Mark of the Beast: Part 3 - The Mark

The Mark of the Beast: Part 3 – The Mark

If you have not already done so, please read the introduction to this study, as it is crucial to our understanding of the ‘Mark of the Beast.’

Friends, if you have already read the introduction to this study, then you may be shocked at the evidence provided and maybe a little sceptical about the message. It is my prayer that you have been, and continue to be sincere and honest and prayerful in your search for the truth. May the Holy Spirit open our minds and soften our hearts with wisdom and understanding of His revealed truths.

Having identified the Beast power of Bible prophecy, we are now ready to examine what the Bible reveals about its mark. It would noteworthy for us at this time to remember that as we read through the Bible narrative we see that Satan consistently tries to counterfeit the things of God…

COUNTERFEITS

God has called people to be evangelists, preachers and apostles. The Bible speaks of Satan’s counterfeits in 2 Corinthians 11: 13-15

Satan counterfeits the true gospel message (Galations 1:6-9, 2 Corinthians 11:3, 4)

Satan counterfeits the doctrine of God (1 Timothy 4:1-4)

Satan counterfeits God’s communion table (1 Corinthians 10:21). The enemy’s communion table is idolatry, worshipping images and things (like money).

Satan has a counterfeit righteousness, a system of morality and a system of religion, which was criticized and condemned by Christ in Matthew 23:27, 28.

And just in case you do not accept his counterfeit system of truth, Satan also has a smoke-screen to obscure God’s Truth (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4)

Our heavenly Father has a host of angels who serve Him, and Satan has an unseen organization of demons as mentioned in Ephesians 6:12.

These are just a few examples, but you get the idea. It is important to keep this in mind as we continue.

Revelation 13:15-18
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.

Previously, we addressed the ‘number’ of his name – 666, and we saw that this number is not the actual mark of the beast, but rather it is used to help us identify the beast power. As we look closely at this verse, we can note that this ‘mark’ is something that is enforced. It says “…he causeth all ….to receive a mark…” You would think that not being able to buy or sell would be enough motivation to make a person choose to receive this mark. However, this verse also tells us that those who do not pay homage to this beast power by receiving its mark “…should be killed ..”

It is plain to see that this is a most severe and pertinent Bible prophecy recorded for us today. It is speaking of persecution and death threats to you and me!

 So, what is this ‘mark’ of authority that represents the Antichrist power of Bible prophecy and how exactly do we receive it (or, more pertinently, avoid receiving it) in our “right hand” or “foreheads?”  Is it some sort of barcode tattoo, or birthmark?  Is it a micro-chip implant, or one-world banking card?

As usual, we are not going to speculate or guess. We are going to let the Bible reveal itself to us. As we begin, let us consider what we already know about Satan wanting to counterfeit that which belongs to God and, for this reason, ask ourselves “Does God have a mark, or symbol of authority?”

Ezekiel 20:12
I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.

Exodus 31:17
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth.

In the Bible, the words seal, sign, mark, and token are used interchangeably (compare Genesis 17:11 with Romans 4:11 and Revelation 7:3 with Ezekiel 9:4).

The above texts tell us that God gave us His Sabbath as a twofold “sign”. First, it is a sign of creation. That He created the world in six literal 24-hour days. Second, it is a sign of God’s mighty power to redeem and sanctify (convert and save) us.

Surely every Christian will love the Sabbath as God's precious sign of Creation and redemption (Exodus 31:13, 17; Ezekiel 20:12, 20). It is a great insult to God for people to trample upon His Sabbath. In Isaiah 58:13, 14, God says all who would be blessed must first get their feet off His Sabbath.

Furthermore, it is interesting to note that Ancient seals contained three major elements: the name, title, and territory of the one placing the official, legal seal upon the document. Now consider Exodus 20:11…

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Isn’t that interesting! God’s Sabbath commandment contains His name, “the Lord your God”; His title, Creator, “for in six days the Lord made”; and His territory, “the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them.” Friends, God has placed His seal in the very center of His official document, the Ten Commandments.

Considering what we have discussed in regards to Satan’s counterfeits, and now seeing that the symbol, or mark, of God's authority and power is His holy Sabbath day, it seems likely that the symbol, or mark, of God's challenger--the beast--might also involve a holy day.

Daniel 7:25
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

Remember, this verse tells us that the beast would change “…times and laws …” In the previous study, I said that we would soon look at the “times” here mentioned. We saw how the papacy has attempted to change the “laws”, now we will see how it has changed the “times.”

Because we have identified the beast power as the papacy, all we have to do is ask if the papacy has its own ‘mark’ of authority. It is surprising how easy it really is. All one has to do is ask. Turning once again to a Catholic catechism, let's see how the papacy responds...

"Question: Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept?"
"Answer: Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her--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.” Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism [FRS No. 7.], (3rd American ed., rev.: New York, Edward Dunigan & Bro., 1876), p. 174.

Also…

"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." Peter Geiermann, The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine (St. Louis, B. Herder Book Co., 1957 ed.), p. 50.

And again…

We ask the papacy, "Did you really change Sabbath to Sunday?"
It replies, "Yes, we did. It is our symbol, or mark, of authority and power."
We ask, "How could you even think of doing that?”

The papacy officially responds with an even more pertinent question to all Protestants. Please read it carefully:

"You will tell me that Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath, but that the Christian Sabbath has been changed to Sunday. Changed! but by whom? Who has authority to change an express commandment of Almighty God? When God has spoken and said, Thou shalt keep holy the seventh day, who shall dare to say, Nay, thou mayest work and do all manner of worldly business on the seventh day; but thou shalt keep holy the first day in its stead? This is a most important question, which I know not how you can answer. You are a Protestant, and you profess to go by the Bible and the Bible only; and yet in so important a matter as the observance of one day in seven as a holy day, you go against the plain letter of the Bible, and put another day in the place of that day which the Bible has commanded. The command to keep holy the seventh day is one of the ten commandments; you believe that the other nine are still binding; who gave you authority to tamper with the fourth? If you are consistent with your own principles, if you really follow the Bible and the Bible only, you ought to be able to produce some portion of the New Testament in which this fourth commandment is expressly altered." Library of Christian Doctrine: Why Don't You Keep Holy the Sabbath-Day? (London: Burns and Oates, Ltd.), pp. 3, 4.

Here is yet another relevant Catholic statement: "The Church is above the Bible; and this transference of Sabbath observance from Saturday to Sunday is proof positive of that fact." The Catholic Record (London, Ontario, Canada, Sept. 1, 1923).

The papacy here openly admits not only that it changed the Sabbath to Sunday and that virtually all churches accepted the new holy day, but more so, the papacy claims that Sunday as a holy day is the mark, or symbol, of her power and authority!

Actually, the papacy has attempted to change God’s “times” in two ways: (1) It has changed the time of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day. (2) She has also changed God's "timing" for the beginning and ending of the Sabbath. Instead of counting the Sabbath day from sundown Friday night to sundown Saturday night as God has dictated in Leviticus 23:32, it adopted the pagan Roman custom of counting the day from midnight Saturday night to midnight Sunday night.

Friends, the papacy is boldly saying in these references that its successful change of Sabbath observance to Sunday worship is proof that its authority is greater, or "above," Scripture!

Misguided men of long ago announced that God's holy day was changed from Sabbath to Sunday. God predicted it would happen, and it did. This error was passed on to our unsuspecting generation as gospel fact. Sunday-keeping is a tradition of uninspired men and breaks God's law, which commands Sabbath-keeping.

Only God can make a day holy. God blessed the Sabbath, and when God blesses, no man can "reverse it." Numbers 23:20.

Tragically, both Catholicism and Protestantism stand guilty before the judgment bar of heaven for rejecting God's holy Sabbath--His sacred sign of identification.

A Kick In The Pants

Here’s the kicker! Although the papacy has openly admitted to changing the Sabbath to Sunday, and even though she ‘tells us’ that we should worship on Saturday if we believe in the Bible alone, yet, the papacy is the strongest advocate for a ‘Sunday Law.’ People are you hearing me?!? She tells us to worship on Saturday, yet she is leading the way for the laws that will make Saturday worship illegal!! Please read this again and research it.

In the Forehead or Hand??

Revelation 13:16
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:

You may be asking how we are marked in the forehead or hand by the day we keep. Again we’ll turn to the Bible.

Hebrews 10:16
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

As is shown, this mark, or symbol deals with God's law and God says He will write His laws in our 'minds'. From this verse we can see how the forehead represents the mind. Remember, the battle is over who we worship, and who we obey. Couple with this the blessing of free will and we can see how a person will be marked in the forehead (mind) by a decision (choice) to keep Sunday as a holy day. Those who go against the ‘mainstream’, so to speak, will be as clearly distinguished from the rest, as if they were visibly marked on their foreheads.

What about the 'hand'?

Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

Here the Bible shows us that the ‘hand’ here is associated with, or represents, work. A person will be marked in the hand by working on God's holy Sabbath or by going along with Sunday laws for practical reasons (job, family, etc.).

Beloved, the enemy is exceedingly subtle (Genesis 3:1). He knows that many people, believers as well as unbelievers, are aware and unwilling to receive anything that resembles some form of marking, or tagging, so to speak. Understand that he would not make the mark of his authority something that would be so easily recognized as something dangerous. And how many would consider it dangerous to be attending church, regardless of what day it is? Please consider that the sign, or mark, for either God or the beast will be invisible to people. You will, in essence, mark yourself by accepting either God's sign or mark, the Sabbath, or the beast's mark, Sunday. Though invisible to men, God will know who has which mark (2 Timothy 2:19).

I should mention at this time, that no one today has the mark of the beast. Those who currently attend church to worship on Sunday do not at this time have the mark of the beast. I will discuss this further later on.

Christians, it should be clear by now that this is a matter of life and death. Sabbath-keeping is commanded with urgent admonition in the fourth commandment of God’s law, and the Bible tells us that sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). We know that it is a sin to knowingly break any of the Ten Commandments and we know that the wages for sin is death (Romans 6:23). See also James 2:10, 1 Peter 2:21 and Hebrews 5:9.

Revelation 14:6-7
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

In God’s final warning messages to the world, we find a call to worship the Creator. This call to worship brings us back to the Sabbath commandment which God set aside specifically for holy purposes.

Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

What’s it All About?

Romans 6:16
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

As we read through the Bible, one thing should become clear. From Genesis to Revelation, the battle has always been about whom we worship and who we obey. We can see that when Israel was obedient to the one true God, they were victorious. When they were back-sliding, they were defeated, time and time again. The same was true for the enemies of Israel as well. When they turned from their idolatry and wrong doing, and came to obey and worship the one true God of heaven, they as well were spared and blessed.

Also, throughout the scriptures we can see an emphasis on the recognition of the Creator.

Revelation 4:11
"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

Psalms 96:5-4
"For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens."

Psalms 121:2
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth."

By obeying God and keeping the Sabbath holy as He commanded us, we show our love for Him and acknowledge His authority in our life.

1 John 5:2-3
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."

Keeping God’s seventh-day Sabbath holy is a symbol, or mark, of salvation. It will signify that we are owned by Him and have His character. True Sabbath-keeping signifies that a person has surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and is willing to follow wherever Jesus leads.

As we have seen, God issues a strong warning in Revelation 14:7 clarifying that we should "worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." This strong warning is needed because the enemy has mislead almost the entire world into accepting his counterfeit and thus multitudes worship or obey him rather than the Creator.

Revelation 13:4
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?

“But My Pastor Says…”

Friends, as I began to research this teaching, I confronted a number of professionals, Pastors and Evangelists alike, as to the reason why we worship on Sunday. One said that the Sabbath was transferred to Sunday in honour of the resurrection; however, he was not able to supply a Bible verse to support this idea. One quoted a number of Bible verses that make reference to the first day of the week, but again, none of these verses seemed to indicate a transfer of the Sabbath day to the first day of the week. It seemed to me that if there was Bible support for Sunday worship, then Pastors should be able to quote the same verse or verses. One Pastor surprised me with his honesty. He said that there was no verse in the Bible that supports Sunday services and that it was a matter of tradition. When asked why he didn’t worship on the Sabbath then, his response was rather thought provoking. He believed that he would lose most of his congregation if he were to tell them that he was going to hold the church services on Saturday. Apparently, most people want to use this day as a day to themselves. A day of relaxation. A day to spend time with the family, or catch up on home or personal projects. Dare I mention Saturday football? My Pastor friend is paid ‘from the congregation’, that is, the collection plate and a drop in attendance can result in a significant loss of income. Thusly, my Pastor friend preaches what the masses “want” to hear. His is a gospel of prosperity and cheap grace.

Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.

Tragically, the truth is that just as in the time of Ezekiel, religious leaders today have offended the God of heaven by hiding their eyes from God’s true Sabbath.

Ezekiel 22:31
Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

God, however, assures us that these false shepherds will be punished. Thousands upon thousands have been deceived concerning this issue and God cannot treat it lightly. Let us not forget the harsh rebuke from Jesus when He condemned the Pharisees for pretending to love God while making void one of the Ten Commandments by their tradition (Mark 7:7-13).

In these verses from the book of Ezekiel, God has solemnly warned that leaders who teach that there is no difference between His holy and sacred things, such as the Sabbath, and common things, such as Sunday, will face His indignation.

Believers, these religious leaders who teach that it doesn’t matter what day you keep holy are walking on dangerous ground.

Malachi 2:7-9
For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

God warns against causing people to stumble by saying that some of the commandments do not matter.

These ministers will account for their teachings, but the Bible also has something relevant to say concerning the hearers as well as the preachers of the gospel. Some people are uncomfortable with change. Some people do not want to hear about what they perceive as the doom and gloom of Bible prophecy. Prosperity preaching and cheap grace are popular and welcome messages for our generation. “Just believe and God will bless you financially.” “Jesus already paid the price for sin, therefore there is nothing more we need to do.” Error, mixed with truth. Oh, so subtle. God, however, had addressed this tendency a long time ago.

Isaiah 30:9, 10
That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits

Have you ever met someone who has been doing something for so long, that they are convinced it is the only right way to do it? Typically they will not accept newer technologies, or more efficient way of doing things. By nature this demographic is usually, but not limited to, ‘the older generation.’ Some of the younger folk may fall into this category, but only because they think that they know it all, and know it better than anyone else. But God has warned people about hardening their hearts to the truth of His law…

Zechariah 7:12
Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.

God also warns people who think it suddenly strange to start keeping the true Bible Sabbath…

Hosea 8:12
I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.

Honesty

It would seem that if we cannot trust our ‘leaders’ to provide the truth, then all is lost. But, alas, there is hope. There are still some that will not sell-out to what is popular, or convenient. You see, friends, as I continued to research this issue, I began to get comments that the Saturday Sabbath was an Old Testament ‘Jewish’ doctrine. That is, it was meant for the Jews. They said that only the Jewish people, along with a peculiar movement known as the Seventh-day Adventist’s, were keeping the seventh-day as their holy day, and it did not apply to us ‘Gentiles’. It did not take long to see that this also was not accurate information. I did manage to find quite a few religious leaders, as well as other authorities from various denominations that admit there is no Biblical evidence to support a Sunday Sabbath. Here is a small example…

Baptist: "There was and is a commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. ... It will be said, however, and with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week. ... Where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament--absolutely not. There is no scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the seventh to the first day of the week." --Dr. Edward T. Hiscox, author of The Baptist Manual, in a paper read before a New York ministers' conference held Nov. 13, 1893.

Catholic: "You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we [Catholics] never sanctify." --James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of Our Fathers, 16th edition, 1880, p. 111.

Church of Christ: "Finally, we have the testimony of Christ on this subject. In Mark 2:27, he says: 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.' From this passage it is evident that the Sabbath was made not merely for the Israelites, as Paley and Hengstenberg would have us believe, but for man ... that is, for the race. Hence we conclude that the Sabbath was sanctified from the beginning, and that it was given to Adam, even in Eden, as one of those primeval institutions that God ordained for the happiness of all men." --Robert Milligan, Scheme of Redemption, (St. Louis, The Bethany Press, 1962), p. 165.

Congregationalist: "The Christian Sabbath [Sunday] is not in the Scriptures, and was not by the primitive church called the Sabbath." --Dwight's Theology, Vol. 4, p. 401.

Episcopal: "Sunday (Dies Solis, of the Roman calendar, 'day of the sun', because dedicated to the sun), the first day of the week, was adopted by the early Christians as a day of worship. ... No regulations for its observance are laid down in the New Testament, nor, indeed, is its observance even enjoined." --"Sunday," A Religious Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, (New York, Funk and Wagnalls, 1883) p. 2259.

Lutheran: "The observance of the Lord's day [Sunday] is founded not on any command of God, but on the authority of the church." --Augsburg Confession of Faith, quoted in Catholic Sabbath Manual, Part 2, Chapter 1, Section 10.

Methodist: "Take the matter of Sunday. There are indications in the New Testament as to how the church came to keep the first day of the week as its day of worship, but there is no passage telling Christians to keep that day, or to transfer the Jewish Sabbath to that day." --Harris Franklin Rall, Christian Advocate, July 2, 1942.

Moody Bible Institute: "The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. This fourth commandment begins with the word 'remember,' showing that the Sabbath already existed when God wrote the law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away with when they will admit that the other nine are still binding?" --D. L. Moody, Weighed and Wanting, p. 47.

Presbyterian: "Until, therefore, it can be shown that the whole moral law has been repealed, the Sabbath will stand. ... The teaching of Christ confirms the perpetuity of the Sabbath." --T. C. Blake, D.D., Theology Condensed, pp. 474, 475.

Pentecostal: "'Why do we worship on Sunday? Doesn't the Bible teach us that Saturday should be the Lord's Day?' ... Apparently we will have to seek the answer from some other source than the New Testament." --David A. Womack, "Is Sunday the Lord's Day?" The Pentecostal Evangel, Aug. 9, 1959, No. 2361, p. 3.

Encyclopedia: "Sunday was a name given by the heathen to the first day of the week, because it was the day on which they worshiped the sun, ... the seventh day was blessed and hallowed by God Himself, and ... He requires His creatures to keep it holy to Him. This commandment is of universal and perpetual obligation."
--Eadie's Biblical Cyclopedia, 1872 ed., p. 561.

As you can see, this is not some radical or new teaching. There are Seventh-day Methodist’s, Seventh-day Baptist’s, Seventh-day Lutheran’s, etc. The list goes on! The question then becomes, ‘Which one of these, if any, has all the rest of their teachings correct according to the Bible?’ But that’s another Hub altogether.

Are they Marked?

As I briefly mentioned earlier, those who are currently keeping Sunday holy do not have the mark of the beast now. Revelation 13, when referring to the beast, says that “… he causeth all…”, which means that no one will have the mark of the beast until Sunday worship is made a law and is enforced. The time is coming when the truth about the Sabbath will be known by all, and we will be able to make honest and educated choices (Joshua 24:15) rather than just following along blindly and putting our trust in wolves in sheep’s clothing. At that time, which I believe to be very soon, those who decide to follow the false teachings of the beast and worship on Sunday (the beast's counterfeit holy day) will receive the mark of the beast.

Those who decide to follow Jesus and obey His truth will keep His Sabbath day holy and receive His mark. Friends, please consider, those who expect to refuse the beast's mark in the future must step under Jesus' Sabbath banner now. His power is available to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32). Without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). With Him, all things are possible (Mark 10:27).

Just Ask John

How interesting that John specifically saw three characteristics of the people in God’s eternal kingdom. In Revelation 7:3 he saw those who have God’s seal (or sign, or mark – His Sabbath), in their foreheads. He also saw those who refused to identify with the beast or his image and who refused to have his mark or name in their foreheads (Revelation 15:2). And he saw the people who, today and for eternity, follow Jesus wherever He leads, trusting Him fully in everything (Revelation 14:4). There simply is no other way.

Finally, Christian, please consider the message found in Isaiah 24:4-6…

The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

God has told us that upheaval, tragedy, problems and woes of the earth come because people refuse to follow His law, and have even tried to change it!

As always, I encourage your questions. More so, I encourage you to study this through for yourselves. Prove it out, or prove it wrong.

As always, thank-you for taking the time to read!

Many thanks to Amazing Facts Ministries and Bible Universe.