Mark of the Beast may be only 2 1/2 years away

[coksiw]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

That’s fair.

I haven’t read the article yet, but looking to read coksiw’s rebuttal.

Don't hold you breath for it, I'm not doing it. It has been addressed too many times in this forum. I won't start another endless against-preterism thread.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by coksiw

Don't hold you breath for it,

I'm not doing it

. It has been addressed too many times in this forum. I won't start another endless against-preterism thread.

I know.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

What parts was way off?

"First, even if it is, it must have happened shortly after Revelation was written. After all, the angel of Revelation said this prophecy would happen soon, for the time was at hand (Rev. 22:10). Therefore, it must have happened in the first century."

The problem is the underlying fundamental premise (quoted above). The conclusion drawn by the author places all the events of Revelation in the first century, which means the final judgment has occurred already, and therefore there is no basis to believe anyone after that time has any future whatsoever. If death, hell, and the lost have been destroyed in the lake of fire, if the great judgment has already happened, upon what basis can anyone claim there is any future judgment for anyone else? There is no basis for a belief in a future judgment that I can see?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Esaias

"First, even if it is, it must have happened shortly after Revelation was written. After all, the angel of Revelation said this prophecy would happen soon, for the time was at hand (Rev. 22:10). Therefore, it must have happened in the first century."

The problem is the underlying fundamental premise (quoted above). The conclusion drawn by the author places all the events of Revelation in the first century, which means the final judgment has occurred already, and therefore there is no basis to believe anyone after that time has any future whatsoever. If death, hell, and the lost have been destroyed in the lake of fire, if the great judgment has already happened, upon what basis can anyone claim there is any future judgment for anyone else? There is no basis for a belief in a future judgment that I can see?

Proof that the author of the article does not understand Bible prophecy:

Deuteronomy 31:28-29 KJV
Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them. [29] For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.

When did evil befall Israel because of their sins? When were these "latter days" Moses spoke of? Why, they began shortly after the death of Joshua, and yet appear again and again through Israel's history. This prophecy is NOT limited to the first century AD, clearly.

But let's look at the prophecy itself:

Deuteronomy 32:35 KJV
To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

Before they even entered the Promised Land, Moses prophesied that the day of their calamity and doom "was at hand", and that the things that shall come upon them "make haste". These are time statements that, if interpreted according to the hermeneutic of the article's author, would place the fulfillment of Deut 32 within less than say 40-50 years of Moses' death. Yet everyone knows that is not what happened at all. Deut 32 is a prophetic warning about the consequences of Israel backsliding, culminating in the destruction national sovereignty and the scattering and enslavement of the people by foreigners. Which did not happen until beginning in the 8th century BC for the ten tribed House of Israel and the 6th century for the House of Judah. And which was repeated under Rome in AD 70. (And again around 132 AD.) So a prophecy which is stated to be "at hand" and to "make haste" (ie be SOON) did not find it's fulfillment until over 1000 years later.

Therefore, the author does not understand Bible prophecy and how prophetic time statements are to be interpreted. And therefore the author is not in a position to speak authoritatively about Revelation and its fulfillment (or lack thereof).

The article says "...the event in Revelation must have happened soon after the book was written. After all, John said the events would happen soon, for the time was at hand (Rev. 1:1–3, 22:6–10). There’s just no (honest) way around the time indicators." If the author is correct, then the events described in Deut 32 must have happened soon after Moses gave his speech. After all, Moses said the events "make haste" and the time was "at hand". There's just no (honest) way around the time indicators." Right?

[Esaias]

Understanding the Mark of the Beast (short and to the point version)

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.
(Rev 13:16-17)

This is a counterfeit of the mark of God:

And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
(Eze 9:3-6)

God was bringing judgment upon the city for its abominations and sins, but before that God caused a mark to be placed upon the forehead of those who were still faithful to God and who were opposed to the rampant iniquity and unfaithfulness of the people. Much like here:

And 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 given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
(Rev 7:2-8)

And again:

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
(Rev 14:1)

These are not "144,000 Jews". They are from all 12 tribes, not just Judah. Moreover, the number is clearly symbolic and represents the remnant of faithful servants of God, the overcomers:

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
(Rev 3:12)

So God's people have a mark or seal, in the forehead. The second beast from the earth initiates a mark upon all those who are not God's people, in their forehead, or in their right hand. Obviously, this satanic mark is a counterfeit of the Divine mark, and signifies ownership and loyalty.

The forehead and right hand:

And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year. And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S. And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
(Exo 13:5-16)

Here, both the observance of the Passover/Unleavened Bread festival, and the redemption of the firstborn are likened to signs or tokens (marks) in the forehead and the hand. The significance is given as "that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth". That is to say, they represent obedience to God by following God's ways, God's commandments, God's laws.

We see this again here:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
(Deu 6:4-8)

This is not a command to make phylacteries, as the rabbinics have determined, but is saying that God's law is like a sign or seal or token or mark upon the hand and forehead. The mark of God is the obedience to God and His ways. Thus, the mark of the beast is the obedience to the beast and its ways, its laws.

Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
(Deu 11:18)

Having the law of God, His Word, as signs upon the hand and forehead is equivalent to laying them up in the heart and soul, ie sincere obedience.

The mark of God included faithful observance of the Divine calendar. The mark of the beast likewise involves the use of a religious calendar, namely, that of the beast. It is not limited to it, of course, but includes it. The calendar a society or individual follows indicates the god they serve. The mark of God, and the mark of the beast, are symbols representing adherence to a particular religious system that is all encompassing. By obeying the beast and following his calendar and adhering to his ways and his laws/commandments, one demonstrates they belong to the beast and thus are "marked" with his mark. By obeying God and following His ways and commandments (including His Divine calendar) one demonstrates they belong to Him and thus are "marked" with His mark.

So the mark of the beast isn't some computer chip that allows you to engage in digital financial transactions. It is adherence to the beast ideological and social system that allows you to participate in society. "Buying and selling" is not about shopping at WalMart so much as it is about engaging in business:

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
(Jas 4:13)

Is digital currency a bad thing? Absolutely! I might go so far as to say it is an abomination because it is a false weight and measure (Prov 11:1) which is forbidden by the law of God (Deut 25:13-16). So that adopting the digital currency may in fact just be another example or way in which people accept the mark of the beastly world system in rejection of God's laws and ways. But even if it weren't such a thing, it is still a bad thing because first of all it is based on literally nothing but the whims of the bankers and secondly because it is not about commerce but societal control, a tyrant's dream come true.

Those who follow God and His Law-Word will reject such a thing. Unfortunately, many who claim to be Christians are indeed saddled with the mark of the beast and don't even know it, because they are looking for computer chips instead of reading their Bibles looking for instruction.

[Esaias]

The
Identity
of the
Biblical ANTICHRIST
REVEALED

...

For a little over 100 years, many professing Christians have thought the identity of antichrist was a "mystery". The only real mystery though is how anyone can be familiar with their Bible and NOT know the identity of antichrist! The Bible never refers to antichrist as a "mystery". It plainly identifies antichrist.

Here are all the Bible passages about antichrist:

1st John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1st John 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1st John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

2nd John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist

.

That's it! Four verses, all in John's epistles. Let's see if we can follow the Scriptures to identify the BIBLICAL antichrist. Because let's be honest, Hal Lindsey's antichrist or TBN's antichrist or Tim Cohen's antichrist or Hollywood's antichrist are irrelevant. The only thing that matters here is the Biblical antichrist.

1. The Christians in John's circle of influence had been told that something called "antichrist" was coming.

2. When John wrote to them, he plainly said that many antichrists HAD ALREADY ARRIVED. So, the "coming antichrist" had already showed up in the latter part of the 1st century AD. The coming of antichrist heralded the last time, and John said it was already the last time, in the latter part of the 1st century AD, proven by the arrival of the many antichrists.

3. John said there were MANY antichrists. There is no "singular antichrist" or "THE Antichrist" according to the Bible. Rather, there are MANY antichrists. So antichrist is not a single individual, but many individuals.

4. ANYONE who denies that Jesus is the Christ is antichrist. This means all Jews, atheists, and anyone else who denies that Jesus is in fact the Christ are the BIBLICAL ANTICHRISTS.

5. When ANY person prophesies, or speaks "under the anointing", or teaches, and yet denies that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is speaking from the spirit of antichrist. Which means the person so speaking is in fact the Biblical antichrist.

6. The "antichrist that should come" in the first passage is defined in the third passage as the "spirit of antichrist" speaking through these antichrist teachers. So the antichrist that the early Christians had been told was to come is NOT some individual person, but a SPIRIT that would propagate via Christ-denying DOCTRINE. The "coming antichrist" is "the spirit of antichrist", not some individual world leader or persona.

7. That spirit of antichrist, that antichrist to come, was ALREADY loose, had already arrived, when John wrote his epistle toward the end of the 1st century AD. Anyone today claiming "antichrist is soon to make his appearance" is Biblically illiterate, or else teaching heresy, because the APOSTLE already declared 2000 years ago that antichrist had arrived.

8. Those who do not confess Jesus Christ is come in the flesh are deceivers and antichrists. There are many of them already in the world, therefore antichrist is both plural, and already present on the scene, and has been for 2000 years.

9. What does it mean to confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh? Many think this is some kind of antidote to some weird gnostic teaching that Jesus only appeared to be human, or only seemed to be material and "in the flesh". But is that the case?

While it is true that anyone claiming Jesus Christ did not come "in the flesh" as a bona fide human being is obviously a heretic, and likely antichrist, yet that is not what John actually said. He is talking about those who AT THE TIME do not confess that Jesus Christ IS come in the flesh. Now think about it: Jesus Christ DID (or "was") come in the flesh, in consideration of the incarnation and His earthly life and ministry. But John is not talking PAST tense, but PRESENT tense!

What does it mean that, PRESENTLY, Jesus Christ IS (presently) "come in the flesh"? It means that Jesus Christ IS PRESENTLY "arrived" or "on the scene" IN THE FLESH. Consider that Jesus Christ did not incarnate. Rather, GOD incarnated. The term Christ means the Anointed One, it is a title applied to Jesus in recognition of His role both as son of David and heir to the throne, and His role as Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. The term Christ implies that incarnation HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. The MAN did not incarnate, that doesn't even make any sense. To incarnate means someone who is NOT human becomes human. So the very name Jesus Christ includes within itself the idea of God incarnating in flesh. So how does a MAN (who is ALREADY in the flesh) then COME IN THE FLESH?

John is referring to the identity of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is JESUS CHRIST COME IN THE FLESH. That is to say, the Holy Ghost who is presently PRESENT in the Church is none other than JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. John is not talking about some doctrine concerning the PAST, but about the PRESENT. The only way Jesus Christ (you know, the Man From Galilee, the Son of God, the Son of David) can NOW BE COME IN THE FLESH is by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Because the Holy Ghost in you is CHRIST IN YOU. It is Jesus Christ "incarnated" IN YOUR FLESH, your human nature. You as a flesh and blood person having within you the very presence of JESUS CHRIST, that is what being indwelled by the Holy Ghost is all about.

John's teaching essentially identifies not only all atheist, Jewish, and other non-Christian teachers as deceivers and antichrists, but also anyone who denies that the Holy Ghost is in reality JESUS CHRIST. Sad news for trinitarians and other "-initarians". Anyone who teaches that Christians receive the indwelling of someone or something else other than Jesus Christ Himself (like those who teach that Jesus is only in Heaven while we get a third person of some divine squad coming to dwell in us) is a deceiver and an antichrist.

So, from all this, can we say King Charles, or Obama, or Trump, or what's-his-name the King of Spain, or Gorbachev, or some other popularly known figure is "antichrist"? I don't know. Is the person a teacher that teaches Jesus is not the Christ? Is he a teacher that denies Jesus Christ is currently in the flesh of His people? I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not. In any event, the Bible identifies antichrist, and using the Bible we can identify exactly who antichrist is. Or rather, who the antichrists ARE, because again, the Bible teaches MULTIPLE ANTICHRISTS.

[Esaias]

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 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. 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.
(Rev 13:11-18)

I'm going to make a few observations here:

1. The mark is instituted by the SECOND beast, not the first beast.

2. The first beast is generally understood by most if not all historicists as representing the Roman Empire, or at least the Roman political/secular system.

3. The second beast has "two horns like a lamb", thus indicating a certain "lamb-like quality" to it. The lamb, in the Revelation, is Christ. The second beast then appears to be a sort of substitute Christ, a counterfeit, or what claims to represent Christ. Yet it "speaks as a dragon". Now, what this particularly refers to, this speaking like a dragon, I am not really getting into at the moment, but I think it is important to notice that most historicist commentators have simply assumed what a "dragon" would speak like. Or else based their ideas on medieval and Renaissance European folklore. I would simply remark that "dragon" in Scripture may not be exactly synonymous with the "dragon" of medieval folklore.

4. In any event let's look at "the mark". The mark is a sign or token, placed upon individuals, identifying them as belonging to the beast. It is placed in the right hand or in the forehead. It is distributed to all classes of persons, excepting none. It is accompanied with an ability to "buy and sell", that is, to carry on mercantile activities or trade or "business". Failure to have the mark results in an inability to buy or sell, that is, to carry on business or trade. It is identified with a name, and a number. The name and the number signify the beast, and the mark (being a representation of ownership by and allegiance to the beast) therefore is a symbol or sign of that name and number. In other words, the mark, the name of the beast, and the number of the beast are all connected, signifying the same basic thing - submission to the beast. There is however a distinction between the mark, the name, and the number: "...save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." They all signify the same essential thing, yet they are each distinct in themselves. A person might have the mark, OR the name, OR the number of the beast.

5. The mark is connected with worship:

And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 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.
(Rev 13:4-8)

And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
(Rev 13:12-15)

So, in summary, we have an essentially religious system being put in place, which ostracises from society, and which persecutes and even kills those who refuse to participate in it. It is a worship not only of a created "image of the (first) beast", but is also worship of that first beast itself, and in fact is worship of the dragon. This worship is primarily characterised by fear, and a sense that the object(s) of worship here is/are "unbeatable", that nobody "can make war" with them. In other words, the worship essentially consists in being resigned to the belief that resistance is futile and ineffective. This worship and obedience/allegiance is symbolised by a mark in the right hand or forehead.

Now, this is in contrast to another mark that has already been mentioned in the Revelation:

And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And 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 given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
(Rev 7:1-4)

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
(Rev 14:1)

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
(Rev 3:12)

There are two marks in the Revelation, one identifying the servants of God and of the Lamb, and the other identifying the servants of the beast and of the dragon.

We read something very similar in Ezekiel:

And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
(Eze 9:4-6)

In Ezekiel, a symbolic mark was placed upon those who were faithful to God and who were not in agreement with the corruption that had befallen the nation. The judgment of death that was to go through the city was to pass over those who had been marked as belonging to God. In Revelation, the same basic concept is presented, the plagues are stayed until the servants of God are marked, and thus the plagues fall upon those not so marked (as in Ezekiel).

Both marks are said to be in the forehead, although the mark of the beast can also be in the right hand. What does this signify?

Scripturally, the right hand symbolises power and activity. Christ on the right hand of God means Christ is the agent through which God operates, through whom His power is active and accomplishing things. Therefore, the right hand symbolises action and activity.

The forehead is the place in the front of the face, between the eyes. What is on the forehead represents that which is "before one's eyes", ie that which is always in remembrance and in thought, that which is in one's plain sight, and thus signifies thinking and belief and awareness and knowledge. Especially as it relates to the motives and direction one takes in life (ie one's choices):

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
(Psa 101:3)

So what we are seeing in the Revelation is a dichotomy, a comparison between two rival systems of worship and allegiance. God has marked His servants, and the beast has marked his.

We should keep in mind that John's vision is just that - a vision. He is seeing spiritual truths communicated to him via symbols. We should not expect a literal physical mark placed upon people's hands or foreheads, anymore than we should expect God's servants to have a literal physical mark placed upon them, or that there should be a literal seven headed monster rising from the Mediterranean Sea, followed by a large monster with lamb horns rising from the earth. Just as the beasts represent certain things, so do the marks.

(cont in next post)

[Esaias]

(cont from previous post)

So what do the marks represent? How would the early apostolics have understood the Revelation? The early Christians, remember, had a working familiarity with the old testament Scriptures. In reading about the servants of God being sealed in their foreheads they would have immediately recognised Ezekiel 9 and the mark being placed upon the foreheads of all those still faithful to God and standing in opposition to the abominations of false religion and apostasy that had swept through Judah. In reading about the beast giving forth a mark "in the forehead or right hand", they would have understood two things:

First, they would have immediately recognised a counterfeit marking. The beast is in opposition to God, therefore his mark is an evil copy of God's mark. In other words, the beast would be substituting something of his own in place of the thing signified by the mark upon God's people. There would be a parallel, one genuine, and one counterfeit. One of God, one of the beast, or of the dragon. The mark of God represented something identifying the people of God, and the mark of the beast represented something identifying the people of the beast that would be a copy of that which represented the people of God.

Second, they would immediately have recognised what a mark or token in the hand or forehead spiritually signified, based on a simple familiarity with the Law of God:

Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt. And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.
(Exo 13:6-9)

And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
(Exo 13:14-16)

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
(Deu 6:4-8)

Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
(Deu 11:18)

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
(Pro 1:8-9)

The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
(Pro 3:19-21)

The Law of God was to so envelop and saturate the lives of God's people, that it was described as wearing an ornament on the head and on the hand. That is, they were to adorn or decorate themselves with obedience to God and His ways. Their following God and obedience to Him and sole worship of Him was a mark of allegiance to and ownership by Him. God's wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, as expressed in His commandments, statutes, and judgements, as expressed though His revealed Word, was to guide His people's thoughts and actions.

Later on, the Pharisees would intentionally misinterpret these instructions to mean the wearing of literal "phylacteries" on the hand and the forehead. They attempted to obey these instructions by writing a verse or two of Scripture on parchment, rolling it up and stuffing it into a little box, and then tying that box to their forehead and hand. As usual, they strained out the gnat and swallowed the camel, and completely missed what was actually being commanded. The obedience, the actual doing of the will of God, was to be itself the token "on the hand and upon the forehead".

It should be pointed out that this token or mark or signet consisted of essentially TWO things, or rather was demonstrated in two aspects:

1. The rites of worship as established in the divinely prescribed liturgy. And,

2. The daily obedience to the various ethical and moral commands of God for human behaviour.

In other words, "religion and ethics", or "faith and practice". Both the rites of formal worship, and the day to day living, were to be in keeping with the instructions of God, glorifying Him and identifying Him as the worshipper's actual God.

With that in mind, we can discover two things:

One, the mark of the beast would be a counterfeit or substitute for the things God had previously identified as the marks or tokens or signets of His faithful people. Obedience to God's commandments would be replaced by obedience to the beast's commandments. The worship of God - as specified by God in His Word - would be replaced by worship of the dragon and of the beast and of the image of the beast, as specified by the beast through its proclamations. Just as the worship of God specified formal, corporate worship rites, so the worship of the beast would be in accordance with specified formal, corporate worship rites. Just as the worship of God specified rules for daily living and human relations, the worship of the beast would specify rules for daily living and human relations. In other words, the mark of the beast in the Revelation symbolises a beast-system of religious rites and ethics, put forward as an alternative or counterfeit or substitute for the faith and practice originally ordained by God and propagated through Christ's apostles.

Two, we can see that the mark of God in Revelation needed only to mention the forehead, and not also the hand, and we can understand why. The hand representing outward action, it was possible for unregenerate men to engage in outward action that appeared to indicate allegiance to Christ, yet inwardly being full of spiritual death. So, the true faithful servants of God would be spiritually characterised by the inner actuality of faithfulness. Their outward actions would of course conform to their faith, for "faith without works is dead", but the inward faith would be the key thing, because there are many who appear outwardly to be sheep but are inwardly ravening wolves. So the Revelation pinpoints the key determiner as being the mark of God in the forehead, to signify they are actually motivated by and directed by the faithful adherance to the Word of Christ ("before their eyes, between the eyes, forehead", etc).

And this teaches us something else, also: the mark of allegiance to the beast need not signify an inward faithfulness to the beast. The mark of the beast could be in EITHER the hand OR the forehead. Simply going along with the outward motions in conformity to the beast's law would be sufficient to constitute being marked as owned by the beast.

So, in conclusion, in reading Revelation, we would expect to see arise a religious system imitating apostolic Christianity, counterfeiting genuine Christianity, claiming to represent Christ, which put in place a substitute religion, replacing the rites and ethics of BIBLICAL religion with something else, different rites, different ethics, a different worship. This different, substitute, counterfeit religion, while claiming to represent the Lamb of God, would in fact constitute a worship of the (first) beast (the Roman system), and indeed of the dragon ("called the devil, and satan"). It would literally be devil worship masquerading as Christianity, propagating the worship of the Roman culture, system, religion, society, power, etc. It would be empowered by social ostracism and persecution and even murder, so that any who refused to follow this counterfeit Christianity would be shunned, outlawed, hunted down, and put to death. Participation in this false beast system could be accomplished merely by outward conformity to the rites and commands of the beast counterfeit system even without inward desire or "faithfulness" to it.

Gee, does any of that sound familiar?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Esaias

The
Identity
of the
Biblical ANTICHRIST
REVEALED

...

Which means all these churches and all these professing Christians who support the modern state of Israel "because they are God's chosen people" are literally IN LEAGUE WITH THE ANTICHRIST.

Does that shock you? Did you not expect the last days to be days of massive deception? When satan's sycophants would put on quite the show of being God's holy saints?

John 16:2 KJV
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.


Did anyone really expect the antichrist to look like Doctor Evil or something?

[Bowas]

Originally Posted by Esaias

"First, even if it is, it must have happened shortly after Revelation was written. After all, the angel of Revelation said this prophecy would happen soon, for the time was at hand (Rev. 22:10). Therefore, it must have happened in the first century."

The problem is the underlying fundamental premise (quoted above). The conclusion drawn by the author places all the events of Revelation in the first century, which means the final judgment has occurred already, and therefore there is no basis to believe anyone after that time has any future whatsoever. If death, hell, and the lost have been destroyed in the lake of fire, if the great judgment has already happened, upon what basis can anyone claim there is any future judgment for anyone else? There is no basis for a belief in a future judgment that I can see?

I hear that alot in my teachings. "The prophecies of Revelation could not have happened, because (fill in the blank) has not happened yet, therefore, shortly, at hand, time is at hand, time statements, are not really."
That is one flaw so many do, and that is judge a prophecy, by what they interpret it to mean. Many of those in Israel today, do not believe Jesus came as Messiah/Saviour 2000 years ago, merely because he didn't come the way they thought, but we all know he did. So who is right?

The position should not be, the time is not when it clearly declared it would, but how did it happen during the time it was declared it would.

I know, now comes the. "well, if it did happen in the first century, why, or how do (fill in the blank) occur?

First one has to accept the basic foundation...the time statements found throughout the book, and elsewhere in the New Testament, and they are there for a reason, not for private interpretations.