|
|
|
|
|
If Sunday is the mark of the Beast? Since the 7th day Adventists have continually made the day we worship THE issue, its only fitting we respondin respect with the truth. If Sunday is the mark of the beast (as they claim) than many who are in the 7th day church are in trouble. Because many of them previously worshipped on Sunday; even some of their pastors. This means they are forbidden to worship God on Sunday (which violates Paul’s instruction in Rom.14:5, we can esteem everyday alike), So how many Sunday’s does it take to get the mark? I would assume only once. The Bible says once one takes the mark (Sunday worship) there is no way to repent, ones eternity is sealed (Rev.14:9-11. So if Sunday worship is the mark then they too will be among the damned. These particular Sabbatarian legalists would do well to stop believing in a woman’s false vision and turn from a fable, a fantasy doctrine to the Bible and actually exegete the word correctly, instead of insert their own man- made (woman made) tradition on it. Making Sunday a Sabbath law for all in society to obey is about as far away from our reality as we can get. Today, our culture is moving away from religion and is being secularized. The 7th Day Adventists teachings …"Here we find the mark of the beast. The very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, on the part of the Catholic church, without any authority from the Bible." (Ellen G. White, The Mark of the Beast, page 23) "The Sunday Sabbath is purely a child of the Papacy. It is the mark of the beast." (Advent Review, Vol. I, No. 2, August, 1850.) “Those who worship the beast and his image by observing the first day are certainly idolaters, as were the worshippers of the golden calf." (Advent Review Extra, pages 10 and 11, August, 1850). From their beginning to today they continue to condemn anyone who would worship on Sunday as taking the Mark. Where does the Bible say this? I know E.G. White said it; but where is it in the Bible? Its not! And its time to be delivered from the false prophetess. This was taught by Leo Schreven
... "The true God was worshiped on Saturday, the seventh day.
So Papal Rome had to change the law, and the day of worship to Sunday, so they
could be worshipped." "Thus the way was opened to lead people to worship the
Beast, and receive his mark. Also the way was opened to "worship the image of
the beast." An image is a replica of an original.
There are millions of people who are not
"worshiping the beast," "Here is the first step to receiving
the Mark of the beast: Refusing to love the "truth" (the truth is what is sealed
in the saints). So the first step is simple, you don't have to do anything
wrong, you just refuse to do what's right." "The second step in receiving the
Mark of the beast is in verse 11, "And for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie." (The Mark of The Beast and The Seal
of God Millions of people are not "worshiping the beast.” Really, how is that possible if the mark is implemented? The bible says Rev. 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, v:15 “as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.” Do you see people being killed for not worshipping? As we will see this does not fit the Biblical teaching at all. One does not need a strong delusion to believe this lie. Where does the Bible forbid a believer from worshipping on any particular day, i.e. Sunday? Where is the punishment pronounced in the New covenant? This is lie they have made up, they know it but are loyal to that woman, much like what it says in, Rev. 2:20 "you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess.” The Bible mentions days throughout its pages but there is no day (nor the Sabbath) mentioned in relation to the Mark of the Beast. The early church worshipped on both Saturday and Sunday and never said this day was associated with the Beast. The church is not associated with the “Sabbath” day in the New Testament, Israel is. It was the seal of the Mosaic covenant, it has nothing to do with the New covenant. Paul and others visited a synagogue on the Sabbath for reaching their brethren not because they were obligated to the Old Testament law. (read these scriptures carefully Acts 13:14-15; 13:42; 14:1; 17:2-4; 17:10-12; 17:17; 18:4; 18:19-20; 18:26;19:8). Acts 20:7 “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread” Mia ho sabbatonFirst- mia ; one or first: of the -ho - connecting to the subject Week- sabbaton - the Sabbath or extension, a interval between two Sabbaths; so its what the church did found in Holy Scripture (there is enough church history to prove the early church worshipped, congregating on Sunday). So where did this condemnation of a day come from? The prophetess of the 7th Day Adventists, Mrs. White. This is all an overreaction to the Catholic Church of whom they made the Pope’s office into The Antichrist. While I can agree he is an anti Christ, in the way of replacing Christ, he is not the fulfillment of The Antichrist that comes at a certain time period to be king of mankind. If Sunday is the mark the Bible speaks of -- that is quite a long reign of the antichrist on earth, when the Bible says it will be in the Tribulation for a short time. And what of what Constantine decreed: "On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed." (Constantine, March 7, 321. Codex Justinianus lib. 3, tit. 12, 3; Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3, p. 380, note 1). This does not say the Sabbath is now Sunday. Besides this command was not implemented worldwide so it is really a moot point. What of the Ebionites, who were a Judaizer cult that rejected Apostle Paul's teachings, denied Jesus' virgin birth and his deity and kept the Sabbath. Would the Adventists would side with them? The Sabbath is and always will be Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. If you go to church after sundown Saturday you are not going on the Sabbath, its Sunday worship by the Bibles way of a day.What exactly do 7th day Adventists mean that if you worship God on Sunday you have the mark? Do 7th Adventists make sure they don’t worship God after Sunset Saturday? Do they avoid it so they don’t take the mark? Does not the Bible say we are to worship God every day, not just on a Saturday or a Sunday. So this argument of theirs is absurd. The same Old Testament that had the Sabbath as a requirement for Israel (not all nations) also spoke of worshipping on other days, including the first day of the week. The Sabbath was given not as a day of worship but as a day of rest. Num 29:1 'And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work.” (this day is treated as a Sabbath) The first day would be the day after the Sabbath, since all weeks end on the 7th day. On the day he was first seen alive (the first day of the week) Matt 28:9: And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.” Did the disciples have the mark? Matt 28:16-17 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him.” This would be the 40th day after they saw him (Acts 1:3) Acts 1:3 40 days is the interval between the resurrection and the ascension (from Vincent's Word Studies of the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft) By the space of forty days di' heemeroon tesserakonta .At intervals dia (NT:1211), "between") (source: Robertson’s word picture) My point is that this was not Friday night or Saturday but the middle of the week they worshipped him. There is no day prescribed or forbidden from worship. The Law came through Moses, all 613 commandments. Not one command forbids to worship on any other day, than the Sabbath, least of all the first day. To make the Sabbath THE DAY to worship is far worse than bad hermeneutics, it is cultic. Before this mark is enforced for worldwide use, the Bible teaches that God first seals his name in the foreheads of His 144,000 servants. Rev 7:3 "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads" (Revelation 14:1; 22:4) Where are the 144,000 Jews sealed at the same time today? Since the 144,000 are not sealed yet neither can one conclude that the mark of the Beast is here now. But 7th Day Adventists want people to believe we have been in the tribulation period since the Catholic church began (which is more like in the 500- 600 AD range of time, not 325 AD. with Constantine and certainly not before this.) The Mark The concept a mark in the right hand being invisible and
forehead implies prostration of body or thinking of the beast happens to come
from Augustine, a Catholic. And
who are they who do not worship the beast and his image… `In
the forehead for profession; in the hand for work and service'
(On Rev.13:16 Jamieson, Fausset and Brown) Going to the source it states “on
their forehead by their profession, on their hand by their practice.”
(Chapter 9 What the Reign of the Saints with Christ for a Thousand Years Is, and
How It Differs from the Eternal Kingdom.
THE CITY OF GOD Think about it, 7th day Adventists are arguing against the Pope and Catholicism using a Catholics interpretation of the mark. Well done. Only the people who receive the Mark of the Beast will be allowed to buy and sell (something that goes on all day all over the world). If the mark is present in our system today certain people would not be able to do this. 7th day Adventists could not buy or sell, but they do. So this argument of theirs is moot as it is silly. What does the Bible actually teach on the Mark. Revelation 13:16-18: “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.” The "buying and selling" is ONLY allowed for those that have the MARK, but ALSO to those that have the NAME of the beast, or the NUMBER of his name. “that no man might buy or sell, but those who have:
So if it is a day (Sunday) then why are Sabbatarians allowed to buy the same things now? I guess they haven’t thought this through well. That’s what happens when you listen to a false prophetess. One time (14:11) it’s called "the mark of HIS Name;"’ two times (16:2, 19:20) it’s called "the mark OF THE BEAST;" three times (14:9, 15:2, 20:4) it’s called "HIS mark". Rev. 13:7-8 tells us only those will worship him, whose names HAVE NOT been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb.” In other words every Sunday attendee of Church is unsaved according to the 7th day teaching. What an embarrassment for them. But they insist this and argue for it. The MARK of the beast is mentioned eight times in the book of Rev. 14:11“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. Rev. 14:11. Rev. 16:2 “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the MARK of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.” Are ALL the people that worship on Sunday tormented? No, so this argument is also divorced from a proper scriptural interpretation by 7th Day Adventists and others that hold to a spiritualized meaning. Where is the image of the Beast made? As Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, (Col 1:15) this man will be the image of the beast. He will counterfeit the son of God. Rev. 13:12-14: speaks of a second beast “And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.” Where is he? Clearly one is not able to worship the first beast without the image everyone is to make of him. Where’s the great signs he does. Maybe they should have thought this out better. Again the interpretation does not fit. Rev. 13:7-8: “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Notice he overcomes the Saints (he eliminates them) and everyone else worships him (the false messiah). Worship of the Beast consists of: Rev. 13:4: “So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, Rev. 13:8 “All who dwell on the earth will worship him;” Rev. 13:12 ‘worship the first beast; Rev. 13:15 ‘the image of the beast.” Rev. 16:2-3: “So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.” When did this loathsome sore take place on all those who worship on Sunday, surely after 1,500 years or more of the antichrist ruling it must already have taken place? And where did the sea become as blood? Maybe they should have thought this out better. Again the interpretation does not fit. So if this mark is of a church or an office, why does the Bible say otherwise? The mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name is a personal mans name (Gr. arithmos anthropou) and to understand it calls for wisdom, not stupidity! I see no Biblical wisdom exhibited in the 7th Day Sabbatarians or others that have yoked themselves around the false vision of E.G, White. I don’t even see common sense. The Beast rises out of the sea (Rev.13:1 – humanity). The beast is Day Stars anointed man! That man (singular) has a name! His name has a numerical equivalent! And that Man has not taken over anything yet, he is not ruling the world, countries, which is what is required for him to have the ability to enforce the mark on everyone. That’s right, EVERYONE, not just people in the church. When did this mark ever mean it is those in the church? Those who worship Jesus on Sunday but not those in the rest of the world that do not worship Jesus? The mark involves people of different religions and non religions. It does not have people convert to a religion though it may accompany the ideology; it is focused on a certain man. It has to do with a world system of unification that goes beyond the boundary of any one religion, of anything we see today. It touches both small and great - rich and poor. It will be prejudice - it will be unfavorable to those who DO NOT have the mark. There are others, those who claimed a prophetic mantle that have also joined the 7th Day Adventists bad interpretations of Scripture - William Branham. William Branham Revelation 13:16 says the beast will cause everyone to receive "a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads," Branham did not interpret this verse literally either, he often said the Mark of the Beast was denominationalism. “The Bible said that there would be a boycott, even to such a way it would cause people to not buy or sell unless they had received this, the mark of the beast, which is Romanism, and the image of the beast, which is Protestantism, that the image... the beast had power, authority to give the image life to speak, and it did. And that's the Confederation of Churches, when they confederate themselves together. (WM Branham, Taking Sides With Jesus, June 1, 1962) “You take the mark of the beast is on today, and the--the Seal of God is the Holy Spirit. To reject It is the mark of the beast. Ever who sees the Holy Ghost, that you're supposed to receive It, and don't do it, automatically you take the mark of the beast; because there's only two classes to exist: all that didn't have the Seal of God had the mark of the beast. So to receive the Seal of God is to receive the Holy Ghost. To reject It is to have the mark of the beast. (59-0628E, Questions And Answers, Branham Tabernacle, Jeffersonville IN) So according to Branham every unbeliever that has heard but not accepted the gospel now has the mark. William Branham “And remember, that we found without one mistake, that the mark of the beast is a mark of apostasy, that is, church members hanging to their church instead of walking in the Light. They reject Light, and there's nothing left by darkness (That's right.), both Catholic and Protestant. There is "a beast," and a whore," and she had "harlot" daughters. And these harlot daughters, when they broke forth, they were virgins from the Light of that day, and they organized and bringing people down here, back into here, making them the same kind of a thing that Rome was in the beginning. The Bible said so: the beast, and an image to the beast, the letter of his name, and so forth.” (The Seal of God, Jeffersonville, IN, May 14, 1954) At the same time Branham said all this he was aware of the 7th day Adventists arguments “And according to historians, the only way they could tell between a Christian Jew and an orthodox Jew (They both went to synagogues.), but one went on Saturday which denied the resurrection of Jesus, and the other one went on Sunday which believed that Jesus rose from the dead. And that was a mark. And it'll be; it's a mark yet, and it might come out in being the mark of the beast. Now, I know that the... I've heard Seventh-day Adventist brethren think that that's the seal of God. They said, "You're sealed by keeping the sabbath." There's not a Scripture in the Bible says that. …God's Seal is the baptism of the Holy Ghost. See? (Questions and Answers Genesis Jefferson In 07/29/53) Arnold Murray, of the Shepherd Chapel has one of the most unique views, he also agrees that it is not a literal mark. “The false messiah comes in the 6th seal, the 6th trump and the 6th vial, that’s 666. A child can understand that.” All you have to do is read the book of Revelation, there its laid out for you.” (audio tape - Arnold Murray Taking questions) From Arnold Murray The Mark of the Beast audio tape #438 1996 On Rev. 13:16 “It clearly states here that this is in the forehead. What is in your forehead? your brain, your thinking process, your mind. Be sure to use your mind to make certain that you are not deceived in this end time. These that are expecting that this so called beast to insist that you ware something on your forehead. That would deceive no one. Every Christian would recognize 666 and run from it. No, in the forehead. A world religious system able to perform supernatural acts in the site of men. What about you? Will you be deceived? Again I pray not. Don't be carried away in the great apostasy. Stand for the true Christ for His word has warned you here. It is not a tattoo. It is not a mark that you can see. It is your mind causing you to worship someone else.” [underline mine] “Rev 13:17: 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. “Rev 13:18: We will be coming back to explain in detail this
man. The word count in the Greek here is G5585 I’m sorry, maybe I’m missing something but neither Thayer’s or Strongs concordance assign any time period to the word count. Revelation 13:18 Let him count pseefisatoo (NT:5519). First active imperative of pseefizoo (NT:5519), an old verb (from pseefos (NT:5520) pebble), to count, in the New Testament only here and Luke 14:28 (from Robertson's Word Pictures). Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, (Murray seems to have changed this to present his own unique
view; that the mark has been here since Cain. It is passed down, through the
Kenites.) “This mark is still present today in a spiritual sense. And we will go no deeper than that on it. And you will see Cain's genealogy. It is important that you understand that genealogy of Cain.” “ As Paul stated in 2nd Cor. 11:2 he wants to present you as a chaste virgin when Satan and his angels are cast out on this earth as it is written in Rev. 12:7 . Then we are not talking about a mother carrying a natural child. We are talking about someone who has been impregnated in their mind, their forehead with this mark and believe that the false Christ is Jesus. In other words. Christ is returning for a wedding with us. He does not want to find you in bed with the devil. Not only with child (the mark) but giving suck. Helping Satan against God's elect.”Mar 13:18: And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. Harvest time is in the summer. If you where harvested in the winter you would have been taken by antichrist.” Mar 13:19: For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. The affliction and tribulation of the devil claiming to be Jesus. Matt 23:33-35 “ Who slew Abel? Of course it was Cain. That is who we are talking about. His offspring. So you see we find many places in the New Testament after your eyes are open to the truth. How Christ himself speaks of this seed of Cain. Planted upon this earth. Is it any wonder that God placed this mark. The mark of deception if you would. The mark called the mark of the beast. But understand, you are not to worship him. But stay loyal and a virgin to the true Christ in a spiritual sense that you might understand.”Spiritualizing the word and changing terms as Murray does will not help one come to the correct conclusion. Then we also have The Jehovah Witnesses, in their book The Finished Mystery 1917, p. 215 For it is the number of a man.— The Man of Sin, the Papacy.— Rev.19:20; 2 Thess, 2:3. (And his number is) Six hundred threescore and six.- In the Greek this number is six hundred (represented by the Greek letter 2), plus sixty (represented by the Greek letter ), plus sixty (represented by the Greek letter +). It is not as though it read six plus six plus six. 'The following extract on this point is from a work entitled The
Reformation, bearing the date of 1832: ''Mrs. A.,' said Miss Emmons, 'I saw a
very curious fact the other day; I have dwelt upon it much, andwill mention it.
A person, lately, was witnessing a ceremony of the Romish Church. As the pope
passed him in the procession, splendidly dressed in his pontifical robes, the
gentleman's eye rested on these full, blazing letters in front of his mitre
(tiara- crown): VICARIVS FILII DEI, the Vicar of the Son of God. His thoughts,
with the rapidity of lightning, reverted to Rev. 13:18.' 'Will you turn to it?'
said Mrs. A. Alice opened the New Testament, and read: '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.' She paused, and Miss Emmons said,
'He took out his pencil, and marking the 'numerical letters of the inscription
on his tablet, it stood 666.''
(Smith.) This explanation was approved by Pastor Russell, and was given by him at a Convention Question Meeting. On the pope's crown in the Vatican museum is the recognized and most used title of the pope, VICARIVS FILII DEI (Vicar of the Son of God.) The word VICARIVS is on the top of the threefold crown. Roman Catholic power = 666. He is in Revelation called a BEAST The system is also called the 'woman' (Rev. 17:18) She calls herself the 'Holy Catholic Church' = 666. She is really and truly (Rev. 17:5) 'The Mother of Harlots' = 666. Thus we see that the number fits the BEAST well. The second BEAST was anxious to have exactly the same name, and in fact it claimed to have the pre-eminent right to the name— 'Holy Catholic church,' = 666. Other names by which it is often known, are
— This application of the number, will doubtless appear to some too simple to be accepted, but thus God ever deals with us—hiding truth under the vail of its own simplicity, so that it may appear to the Greek (worldly wise) foolishness, but unto them which believe (not to those who believe without evidence, but who believe on the strongest kind of evidence —the harmony of His Word) the power of God, and the wisdom of God. (1 Cor. 1:23.) The Image causes all who claim relationship, or whom it recognizes, as having a right to buy or sell - teach - to have as a creed, that which shall mark them as having either 'the name' of the BEAST, or the 'number' of his name - 666. “Many take the name and in their creeds recite, 'I believe in the 'Holy Catholic Church' = 666. (Watchtower January/February 1882 pp. 9,10' THE NAME OF THE BEAST, OR THE NUMBER OF HIS NAME.') As we can see the Jehovah Witnesses have nearly the exact teaching as the 7th Day Adventists on this. In Arnold Murrays Shepherd Chapel’s Newsletter #264 Oct. 2000 on the Mark of the beast it says, You can tattoo me from head to foot with the number called the mark of the beast it does not matter as long as I love the Lord.’ Even though the Bible says ANYONE who receives this mark will be tormented (Rev. 14:9-11. The Bible states only those who DID NOT receive the mark will reign with Christ. Yet Murray also says in contradiction “the unforgiveable sin is to bow to the false Messiah” (which is EXACTLY what happens when one takes the mark) When the real mark takes place will the 7th day Adventists continue in their false view of their prophetess. Will all those who follow these interpretations come to their senses and see it for what it is. It will be their eternal decision to make. I hope that I have presented another view to give them an alternative to what they have accepted.
|
|
|
