9/24/06 - “Prophecy – The Mark of the Beast – Part 2” - 39L - FM
Victory Ministries International presents:
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Hello!  This is Richard Vaughn

This Week: “Prophecy – The Mark of the Beast” - Part 2
(Prayer & Pledge)
If you are hearing this program for the first time, it is important for you to read the transcript copies on Daniel 2, Daniel 7 and Revelation 13. They clearly identified from God’s Word, the little horn power of Daniel 7 and the Beast power of Revelation 13 as being the government of Papal Rome. If you need to catch up, all previous articles can be read in Microsoft word.doc at the following website address: victorysdachurch.org/radio2.html 

Last week we learned that Papal Rome changed God’s Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. I read from official Roman Catholic Church materials, that they not only changed the day, but that there was no scriptural authority for changing it. They claim it as a mark of her ecclesiastical power.
   
Today continuing the question is, “ What did God say about attempts to change His law or His Word in any way?” 
Deuteronomy 4:2,13 "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone." 

If I add to God's word, He counts me a liar. Proverbs 30: 5,6 "Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." 

What is the reward of all liars? Revelation 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

 This is serious and not to be taken lightly. Don't trust your eternal salvation to any man. God Himself has spoken in the scriptures on the subject of His Sabbath. Jesus created it on the first week of Creation, Jesus kept it when He walked among men. And Jesus said heaven and earth will 
sooner pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail. Luke 16:17 "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." 

Listen friends, Sunday-keeping is a man made doctrine from the beast of Revelation 13, who got his authority from Satan. 

What does Jesus say about man made doctrines. Matthew 15:8,9 "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." 

Listen carefully to the words of Jesus!  What does Jesus say about one who beaks one of the Ten Commandments or teaches men to do so? Matthew 5:19 "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." 

This is one of the most startling things that Jesus ever said. A religious leader who is 90% correct is 100% wrong. Whoever breaks one of God's commandments, and that includes the Sabbath, and teaches men so, shall be called the what? The least in heaven. That means they won’t be there. It's not too late for religious leaders to make an about face and get this issue right with God. There are many Christian churches today who are discovering the truth about God’s seventh day Sabbath and they are now obeying God and not man.

 God's word has established that the beast power of Revelation 13 is the Papacy. The change of Sabbath to Sunday is a MARK of her power. Now we need to explore how the mark is received. 

Where is the beast's mark placed on people? Revelation 13:16 "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: " 

That mark is not literal. Remember, we are dealing with symbols. The forehead represents the mind with which we serve God, Romans 7:25 "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; " It is the forehead, the frontal lobes, where ones belief system is established.

And the hand is a symbol of work. Ecclesiastes 9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." 

Those whose belief system accepts Sunday observance willingly, while rejecting God's Sabbath, will receive the Mark of the beast in their forehead. Those who agree to work on God's Sabbath to avoid punishment are marked in the hand. 

Does anyone have the Mark of the Beast right now?  Do people who now observe Sunday as a holy day, have the mark of the beast? Let’s get our answer from Scripture. Revelation 13:16,17 "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 answer is NO ONE has the mark of the beast right now. No one receives the mark of the beast until the law forces a person to stop buying and selling unless he has the mark. When a National Sunday law is passed enforcing cessation of work on Sunday and its observance as a holy day, then those who work on God's Sabbath and those who observe Sunday sacredness will be marked with the Mark of the Beast. 

However, those who keep God's Sabbath in spite of the punishment will receive God's special mark, His seal, which we will discuss in a later broadcast called “The Seal of God.” 

Sabbath breaking, however, even today is a serious matter, because it involves sin, 1 John 3:4 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." The Bible definition for sin is breaking any one of God’s commandments.

God reads our innermost thoughts and motives. We are held accountable for what we know. Those who knowingly profane God's holy day now, will lose the ability to think and see clearly and will end up in darkness. John 12:35 "Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth."

Who shall receive God's wrath in the last days? Revelation 14:9,10 "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:" 

It will be those who receive the mark of the beast. Everyone will have decided for eternity. The beast's mark or God's seal?
God's wrath is contained in the seven last plagues. The marking of the two groups will not involve a great deal of time. Once that period has ended, mankind's probation period will end and the seven last plagues will begin. God's grace and mercy will no longer be found. It will be eternally too late to offer any prayer for help. Those who have rejected His gift of salvation, and turned their heads on God's law, can blame no one but themselves for their loss, not their pastors or priests, not even Satan. What more could God have done for them. However the pastors and priests will be held accountable for teaching error.

How does God know and decide who it is that we serve? Romans 6:16 "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

God chooses to save everybody, 1 Timothy 2:3,4 "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." 

Satan desperately wants everyone to be lost. We choose whom we will serve by whom we obey. When I step under God's Sabbath banner, I have chosen to serve Him. When I, with my eyes wide open, step under the Sunday banner of the beast, God counts me as serving the beast. There will be no middle ground. 

How does God count me if I am neutral? 
Matthew 12:30 "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."

Believers rejecting God's Sabbath will join the ranks of the unbelievers and receive the Mark of the Beast. Man doesn't say it. God’s inspired Word does! A lot of good professed Christian people will be lost on the matter of obedience to God's Word. Jesus never said if you love Me, feel good. 
He said if you love Me, keep My commandments. 

Heaven will consist of only those that are safe to save. Choose this day whom you will serve. Will you embrace God's Holy Sabbath day, or will you reject His Love Gift to the world? Jesus was the creator and He made the Sabbath. It was Jesus on Mt. Sinai who wrote the commandments on stone. Pick one: Jesus' Sabbath or the Papacy's Sabbath? The Seal of God or the Mark of the Beast? 

Friends, I encourage you to find a Sabbath keeping church near you. You are always welcome to worship with us each seventh day Lord’s day at the Victory Seventh Day Adventist Church located at 117 W. Danville Street in the center of South Hill, VA. Check us out on the web, victorysdachurch.org.

Next Week: “Prophecy – The Seal of God – Part 1”

Until next week, Jesus said in John 5:39, “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me”. Come Lord Jesus.