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Bible
Prophecy
Revelation's Most Urgent Health Warning!
STORY
You
wake up to what appears to be a normal day. But
when you turn on the radio and listen to the morning news you begin to feel
uneasy. The bottom has dropped out of the world economy and hyper-inflation is
occurring on a global scale. On the way home from work that day you get a
shock when the evening newspaper costs twice as much as normal. The headline
on the paper says "Worldwide Economic Emergency."
Prices of goods and services continue to rise alarmingly and a few days later
a special news broadcast explains that the nation is converting to cashless
transactions, using electronic funds transfers to manage the crisis. Everyone
must buy and sell using plastic cards.
The next morning you receive a further shock. The worst earthquake on record
has occurred at Tokyo, Japan. Huge Tsunamis have raked the surrounding coasts.
The USA has pledged massive aid, but that afternoon you are further stunned to
here that a similar disaster has hit California -- the big one. The
next day a hurricane devastates much of Western Europe. To make things worse
the economic crisis has sparked a number of desperate wars and there is a
threat of nuclear weapons being used. Your mind is in a whirl. You feel
desperate and despairing -- what is going on?
Then it happens. You see it on the TV screen. In earthquake torn LA a
supernatural event occurs. From the sky
comes a huge sparkling object resembling a classic UFO. It hovers above the
rescue HQ that has been organising the rescue and relief operations. A
beautiful being glowing with an unearthly glory -- more splendid than anything
the onlookers have ever beheld -- appears and in a melodious voice addresses
the astonished crowds: "I have come again. I have come to help you and
give you hope and relief, peace and prosperity. Tomorrow I will help at Tokyo
and also in Europe. On this day next week I will appear at Jerusalem to
announce that my kingdom has come." Shortly after the glorious being
departs a shout goes up that the telephone systems are working again. Soon it
is realised that water supplies are operating normally and that food parcels
have been found all over LA. During the week it is reported that similar
things happened at Tokyo and in Europe.
The spectacular event happens in Jerusalem: "The glory that
surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The
shout of triumph rings out upon the air: ‘Christ has come! Christ has
come!’ The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he
lifts up his hands and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His
disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued yet full
of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same
gracious, heavenly truths, which the Saviour uttered, he heals the diseases of
the people and then in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have
changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has
blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day
are blaspheming his name...this is the strong, almost overmastering
delusion." He declares that the disasters have been due, in a large
degree, to the desecration of Sunday and that they will continue until the
observance of this day is strictly guarded and enforced. Those who are keeping
the seventh-day Sabbath are dishonouring his
name, he says, and must be convinced of their error.
A law is passed that all who would not pledge to keep holy Sunday were to have
their money-cards vetoed, as were all those who professed to keep the
seventh-day Sabbath. Then things get even worse…
The above is a hypothetical scenario based on Bible prophecies
that you can read about on this web page. It is given to illustrate how easily
the last end-time prophecies of Revelation Chapter 13 and 2Thessalonians
Chapter 2 could be fulfilled. Please do not take it as being what will
exactly happened. No doubt the end events will take many unexpected twists and
we need to be open-minded. The main thing is to have a living, daily
connection with Jesus and to walk in the light He has given and will give.
Jesus has warned us: "But give attention to yourselves, for fear
that your hearts become over-full of the pleasures of food and wine, and the
cares of this life, and that day may come on you suddenly, and take you as in
a net: For so it will come on all those who are living on the face of all the
earth. But keep watch at all times with prayer…"
"Then if any man says to you, See, here is the Christ, or, Here; do not
put faith in him; For there will come up false Christs, and false prophets,
who will do great signs and wonders; so that if possible even the saints might
be tricked." Luke 21:34-36, Mt. 24:23,24.BBE
Here is the full text of this fearful
warning of Re. 14: 9-11:9 (emphasis supplied):
9 "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any
man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in
his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured
out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence
of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have
no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever
receiveth the mark of his name."
What is the image of the beast, the mark of
the beast, and the wrath of God? These will be discussed in order.
1.
The image of the beast.
The image of the beast is outlined in Revelation chapter
13 verses 11 to 17:
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the
earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth
the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose
deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on
the earth in the sight of men,
14 And [the land-beast] deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of
those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to
them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast,
which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 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.
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:
17 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.
The following characteristics are evident:
(a). The land-beast (Protestant USA -- see Babylon
is fallen) leads out in its formation (vs. 14).
(b). It is an image to the sea-beast (The Papacy -- see Babylon
is fallen) (vs. 14).
(c). It is a plan to cause "the earth and them which
dwell therein to worship the first beast [the Papacy], whose deadly wound was
healed" (vs. 12) and therefore to worship "the dragon [Satan]
which gave power unto the [first] beast" (Re. 13:4). So this is Satan's
master plan to bring worship to himself as he has wanted to do from the time he
first rebelled in heaven (Isaiah 14:13,14).
(d). It involves, at least eventually, the whole earth. He
wants "All" to receive the mark, and "no man" is to buy or
sell without it, or its equivalent (vs. 16,17).
(e). The land-beast uses miraculous signs to deceive the
people of the earth regarding the formation and worshiping of this image to the
beast (Re. 13: 14; Re. 19: 20).
(f). The land-beast gives the image what is needed for it
to persecute. That is, Protestant USA empowers it to speak and to persecute (vs.
15).
(g). The image speaks - threatening death to all who do
not worship it (vs. 15).
(h). The image is to be worshiped (vs. 15).
(i). It enforces the mark of the beast. This includes
prohibiting those who don't have the mark from buying or selling (vs. 16, 17).
Also Revelation tells us:
(j). Those who worship this image are to receive the wrath
of God and will have no rest (Re. 14: 9-11).
(k). Although it may seem that all will give in to the
wishes of this image (Re. 13:16,17), not all will (Re. 20:4).
Re. 12: 17 mentions Satan's final war against God's
people. In Revelation chapter 13 we have the description of this war. The
tactics Satan uses are deception and persecution and his primary agents are the
sea-beast, the land-beast and the image to the sea-beast.
Chapter 13 emphasises the role of the USA in making an
image to the sea-beast (Papacy).1 The USA
also gives power to this image so that it can persecute (Re. 13:15). We need to
remember that the Papacy is a church-state union. 2
This was especially evident in medieval times (during the dark ages of the
1260-year period). When the USA combines church with state to enforce
religious decrees it will have made an image to the beast. The whole world
will then follow Americas' lead.
Here would be a good place to discuss in more detail
Satan's end-time deception. We have noted how the land-beast performs miraculous
signs in order to deceive the people of the earth into worshiping the image to
the beast. This land-beast, the false prophet, also deceives them into
receiving the mark of the beast (Re. 19: 20; Re. 13: 13, 14). More details about
this great deception (which occurs shortly before the second coming of Christ)
are given in 2Th. 2: 8-12:
8 And then shall that Wicked [Gk. anomos, lawless
one -- one who treads down God's law] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume
with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his
coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and
signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because
they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure
in unrighteousness.
In this passage we are told that Satan's agent, the
lawless one, is coming with all power, signs, and lying wonders (vs. 9).
We are also told that the lawless one is destroyed at the coming of
Christ (vs. 8).3 The word "coming" in
both these verses is the same Greek word, parousia. In the New Testament
this Greek word is used as a special term for the second coming of Christ.4
This strongly indicates that Satan's coming will, in some way, be a
counterfeit of Christ's second coming. Here is the extremely subtle,
worldwide deception that will lead the unprepared to make the wrong decisions in
the end-time crisis.
How do you escape the deception? First, you need to have
Christ abiding in your heart (see The
everlasting gospel). Second, you need to ask God to give you "the
love of the truth" (2Th. 2: 10). Third, you need to know your Bible and
especially the Bible truths discussed in this Most Urgent Health Warning. Fourth,
you must not place your faith or decisions on miracles or signs -- what you see
-- but upon the word of God. I would strongly urge you
to study carefully Deuteronomy 13: 1-3 and Matthew 7:13-29 while keeping in mind
the designation given by Revelation to the USA with its fallen Protestantism -- the
false prophet (see also Is. 8:19,20; Mt. 4:4; 2Co. 5:7; Heb. 11:1). You
should also be aware of the manner of Christ's return so that you will better be
able to detect the false "return". When Christ comes the whole sky
will be affected, there will be an enormous worldwide earthquake and the world
will be enveloped in fire (Re. 6:14-17; 2Pe. 3:10). The dead in Christ of all
ages will be resurrected (1Th. 4:16) and the living saints will be transformed
and rise with them to meet Christ in the air -- Christ does not touch the earth
itself (1Th. 4:17). Christ will take his people to heaven (Jn. 14:3) where they
spend a thousand years (Re. 20:4). 5
2.
The mark of the beast.
Things to remember in identifying this mark:
(a). Revelation is to be taken symbolically unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise (Re. 1: 1 -- the book is a
"signified" book).
(b). It is the mark of the sea-beast (Papacy) Re.19: 20,
20: 4.6
(c). The land-beast performs miraculous signs to deceive
those who receive it (Re. 19: 20).
(d). The image to the beast enforces it (Re. 13: 15,16).
(e). The mark is placed on the right hand or on the
forehead (Re. 13: 16). This must symbolise (see point "a"
above) either unwilling or willing obedience to getting the mark. Some receive
the mark from convenience and get it on the hand; others are an intelligent
party to the plan and receive it in the forehead.
(f). No one can buy or sell unless he has the mark (or the
name of the beast or number of his name). Re. 13: 17.
(g). Those who receive this mark receive the wrath of God
(Re. 14: 9,10).
(h). It is contrasted with the Father's name written on
the foreheads of God's faithful people (Re. 14: 1 cf. 13: 16). This name of the
Father is equivalent to the seal of God (Re. 7:2-4).
(i). Those who receive the mark of the beast are set in
contrast to those who keep the commandmen
ts of
God (Re. 12: 17; 14: 1-5,12 cf. chapter 13).
So what exactly is this mark? Since those who receive the
mark of the beast are contrasted with those who keep the commandments of God, we
should look for something that is a violation or counterfeit of God’s
commandments. This is supported by Deuteronomy 6:8, which explains that God’s
commandments should be bound "for a sign upon thine hand" and "as
frontlets between thine eyes". If the divine commandments are here
described as being upon the hands and foreheads of God’s true people, then we
can expect a counterfeit commandment, or set of commandments, to be what gets
enforced upon the hands and foreheads of the beast’s followers. As we have
noted before, in Revelation 13 the sea-beast is portrayed as counterfeiting or
rebelling against the first four of the Ten Commandments. When we read
Revelation 13 it is easy to see how the first three of the Ten Commandments are
being counterfeited or transgressed. But what about the Fourth Commandment,
where is the sea-beast’s counterfeit of this precept? We find it in the mark.
The fact that the mark of the beast is a counterfeit of the Fourth Commandment
is supported by the observation that in Revelation the commandment-keepers who
refuse to worship the beast are characterized especially by the
observance of the seventh-day Sabbath (Revelation 12:17; 14:7, 12). These
commandment-keepers are sealed on the forehead (Revelation 7:3 c.f. 14:1,
Ezekiel 9:4) and the Sabbath is described in the Bible as a sign (Exodus 31:13;
Ezekiel 20:12) or seal.7 Thus the beast has its
mark, a counterfeit of the Sabbath precept, and God has His seal, the
seventh-day Sabbath.
But it goes deeper than mere outward compliance with the
Fourth Commandment or its counterfeit. Those who are sealed by God have His name
written on them. In like manner, those who receive the mark of the beast are
receiving "the mark of his name" (Revelation 14:11). God’s name in
the Bible is associated with His character (Ex. 34 6,7). Those who receive His
seal and name are therefore like Him in character. Likewise, we can safely say
that those who receive the mark of the beast will have characters like their
master. Thus, both the seal of God and the mark of the beast are outward signs
of deeper, personal issues, namely, character and ownership. Those who
belong to God keep His Sabbath and are, on account of Christ, like Him in
character. Those who belong to the beast keep its counterfeit of the Sabbath and
are like the beast in character.
Let us now consider Sunday. We have established that the
mark is the sea-beast’s (Papacy’s) counterfeit of the Fourth Commandment. Is
Sunday observance also a counterfeit of the Fourth Commandment, and if so, is it
the same thing as the mark? The observance of Sunday has been cited by Roman
Catholic authorities as evidence that Protestants are unwittingly obeying the
authority of the Papacy. As the Roman Catholic writer Canon Cafferata says,
"Protestants who say that they go by the Bible and Bible only, and that
they do not believe anything that is not in the Bible, must be rather puzzled by
the keeping of Sunday when God distinctly said, ‘Keep holy the Sabbath Day.’
The word Sunday does not come anywhere in the Bible, so, without knowing it,
they are obeying the authority of the Catholic Church"8
(see also Appendix Four). It is a witness to the Papacy’s
authority that in the majority of the world’s nations the public recognizes
Sunday as "the" weekly religious day for rest and worship. In
view of the above, we can confidently say that the Papacy’s declaration that
people should observe Sunday as a religious holiday is a counterfeit of the
Fourth Commandment.
If Sunday observance is a Papal counterfeit of the
seventh-day Sabbath, is it also the mark of the beast? It is obvious from what
we have discussed so far that Sunday-keeping is closely associated with the mark
of the beast. Both the mark of the beast and Sunday observance are a counterfeit
of the Sabbath precept and both come from the Papacy. However, it is not quite
that simple. Those who keep Sunday now cannot have the mark yet (Sept 2003)
because the image to the beast that "causeth all, both small and great,
rich and poor, free and bond, to receive" the "mark" (Revelation
13:16) has not yet appeared. Also the message of Revelation 14:6-12,
enlightening the world regarding the obligation of the Fourth Commandment and
warning people against receiving the mark, has not yet been given extensively
enough. People who conscientiously keep Sunday without knowing that it is a
falsehood cannot be held guilty. However, if they are enlightened concerning the
issues and yet persist in observing Sunday, while neglecting the seventh-day
Sabbath, they will incur guilt. When Sunday-keeping is enforced by the image to
the beast, those who have been enlightened regarding the obligations of the true
Sabbath, and yet continue to reverence Sunday, will receive the mark the beast.9
The fact that when this mark is enforced no one will be
able buy or sell unless they have it (or the name of the beast or the number of
"his name", Revelation 13:17) indicates that some mechanism will be
put in place by the authorities to differentiate between those who are
Sabbath-keepers and those who have the mark. What this mechanism will be is
difficult to say and we must be careful not to speculate. However, it is clear
that those who are faithful in keeping God’s Sabbath will be singled out, and
will suffer persecution for their faith. But they need not fear because God will
sustain and help them.
The enforcement
of the mark of the beast is the infringement of
your civil liberties and the trampling of your rights of conscience referred to
at the beginning (homepage) of this web site (see Home
Page). As you can see, it happens in a most unusual manner. And as I said at
the beginning of this web site, you will not be exempt.
The enforcement of the mark of the beast is the
global crisis that will force you to make a decision about whom you will
worship. Some will make a decision purely on the basis of convenience (they get
the mark on the hand). But which decision you make will dramatically affect your
health and life.
It is worth noting here that observing the change in the
day of worship from Sabbath to Sunday is cited by Roman Catholic authors as
obeying the authority of their church (see Appendix
Four- Prophecies of Daniel Chapter 7 fulfilled for an example of this).
The third angels' message must be the most fearful warning
given in the whole Bible. It is a warning against receiving the wrath of God. In
the book of Revelation the wrath of God is particularly revealed in the seven
bowls of God's wrath described in chapter 16. Here those who make the wrong
decision in the time of crisis are described as getting "a noisome
[injurious] and grievous [bad, diseased] sore" and "they gnawed their
tongues for pain". Also drinking water becomes filthy, they are scorched by
the sun, and suffer from an enormous earthquake and hailstorm.10
Worse than this, according to Re. 14:10 and Re. 20:15 they end up suffering in
the lake of fire. These are the ones who have "no rest day nor night".11
It is not popular in today's world to talk or write about this subject. The
emphasis seems to be all on tolerance and what might be called unholy spiritual
love. True love is prepared to rebuke and discipline (Re. 3: 19; Heb. 12: 5-11).
God gives this warning in Re. 14: 9-11 in love and concern. In a sense
God is simply letting these people reap what they have sown. Plant the seeds of
a poisonous weed like deadly nightshade and what do you get? Deadly nightshade
plants. And then if you eat enough of the plant what happens? You suffer and you
die. Just so the Bible says "sin,
when it is of full growth, gives birth to death." (James. 1:15, BBE).
For centuries and for ages God has been merciful towards
the apostate powers of this world. His light and truth has been plainly revealed
in the Bible and in creation. However, He has an infinite hatred towards sin.
His justice demands that every wrong and every sin receive its penalty. There is
a limit to His mercy. Soon the accumulated sins of the apostate powers will
"have reached unto heaven". Soon it will be declared "God hath
remembered her iniquities" (Re. 18: 5). All who do not separate from her
communion when God calls them to come out will be "partakers of her
sins" and will "receive…of her plagues". (Re. 18: 4). All
who receive the mark of the beast -- including so-called Atheists and secular
people -- will suffer God's wrath against sin.
We need to understand that God is infinitely holy and that
He will not tolerate sin (the cause of all misery and suffering) indefinitely.
He is coming to this planet to clean it up from sin and usher in an eternity of
perfect health and happiness. All who have not been separated from the dominion
of sin through Jesus Christ will, at Christ's coming, inevitably be consumed
with their sins (2Th.1: 8; Heb.12: 29; 2Pe. 3: 10,11). This is why we need to
accept the everlasting gospel. This gospel is the only means of being healed,
transformed and set free from the dominion of sin. Jesus has, at infinite cost
on the cross, willingly paid for our sins. Our Heavenly Father allowed His own
wrath against sin to fall upon His beloved Son because He loves us and wants us
to avoid suffering His wrath. But if we continue to cling to our sins, refuse
His offer of mercy, and join with the apostate powers warring against His holy
law, we will receive His wrath against sin. We will
be involved in the worst health disaster of the world. Please heed this
most urgent health warning -- today -- before it is too late. How
do we heed the warning? By fully entering into the experience of the everlasting
gospel, coming out of any false beliefs or fallen organisations we have been
involved in, and by embracing the truths revealed in Re. 14: 6-12.
This is how to be prepared for the end-time crisis. This
is how to cope with the infringement of your civil rights. These are the right
decisions to make in order to escape the health disaster.
1. The vision of Revelation
chapters 17 and 18 looks at the final events from a different angle than that of
Revelation chapter 13. Revelation 17 and 18 focuses on a confederacy of false
religious powers that will combine with, and control, a confederacy of political
powers (with the Papacy being the key player) to war against Christ and His
people. It describes the call to God's people to come out of this confederacy
before it is judged.
2. "The word papacy is of
medieval origin... In its primary usage it denotes the office of the pope (of
Rome) and, hence, the system of ecclesiastical and temporal
government over which he directly presides." Encyclopedia Britannica
Online, Art. Roman Catholicism, The papacy, Encyclopedia
Britannica, Inc. 1994-2000, emphasis supplied.
3. It is worth noting that the New
Testament no-where speaks of two returns of Christ, as in the so-called
"secret rapture" theory. The only place where two end-time comings (parousia)
are referred to is here in Second Thessalonians. The frightening thing is that
the first coming here is Satan's counterfeit. Thus, those who believe in the
secret rapture or similar theories are setting themselves up to be deceived.
4. Eg. Mt. 24: 27, 37; 1Co. 15: 23;
1Th. 2: 19; 2 Pe. 1: 16.
5. During the thousand years (millennium)
the Earth, scorched and battered by the fire and earthquake at Christ's coming
will be a desolate wilderness (Je. 4:23-26) inhabited only by Satan and his evil
angels (Re. 20:1,2). The wicked are all dead -- awaiting the resurrection and
punishment at the end of the thousand years when judgment will be executed upon
them (Re. 20: 5a.
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