What Is The Mark of The Beast?

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Hi again C____,

I appreciate your hunger for the “hidden wisdom” of the “things of the spirit.”

1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world [ leaders of orthodox Christianity] knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. [ It was “the church in the wilderness,” God’s own people who hated and crucified Christ]
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

“… The Holy Ghost teaches [ by] comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” It will teach you nothing as long as you look for physical things. “The words that I speak unto you are spirit…” (Joh 6:63). When the scriptures talk of a lamb, they do not mean a wooly animal. A lion is not a literal jungle beast. A star is not a star. A candlestick is not a candlestick. A woman is not a woman. A manchild is not a manchild. The earth is not the earth. The sea is not the sea. Waters are not waters. Beasts are not beasts. Jezebel is not just Jezebel. Men are not men. Mountains are not mountains. Locusts are not locusts. Nakedness is not nakedness. Gold is not gold. Eye salve is not eye salve. Seven is not seven. And Asia is not Asia. And while I could go on and on to mention every symbol in the book of Revelation, I will close this list with, a mark is not a literal mark. The right hand is not the right hand, and the forehead is not the forehead.

This entire book is SIGNified:

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and sign ified it by his angel unto his servant John:

This is a book of signs and symbols. It is a book that you are to “KEEP.”

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein:

It is a book that was for the people of John’s day and is for every generation since, because as each generation comes along, it can truthfully be said “the time IS at hand… keep the sayings of this book.” This book will be applicable to every generation of the future, until the last soul emerges triumphant from the burnings of the lake of fire.

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

This assertion appears eleven times in this book alone. Notice that IS, is always first. “Whoever reads and hears the words of the prophecy of this book, IS to keep these sayings in his generation. This book has little to do with end- time events as orthodox Christianity understands the phrase ‘end- time events.’ “The time was at hand” two thousand years ago, and if God opens your eyes to see and gives you ears to hear, then “the time is at hand” for you today. The “end of the age” comes to each of us because “This life is but a vapor that appears for a moment then vanishes away.”

Jas 4:14 … For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

This book is only for those who are “given eyes to see and ears to hear.” But ‘to hear’ and ‘to see’ does not mean to literally hear and to see.

Luk 9:44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.
Luk 9:45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

Not even the apostles of Christ could understand the “things of the spirit” until after the spirit was given to them on the day of Pentecost. “The things of the spirit of God… are spiritually discerned.” And the “things of the spirit…” are foolishness to the natural man.”

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

God’s word is in a spiritual code that is not left to our imaginations to interpret. The scriptures must interpret the scriptures. So instead of placing this entire book over in the middle east and out in the future, it must be understood as a book we are to keep. If we ignore this plain introductory statement, then the warning at the end of this book will fall on us. Notice how the introduction in chapter one verse three is repeated in the last chapter of this book:

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.[‘The time is at hand’]
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

Suppose we put “the sayings of the prophecy of this book ‘out there’ in the far past or ‘out there’ in the distant future or ‘over there’ in the middle east instead of “keeping the sayings of the prophecy of this book?” Well, if we take the orthodox Christian approach to the sayings of the prophecy of this book, then this is what will happen:

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

If we add to the sayings of the prophecy of this book, and say that this book has only to do with those who happen to be living in the last generation before the return of Christ, instead of remaining faithful to the fact that two thousand years ago, and for every generation since, “The time [ has always been] at hand,” then God will add to us of the plagues which are written in this book. This warning alone proves that this book is to be experienced in each of us. But look at what is prophesied for us if we should decide to “take away from the sayings of the prophecy of this book:”

Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

I have emboldened the words I want you to notice. I cannot take the time right now to tell you how you experience the seven seals and the seven trumpets and the seven vials, but if you do not see that you are to “keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book, then you have no concept what this book is all about. This is a book that is sweet in your mouth and bitter in your belly.

Rev 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face [ was] as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Rev 10:2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
Rev 10:3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
Rev 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
Rev 10:5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
Rev 10:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
Rev 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Rev 10:8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go [ and] take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
Rev 10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. Rev 10:10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues and kings.

Why is John told to “eat the book?” “Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues and kings.” Now remember the introduction and close of “this book:”

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

How can we “keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book” if we are only being informed of future end- time events? Again I tell you this book has little to do with end- time events. Two thousand years ago “the time was at hand.” It is always “at hand” for all who have been given eyes to see and ears to hear.

The mark of the beast is nothing more than the carnal beastly mind with which all men are born.

Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. [… It is the number of mankind” Rev.13:18]
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind [ is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

John tells us that all sins fall into three categories:

1Jn 2:16 For all [ sin] that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Eve had the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, before she ever ate of the tree. That is why she ate of the tree. At that point she became aware of her already existing naked, sinful condition. Eve and Adam along with David could truthfully say:

Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen [ By the Potter – Jer 18:1-5] in iniquity; and in sin did my mother [ Creator] conceive me.

I hope to write more about this in the future. I hope that what I have said has opened your eyes to see the true purpose for the sayings of the prophecies of this book.

Mike

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