The Mark of the Beast

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16. THE MARK OF THE BEAST Many things have been said about the mark of the beast: some think it was the barcode, others that it is a microchip that will be implanted on the right hand or on the forehead. Since the mark of the beast is the beast’s mark, the first step is to discover who the beast represents and then focus on its distinctive mark.

WHICH CONSEQUENCES WILL SUFFER THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST?

 Revelation 14:9-11 This is one of the most solemn warnings in the Bible. God warns us not to receive the mark of the beast and tells us about the consequences for those who receive it: they will experience the God’s wrath in the judgment and loose eternal life. It is a life or death issue.

God does not want any man to be lost so together with the warning He gave us a description of what the mark and of the beast is so that we may choose not to take it.

2. THE BEAST THAT COMES OUT OF THE SEA : THE ANTICHRIST  Revelation 13:1-8,18 As stated in the previous study, the sea beast is the same power symbolized by the little horn of

Daniel 7: the Antichrist. The Papacy fulfills all the characteristics in the text:

1. It comes out of the sea: “And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea” (v. 1). The key to interpret this symbol is found in the book of Revelation itself: “The waters which you saw… are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues” (Revelation 17:15). The Papacy rose in Europe, a well populated area.

2. A leopard-like beast: “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” (v. 2); “And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns” (v. 1). The description of the beast points to

Daniel 7; in that chapter Babylon, Medo-Persia and Greece were represented respectively by a lion, a bear and a leopard (all coming out of the sea), the very same animals we see in the sea beast. The fourth beast, Rome, had 10 horns just like the beast here depicted.

3. Deadly wound: “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded” (v. 3). The wound represents the Papacy’s loss of political power in 1798. Berthier proclaimed the Roman Republic and took Pope Pius VI to France. 2 16. The Mark of the Beast – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019

4. Global power: “And all the world marveled and followed the beast” (v. 3); “And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation” (v. 7). The Catholic Church is a global church.

5. Religious power: “and they worshiped the beast” (v. 4); “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb” (v. 8).

6. Blasphemies: “And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies... Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven” (v. 5-6).

We have studied how Jesus was accused of blasphemy when He claimed to have the power to forgive sins (see Mark 2:5-7) and when He claimed to be equal with God (see John 10:30,33). This characteristic is in common with the little horn (see Daniel 7:8,25); the Papacy blasphemies when claims to have authority to forgive sins and to be equal with God.

7. Persecution: “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (v.

7). This is another characteristic in common with the little horn (see Daniel 7:21,25). The Papacy persecuted and killed millions of people accused of heresy.

8. The duration of the dominion: “and he was given authority to continue[c] for forty-two months” (v. 5). The duration of the dominion is the same as the one of the little horn (see

Daniel 7:25). It is expressed in different forms: here is 42 months, in other places is 1260 days (see Revelation 12:6) or 3 ½ years (see Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 12:14).

As we saw in the previous study the Papacy ruled from 538 AD until 1798 AD, exactly 1260 years (remember that in Daniel and Revelation’s time prophecies a prophetic day equals to a literal year, see Ezekiel 4:6 . Remember also that the Jewish year was 360 days).

9. 666: this number is “the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666” (v. 18) and is also “the number of his name” (v. 17).

“The title of the Pope of Rome is Vicarius Filii Dei” (Answers to Readers'Questions, “Our Sunday Visitor”, November 15th, 1914).

Some letters in Latin have numerical values (in Latin the “U” is a “V”): VI CA RI VS FI LI ID EI 5 1 100 0 0 1 5 0 0 1 50 1 1 500 0 1 The sum amounts to 666: it is the number of a man, the Pope, and the number of his name. 16. The Mark of the Beast – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 3

3. What is the Fulcrum the Mark of the Beast Crisis Revolves Around? Which Word is Repeated?

 Revelation 13:4,8,12,15; Revelation 14:9-11

Revelation 12-14 is the center of the book: in these chapters is described the whole history of the great controversy with special focus on the final crisis of earth’s history.

The vision covers from the rebellion in heaven when Satan drew a third of the angels (Revelation 12), to Jesus’ second coming (Revelation 14). In between we find the war between Satan and God’s people throughout the ages (Revelation 12), the mark of the beast crisis (Revelation 13) and the last message of warning to the world (Revelation 14).

The center of the final crisis is the issue of worship. Who are you going to worship: God or a man- made system represented by the leopard-like beast?

There are 7 references to false worship in Revelation 13-14:  “So they worshiped the dragon… and they worshiped the beast” (13:4).

 “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life” (13:8).

 “And causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast” (13:12).

 “And cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed” (13:15).

 “If anyone worships the beast and his image…” (14:9).

 “They have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name” (14:11).

4. Through Whom Will Satan Receive Worship?

 Revelation 13:4,8 From the inception of his rebellion, Satan’s desire has always been to be worshipped. He said in his heart: “I will be like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). He aspired to God’s throne and to receive the worship that is to be rendered only to the Creator. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness he asked to receive worship: the creature asked the Creator to worship him (see Matthew 4:8-10).

The Bible says that the dragon, Satan (see Revelation 12:9), will receive worship; immediately after this it is written that the beast was worshipped.

Satan knows that most would never knowingly worship him so he needs a representative: the beast.

In paying homage to the system of false worship promoted by the Papacy, the world will actually acknowledge Satan as his lord. 4 16. The Mark of the Beast – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019

5. WHAT ARE THE ANTICHRIST ’ SCHARACTERISTICS IN THIS PASSAGE? HOW IS HE CALLED?

 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 Paul foretold the apostasy of the Christian church and the coming of the Antichrist, who would exalt himself above God and claiming to be like God.

By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul called the Antichrist the son of perdition. We find this expression only in one other text: Jesus called Judas the son of perdition in His priestly prayer (see

John 17:12).

Judas was a professed disciple of Jesus but he ended up betraying Him. In the same way the Antichrist is an apparently Christian institution but in reality it is at enmity with Jesus. Through the Papacy, Satan hid his principles under the cloak of Christianity. In the end times this false system of worship will be professedly Christian.

The Papacy represents a human system that exalts the creature above the Creator. It undermines the authority of God’s Word by putting tradition on the same level. Satan has always tried to attack God’s Word; his first deception was to believe it was possible for us to be like God in knowing good and evil independently from His Word (see Genesis 3:5).

6. WHICH CHARACTERISTICS DO GOD ’ SEND - TIME PEOPLE HAVE?

 Revelation 12:17; Revelation 14:12 After seeing God’s people persecuted during the 1260 years of Papal rule, John saw Satan’s last attack against God’s end-time people (Revelation 13); in Revelation 14 we find God’s last message that is to be proclaimed to the world before Jesus comes.

God’s people are described at the beginning and at the end of this section on the final crisis: in both descriptions is said that the people of God keep His commandments.

The last battle on earth will be fought over God’s law: the beast’s false system of worship is an attack to the law of God. In Revelation 13 the first 4 commandments, the ones that deal with our relationship with God, are transgressed:  1st commandment: You shall have no other gods before Me. The beast violates this commandment by receiving worship (see Revelation 13:4,8).

 2nd commandment: You shall not make for yourself a carved image and you shall not bow down to them. The beast violates this commandment by receiving worship through an image that is set up (see Revelation 13:14-15).

 3rd commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. The beast violates this commandment by blaspheming (see Revelation 13:5-6). 16. The Mark of the Beast – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 5 Where is the violation of the 4th commandment? It has to do with the mark of the beast.

7. What Biblical Truth does the Call to True Worship Refer to?

 Revelation 14:7 We listed 7 references to false worship in Revelation 13-14; there is just one reference to true worship. The last part of the verse is a direct reference to the Sabbath commandment (see Exodus 20:11).

The mark of the beast is a counterfeit of God’s mark (or seal). God has a seal for His people (see

Revelation 7:2-4). The Bible teaches that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. The seal of God has to do with His law since the Spirit writes God’s law on the mind of the believer (see Ephesians 1:13, 4:30 and Hebrews 8:10).

Ancient kings’ seals contained their name, title and domain. We find these in the Sabbath commandment: “For in six days the LORD [His name] MADE [His title: Creator] THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH [His dominion]” (Exodus 20:11). The Sabbath is a sign that God gave His people (see Ezekiel 20:12).

Catholic sources state: “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 transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday” (“The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine”, Peter Geiermann, St. Louis, B. Herder Book Co., 1957 ed., p. 50).

“Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act. And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters” (C.F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons, in answer to a letter regarding the change of the Sabbath, November 11, 1895).

Sunday sacredness is the mark of the beast; nowhere in the Bible a change from Sabbath to Sunday observance is taught. This change is distinctive mark of the authority the Papacy claims to change even the law of God (see Daniel 7:25).

As we will see in the next study, Sunday observance will be imposed in the future: but those who keep Sunday in the present time haven’t yet received the mark of the beast.

8. Where does the Idea of Asign on the Forehead or the Hand Come From?

 Deuteronomy 6:5-8 6 16. The Mark of the Beast – Menorah Mission School – 2018/2019 This passage comes after the repetition of the 10 commandments by Moses (see Deuteronomy 5:1-21). God did not intend the Israelites to literally put His law on their forehead or on their hand.

The forehead and the hand represent respectively the thoughts and the actions. They needed to meditate on God’s law and do it.

The mark of the beast is received on the forehead or on the right hand (see Revelation 13:16); this means that some, those who receive it on the forehead, will take because they will believe in this false system and others, those who receive it on the hand, will yield out of love for ease. In any case, it will be an issue of character. Those who reject Bible truth and do not develop the habit of acting out of principle will end up receiving the mark of the beast.

On the contrary, the seal of God can be received only on the forehead (see Revelation 7:2-3). This means that nobody can conform his life to God’s Word only on the outside; truth must be received in the mind and then it will have a sanctifying influence from the inside out, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

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