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

[Truthseeker]

https://thebiblefulfilled.com/2024/0...-of-the-beast/

[coksiw]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

https://thebiblefulfilled.com/2024/0...-of-the-beast/

That article is way off in so many ways. How people can come up with stuff like that is mind blowing.

[jediwill83]

So apparently I'm tying this comment about the Mark on my Mark?

[Truthseeker]

Originally Posted by coksiw

That article is way off in so many ways. How people can come up with stuff like that is mind blowing.

What parts was way off?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Truthseeker

What parts was way off?

That’s fair.

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

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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.