Is The "Mark" of the Beast... 666 ?
Much
confusion exists regarding "the beast", "the mark of the beast" and
"666".
Here are some important points every bible student should consider:
1. The
Bible never says "666" is a "physical or visible" mark. .
2. The Bible says that "666" is "the
number of a MAN". See Revelation
13:18
3. The number 666 is ONE of MANY attributes given in scripture to
help us correctly identify this particular "Beast". A "Beast" in
scripture represents a "Kingdom" (Nation). See Daniel 7:17, 23 and
Daniel 8:20, 21.
4. In the book of Revelation these things are spoken of in the context
of WORSHIP... Who and How
we worship is clearly a "Mark" or "sign" of our allegiance to Whom we
obey. See Revelation 13:15,
14:7,12
5. Everyone should seek to understand God's most solemn end-time
warning about the mark, the beast, and to Whom we owe our worship and
allegiance. SEE Revelation 14:9-11
The following sheds a great deal of light on these
important endtime issues.
How the Image to the Beast Evolves
"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. Revelation
13:12 NKJV
In order
for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil
government that the authority of
the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends. . . .
The
"image to the beast" represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant
churches shall seek the aid of
the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas. . . .
When
Sunday observance shall be enforced by law, and the world shall be enlightened concerning the obligation of
the true Sabbath, then whoever shall
transgress the command of God, to obey a precept which has no higher authority than that of Rome, will
thereby honor popery above God.
He is
paying homage to Rome and to the power which enforces the institution ordained by Rome. He is
worshiping the beast and his image.
As men
then reject the institution which God has declared to be the sign of His authority, and honor in its stead
that which Rome has chosen as the
token of her supremacy, they will thereby accept the sign of allegiance to Rome--"the mark of the
beast." And it is not until the issue
is thus plainly set before the people, and they are brought to choose between the commandments of God and
the commandments of men, that those
who continue in transgression will receive "the mark of the beast.". . .
In the
issue of the contest all Christendom will be divided into two great classes -- those who keep the
commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and those who worship the beast and
his image and receive his mark.
Although church and state will unite their power to compel "all, both
small and great, rich and poor, free and bond" (Revelation 13:16),
to receive "the mark of the beast," yet the
people of God will not receive
it. The prophet of Patmos beholds "them
that had gotten the victory over the
beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his
name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God"
and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Revelation 15:2, 3.
Maranatha
- Page 169
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