What is the Mark of the Beast?

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Thank you. This is the Truth Network out about your loved ones in their financial security and are three homeless Roman Catholic of America during life and protecting its members ran retirement RCU a life today of affordable life insurance. Write an additional member can lower your income and history RCU, a light transferring their existing 3.75 W with a one-year guarantee hundred dollar minimum PR C a.41 Collier level RCU a representative at 33677674 RCU a life protecting life throughout will compute if not for jaw stories of hopelessness that turn to hope. Your host Mike. If not for God with Mike's wick today we have an exciting show. We actually have a guiding care and he's in my neck of the woods at a Burlington, North Carolina at 18 years old. Karen Horner experienced a life-changing injury while on family vacation and when he dove in the shallow water breaking his neck and leaving him with a spinal cord injury and paralyzed him from the chest down. God graciously saved Cameron from dying by giving him more error than normal while underwater so that his friend could find him a time after this injury, Cameron went to Atlanta, Georgia to begin a four month stay at a rehabilitation hospital where he underwent intense therapy to learn to live life again. The Lord had prepared Karen and his family to go through this intense journey and was with them every step of the way since this injury, Karen has traveled to various places including overseas to share his story of God's grace he teaches at various locations and lead small groups will not speak.

Cameron operates through his nonprofit ministry, Cameron Warner ministries and today were actually to be discussing Revelation chapter 13 and if we as we pull this all up.

Karen is actually been studying this week and we actually had Cameron my Bible study this week is a sweet experience being with you guys. There yeah but Revelation 13 would be looking at the new King James version, starting in verse five and he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority can to continue for 42 months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them in authority was given him over every tribe and tongue and nation and 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. If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

He who leads into captivity shall go to captivity he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon and he exercises all 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 makes. 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 side 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. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666 and Cameron as we talk about this and as I read this you know it's one of the things that I think all Christians can can agree on and if you look at Revelation 13 and the mark of the beast.

I really haven't heard any different theories on this. All Christians say the same thing. No, that's not true there's a lot of interpreters. A lot of of the most divisive topic that there is out there. Well, when we come to the mark of the beast. I think you're right there. There is some agreement on think we can all agree on what is said in the next chapter, which is that if you take the mark of the beast, then you you are doomed to eternal judgment coming. That's that's clear.

And so what is what happened over time as people have said that's the case, then I certainly don't want to take the mark and I think what's what occurred is there's been a lot of fear and confusion, and I almost think and you can correct me if if I'm wrong based on your experience, but I almost think that there is a sense that all man could I accidentally take the mark and not know it and I think because of that fear. When I come to this topic. I want to. I feel led to dispel some of that fear and concern because we come to the mark. This isn't a matter of just there's something out there that if I asked gently take when I stand before God is going to send me to hell because I accidentally took this thing so if you're out there and in your wondering about this.

What's the mark. Did I accidentally take it and I don't know I just I want to breathe a sigh of relief that that's not how God operates, and certainly not in the situation. So we come to the market. There's there's a lot of background information that helps us understand it and really the whole book of Revelation is that way, the book of Revelation.

It assumes when John writes this and receives a revelation from the Lord. It assumes that you are very well-versed in the Old Testament, and so we come to something like the mark of the beast. We need to find okay what is the Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible roots behind this mark that would help us understand what's actually happening here is matter fact in Matthew 24, 24, it says, for there shall arise false Christ's and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect and so were not when I look at this. I'm thinking we really have to pay attention. We really have to pay attention and it's funny you bring that bursa because I think what were seeing in chapter 13 are member of Revelation as the outlay of that very thing. And in fact actually help us understand what the mark is and what it really can't be because I get to this in my notes, but in Revelation 13.

You have to beast, and the second one seems to be what we would maybe call a false prophet in exactly the false prophet that it it's it's interesting in verse 11 it says there's another beast that comes out of the earth and has two horns like a lamb see of the appearance of a lamb but speaks like a dragon and so will I will who's the Lamb of the Lamb is generally is Christ.

But now we have someone who looks like a lamb but is speaking like a Dragon I'm single, false Christ, a false prophet figure and so is interesting that you went to that verse is probably the Holy Spirit, because it's actually this false prophet that institutes the Mark of the beast so I don't get to that.

But if we could Mike I don't know what you want to do but II would love to lay out some of the Old Testament background for the mark of the beast of Fort so I'm big into getting into what would a first century Jewish person have heard when they heard these texts because these these originally text they were written to Jews by Jews primarily for Jews and so these are people that grew up in the Hebrew Bible, what we call the Old Testament and so they there like Arabic something called millet Bob in the Bible ninjas that they know the text very well and so one week we come to the New Testament. The apostles are basically assuming that in some of the later divisions and misunderstandings that occurred was when Gentiles came in her distant know the Hebrew Bible very well and am so basically academic studies. Right now I'm big into that stuff is for the past really the 20th century in 21st century as man let's try and understand the ancient context better. I think we need to do that when we come to this because as a first century Jew on when I read the revelation I would hear things that us in 21st century wouldn't so that background laid out the first place that I would want to go is actually to Exodus chapter 28 in your life.

Orders Exodus have to do with the mark of the right front well in Exodus were given some of the law in this section, God is giving Moses. Basically, the layout of how you're going to construct the tabernacle. So Israel as a nation. They've just been freed from Egypt as slaves and now they're there in the wilderness and God is giving them. Hey I want to dwell in your presence on dwell in your midst, but I need a place for my glory, to dwell and that place is going to be the tabernacle and so in this portion of Exodus, God is explaining to them. Here's how want you to build the tabernacle, but also in the section. Here's how I want your priests were going to be the mediators between God and man here so much a priest to dress and here's where we find the first place. What we kind of get an illusion of what or really what John is alluding to in the Revelation. So part of the dress of the high priest was something that actually in an Revelation 29 the next chapter over its exit, also called a crown, but is something that the priest would wear on their head and so a description of that we find and again.

Exodus 2836 through 38 and what I want the audience to do you can jump there for sure, but focus on this text as relates to something that would go on the four head Sereno Larry that this is what the priest is going to wear when he goes into the temple so starting verse 36 you shall also make a plate of pure gold, and shall engrave on it like the engraving of the seal. So this this plate is going to have this engraving raised on it holy to the Lord. The Hebrew contract. There could also say belonging to the Lord, you shall fasten it on a blue cord and it shall be on the turban. It shall be at the front of the turban and it shall be on errands for head so basically Erin being the first of the high priest, and in the rest of the priest would do this after him. Aaron is going to be wearing the crown when he goes into the presence of the Lord and on his four head. It's going to say holy to the Lord or belonging to the Lord. So this is an issue of being wholly devoted to God as an issue of devotion is the first place.

We pick it up and there's other places and we can move on from there to those next lies about his menopause.

If you have any thoughts or else when I don't, we did did want to say something if you're thinking of buying or selling your home or you want to invest in real estate and call Angela Pierce, a realtor with next home. The ideal group at 919-612-3363 Angela works in the triangle and surrounding areas and is ready to help with all of your real estate needs, let Angela help you find your next home. I did want to say something about that. You know what I hear you saying is we we need to read the Bible, but we also need to look to the Old Testament because what you're saying is, is there's clues in the Old Testament every month so that not only clues the book of Revelation has forget the number but it's in the hundreds of of references back to the Old Testament and you know there's only so many verses in Revelation, so to have that many references it just assumes you know the text of the Old Testament, and so we have to do our homework right the first place again just to recap the we looked at is the priests are going to wear on their forehead something that says belonging to Yahweh, belonging to the Lord okay so the next place we we catch. This is an a section of text. That's commonly called the Shema, which is a it be like the most important text to a Jewish audience in ancient times, but even today, and it's very familiar its hero, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength. In fact, when Jesus is asked was the most important command. He points to the Shema and to another text in Leviticus 19 but the Shema is very important, and in the Shema, basically Israel is to we go and read it but I just pulled one section out for brevity. Israel is told, past the commands of God down to your children, teach it when you go along the way things of this nature, but in reference to the commands of God in the Shema, they are told this answer.

Deuteronomy 6 verse eight you shall bind them the commands of God as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets on your for it. The commands of God are to be bound on your hand for it is interesting is that yes I so Yep so in this act, the Israelites is as if the Israelite is doing with the priest is doing in the temple, namely having their allegiance to Yahweh written on their forehead and on their hand. There saying belonging to Yahweh, just as the priest is really the priest is like an emblem of all of Israel going before the presence of God because he's even got like that the names of the tribes written on is going in the presence of God. Now the rest of Israel is to almost have a priestly state where I am saying of myself by this act of putting the cells, for head or my hand.

I am wholly devoted to Yahweh in another background text that we could look at Dr. for even get to that or getting a picture of is the starting develop is a picture of allegiance where I'm saying I belong to this one right. This is my God that I belong to.

So in you and I had talked about this a little bit before with the whole Revelation 13 Revelation 14 and in going even back to Matthew 24 and in other taxes well were you hear a lot of people saying well were really gone before any of the stuff happens. This pre-tribulation in a theory or whatever and and for me, and this is just for me when I listen the whole book of Revelation the other day and when I read that the Bible I don't really see that you will now you're in opening up another can of worms. I certainly do not see a preacher of rapture, and I know for some out there that may be a surprise. I grew up you know here in the South note in the Bible Belt very much believing a preacher rapture I could teach it like I can teach it well but then I saw the other side and actually begin interacting with the text and Saul wait a second.

There is there's very little evidence of this. In fact, you can get to Matthew 24 and Jesus is immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be dark and the moon will not give its light, and the stars of of the heavens will not give their light as well and then the angels will go forth and do and do the. The actual what we would call the rapture so he he specifically says it's immediately after the tribulation to bring back to the mark of the beast. I think the primary temptation that's gonna be there is hey if you want love your life and have convenience.

You need to take this mark and that's not just for like unbelievers. This is a temptation actually says in the next chapter. This is the perseverance of the saints that they would basically not take this mark and give their allegiance to somebody else so very much so this is something that we are going to face, but one of the things that help me the most was to understand the tribulation. What we call the tribulation period is not a time when like the earth is exploding and everything's like about to like volcanoes erupt like the tribulation period is defined less as the wrath of God that comes at the end but more as the wrath of what we call the Antichrist. So were talking about a time of intense persecution upon the people of God and part of that persecution includes his mark and so will read stuff like Revelation, which is a lot of symbolism were like the Earth's going to explode in working to be here as I know you were actually seeing symbolic references to intense persecution that again if you don't know the Old Testament, you can just be like, I don't get this.

This is like cosmic level stuff, but actually were called to persevere through a time when our faith is can be tested like never before. Yeah, and I looked on with Mark Del mar, great. Now I'm glad to see that I gotta have the bad guy in here and an attribute preacher rupture, so yeah, the next place we looked at Exodus the next place we looked at was Deuteronomy.

The following place in the old testament that I will look at before actually getting to Revelation.

Again, is Ezekiel 94 and basically to paint a picture. Ezekiel is having a vision of coming destruction of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and this would be nice that he seeing a vision of Nebuchadnezzar's gonna come with Babylon to take out Jerusalem and him those might be familiar with the history, but in the vision, Yahweh tells someone a man to mark out the faithful of the city. In other words, put a mark on people that are faithful so that they don't undergo death during this thing that may still be taken into captivity, but they're the faithful ones and so that's the back backdrop. So now we can read it. This is Ezekiel 940 This is God talking to this man whoever it is clothed in limp linen go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem and put a mark on the four head of the men who sigh and groan over the abominations which are being committed in its midst. So we have another reference to assign a good sign. The good kind being put on the forehead to mark out those who are righteous before God. So again I put it in my nose.

But in Revelation, John is activating these ideas from the Hebrew Bible when he gives us. Revelation 13 I know if you guys are familiar with the Bible project, but Tim Mackey who is God, the scholar ever use the phrase called hyperlinks which is basically like you click this and take you somewhere else. But when the the Hebrew Bible has hyperlinks all over where you read this verse and its must take your mind somewhere else and John the apostle is doing this very thing.

He's hyperlinking is back to these other texts. So with those in mind, we can now appropriately go to Revelation 14 and kind of understand or 13 and kind of understand what's going on so we can we can jump over there if you're ready what's going on alright so the first thing we want to do is look at the positive. So in Revelation 14 that actually sets us up to understand Revelation 13 little better, even more so in Revelation 14 we see the Lamb actually is on a mountain and he has his faithful people and speaking of those faithful ones. He says this so Revelation 14 ones of those of us out.

Then I looked, and behold the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, which is a place in Jerusalem connection go there, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000, having his name and the name of his Father written on their four heads so right off were being hyperlinks back to all these places in the Old Testament where it's an issue of faithfulness and devotion to the father to Yahweh. So this is most definitely a sign of allegiance and a way of saying that this group belongs to Messiah Jesus and to Yahweh and this is just what's happening in 14 this becomes the counterpart to what we see, though in the previous chapter were finally ready to go to Revelation 13. Okay so to begin with. Let's discount look at the overview of the chapter you read.

It is very helpful in the first verse the Dragon. Satan is standing by the sea, so I think is in staying in 13. The Dragon is by the sea. He standing there and we get a beast in a mark in 14, the Messiah, standing on a mountain. We get up a mark but the dragons by the sea and from the sea. There arises a beast so verse one through 10 shows the rise of this beast and we realize that it's the biblical figure, commonly called the Antichrist. So one through 10, gives us basically the rise of the Antichrist. Let's just acknowledge that the beast is describing both a national entity so it's like a governing national entity and it also bleeds over into as if when it talks about visas referencing an individual so you have a governing body and an individual is hard to distinguish like is this talk about like a man or hole kingdom was going on so we just at least need to acknowledge that that's one through 10. Then in verses as you read 11 through 15 we see the rise of a different beast, one that has two horns. As we talked about earlier that resemble a lamb but spoke like a dragon in the first beast came up out of the sea, but the second one the second one. We just love that comes up out of the land route of the earth of it very interesting here but this second beast is basically a false prophet of the Antichrist.

When we had talked about that we have people who say that the vaccine is the mark of the beast in your Sangha really will. Who is the antichrist and who was the false prophet yet.

So what I'm getting at your hidden on the head is that we see in this chapter a few things that give us almost timing indicators and I'm not saying like oh we know we can use the timing and gives know when the steps it happened.

Not all but tells us when in the biblical history. This thing is going to occur.

So we have first, the rise of this first beast which we know is that as the antichrist that we have the rise of the second beast which we know is his false prophet and it's the second beast of false prophet up for the antichrist that will perform miraculous signs will persecute the people of God, and it's the second beast, the false prophet that actually institutes the Mark. So when someone is out there wondering maybe it's the vaccine.

Or maybe it's this or that and look we can talk about the vaccine and other by Wyatt's good, bad or otherwise, for other reasons, but to say something is the mark of the beast. We need to say a few things asked the person. Do you know the antichrist is has that person come on scene and there certain things he's gonna do when he comes okay. Do you know the false prophets condemning that is and then you need to say it has that false prophet asked for people's allegiance by saying hey take this mark take this mark give your allegiance again because the forehead and hand thing is an issue of allegiance.

Give your allegiance to the antichrist by taking this mark and this profit is also doing signs and wonders, probably in the Middle East. If you haven't found those things, it's probably not the mark of the beast. They could be someone else bad but it's not this thing of you're going to hell if you accidentally take this thing and we could read it. Revelation 1316 and 17 and he the false prophet or the second beast calls all small and the great and the rich and the poor and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand and on their four head, which is the antithesis of everything we looked at before any, provided that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the mark of the beast or the number of his name.

So again, this is the opposite of the mark of allegiance to Jesus to take this mark is to actively give allegiance to the beast, and second Thessalonians 2 starting verse one brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you not to soon be shaken in mind or troubled by spirit or by word or by letter, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means for that day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is so and Mike until we see that event.

I don't think releasing Mark so people can rest assured Cameron thank you so much for coming on.

If somebody wants to learn more about you. Where would they go. You have a website or you know I mean a website of had a bad relationship of the year is always up or down or otherwise, you can usually find something about me on YouTube type in the phrase Daniel training network Bible overview you'll find a course teaching the Bible teach the Torah and to others is one. Thanks a lot Cameron Horner mentioned having peace of mind. These turbulent times. Peace of mind may be the most valuable lessons feeling secure in your financial future is worth its weight in gold and emotion liberty bankers insurance can help provide you with that most precious life-affirming sense of security.

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