Monday, February 23, 2009

Question 48 -What is Mark of the Beast?
  A popular Pre-Trib TV Minister tells us his studies have revealed to him that the Mark of the Beast will have something to do with the Law of God. He's exactly right. Every Christian Preacher that ever preaches should have made this connection many times over!! Even a casual reading of Antichrist Prophecies reveals that his Mark has everything to do with the Law of God! Daniel was the first Bible Prophet to prophesy directly and openly about Antichrist, and he wrote the following:

"Change the Times and the Laws"
"And he (Antichrist) shall think to change the Times and the Laws" (Dan. 7:25). Daniel doesn't actually say that Antichrist's attempt to change God's Law is the Mark of the Beast, but when we add this to all of the other Bible Prophecies against Antichrist, the evidence becomes overwhelming. In a moment we'll look at some of  this evidence. The Question to Ponder is, will Antichrist attempt (think) to tamper with God's Law. Or, has he already made this attempt?

We have a Blogsite called, "When the Church Became Antichrist" in which we prove from Scripture and History that when the early Church slipped into apostasy soon after the Apostles died, the Church itself actually became The Antichrist! Not only is Scripture and History clear on this, virtually all of the Reformers were emphatic that this was so. For over 12 hundred years the atrocities of the Church of the Dark Ages matched perfectly with every Bible Prophecy found in Scripture. Even the, "Deadly Wound" matches a major event that happened to the Church in 1798. That wound has now pretty much healed, so, we could very soon be on the verge of seeing Antichrist finish the task Satan has assigned to him. All that is lacking is a, "New World Order Church" that promises peace on earth; promises to stop all of the wars and turmoil; promises to stop all natural disasters world wide; a Church that has the support of every nation on earth. Satan will dupe almost everyone on earth into believing this Church is God's Church. And from strictly a human point of view, it will appear to be God's Church. Antichrist will not be the sleazy character we see on the popular Rapture Movies.

"Transgressed Laws and Change the Ordinance"
So far we have Daniel prophesying that Antichrist will, "Change the Times and the Laws." Every Antichrist Prophecy directly or indirectly, makes a reference to disobeying God's Law. Daniel was the first to mention Antichrist, but other Old Testament Prophets addressed End-Time events, and always included some form of breaking, annulling, or changing God's Law. Isaiah has a graphic description of world conditions just before the Lord comes. His description can be none other than Christ's Second Coming. We now know this time as the Great Tribulation. (If the Reader is a Pre-Trib believer, you need to know that the Scofield Study Bible's notes call the following, "Isaiah's Little Apocalypse," which means the Scofield Editors consider it the Great Tribulation)
"Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof" (Isa.24:1). Isaiah then goes on to explain exactly why the Lord is so angry and why He is destroying the inhabitants of earth:

"The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the Laws [Ten Commandments], CHANGED the Ordinance [a Commandment], 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 are left" (Isa. 24:5-6).
 Since Isaiah is writing about the time just before the Lord comes, would it be safe to assume that the people described here will be wearing the Mark of the Beast? When we read what John prophesied concerning the "Whole World" and the Mark of the Beast, the evidence is beyond any reasonable doubt. Let's look:


"Deadly Wound"
"And his (Antichrist's) deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the Beast. And they worshiped the Dragon (Satan) who gave power to the Beast; and they worshiped the Beast, saying, Who is like the Beast? Who is able to make war with him?" (Rev. 13:3-4)! John saw, "all the world wondering after and worshiping the Beast (Antichrist)!" John also saw that, "All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Vs.8). 

In our search for the Mark of the Beast so far, we see Antichrist, "thinking to change the Times and the Laws," and when the Lord comes, He will destroy almost all inhabitants of earth because they have, "transgressed His Laws and changed His Ordinance," and all but those whose names are in the Book of Life will, "Worship the Beast (Antichrist)!"  

Satan Wroth
During the Tribulation, what makes Satan angry (wroth):

 "And the Dragon (Satan) was wroth with the Woman, and went to make war with the Remnant of her seed, who keep the Commandments of God, and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ" (Rev.12:17; see also Rev.14:12)!
We've seen that Satan's Antichrist hates God's Law and, "Thinks to change it," and God's people make Satan wroth because they, "Keep the Commandments of God." Could we be close to identifying the Mark?
Jesus and the "Least Commandment"
Throughout the Bible we find many scathing rebukes from the Lord against evil people, but none more than those who wear the Mark of the Beast. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of a people who will be considered the, "Least in the Kingdom of Heaven."  Some say the people that Jesus called, "Least" will be saved,  but will be less honored than the others. It seems more likely that Jesus meant that, in Judgment Day when sinners are condemned, these will be considered Worst of the Worst! Let's read what Jesus said:
 "Think not that I am come to destroy the Law and the Prophets! I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least Commandments, and teach men so, he shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matt.5:17-19)! If we compare this to the Antichrist Bible Prophecies, is there a connection? Pastor, even it the connection we are making here is not correct, which of the two groups Jesus describes do we want to be in? Which of the two groups do we want our congregations to be in?

 "Not Under the Law - Under Grace"
 Have our Pastors taken Paul's words and claimed said, "Grace Frees us From God's Law?" Although we don't hear these exact words from our Preachers in their sermons, if we listen carefully, this is exactly the  message they convey. It is carefully crafted into sermons throughout most of Christianity. Pastor, if you're a Pre-Trib Minister, most likely you recall times that you've unwittingly projected this thought.  Possibly you've said something like,"God's Grace has freed us from that old Law!"

That "Least Commandment"and the Other Nine
Dear Reader, if you are a Pastor, when you were telling your congregations that, "Grace Frees them from the Law," did you ever say that Grace frees them to kill, steal, commit adultery, bear false witness, covet, dishonor their parents, have other gods, worship idols, or take the Lords name in vain? Of course not. Have you even implied that any of the other nine Commandments are less binding, or less important? So, let's just  be honest. The only Commandment you've attached, "Grace Frees us"  is the Sabbath. Antichrist, "thinks to change the TIMES and the Laws." The only Commandment in God's Law having anything to do with, "Time," is His Sabbath Commandment. Pastor, unless you are in a small minority of Pastors, you've told your Congregations that God is pleased because they've disregarded the Sabbath and chosen Sunday instead. Can we read His words in His Sermon on the Mount and still give our congregations this assurance?
 
Jesus - Prophecying
Now let's consider the following. We know Jesus was a Prophet. He was the Prophet of all Prophets!
What if while preaching His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus knew that Christians would eventually choose to change one of His Commandments. What if He knew they would someday pick out a single Commandment, call that Commandment, "Least," and change it? And what if, as a warning to these well meaning Christian leaders, He said, "Whosoever shall break one of these LEAST Commandments, and teach men so, he shall be called LEAST in the Kingdom of Heaven?"
Pastor, even if disregarding the words of Jesus concerning the Least Commandment is not the Mark of the Beast, do we really we want to do it? Before we close, let's look at three warnings from Jesus that Satan's last day delusion will be to make of none effect God's Law.

Three More Mark of the Beast Warnings from Jesus
Jesus Prophesied  False Prophets will Teach Anomia
1. We've already looked at Christ's words His Sermon on the Mount about the "Least Commandment," and the people who'll be called "Least," in Judgment Day, but later in that same Sermon, while prophesying about False Prophets in the Church, Jesus again made reference about those who, change or attempt to annul His Law. He said,  "Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but him that doeth the will of My Father, who is in Heaven. Many [referring to false prophets in Sheep's clothing] will say unto Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them [ false prophets], I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity (Matt. 7:21-23). The word that the KJV Bible translates, "Iniquity"  is, "Anomia" in the Greek Text. Thus the translation could be, "Depart from Me, ye that work ANOMIA!" Or, "Depart from Me, ye that annul My Law." However, considering what He previously said in this Sermon, it could be translated, "Depart from Me ye who teach Anomia." Those who heard Jesus that day knew exactly what He meant. They knew He was speaking specifically about the 10 Commandments God gave to Moses on Sinai.


The Wheat and the Tares
2. Christ's second reference to, "Anomia" (Anomia means "Annulling God's Law," and if our assumptions are correct, Anomia is the Mark of the Beast), occurred in His Parable/Prophecy of the Wheat and the Tares. Jesus told of a man sewing his field with wheat, and during the night, an enemy came and sowed Tares (weeds) in his field. When explaining the parable to His Disciples, Jesus said the Tares (Weeds) were evil people implanted into the early Church by Satan. Jesus said the evil implant's would be practicing and teaching, "Anomia." Jesus indicated here that these evil "Tares" would remain in the Church throughout its entirity, and especially in the last days.  "The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His Kingdom all things that offend, and them who do iniquity (Anomia)" (Matt.13:31)! In other words, "Those who practice Anulling God's Law and teach others to do so also."

Last Day False Prophets Teach Law Annulling
This final warning from Jesus during His ministry cannot be anything other than the Mark of the Beast because of the time frame Jesus placed it. In what Scholars call, "Christ's Olivette Discourse" Jesus repeated He again warned about, False Prophets Teaching Anomia! Note the following:

3. "And many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many. And because iniquity (anomia) shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure [resist false prophet's teaching - the Mark of the Beast] unto the end the same shall be saved. And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a WITNESS to all nations, and then shall the end come" (Matt.24:11-14).

Jesus warned that last-day, "false prophets" will use anomia  to deceive the multitudes. Could it be that Jesus was referring to today's popular view that God's 10 Commandments have been replaced by "Grace?"  Ministers now preach sermon after sermon with this the main theme. They tell us how, "legalists" and "cults" trying to obey God's Law. At the end of their sermons, their congregations easily assume the following:  "Grace Frees Us From God's Law," or "Grace Frees us to Disobey God's Law," or, "Grace Frees us to Change God's Law eliminating that Least Commandment, the Sabbath."  Preachers tell us, "Jesus is very pleased that we now observe Sunday instead of that old Sabbath." Is this a fulfillment of Christ's Prophecy? When Jesus said, "Iniquity (Anomia) shall abound," was He referring to the Mark of the Beast? He was because the time He referred to was just prior to His Second Coming.

"This Gospel of the Kingdom"
When Jesus said, "This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached into all the world," before the end shall come, what, "Gospel" was He referring to? Ask a thousand random Ministers which Gospel Jesus referred to and almost all would say, "The Gospel that says we are saved by Grace and no longer need the Law."  The truth is, Jesus said the exact opposite! He said that, "In the last days many false prophets shall arise and shall deceive many. And because iniquity (Anomia - Law annulling) shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure [resist false prophet's Anomia] unto the end the same shall be saved." So, the Gospel Jesus wants preached into all the world in the last days is the Gospel warning of last-day, "false prophets" spreading the false gospel that Grace has annulled His Law. Could anything be more clear? 

Paul and Anomia/Anomos
We have an entire Blogsite looking at Anomos being an actual name that Paul attaches to Antichrist. It is called, "Antichrist's Name - ANOMOS." All of the above should be proof enough that the Mark of the Beast will be the popular practice of annulling God's Law. As a final tie in to this, we'll ask a question. If the Reader is not convinced yet, what if Paul actually called Antichrist "Anomos," and, "Anomia," as if these were just as much names for Antichrist as the name Antichrist itself? Paul did exactly this. In 2Thessalonians 2:3, Paul called him "The Man of Sin." In the Greek text, the word Paul used that is translated, "Man of Sin," is "Anomos." In verse 7, Paul calls Antichrist, "Mystery of Iniquity," which is from the original text, "Mystery of Anomia." In verse 8, Paul wrote, "That Wicked One," which, in the original was, "Anomos." 

  Conclusion
The last Gospel Jesus wants His people to preach to the world is warning that, "Anomia," "Annulling His 10 Commandments."  Combine this with the warnings from Isaiah, Daniel, Paul, and John, and we must conclude,...well...we'll let our Readers make their own conclusions.  Some Bible truths are hard to understand, but this Bible Truth seems all too clear!


Disclaimer
We need to make something very clear. Worshiping on Sunday is not the Mark of the Beast, nor is it a sin! There is NO sin in worshiping God, no matter what day of the week. We firmly believe there are thousands of honest Ministers that are presently telling their congregation that Jesus is pleased that they've rejected the Sabbath in favor of Sunday.  At this present time we know that these honest Ministers are worshiping with their congregations every Sunday. However, we also believe the Bible is clear that God is calling His people out so that, when Antichrist's, "Deadly Wound" is completely healed, and when he tries to enforce his, "Changed Times and Laws" just before Jesus comes, all of these honest Ministers will have shared the truth with the people God has entrusted to them, and thus, just as the Bible says, God's people will be "Keeping the Commandments of God and having (displaying) the Testimony and Faith of Jesus" (Rev12:17 and 14:12)!!! 

Dear Pastor and Dear Reader, thank you SO much for your time and interest. If the Reader is a Pastor, let's pray that you and your congregation will be among those John saw inside the Holy City!!  If the Reader is a Layman, please take this to God in Prayer. We pray for all of our Readers that God will send His Spirit to be their only Guide!!
Your Brother in Christ!!
Walter C. Martin Jr.
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Check Our Other Websites:

Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Post-Tribulation Second Coming of Jesus
Will We Eat Pigs During the Millennium?

Planet Earth WILL be Destroyed After the 1000 Years!
New Jerusalem - How BIG is It?
Great White Throne Judgment Seat - When and Where
Christ's Kingdom - Millennial or EVERLASTING?

 Hell Fire
Is God Torturing People Now
Did Jesus Suffer ALL of Your Hell?
The Rich Man and Lazarus?
Death
The Dead - Dead or Alive - What is Death?
Did Jesus Die YOUR Death for You?
Will Satan Ever Die - Bible Says "YES!"
Testing Our Doctrine About Death
The Dead Stand Before Great White Throne Judgment Seat

 The Gnostics Attack the Sabbath
Were Gnostics Really Christian?
Were Gnostics Satan's Implants into the Church?
Is Gnosticism Alive and Well in Today's Churches
Church is Israel - Israel is Church
Is the Church Israel and Israel the Church?
Is the Bride of Jesus the 144 Thousand?
Did Jesus Offer the Jews a Millennial Kingdom in His Ministry?
Will New Jerusalem Sit in Israel? How Big is It?
Christ's REAL EVERLASTING Kingdom is for ALL Believers!

The Sabbath
Is it a Sin to Observe the Sabbath?
Is There a Connection Between the Rapture and the Sabbath?
Will the Sabbath Be Observed By God's People During the Tribulation?
Who REALLY Changed the Sabbath in Early Christianity?
Un-Answered and Un-Answerable Sabbath Questions For Popular Preachers
How to Test Your Doctrine Concerning the Sabbath

Heaven
Marriage in Heaven - Millennial Kingdom?
Strange Animal/Demons the Millennium?
Why Jesus Hasn't Come to Take Us To Heaven?
Teachers of Anomia (Law Annulling)
Good Ministers Teaching Against God's 10 Commandments?
Teaching of Anomia - The Reason Jesus Hasn't Come Yet?
Pre-Trib Rapture and Sabbath
Pre-Trib Rapture and the Sabbath?

Walter C. Martin Jr.
Everlasting Gospel Ministries

These are just a few of the questions we examine in our Websites.
Thank you, Dear Reader,  for checking them. Please feel free to give us your comments and feedback if you look at our Sites.  If you send us your questions or comments, we will try to answer and add your question to these Websites. We will Not give your name or E-Mail address to ANY ONE or ANY Church Group or Denomination! Nor will we send you ANY annoying E-Mails!! It is NOT our purpose to get you to withdraw from your present Church, but to invite you to present things you learn here to your Pastor and Friends.
Let's pray that God will continue sending His Holy Spirit to guide as we prepare for Jesus to come. Thank You!
Your Brother in Christ!
Walter C. Martin Jr
 
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