Wednesday: The Mark of the Beast
What is this mark that we need to avoid getting? As we saw in an earlier lesson, the fourth beast power of Daniel chapter 7, in its latter phase (also depicted by the sea beast of Revelation chapter 13), would “think to change times and laws” (Dan. 7:25).
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As we have seen already, one law that it thought to change was the Sabbath, the fourth commandment, the only commandment that points directly to God as the One who “made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day” (Exod. 20:11).
Meanwhile, the first angel’s message — pointing the reader back to this same commandment, one that the beast power tried to change — makes it clear that we are to worship the Lord alone as the Creator. Then, after a warning about the fate of those who instead worship the “beast and his image” (Rev. 14:9), God’s faithful people are depicted in verse 12.
Read Revelation 14:12. Given the immediate context, how does this depiction of God’s faithful people help us understand why the Sabbath is so central to final events?
The text reads: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Rev. 14:12). As we have seen, included in “the commandments of God” is the fourth commandment, the Sabbath, which points to God as the Creator and the one who alone should be worshiped. No wonder, then, that many see the issue of “the mark of the beast” as being directly tied to the question of Sunday worship, a counterfeit “sabbath” that is not commanded in the Bible, as opposed to keeping the fourth commandment, which is commanded in the Bible.
Does that mean that Christians who worship God on Sunday have the mark of the beast now? No. According to Revelation 13:15, those who refuse to join in this false worship of the beast will be killed. It will eventually become a life-or-death issue. Obviously, though, events have not yet reached that point, and the mark of the beast will not be given until this final test does come. Therefore, no one has yet received the mark of the beast.
| Commandments of God. The faith of Jesus. Why are these traits, even now, crucial aspects of what it means to be a true Christian? |
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Having these traits now is like filling our lamps with oil before the bride groom comes. Preparation starts now so we can stand during the time of trouble.
What is the Mark of the Beast? It is a way of identifying who worships the beast and who does not. It appears from Rev 13 that there is a time element as to when the image to the beast is set up and when the mark will be applied, however I believe there are many who are now worshiping the dragon and the 1st and 2nd beasts so technically they are entitled to receive the Mark.
I don't believe that we should limit the worship of the beasts or the worship of God to only 1 of the Commandments - Jesus gave us the receipe : Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Shirley, thank you for pointing out all the commandments because the most important of all is love. Sababath keepers must do so out of love not forced ritual. And they mustn’t be smugly superior to non Sabbath Christians but rather invite them to enjoy the beauty of Sabbath worship out of love for them.
That is true, I agree with Shirley de Beer because God's people are those of us who keep His commandments and have the faith of Jesus. So in order to have the seal of God, we have to practice all ten commandments but our observance of the Sabbath is what makes us stand out from the others. It makes us as conspicuous as Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael who would not bow to the golden image. ( Dan. 3)
Shirley. You said, "I don't believe that we should limit the worship of the beasts or the worship of God to only 1 of the Commandments..."
I couldn't agree more. Was it not a group of Sabbath keepers who murdered the Savior and then hurried home to "keep the Sabbath holy?"
Revelation 14:12 speaks of the saints as people who keep the commandments of God (not just one of them). Thus, at the end of time a murderer who keeps the Sabbath will surely not be counted among the sealed. What about a thief or an abortion doctor who keeps the Sabbath? Seal of God or mark of the beast? Incidentally, this is not a hypothetical question, but is an issue our church is struggling with at this very point in time.
James 2:10 is clear in stating that violating one commandment is tantamount to violating them all.
We have to be prepared and ready for the times ahead; faith without works is dead. We have to be obedient to God's commandments and be faithful in knowing that God is not slack, concerning His promises. He will carry us thruogh and He will never leave us nor forsake us.
These traits are crucial to being Seventh Day Adventist Christians now only. There are, I believe, true Christians, who are not SDA's but God sees them as being true Christians. It is not until the False First Day of the Week Sabbath becomes a legal matter that true Christians must show that they accept the fourth commandment seventh day of the week as being the true Sabbath if they will then be spared God's wrath against those who continue honoring the false first day of the Week Sabbath as being instituted by him.
God Bless Hope Sabbath School been watching it ever day that i can and it has helped me so much.
On Wednesdays section in the opening paragraph it says:
The third angel warns us not to get the “beast’s [the wild land animal’s] mark [the special proof of his power]” (Revelation 14:9, ERV). What is this “beast’s mark”?
My understanding always was that the mark is the first [sea] beast’s symbol of authority and not the second [land] beast symbol. The second beast will serve the only enforce it but it belongs to the first beast of Rev. 13. Can you comment in case it?
About the Mark of the beast not yet in power? I do not quite agree! As it is the belief, that you accept and live by.. which permiets your life, becomes big part if your life. Becomes you and you become it...it does become over night. And what about those who already died for their principles? Who already stood for God and truth and paid it with their life? So I think persecution and battle between good and evil is here and always has been. Spiritual and physical! Yes, it is going to be even more obvious and fierce as we are battling on and coming to an end, but it is here and always has been! May dear Lord God and Jesus Christ be with us all and keep us close to Him always, no matter what is and coming our way! With God's blessings and Christian love..... Lela&my family?!!
I would like to ask the following regarding the combined focus of yesterday's and today's lesson regarding the seal of God and the mark of the beast: Could the significance of these phenomena be broader than we have traditionally considered? (It's a full blog post, since it was too long as a comment.)