Transcript Nature of the Mark of the Beast

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
STUDY  The fearful judgements denounced
against the worship of the beast and his
image(Rev. 14:9-11), should lead all to
a diligent study of the prophecies to
learn what the mark of the beast is, and
how they are to avoid receiving it. GC
593.
Progressive Wrath of the Devil…
 Rev. 12:7-9
- He was cast out of heaven
 Rev. 12:10-12
- He was judged at the cross.
 Rev. 12:17
- The group that persisted and kept
God’s law.
Progressive Development of
Satan’s Mission:
 To destroy Christ (Rev. 12:1-5).
 To destroy the Christian Church
(Rev.12:6,13-16)
 To destroy the Remnant (Rev.12:17).
 He was defeated in the first two and
will be defeated in the last
one.(Rev.12:11).
Progressive Deployment of
Agents in the Conflict
 Pagan Rome
- Gives power, and authority and
throne to the next agent. (Rev. 13:2)
 Papal Rome
- Responsible for persecution during
the 1260 years – Middle Ages (12:1316;13:1-10).
- The beast came from the earth (13:11)
- Introduces the Mark of the Beast in
collaboration with the first beast
 Protestantism(USA)
Protestantism(USA)
- The beast came from the earth
(13:11)
- Introduces the Mark of the Beast
in collaboration with the first beast
Characteristics of the Mark of the
BeastRev.12-14
 End-time phenomenon
 Wilful and knowledgeable opposition
to Sabbath truth.
 Coercive Sunday Observance
 In harmony with Roman Catholicism
 Refusal to accept Jesus Christ.
 Deception/Persecution
 Character matured in opposition to
God
End-time Phenomenon
 It will take place after 1260 years –
12:17.
 After the mortal wound has been
healed - 13:4,8,10
 Will be accompanied by miraculous
signs and wonders – 13:13
 After the image of the Beast has been
set up – 13:14
 It will be experienced at or after the
time of the Three Angel’s Message.
 MOB is the evidence of final and
irrevocable settling into error;
 While the Seal of God is the final and
irrevocable settling into truth.
Implication for Evangelism…
 What is the point of accepting Christ today
and keeping the Sabbath if all this has endtime emphasis?
– We may not be alive at the end of time,
salvation has a “today” emphasis.
– Today we are judged by what we know
and what we do with it.
– Membership in the SDA church is no
guarantee for one’s salvation and the
opposite is true.
Spirit of Prophecy:
“No one has received the mark of the Beast.
The testing time has not yet come. There
are Christians in every church, not
excepting the Roman Catholic communion.
When the decree shall go forth enforcing
the counterfeit Sabbath… the line will be
drawn between the false and the true.
Then those who continue in
transgression will receive the mark of
the Beast (Ev. 234,235).
“The living righteous will receive the
seal of God prior to the close of
probation.” 1SM 66
“When the leading churches of the United
States, uniting upon such doctrines as are
held by them in common, shall influence
the state to enforce their decrees and to
sustain their institutions, then Protestant
America will have formed an image of the
Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil
penalties upon dissenters will inevitably
result.” GC 445.
Wilful/knowledgeable opposition
to Sabbath truth:
 Commandments of God.
- Devil targets those who obey God –
12:17
- Those who speak against the Beast –
14:12
- Those who follow the Beast will be
the ones who break God’s
commandments.
 Worship
- 13:8,12 – The whole world worships
the Beast
- 14:6 – The whole world is called to
worship the Creator
- The Sabbath reminds us about the
Creator worthy to be worshipped.
- Those who accept the MOB reject the
Sabbath
Opposition to Sabbath cont’d
 Seal vs Mark
- Sabbath referred as a sign (Ex. 31:12-17)
- In the end-time the false and true are
distinguished by Sabbath observance.
- The Mark of the Beast is evidence of
Beast’s authority seen in changing God’s
law (Dan.7:25).
 Worship of the Beast is wilful and
knowledgeable:
- Occurs in spite of Three Angel’s
message (14:6-12)
- Matt.24:14
Sabbath a Test of Obedience
 In the end-time the Sabbath becomes a
test of our obedience, a sign that we
have accepted Christ.
 Those that keep God’s commandments
are seen by observing the Sabbath as
God’s day.
 A similar situation can be seen in
Exodus 16.
- vs. 23 they are commanded to
observe the Sabbath and gather no
- vs.27 Some ventured and went to look
for bread.
- vs.28 – they are accused of breaking
not just the Sabbath but God’s
commandments and laws.
 Therefore in the end-time those who
break God’s commandments are those
who refuse to keep the Sabbath.
Spirit of Prophecy:
“No one is made to suffer the wrath of
God until the truth has been brought
home to the mind and conscience and
has been rejected…The decree is not to
be urged upon the people blindly.
Everyone is to have sufficient light to
make his decision intelligently…” GC
605
Coercive Sunday Observance:
 The worship of the beast will be
characterized by coercion:
- 13:15 – After the setting up of the
image to the Beast.
- 13:15-17: The decree to kill Saints.
- Only those who keep the God’s law
will be persecuted.
 Spirit of Prophecy:
“When Sunday observance shall be
enforced by law…then whosoever
transgresses the command of God to
obey a precept which has not authority
than that of Rome, will thereby honour
popery above God… GC 443,445
[“Religious leaders will] put forth the claim
that the fast spreading corruption is largely
attributable to the desecration of the socalled “Christian sabbath”, and that the
enforcement of Sunday observance would
greatly improve the morals of society (GC.
587).
Harmony with Roman
Catholicism:
 The land beast speaks like a dragon – 13:11
 Exercises authority of the first Beast –
13:12
 Acts on behalf of the Beast – 13:13-14
- False prophet – 16:13,14 Protestant
America).
- Beast: false Christ(anti-Christ)
- Dragon : Spiritualism.
“The Protestants of the United States
will be foremost in stretching their
hands across the gulf to grasp the hand
of spiritualism; they will reach over the
abyss to clasp hands with the Roman
power; and under the influence of this
three-fold union, this country will
follow in the steps of Rome in
trampling on the rights of conscience”.
Evidence of lack of relationship
with Christ:
 13:8 – Had refused to accept Jesus
- Overcame by the blood – 12:11
 12:17 – Do not love Jesus (John 15:14)
 Matt,7:24-27 – have failed to build on
the rock.
“
As trials thicken around us, both
separation and unity will be seen in
our ranks. Some who are now
ready to take up weapons of
warfare will in times of real peril
make it manifest that they have not
built upon the solid rock…”6T
400,401
Everyone who is not centred
in Christ will fail to stand the
test and ordeal of that day…”
MYP 51,52
It Works through Deception:
 13:13-15 – Deception is two fold
- Cognitive - signs and
wonders(receives mark on the forehead
- Physical – persecution (receives mark
in the hand (13:16)
 Why are they deceived? 2Thess.2:9-12
- They are perishing
- Did not receive the love of the
truth(3rd Angels Message)
- Delighted in wickedness
 “…Those who had great light and
precious privileges, but have not
improved them, will under one pretext
or another, go out from us. Not having
received the love of truth, they will be
taken in the delusions of the enemy…”
6T 400,401
Character Matured in Opposition
to God:
 Those who receive the MOB do not
keep God’s law.
 Part of those who persecute God’s
people
 They worship the Beast.
 They have finally resembled the
dragon.
 “In a marvellous manner will he affect
the bodies of those who are naturally
inclined to do his bidding.” MYP
51,52
 “No one of us will ever receive the seal
of God while our characters have one
spot or stain upon them…” 5T 213-216
The devil’s Strategy unmasked:
 …We must ensnare those who honour
the Sabbath. We can separate many
from Christ by worldliness, lust, and
pride. They may think themselves safe
because they believe the truth, but
indulgence of appetite or the lower
passions, which confuse judgement
and destroy discrimination, will cause
their fall (TM 473)
Productive Use of the period of
Probation…
“The
season of anguish and distress
before us will require a faith that can
endure weariness, delay and hunger – a
faith that will not faint though severely
tried. THE PERIOD OF PROBATION
IS GRANTED TO ALL TO PREPARE
FOR THAT TIME.
(GC 621).
 “This is our washing and ironing time
– time when we are to cleanse our
robes of character in the blood of the
Lamb” IHP 356.
 “Those who delay a preparation for
that day of God cannot obtain it in the
time of trouble or at any subsequent
time. GC 620.
“The “time of trouble, such as never
was,” is soon to open upon us; and we
shall need an experience which we do
not now possess and which many are
too indolent to obtain. It is often the
case that trouble is greater in
anticipation than in reality;
but this is not true of the crisis before
us. The most vivid imagination
presentation cannot reach the
magnitude of the ordeal. Now while
our High Priest is making the
atonement for us, we should seek to
become perfect in Christ.” GC 622,623
When the leading churches of the USA,
uniting upon such points of doctrine as
re held y them in common, shall
influence the State to enforce their
decrees and to sustain their institutions,
then Protestant America will have f