By Daniel Downs
Now that our government’s latest effort to raise taxes is over, I want to resume my discussion of Revelation. I guess here discussion means with a conversation with myself. Nevertheless, it’s my hope and prayer that those who read these posts will benefit from my mental brain storms–as it were.
Oh, yes, lest I forget; I don’t actually believe these discussions will help any pastor long in the ministry understand Revelation any more than I think such students of the Bible are confused by Revelation. If the one I referred to in my first post was serious, I ask for your fervent prayer on his behalf.
Now, that’s off my chest; let’s consider what the mark of the Beast is as described in Revelation chapter 13:16-18.
Based on current technological developments, prophecy teachers tell us that the mark is probably a microcomputer chip. These chips are already being used in GIS technology. They are being implanted in pets, livestock, and in human newborns. Linked to satellites, devices, animals, or people with embedded microchips can be tracked to within a few feet anywhere in the world. If linked to supercomputers where our government, medical, and financial records are stored, big brother can know anything about our every activity including all of our financial transactions. With traffic and other surveillance cameras going up in every place imaginable, big brother as envisioned by George Orwell in his novel 1984 will soon be a reality. All that will be needed is a paranoid socialist dictator reigning over the world.
As mentioned in Revelation 13:18, the mark is a number representing the dictatorial beast. It is also pointed out by prophecy experts that in the future embedded chips will most likely possess the beast’s number or code to screen non-members of his global anti-religion club, which is another reason to suspect this beast will be a good socialist or secularist. Membership in this end time global anti-god club is voluntary. It is truly egalitarian. Its membership consists of rich and poor, famous and infamous, slaves and free citizens from all nationalities of the world. (13:16) Thus, under this tyrannical socialist dictator, racial prejudice is a thing of the past. The final bigotry of humanity to be eradicated is god-fearing haters of greed, oppression, immorality, falsehood, and the like. Consequently, those who refuse to join the club will likely loose their lives here on terra firma. (13:15)
One of the beautiful things about having everyone in the world embedded with a traceable microchip is how much greater the convenience in conducting financial transactions like buying and selling. Instead of wasting time getting paper and credit cards out of your pockets, billfold, or purse, all members of the global anti-god club will have to do is pass their hand or forehead past a scanner. It will be very similar to moving bar coded merchandise over scanners at most retailers today. Again, most non-members will not have to worry about this change because most will not be alive.
It’s true; socialist-secularism does not bode well for dissenters. History proves that much.
If we dig a little deeper (and here I’m not referring to a grave), we will find a few more valuable nuggets of knowledge. In the prophecies of Ezekiel, God sends an angel to mark the people on their forehead who were burdened by the evils done in Israel. (Ezek. 9:1-4). Concerning the rest, God ordered them to be killed. (9:5-8) Why? Divine justice demands unrelenting crime to be abolished. Those whose foreheads were marked for protection demonstrated their moral and emotional fidelity to the covenantal law of God. They choose not be become callous and numb to evil because of its acceptance and prevalence. They choose to suffer the pains of self-discipline and fidelity instead. That this is about a mental determination on the part of the marked and unmarked is further supported by God’s instruction to Ezekiel at the beginning of his calling:
“Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak My words to them. For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language … whose words you cannot understand. But, I have sent you to them who should listen to you; yet the house of Israel will not listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads…. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.” (2:4-9)
The same moral fidelity is also represented by the 144,000 undefiled Jewish bondservants whose foreheads are seal in chapter 7 of Revelation.
Here in chapter 13, the opposite is the case. Those whose foreheads are sealed with the mark of the latest and greatest dictator are as immoral, unfaithful, and anti-Christ as the he is. The famous mark, 666, thus symbolizes the trinity of modern secularism consisting of statism, humanism and socialism. This modern secular trinity is the allegiance of Satan disguised as the worship of humanity and self. It reflects the taboo of secularism and naturalism that claims god-is-dead or never existed while making the state the almighty and humanistic science its religion. This is similar to the Roman faithful making Caesar a god and building the temple of Caesar in Pergamum. Jesus assures us that this is where Satan seat of power or governance was located. (Rev. 3:13)
Jesus said, “Your heart is where your treasure is.” (Mat. 6:21) I think I remember a preacher once saying during an offertory that it is where your allegiance is as well. Okay, maybe it wasn’t a preacher taking an offering, but it applies nonetheless. Our fidelity to the covenantal law of faith in Jesus Christ is why the Spirit of God seals our foreheads as a token assurance of eternal life in God’s kingdom. (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph.1:31-14; Eph. 4:30)
Our mind and emotions cannot be disconnected from our eternal spirit.
According to the Apostle Paul, we are to …
“live no longer as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard of Him and have been taught in Him, just as the truth is in Jesus, that in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness and truth.” (Eph. 4:17-24)
Beavercreek artist Jeff Potter has hung 16 paintings that span the range from whimsical to sinister at Express Yourself Coffeehouse & Art Gallery in downtown Xenia. Potter, a largely self taught oil painter, says that his works are, “attempts at illusion. My aim is to imply there are hearts beating beneath the flat paint layers.” He succeeds magnificently with the present exhibition. Particularly striking are his Humpty Dumpty sitting on a wall and a haunting image of Herodius holding the head of John the Baptist in her scarlet clawed hands. Potter’s work consists of two styles including outdoor scenes in the impressionist style and sharply defined portraits. He hopes to convince the viewer that life indeed has left its mark on his works. “I hold it as a goal well worth pursuing,” he remarks. It is apparent that he is very close to his goal. His paintings will be on display through February 16 during regular business hours Monday through Saturday at Express Yourself Coffeehouse and Art Gallery, located a block from the Courthouse at 78 E. Main St. For hours and information visit ExpressYourselfCoffeehouse.com, phone (937) 372-7446 or by email at xeniacoffe@sbcglobal.net.