic teachings. The Council of Trent defines papal power thus: “We define that the Holy Apostolic See and Roman Pontiff holds the primacy over the whole world.” –Labbe and Cossart (A. C.), The Most Holy Councils, Vol. XIII, col. 1167.
    When the triple crown is placed on the head of a new pope at his “coronation” ceremony, the ritual prescribes the following declaration by the officiating cardinal: “Receive the tiara adorned with three crowns, and know that thou art the Father of Princes and Kings, Ruler of the World, the Vicar of Our Savior Jesus Christ.” National Catholic Almanac
    The New Catechism, under the section of the pope, states: “The pope takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth… He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas, the author of and the judge of councils; the universal ruler of truth, the arbiter, the judge of all, being judged by no one, God himself on earth.”
    Does the Papacy fit the prophecy that it would “speak pompous words”? Again, let the record speak for itself.
    In an encyclical letter by Pope Leo XIII, on June 20, 1894 (notice, this is NOT that long ago, this was not during the Dark Ages, but was an official statement by a pope that ended his pontifical reign in this very century- 1903), he stated: “We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.” This is in the official records and can be checked out by any caring student. Could more pompous words be spoken? What else could possibly be said to more accurately fit the description? Moreover, the pope is declared to be infallible when speaking ex-cathedra according to Vatican Council I in 1870, again, not that long ago.
  4. Is the papacy a superpower with influence over all the nations of the earth? Anybody that listens to the news or reads the news knows the answer to this question.
  5. Nobody of any belief would argue against the papacy being a religious power that is worshiped.
  6. Did the papacy at one time receive a deadly wound that today has been healed? In 1798, Napoleon’s general, Berthier, captured the pope and removed him to prison, where he died and for a short time there was no papacy. At that time much of the world believed the papacy was finished and would never hold temporal power over the earth again. Yet in 1929, Pope Pius XI signed the Treaty of the Lateran with Mussolini, whereby Vatican City was established and the papacy now had back its temporal governing power. The deadly wound was healed and Bible prophecy claimed that after this all the world would marvel and follow and worship this power (Revelation 13: 3, 4, 8)
  7. Has the papacy persecuted the saints of the Most High? In the massacre of St. Bartholemew alone most of 100,000 Protestants were slain. That the Catholic Church hunted down, tortured, and burned people at the stake throughout the Middle Ages hardly even needs to be said. That is common history. In one sweep in the year 1208, a crusade organized by Pope Innocent III crushed out the lives of approximately one million Waldenses and Albigenses in upper Italy and lower France. Was it their crime? They were teaching and disseminating copies of the Scriptures to people throughout Europe in their own language.
    Estimates range from the most conservative figure of around 50,000,000 upwards to much larger numbers of martyrs who lost their lives during the Dark Ages at the hands of the Catholic Church during the years of its supremacy.
    Does the prophecy fit? Again, history speaks for itself. As even the Roman Catholic paper, the Western Watchman, declared, “The church has persecuted, only a tyro (one uninformed in church history) will deny that.”- December 24, 1909.
  8. Is the papacy a worldwide religious and political power that people from every country all over the world are worshipping today? Anyone who has traveled the world knows that this is the case.
  9. Did the papacy continue as a religious and political (civil) power that is as a union of church and state through the dark ages for 1260 years? It did. Beginning with its acquirement of independent civil authority for the first time in 538 1260 years last until 1798, the very year that the pope was taken prisoner and the papacy ceased to exist for a short time.
  10. Does the papacy have a man at its head who has the number 666? We noticed that the little horn (papacy) would “intend to change times and law.” This has been one of the primary doctrines of the Roman Pontiff and the Catholic Church. And by changing God’s law, it gives credence to their suggestion that the pope has all power and authority. “The Pope can modify [change] the Divine Law.” Lucius Ferraris, Ecclesiastical Dictionary. They claim that the ability to change God’s law is their mark of authority. For instance, if you look in the Catechism, you will find the second commandment has been removed, relating to graven images and bowing down to them, and the tenth commandment split into two commandments. Mary is referred to as a Mediatrix (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1994 p 252), but, the Bible says, “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man, Christ Jesus.” I Timothy 2: 5.

The one commandment that God said to remember, the Catholic Church has disregarded, and they have convinced the rest of the world to follow suit. Through reasoning and human philosophy, men have rejected the one commandment that was to give men rest. They have profaned and polluted that commandment which was meant to give life and happiness. It was to be a sign between God and us to identify us as His people. “Moreover I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. Hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I an the Lord your God.” Ezekiel 20: 12,20.

The papacy claims the authority to change God’s law, especially this very commandment about worship. “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of Solemn rest, a holy convocation [worship day]. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.” Leviticus 23: 3. If God set a day aside for worship, does any man have the right to decide that any other day is just as acceptable? Who is God and who is the created being? Yet the papacy has claimed the authority to switch days for God’s day of rest and worship.

They even claim that by doing this, and the world following its lead, that it is the Mark of their authority. “Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change [of the Sabbath to Sunday] was her act . . . and the act is a mark of the ecclesiastical power.” – From the office of Cardinal Gibbons, through Chancellor H. F. Thomas, November 11, 1895. The Roman Church derides Protestants for claiming to believe in the Bible while keeping Sunday as their “Sabbath.” “If Protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship God on the Sabbath Day [Saturday]. In keeping the Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church.” Albert Smith, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, replying for the Cardinal in a letter dated February 10, 1920.

Yet in another bold statement, a priest says, “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 the Sabbath day to keep it holy. ’ 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 Thomas Enright, CSSR, President of Redemptorist College, Kansas City, Mo., in a lecture at Hartford, Kansas, February 22, 1884, and the American Sentinel, a New York Roman Catholic journal in June 1893, page 173.

Who will you worship?

It is evident from these statements that the issue of worship will be over who is God. The Lord of the heavens has given His “mark” or “sign,” which is the Sabbath Day. Only God can make a day holy, and only God can sanctify it. Only God has the ability to work miracles in the lives of people, and only God can sanctify a people for Himself. God’s sign is His commandments and specifically His Sabbath. The Beast’s Mark is the counterfeit worship day- Sunday. “Sunday is our mark of authority… The Church is above the Bible, and the transference of the Sabbath observance is proof of that fact.” The Catholic record, London, Ontario, Canada, September 1, 1923. In the last generation, all, who continue to worship the beast by honoring his “mark” of authority (Sunday worship) after they have seen the truth, will receive of the plagues, the unmixed wrath of God. “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice (this is so important that the Lord is having His messenger shout out this last day warning), ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead (has allowed himself to be deceived into believing the lie) or on his hand (performs this form of worship for fear of his life and livelihood), he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb.” Revelation 14: 9,10.

This is a life and death message to the world. Wake Up! Search the scriptures and find the truth, God says to His people. Maybe for years you have believed false doctrines and have lived up to all the light (truth) you knew. Now that God has opened your eyes to more Biblical wisdom, will you turn away and shut your mind and heart away from His righteousness? “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” Matthew 6: 33 Jesus commands. Those in past times were destroyed because they did not have a love for the truth. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4: 6. And all who reject His knowledge today will also be rejected by Him. “And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” II Thessalonians 2: 11,12.

God is not a God of force. He will not force you to love Him, to follow Him, or to receive the gifts that He wants so badly to give to you. Yet He cannot allow this world to continue forever in sin and degradation. He is working to create for Himself a people who will be loyal to Him in all that He says. All, who will not follow Him and allow Him to remove sin (the breaking of His Ten Commandments I John 3: 4; James 2: 10- 12) from their hearts, will be die in their sins. All who are not willing to listen to His counsel and truth will be given over to the adversary and will be allowed to believe the lies of the devil. God will eventually fully withdraw His Holy Spirit from working on the hearts of those who continue in rebellion. They will fall into strong delusions, that they may be condemned because of their love for sinful pleasure and disobedience to His law.

The mark of the beast is not an outward mark that all can see, but an inward mark of a deceptive thought process and a corrupted heart. Just as God’s sign will be written on our hearts and minds, the Beast’s mark will be written on the hearts and minds of all who follow his doctrines and theology. These will have their place in the lake of fire along with the devil, the beast, and the false prophet. See Revelation 20: 10,15.

This is an urgent message to the world! God is exerting untold energy in the attempt to turn mankind from their sinful path and bring them to a condition of salvation. God is calling you and me today. He is long suffering, but cannot wait forever for us. He is giving us that chance today. What will be your decision? Do you love Jesus more than the customs of this world? Paul said, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” “ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he shall reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Colossians 2: 8; Galatians 6: 7,8.

Do not deceive yourselves today thinking that God’s Sabbath is not important. We will be keeping His Sabbath in the new heavens and earth (Isaiah 66: 22,23). His Sabbath is an everlasting covenant which can never be changed (Exodus 31: 12- 18), because God Himself wrote it with His own finger. There is an over abundance of evidence that all the apostles kept the Sabbath, and neither Jesus or any of His apostles ever commanded or kept Sunday as a holy day. This would have gone directly against the prophecy of Revelation 13. Who are God’s last day people? “Here is the patience (steadfastness) of the saints (God’s people); here are those who keep the commandments of God (including the Sabbath commandment) and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14: 12. Who are called blessed and will enter into New Jerusalem? “Blessed are those who do his commandment, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14.

Here is the bottom line for each of us. If God says one thing, and we believe another, who should change his mind, God or us? The question is over who will be God! Who are we truly worshipping when we break His Sabbath and worship on the day that has only human authority as a day of worship? Who has the right to change God’s law? God said “My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of my mouth,” Psalms 89: 34 and “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4: 4. God sends this last day warning to all his people because He loves them and does not want to see them destroyed. When Sunday worship is set up as a law under penalty of death, the mark of the beast will be enforced. Which side will you be found on in these last days of Bible prophecy. When the roll is called up in heaven, will you truly be found there? Will you today devote your life to God and obey His voice? Will you let Him give you His special sign? Will you worship the Lord your God on His Sabbath day as He has asked and avoid receiving the mark that brings death and destruction? The decision is in your hands.

Sources:

  • Beyond Pitcairn, Harvestime Books.
  • Wilkinson, B. G., Truth Triumphant.
  • J. T. C., Smokescreens.
  • White, E. G., Great Controversy.
  • Grosboll, John J., God Predicts Your Future.
  • The Bulwark, Oct. 1922, pg. 104.
  • The Great Encyclical Letters of Leo XIII, pg. 304.
  • Philippe Labbe and Gabriel Cossart, The Most Holy Councils, vol. 13, col. 1167, on “The Council of Trent.
  • Lucius Ferraris, Ecclesiastical Dictionary.
  • From the office of Cardinal Gibbons, through Chancellor H. F. Thomas, November 11, 1895.
  • Albert Smith, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, replying for the Cardinal in a letter dated February 10, 1920.
  • Priest Thomas Enright, CSSR, President of Redemptorist College, Kansas City, Mo., in a lecture at Hartford, Kansas, February 22, 1884, and the American Sentinel, a New York Roman Catholic Journal in June 1893, page 173.
  • The Catholic Record, London, Ontario, Canada, September 1, 1923.

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