The mark of the Beast

The following is a transcript from a lecture from Pastor Stephen Bohr entitled “The Mark of the Beast”. I pray that you might find some time to watch Pastor Bohr’s lectures as I have always found his talks to be informative, and in harmony with scripture. These studies on the two beast’s from Revelation, as well as “The Image to the Beast”, “The Number of the Beast”, and “The Mark of the Beast” are an absolute must watch series, and you will learn volumes if you invest some time in watching these video’s, and then studying the attached transcripts. Pastor Bohr heads a media based ministry called Secrets Unsealed and you can visit his website by clicking here.

The Mark of the Beast

Let’s bow our heads.

Father in heaven, this day we are going to study a very important subject.
We’re going to speak about the mark of the beast and we need you’re divine guidance.
Not only do I need your guidance but I also ask that you will be with those who are watching this presentation on TV or listening to a CD.
I ask Lord that you will open minds and hearts, that people will be tender hearted to receive the truth as it is in Jesus.
I ask Lord that people will not be offended, but to study these things out for themselves, that they might see the truth and embrace it. Thank you Father for hearing my prayer, for I ask it in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

In our studies together, we have already identified the beast We’ve noticed that the beast is the same as the little horn, as the harlot, the abomination of desolation.
The man of sin of 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2.

Basically, all of these symbols represent a world wide system. That system, is the Roman Catholic papacy.
I’m not speaking of individuals who are within this system. There are many people who are very sincere, they love Jesus and they don’t know about these things.
So, don’t take this personally. I’m not talking about you, I’m talking about the system of Roman Catholicism.

Part 1

 

The mark of the BeastNow, we’ve identified the beast as the Roman Catholic system. It shouldn’t be too difficult to identify the mark of this system or what is known as the mark of the beast.
Now we are going to approach our study from three perspectives. I want you to imagine throwing a pebble into a lake.

When you throw a pebble into the water,I want you to imagine, you have three ripples. You have a small one a larger one and you have the largest one Now, what we’re going to do, is study the end time conflict and we’re going to notice what is the broadest issue in the final controversy. We’re going to notice that the broadest issue is a controversy over the law of God, over the ten commandments.   The mark of the Beast

Then we’re going to specify a little bit more. We are going to look at the inner circle. That inner circle is going to show us that God’s ten commandment law has two tables. The first table describes our duty towards God, the second describes our duty towards our fellow human beings. We are going to notice that the end time controversy has to do with the law of God, but more specifically, it has to do with the first table of God’s holy law.   The mark of the Beast

Then we are going to go to the inner most circle. We are going to notice, that the end time controversy has to do with one specific commandment in the first table of the law. So, we are going to go from the broadest, God’s holy law the ten commandments.To a little bit smaller circle, which is the first table of the ten commandments. Then, we’re going to go to the smallest circle this is one specific commandment in the first table of the law.  The mark of the Beast

We are going to notice, first of all the broadest circle the great controversy at the end of time has to do with God’s holy ten commandment law which the devil hates. Go with me to Revelation, where we find a description of the end time controversy and what the issue is. It says there in Rev. 12:17…

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

So, Satan hates two things about the end time remnant. First of all, they keep the commandments of God. He hates the commandments of God. That’s what the final controversy is about. Now, we’re going to study the testimony of Jesus Christ, a little bit later on.    The mark of the Beast

For now, I want you to notice that Satan’s hatred against God’s people at the end of time will be, because they keep the commandments of God, the ten commandments. As we will study later on in this series we will study that phase, the commandments of God, and we are going to notice it refers to the ten commandments.

Now, I also want you to notice, that the end time controversy has to do with two marks. The mark of the beast and the seal of God. I want you to notice, where the seal of God and the mark of are placed. The bible says they are placed on the forehead. Notice, Revelation 7:3, where it speaks about God’s end time remnant, the 144,000. We are going to notice later on in the series, that these are those that will be alive when Jesus comes. Who will be able to stand in the mist of the wrath of God when it is being poured out upon the earth. It says in Rev 7:3,    The mark of the Beast

“do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servant of our God on their foreheads.”

Notice, that the servants of God are sealed on their foreheads. Why are they sealed on their foreheads? Let me ask you. What is behind your forehead? Behind your forehead, I would hope, is a brain. Your brain is the organ of the mind. Another words the forehead represents the mind. What is it, that God writes in our minds?

Notice, Hebrews 8:10

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:”

Now, notice this.    The mark of the Beast

I will put my laws in their mind.

What does God place in the mind or on the forehead? He places his laws in the mind. He says,  The mark of the Beast

and write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they shall be my people.

The sign of God on the forehead has something to do with his laws. Generally speaking. Of course, the mark of the beast must be some counterfeit, having to do with the law. It must be human laws in contrast to God’s holy law which is placed on the forehead.

Then, I want you to notice, Isaiah 8:16. Once again the seal is identified with God’s law. Notice Isaiah 8:16. It says there,

“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.”

What do God’s disciples have sealed among them. God’s holy law is sealed among God’s disciples. So you notice once again the seal that is placed on the forehead is connected with the commandments of God or with the law of God.

Another thing that I want you to notice, that shows that this end time controversy has to do with the law of God, is what we find in 2 Timothy 2:19. Here the apostle Paul is speaking about the followers of Jesus Christ, and he says this..

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Those who name the name of Jesus, what do they do? They depart from iniquity. That’s the seal of God. It has to do with departing from iniquity.  The mark of the Beast

Now, the question is what is it that defines righteousness and iniquity? What distinguishes between the two It’s God’s holy law.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 and 14 says,  The mark of the Beast

“13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”
“14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

Notice that the law of God defines what is good and what is evil. If you are going to depart from iniquity it must be that you keep what? God’s holy law. In fact, there’s an interesting messianic psalm in Psalm 40:6-8. Where we are told, that Jesus when he would come, he would love and he would hate iniquity, and of course, iniquity, is the transgression of God’s holy law. In fact, lets go to that point right now.  The mark of the Beast

Go with me to Matthew 7:23. By the way, the word iniquity that is used in 2nd Timothy 2:19, is the Greek word adikia Now, I want you to notice, Matthew 7:23.

“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Then we will go to Luke, and notice a parallel verse. It says there, The word there is anomias. Which literally in Greek means to be opposed to the law of God, because the Greek word for law is nomos, and when you put an A next to it, it means against or contrary to. So, here Jesus is saying to those who professed name, depart from me, you who practiced lawlessness.

I want you to notice, Luke 13:27.

“But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.”

Is that the same declaration we read in Matthew 7? The same expression, only the word used here is adikia. Let me ask you, is adikia and anomias, synonymous? They most certainly are synonymous.  The mark of the Beast

When the apostle Paul is saying that those that have the seal of God depart from iniquity, he is saying that they depart from what? from law-less-ness. Once again those that have the seal of God at the end of time. Are they going to be keepers of Gods holy law? They most certainly are.  The mark of the Beast

I want you to notice, one other aspect of this broadest circle. Revelation 14:9-11. Has the third angels message and of course, later on we’re going to study the third angels message in detail, particularly verse 12. I want you to notice now, is Revelation 14:11. It’s speaking about the punishment upon those that worship the beast and receive his mark. Notice what it says…

“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

So, upon whom is the wrath of God going to fall? It’s going to fall upon those who worship the beast and his image, and receive the mark. That’s Rev 14:11. Now, notice, Revelation 14 verse 12. The very next verse presents another group that contrasts with those who worship the beast and his image. I want you to notice, one of the main characteristics of this group. It says in Revelation 14:12…

“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Did you see the contrast? You have one group, in the third angels message who worship the beast and his image and receive the mark.   The mark of the Beast

Immediately in the next verse it speaks about a remnant who keep the commandments of God. So, let me ask you, is the worship of the beast and his image related some how to keeping God’s commandment?  The mark of the Beast

There’s one group that keep them which means the other group who worship the beast and his image and the mark must be against God’s commandments or must break God’s commandments, because the contrast is clear in Rev. 14:11 and Rev. 14:12.

Now, we want to go to the other circle. A smaller circle. We noticed the largest, we’re going to notice a smaller circle and of course, we’re going to go to the smallest circle.   The mark of the Beast

The final conflict is not only going to be over God’s law the final conflict is going to have to do with the first table of God’s holy law. The first four commandments, that describe our duty towards God. Now, notice what we find in Deuteronomy 6:4 and 5. By the way, this is the central confession of Judaism. And it says this…

“4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”
“5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your strength. Is this the summery of the first table of the law? You remember that Jesus quoted this, when he said that this is the first and great commandment. It actually summarizes the first four commandments, our duty for God. You see, if you love God, you won’t have other gods. If you love God, you’re not going to have idols. If you love God, you’re going to respect his name If you love God, you’re going to keep his holy Sabbath.

Then the last six commandments, have to do with a horizontal relationship between us and our fellow human beings. I want you to notice something very interesting. Immediately after giving this quotation, where it says that we should love God above all things, then God says where these words are supposed to be written Notice, beginning at verse 6, of Deuteronomy chapter 6.

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.† 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”

I want you to notice that this table of the law, the one that has to do with our duty towards God, is to be placed in two places. It doesn’t say, on your forehead OR on your hand. It says in your forehead AND in your hand. We are going to notice in Revelation that the mark of the beast, is placed on the forehead OR on the hand. Here God says, you need to place these words, which we quoted, between your eyes, which is the forehead, AND also, on your hand. That is a very important distinction.

You’ll notice, that it’s the first four commandments that are placed where?… That are placed in the frontlets between your eyes and also on your hand. I want you to notice, something else that is very interesting. In Revelation, the final controversy has to do with worship. Time and again, in Revelation, we find that the final issue will be concerning worship.  The mark of the Beast

Let me ask you, which table of the law has to do especially with worship? That’s the first table of the law. See, if you worship God, you won’t have other gods. If you worship God, you don’t have images of god. If you worship God, you don’t take his name in vain. If you worship God, you keep the Sabbath, as a sign of the creator. The first table of the law, has to do with worship. So, if Revelation says that the end time controversy is concerning worship, it must be that the final conflict has to do with which table? Especially, it has to do with the first table of the law.  The mark of the Beast

Let me read you some of those statements that speak about the issue of worship as being the main point of contention. Revelation 13:4, it says…

“And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?”

Verse 12…

“And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.”

 

Notice verse 15…

“And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”

Notice time and again, the issue is worship and worship has to do with the first table of the law.  The mark of the Beast

Notice Revelation 14:9-10.Again the idea is that the final conflict has to do with worship. It says there in Revelation 14, verse 9, and then we will read verse 11    The mark of the Beast

“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,

and then lets go to verse 11…

“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

I think the word worship is used enough times for us to know that the end time controversy has to do with worship, and Worship is related to the first table of the law. I want you to notice another text that speaks about worship in the end time, but this is the positive perspective. This is the verse that tells us that we’re supposed to worship the creator in the end time.

Notice Revelation 14:6-7.

“6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

Why do you suppose God calls on the world to worship the creator in the end time? Folks, it because the beast and the image of the beast are claiming the right to be worshiped. In other words, here we have a contrast between worshiping the creator of the heavens and the earth and worshiping the beast. The issue once again, is between true worship and false worship.

Once again, the table of the law that has to do with worship is the first table of the law. It is very interesting as you examine Revelation 13 and 14, that the issue involves the first table of the law but there are specific examples in these chapters that show how the beast and his image violate the first table of the law Let me just mention this quickly,  The mark of the Beast

Does the beast demand worship? Revelation 13:4… Now, if he demands worship would this be a violation of the first commandment that said thou shall have no other gods before me? Absolutely.    The mark of the Beast

Secondly, does this beast raise up an image and command every one to worship the image? Yes.

Which commandment is this a violation of? The commandment that says, don’t make any image and don’t worship it. That is the second commandment.    The mark of the Beast

The third commandment is also involved, because we are told in Revelation 13:6, that the beast blasphemes the name of God.

Which commandment does that violate? Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

Does the conflict also involve the fourth commandment? Yes. The first angels message calls us to worship the creator, which means that the beast must claim to be the creator, but he is the counterfeit, which commandment of the law of God has to do with worshipping the creator? It is the fourth commandment of God’s holy law.   The mark of the Beast

And so we notice that the second circle, the smaller circle shows that the end time controversy is going to be over the first table of the law. Now we are going to notice, that the end time controversy is going to have to do with one particular commandment of the first table of the law.

This is the smallest circle, or the smallest ripple. Go with me to Psalm 95:6 It says here…

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

Why do we worship God, according to this verse? We worship God, because he is our maker. He is our creator. We worship because he is the creator. Notice Nehemiah 9:6. I want this principle to be clear. We worship God, because God is our creator. Nehemiah 9:6…

“Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.”

Do you notice once again, that worship is connected with the idea that God is the creator? Notice Revelation 14:6-7 We have already read this passage, let’s read it again.I want to show you that worship is connected or is linked with creation. It says there…

“6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

Is the idea of worship, once again linked with creation? Absolutely. By the way, the language of the first angels message actually comes from the fourth commandment.  The mark of the Beast

Notice Exodus 20:11. The conclusion to the fourth commandment.

“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

Do you see the similarities of language in the fourth commandment to what we read in Revelation 14:7?

They are very similar. So you’ll notice that we worship the creator and the sign of the creator is, what? The Sabbath, according to what we read in Exodus 20:11. So, you can’t separate the Sabbath from worshipping the creator, because the sign of worship to the creator is his holy Sabbath. By the way, do you know that we will worship the creator when he makes a new heavens and an new earth and we will worship him on the Sabbath? Notice Isaiah 66:22-23.    The mark of the Beast

“22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.”

Let me ask you, when God makes a new heaven and a new earth, he creates a new heaven and a new earth, are we going to go worship before him? Yes. What day are we going to worship before him? The Sabbath. You see, when the fourth commandment says worship the creator, it is saying, worship the creator by keeping the Sabbath. So you can not separate the Sabbath from worship. So, is the end time issue going to have to do specifically with the commandment that has to do with the creator with the Sabbath? Absolutely.  The mark of the Beast

By the way do you know that the book of Genesis also tells us that God established the Sabbath to commemorate creation? He instituted the Sabbath to be kept to remember the event of creation? See, you can’t separate creation, worship and the Sabbath. Notice Genesis 2:2-3…The Sabbath identifies the creator. It says…

“2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”

Question… Did God bless the Sabbath for himself? Folks, God is the fountain of all blessings. God doesn’t have to bless a day for himself. Did God make the Sabbath holy for himself? No… Everything connected with God is holy. He was obviously blessing the Sabbath and He was actually sanctifying the Sabbath, because he expected man to keep the Sabbath, in commemoration of his work of, what? Of his work of creation.

Furthermore, do you know that the Bible links two words. It uses interchangeably the words sign and seal. Notice Romans 4:11… Speaking about circumcision here, the circumcision of Abraham. I want you to notice particularly two words that are used here synonymously. It says about Abraham..

“And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised:….”

Are sign and seal used interchangeably in this verse? They most certainly are. Now, Revelation speaks about the seal of God being on the forehead, but you could also say that the sign of God is on the forehead. Now, the question is, what is the sign of God? Notice Exodus 31:17. It is speaking about the Sabbath. …and it says…

“It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.”

God gave it to Israel, but he didn’t say, it’s only for Israel furthermore, the apostle Paul defines Israel as those who have received Jesus Christ as savior and Lord. If you are Christ’s you are Abraham’s seed and heirs, according to the promise. So, it says, it is a sign. Interchangeable with the word seal, by the way. Between me and the children of Israel forever and then it explains why it’s a sign. For in six days the Lord… What is it that made the Sabbath the sign? The fact that he made it at creation.

Notice also, Ezekiel 20:20. Here God says…  The mark of the Beast

“And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. “

How do we know that God is our Lord? We have his sign and what is his sign? The sign is the Sabbath and the word sign is used interchangeably with what? Seal, and the end time generation has the seal or the sign of God on the forehead.

There is something else very interesting that I want you to notice. In Ezekiel 8, we have a description of the apostasy of Israel shortly before Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city of Jerusalem. We don’t have time to study this whole chapter, so I’m just going to synthesize. Basically, chapter 8 speaks about abominations that God’s own people where committing within the city of Jerusalem. These were not the pagans that were committing these abominations. God’s own people were committing these abominations.   The mark of the Beast

And the greatest abomination, we’re going to read this in a moment, was that they were worshipping the sun. That was the greatest abomination that God’s people were committing within the city Do you know, that it says there were a group of people that were not committing this abomination of sun worship. In fact, it says therein Ezekiel chapter 8, that they were sighing and crying because of the abominations that were being committed in the city, and God said, go to the city and put a sign or a mark on the foreheads of those who sigh and cry because of the abominations that are being committed in the earth. Notice, that there is a contrast between those who have have the sign or the seal of God and those who are worshipping what? Those who are worshipping the sun. Which are practicing this terrible abomination. Let’s read Ezekiel 8:16-17…

“16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
17  Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.”

Which means that they just flaunt this in God’s face. What was the greatest abomination? They were worshipping the sun. Interesting, but there was a contrasting group who sighed and cried, who had the seal of God, the sign of God on their foreheads. It must be that they are opposite to those who were worshipping, what? To those that were worshipping the sun. Interesting.

Who were they worshipping then? They must have been worshipping the creator. Notice Ezekiel 9:4…

“And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.”

and by the way, it says after all of God’s people are sealed, go in the midst of the city, destroy all of those that are practicing the abominations and do not spare a single person, because the wrath of God was going to be poured out upon Jerusalem. Not everyone was destroyed, though. Let me ask you, was Jerusalem destroyed, because Israel was desecrating the Sabbath? That’s what Ezekiel chapter 8 and 9 seems to indicate, but we don’t have to guess.    The mark of the Beast

Some people say oh, you’re saying the city of Jerusalem was destroyed simply because they were breaking the Sabbath, that’s why everyone was slain? According to Ezekiel chapter 8, that’s exactly what I’m saying, because the Bible says it. Notice Jeremiah 17:27… Here God says…

“But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.”

Was Jerusalem destroyed because they were desecrating the Sabbath? Absolutely. What were they worshipping? They were worshipping the sun. Is it just possible that this scene is going to be repeated in the book of Revelation? Absolutely. Does the book of Revelation speak about a harlot who brings all kinds of abominations upon the earth? Absolutely. Does Revelation speak about a group of individuals who have the mark of the beast in contrast to those who have the seal of God? Absolutely. Are those who have the seal of God, is God going to protect them? Absolutely. Is he going to pour out his wrath upon those that have the mark of the beast? Absolutely.   The mark of the Beast

You see, once again, just like in Ezekiel you have two signs. One, that is received, although it doesn’t say so explicitly, is received by those who are worshipping the sun, because they are marked for destruction, it says there in Ezekiel chapter 8 if they are not marked by the seal of God, and you have that group that are marked with the seal of God, and those that are in apostasy with God, they are worshipping, what? They are worshipping the sun.    The mark of the Beast

And somebody says, but Pastor Bohr, are you saying that its the same to worship on the day of the sun as it is to worship the sun? My answer is, in principle, yes. You say, how is this?

Well let me put it this way, Who created the sun? God created the sun, right? Did he create the sun for worship?… No. So what happens if you turn it into an object of worship? What’s that called? Idolatry. Who created the first day of the week? God did. Did he create it for worship?… No. So what happens if you turn it into a day of worship? What is that called? Idolatry. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the sun an object or a day. What ever man makes for worship that God did not make for worship, is what? Idolatry.

You see the devil knows that Christians at the end of time are not going to be dumb enough to worship the sun. But what he does, is he leads them to worship on the day of the sun, which by the way, came into Christianity directly from paganism in the days of Constantine.    The mark of the Beast

Constantine was a pagan. He called Sunday the day of the invincible sun. The venerable day of the sun. He called Sunday and he introduced it into the Christian church. An abomination, for sure. Christians embraced it and adopted it and they worship on Sunday. A day which had been created for worship by man. Which is the same idolatry in principle as was being practiced in Jerusalem.

Now we can also look at the law of analogy, you know you look at the presidential seal of the United States. It has to have three things, right? It has to have the name; the office; and the territory of the person who possesses the seal.

For example the seal these days would say, ‘Barack Obama’, ‘president’, that’s his office, of the ‘United States of America’.

So in other words the seal has to have three characteristics. So the question is, what is the seal of God in the ten commandments that shows that the ten commandments are authentic? Folks there is only one commandment in the ten commandments that has these three characteristics, necessary for a seal, and that is the fourth commandment of the law of God.

Ellen White, in the book Patriarchs and Prophets, pg 307, said this.

“The fourth commandment is the only one of all the ten in which are found both the name and the title of the Lawgiver. It is the only one that shows by whose authority the law is given. Thus it contains the seal of God, affixed to His law as evidence of its authenticity and binding force.”

But somebody will say, well Pastor Bohr, but how do you know that you can apply the three characteristics of the Presidential seal today, back to biblical times?    The mark of the Beast

Well  the fact is, we are helped by archaeology at this point. You know they have discovered tablets where ancient kings used to make treaties with other kings, and I want to share the interesting characteristics of these treaties, or covenants. First of all, it was a covenant between a great king, and a lesser king.

These covenants were written on tablets of clay. Interestingly enough, on the tablets, both sides were written. In other words the same material that was written on the front of the tablet was written all over again on the back of the tablet.

You say now why would they do that, Why would they write the same thing on the front and on the back? The reason why, is because, these tablets that have been on earth, and I have pictures of many of them by the way, what they would do while the tablet was still wet, and the clay was soft. The great king who was making the covenant, would take a great big seal and he would impress the seal right in the middle of the tablet. And of course when he would impress the seal in the middle of the tablet it would obliterate part of the writing on the tablet, so in order to read the full writing on the covenant,all they would do is turn it to the other side, they could read the full covenenant, but the side with the seal showed that it was authentic. Interesting… the seal was in the middle of the tablet.    The mark of the Beast

And I bet you can’t guess what three characteristic were always the seal? The name of the king who was giving the covenant, his title, ‘king’, and the ‘territory’ over which he governed. This idea of three aspects of the seal does not come from the Presidential seal of the United States, it comes from the period when the ten commandments were given.

By the way, do you know that the Bible says that the ten commandments were also a covenant? Notice Deuteronomy 4:13…

“So he declared to you his covenant which he commanded you to perform the ten commandments and He wrote them on 2 tablets of stone”

What was the covenant of God?

God gave his covenant which are the ten commandments Where did he write them? It says here that he wrote them on tablets of stone. You see It wasn’t on clay, it was on stone.    The mark of the Beast

Because the ten commandments are eternal like stone. They don’t break up, they don’t dissipate and disappear. By the way, on how many sides of the tablets were the Ten Commandments written? You know many people don’t realize this, but the ten commandments were written on both sides of the tablets, because they were written at the same time as the other covenants.

Notice Exodus 32:15-16

“And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.”

Question; Where would you expect to find the seal in the tablets that were written on both sides. Where would you find the seal Right in the center of the tablets. Do you know which commandment is right in the center of the Holy Law of God his covenant with man? Its the Sabbath commandment, and Its the only commandment that has the three characteristics. Let’s read Exodus 20:11

“For in six days (the ‘Lord’), there’s His name, (the Lord ‘made’), there’s his function, He made, he is the creator, The Lord made. Now made what? What’s His territory? Made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and Hallowed it.”

Where is the seal of the Lord found? It is found in the fourth commandment of the holy law of God. The commandment has to do with the Sabbath, with the creator, which is in contrast to worshiping the sun, or in principle on the day of the sun.

But we also have the testimony of history. We’re going to talk about this a little more in our next lecture when we deal with part two, of the mark of the beast. The Bible speaks of a little horn. This little horn, as we’ve studied, represents the Roman Catholic papacy, the same thing as the beast, and the interesting thing is, that this little horn, according to the Bible, would think to change something. Notice Daniel 7:25. See history tells us that a power is going to rise, to attempt to change God’s holy law. It says,

“he shall speak pompous words against the most high and shall persecute the saints of the most high and shall intend to change time and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time.”

What would this little horn try to do? He would think to change the times, which we won’t discuss, and what else? The law of God.

Does the Roman Catholic papacy claim to have changed God’s Law, historically? I’m going to read you a series of statements and we will read as many as we can, before our time is up.    The mark of the Beast

Here is the first one. John Gilmary Shay, who was an important Roman Catholic historian of his time. This is what he said.

For ages, all Christian nations looked to the Catholic church and as we have seen, the various states enforced by law, her ordinances as to worship, and sessation of labor on Sunday. (Interesting, that they used the state to enforce the observance of Sunday, we’ve already studied that, he continues), Protestantismin, in discarding the authority of the church, has no good reason for it’s Sunday theory. and ought, logically, to keep Saturday as the Sabbath. (That’s what Protestants should he is saying). The state, in passing laws for the due sanctification of Sunday is unwittingly acknowledging the authority of the Catholic church (See even the state is recognizing the authority of the Catholic church by doing what the Catholic church says. So It says), it is unwittingly acknowledging the authority of the Catholic church and carrying out more or less faithfully its prescription The Sunday as a day of the week set apart for the obligatory public worship of All Mighty God, is purely a creation of the Catholic church.

This is a Roman Catholic theologian, Our Sunday visitor, which was the most famous Roman Catholic journal in the United States for many many years stated this, once.    The mark of the Beast

“Protestants accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship, after the Catholic church made the change. (This is a Roman Catholic publication saying, Saying who made the change? The Roman Catholic church. The article continues saying,) but the protestant mind, does not seem to realize that in accepting the Bible and observing the Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the church; the Pope.”

Here’s another one, by Louis G. Segur. Who was a French Roman Catholic prelate, and apologist, and by the way later on he was a diplomat and very important figure in the city of Rome. This is what he had to say.

Question; What Bible authority is there for changing the Sabbath from the seventh day, to the first day of the week? Who gave the Pope the authority to change a command of God (Notice the word change again). Answer; It was the Catholic church, which, by the authority of Jesus Christ, (so they say), which has transferred this rest day to the Sunday, (and here comes the scary part). Thus, the observance of Sunday, by the Protestants is an homage they pay. (What does homage mean? It means honor. It means respect. So it says), thus the observance of Sunday by the protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the Catholic church.

Notice what the Catholic encyclopedia says.

Question; What is the third commandment? (By the way they say the third commandment but it is really the fourth commandment, because they take out the second commandment that says don’t worship images. That one doesn’t appear in the catechisms, it disappears. because the Catholic church is full of images. And so they refer to the fourth commandment, the Sabbath commandment as the third. Notice),    The mark of the Beast

Question; What is the third commandment? The 3rd commandment is remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. Question; which is the Sabbath day? Answer; Saturday is the Sabbath day. Question; Why do we observe Sunday, instead of Saturday? Answer; The Catholic church, after changing the day of rest from Saturday, the seventh day of the week to Sunday the first day, made the third commandment refer to Sunday, as the day to be kept as the Lord’s day. 

Once again, the word change. The little horn thought that it could change God’s law. History bears it out. I want to read you another statement this is Thomas Enright a priest of the Roman Catholic church, for several years he was president of Redempterous College in Kansas City, MO. This is what he said.   The mark of the Beast

“Prove to me from the Bible alone, that I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the holy Catholic Church alone. The Bible says, remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. The Catholic church says no, by my divine power, (notice the church claims to have divine power), by my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day, and command you to keep holy the first day of the week, and Lo, (listen to this). The entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic church.

Not written by a Protestant, but written by a Roman Catholic priest.    The mark of the Beast

Once somebody wrote the office of Cardinal James Givins of Baltimore, Whether it was true the Roman Catholic church claimed to have changed the day, and from his office, chancellor H.F. Thomas whi wrote in the name of Cardinal Givins, wrote this.

“Of course the Catholic church claims that the change was her act, (and now listen to this) and the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical power.”

What is the mark according to Cardinal Givins through his Chancellor H.F. Thomas? He says the change of the Sabbath is the mark of our ecclesiastical power. Let me ask you, if the church could really change God’s law wouldn’t the church be God on earth? It would have to be.   The mark of the Beast

Now we are going to study about the number of the name of the beast, and when we study the number of the name of the beast, which is a very interesting lecture, we are going to notice that it bears a very close relationship to this quotation where it says that the act of changing the day is a mark of their ecclesiastical power. We are going to notice that the Pope has a particular name and that name, he says, shows that he has the right to exercise the powers of Jesus Christ on planet earth, even to the point of changing his law if necessary. I want to read one quotation in closing.   The mark of the Beast

Once again,  another Roman Catholic theologian. A word about Sunday,

God said remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day. The Sabbath was Saturday, not Sunday, why then do we keep Sunday holy, instead of Saturday? (Is what this Catholic theologian writes. Notice this). The church altered the observance of the Sabbath to the observance of Sunday. Protestants who say that they go by the Bible and the Bible only, and that they do not believe anything that is not in the Bible, must be rather puzzled by the keeping of Sunday when God distinctly said keep holy the Sabbath day. The word Sunday does not come anywhere in the Bible, so without knowing it, they are obeying the authority the Catholic church.

And Protestants think they are keeping Sunday in honor of the resurrection, because the Bible said so, but Sunday came into the church long before there was any Protestant. The Protestant reformers felt that it would be practically impossible to change the practice in the Christian church, and they continued with it and some of the reformers like Luther and Calvin actually tried to rationalize the observance of Sunday and they tried to prove the observance of Sunday from scripture but failed miserably, because the Bible is clear. It says that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, thy God. so what is the mark of the beast? The mark of the beast is the change in God’s holy law from Sabbath to Sunday and everyone who observes Sunday, knowingly, will receive the mark of the beast.   The mark of the Beast

 

Part 2

Let’s bow our heads for prayer.

Our beloved heavenly Father, as we study today about the mark of the beast part two. We ask for a special out pouring of your holy spirit and grace upon us. This is not an easy subject to deal with. There are many of those individuals out there, in the churches that are sincere, they love you with all there hearts they just don’t know the full truth about the change of day in worship and how it came into the Christian church I just ask Lord that you will soften minds and hearts so that people might be able to see the truth as it is in Jesus. Help us to see Lord, how the Devil has deceived the whole Christian world into believing that the day of worship has been changed. I ask Lord that you will give us willing hearts and we thank you for hearing our prayer for we ask it in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.   The mark of the Beast

A question that many times comes up is whether anybody in the world has the mark of the beast, yet. The fact is, no one has the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast is some thing that is given at the very end of human history.

However, having said that, when messages are presented, like these, showing clearly from the Bible, that the Sabbath is God’s day of rest., and that Sunday, is a day that entered through the back door so to speak, through Paganism into the Christian Church and an individual fails to make a decision Each time you say no to the Lord, it becomes more difficult to say yes to him the next time. And So what you’re doing, is your preparing your self, if time lingers, eventually, to receive the mark of the beast by rejecting the seal of God. No one yet, has received the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast will be received when an individual knowingly keeps Sunday as the day of rest even though he/she knows that it’s a day that God has not condoned, God has not blessed, and they still insist on keeping it. So, they can buy and sell. So, they won’t be subject to the death decree. Then, they will receive the mark of the beast. The decisions that we are making now, will determine what are decision will be then. for It’s important to hear the voice of God, now.

For our study today, I would like to do a little review of a very impressive prophecy that we find in Daniel chapter 7. I’m not going to study all the prophecy in this chapter, I’m just going to give you the highlights. I want you to see the sequence of powers that we have in this chapter. Daniel Chapter 7, presents a sequence of world powers beginning with the days of the prophet, Daniel.

I’m just going to give you the symbols and what they mean. In Daniel 7, we have a lion that lion represents the kingdom of Babylon. Then we have a bear, the bear represents the kingdom that followed Babylon It represents the Meads and the Persians. Then we have a leopard beast. The leopard beast represents the the kingdom of Greece. Then we have a dragon beast. It’s not called a dragon in Daniel 7, but it acts like a dragon, it tramples, has iron teeth, it destroys everything in its way Of course, that fourth beast represents the Roman Empire Then we are told, that from the head of that fourth beast, come forth ten horns. Which represents the kingdoms the Roman Empire was divided, as a result of the barbarian invasions This happened in the year 476. The Bible tells us, that among these ten horns, and after these ten horns are in place, a little horn rises, and this little horn does some amazing things It persecutes the saints of the most high. It speaks blasphemous words against the most high. It thinks it can change times and the law of God, and it rules for time, times and the dividing of time.    The mark of the Beast

Now, there can be no doubt as we examine the sequence of powers that this little horn represents the Roman church. Simply because we follow the sequence of powers. Babylon, Medo­Persia, Greece, the Roman Empire, the divided Roman Empire and then, within the divided Roman Empire, which took place in the year 476, finalized in 476, then you have the little horn that comes up and it rules for time, times the dividing of time which is equivalent to 1260 days, but in prophecy, days are equal to years. There is just no way around it. There is only one system in the world that arose from ancient Rome that ruled over 1000 years, and that is the Roman Catholic papacy.    The mark of the Beast

Now I want to dwell on one particular characteristic of the little horn. go with me to Daniel 7:25. Daniel 7:25. It say here, speaking about the little horn   The mark of the Beast

“He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute[d] the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.”

Lets stop here for a moment. the pompous words in Revelation are identified as blasphemies. the Bible indentifies blasphemies as when a man claims to be God or have the powers of God and when a mere man claims to be able to forgive sin. You know the Roman Catholic papacy claims they have the vicar of Christ on earth. One who has the authority of Jesus Christ, who is God. and Its a system that claims to have the power to forgive sins. Also, you’ve heard this, we have studied this the inquisition, the persecuting of those that are not in harmony with the church, through the arm of the state. That’s what this is talking about.

He shall speak pompous words against the most high, shall persecute the saints of the most high. That is for 1260 years. Now, in our last lecture, we studied the quotations from several theologians. These theologians, the Roman Catholic church. Told us, that the change of the Sabbath to Sunday was performed by the church. Some of them even say that the change was made by the Pope.

It’s not talking about a particular Pope, it’s talking about a successions of Popes, by the papacy, in other words. They unabashedly say so. They say that the day changed by the Roman Catholic church or by the papacy.   The mark of the Beast

Well somebody might say, Pastor, those are quotations from theologians and even though theologians of the Catholic church are important, what evidence do you have, of higher up in the Roman church that say the same thing as these theologians?

Well, the most respected person, in the world. Until recently, was Pope John Paul II. Highly respected all over the world for his moral views. On May 31, 1998, Pope John Paul II, published an apostolic letter. An apostolic letter is a letter he writes to the religious leaders of the church giving them counsel The name of this letter was dies domini. Which means ‘the Lord’s day’.

What I’m going to share with you is many of the aspects that we find in this apostolic letter, domini. Now, allow me to make a note of clarification as we begin and that is, that what I’m going to share with you has nothing to do with John Paul II as a person. We are not going to get into personalities here. What I am going to deal with,  is I am going to compare his views in his apostolic letter with what the Bible says. What we are going to do is, we’re going discuss things theologically and we’re going to leave the personal aspect out of question. We are going to study his theological views in dies domini as compared with the Bible. We are going to do it in question and answer form.   The mark of the Beast

Here’s the first question… According to the Bible, which day did God bless and sanctify, and which day in the Bible is called the Lord’s day?

Well, I can answer Biblically ,and clearly with scripture There is no doubt what so ever, that the seventh day Sabbath is the day God blessed and sanctified. There’s no doubt Biblically, that the Sabbath is the Lord’s day. You say. Where in the Bible do we find this?    The mark of the Beast

Lets read several verses Genesis 2:2-3… It’s explicit. Someone might say, the Sabbath was made for the Jews, and the Sabbath was made to point forward to Jesus, who was going to die on the cross and he was going to be at rest. The fact is, what I’m going to read now, actually is describing something that existed before there was any Jew. Before there was any sin, there was no need for any cross so there was no need for any redemption. It’s part of God’s original plan. Genesis 2:2-3…

2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Three times it speaks of the seventh day. We are told, God blessed and sanctified the seventh day. Is that explicit and clear enough? I mean there is no way around it.    The mark of the Beast

Now lets go to the fourth commandment of God’s law. Do you think the ten commandment are still binding today? You know some people think that they are the ten suggestions, or the ten recommendations. The fact is that no Christian in the world today would say that the ten commandments are no longer important. Although some churches say that the ten commandments were nailed to the cross, then they’ll turn right around and say, we need to have the ten commandments in our court rooms. Now you can’t talk out both sides of your mouth. They were either nailed to the cross, or they were not nailed to the cross, period.

“Exodus 20:8… Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God….

(Which is the Lord’s day? The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord. It’s a possessive it is the Sabbath of the Lord your God.)

in it, you shall do no work. You nor your son nor your daughter nor your male servant, nor your female servant nor your cattle nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days, the Lord made the heavens and the earth the sea and all that is in them and rested,…

(which day?)

the seventh day,therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”

That means he made it holy.

Question, which is the Lord’s day according to the fourth commandment? It’s the Sabbath of the Lord, thy God Which number day is it? It is the seventh day. What did God do with the seventh day Sabbath? He blessed and he what? Sanctified it.

Notice Mark 2:27-28… Lets notice who Jesus said, the Lord’s day is.

And he said to them, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. That’s why the Sabbath was made after man It was made for the benefit of man. If God had made the Sabbath first and then man afterwards, he would have been making man for the Sabbath. It says, the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the son of man is also Lord of Sunday. That’s not what the text says, it says, Therefore the Lord is Lord of the Sabbath. If Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath what is the Lord’s day? A child can understand this. The Lord’s day is the Sabbath. The only day in the Bible, the Lord claims his, is the Sabbath

Notice, Isaiah 58:13-14.

If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure, on my holy day. what does God call the Sabbath MY holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight the holy day of Moses. No, no, no… it says the holy day of the Lord. Honorable and shall honor him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then then you shall delight yourself in the Lord. What is the Lord’s day? The Lord’s day is the Sabbath. What number day is the Sabbath? The seventh day. What did God do with the seventh day? He blessed and sanctified it.

Now I want you to see what John Paul II said in dies domini. I will mention the paragraph because this document is divided into paragraphs. This is what he says…Unabashedly,

In the first place, therefore, Sunday is the day of rest because it is the day “blessed” by God and “made holy” by him, set apart from the other days to be, among all of them, “the Lord’s Day”.

Did you catch that? Where does the Bible say that Sunday is the Lord’s day?

Where does it say, anywhere, that God made Sunday holy and blessed Sunday?    The mark of the Beast

No where. You can look from Genesis to Revelation, you will find no verse, where it says that Sunday is holy. You will uniformly find that Sabbath is the Lords day, Sabbath is the day that God sanctified and blessed.

This is an outright untruth, By the way, if Jesus or the apostles changed the Sabbath to Sunday, there would have been an uproar among the Jews Allow me to share this quotation from Sam Bacioci. Who has written extensively about the Sabbath. By the way, Sam Bacioci, died just recently. He wrote a very good book titled, From Sabbath to Sunday, that it would be good for everyone to read.

Here he gives the historical evidence of how Sabbath was changed to Sunday. It wasn’t biblical it was several historical circumstances that took place. Here in this quotation, which is in his internet publication issues for Friday, August 7, 1998. He says this,

If Paul, or any other apostle had attempted to promote the abandonment of the Sabbath, a millenarian institution deeply rooted in the consciousness of the people and the adoption instead of Sunday observance, there would have been considerable opposition on the part of Jewish Christians, as was the case with reference to circumcision.

Do you remember that when circumcision was abolished? There was an uproar among the Jews and they had to call a counsel in Jerusalem? He continues saying, the absence of any echo of Sabbath Sunday controversy in the new testament is a most telling evidence that the introduction of Sunday observance, is a post apostolic phenomenon.In other words, it came in after the days of the apostles.

Now I want to ask another question, which is the day that stands at the very heart of all worship?

Lets let the Bible tell us. Revelation 14:6-7

6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— 7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

The first angels message calls us to worship whom? To worship the creator. My question is, where does the language from the first angels message, come from? This language, worship him who made heaven, earth, the sea and the springs of water? This language comes from Exodus 20:11 and it comes ultimately from Genesis 2:2-3 I want you to notice Exodus 20:11.

11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Notice, both the text in Exodus 20:11 and the text in Revelation 14:7, bring to view the creator of the heavens the earth, the seas and everything that is in them. The fourth commandment says, that the sign of the creator is his holy Sabbath.

So let me ask you, Which day is at the very heart of all worship? The Sabbath.    The mark of the Beast

By the way in our last lecture, we read Isaiah 66:22-23 It says that when we get to the new earth after God has created a new heaven and new earth. We will come from new moon to new moon. That means from month to month, because we are going to eat from the tree of life We will come from month to month and Sabbath to Sabbath to worship before the Lord. So in other words we are going to come on Sabbath to worship before the Lord, because he has created a new heavens and a new earth it will be the sign of a new creation. In other words at the heart of all worship is the Sabbath because the Sabbath identifies the creator.

But what does John Paul II say in dies domini? Paragraph 19 of his document. Listen to this

The intimate bond between Sunday and the resurrection of the Lord is strongly emphasized by all of the churches of east and west.

He is saying there is a link between Sunday and the resurrection of Jesus and this link is clear in the churches in the east and the west. The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox. He continues saying,

in the tradition of eastern churches in particularly, every Sunday is the anastasimos himera,

that means the day of the resurrection.

and this is why it stands at the heart of all worship.

What stands at the heart of all worship, according to John Paul II? Its not the Sabbath of creation. And by the way, Jesus rested in the tomb on the Sabbath as well, Jesus was the creator, he rested the seventh day,

Jesus said it is finished on the cross, and he rested in the tomb on the seventh day. When he creates a new heavens and earth We will rest on the seventh day. The Bible is clear. John Paul II says, in the churches of east and west Sunday is at the very heart of worship. Is it surprising that the beast demands worship on Sunday and imposes the mark which is the observance of Sunday as the day of rest as a sign of his authority? Here’s another question.   The mark of the Beast

What is the distinguishing mark of God’s people? Well the Bible says that the distinguishing mark of God’s people is the Sabbath. Notice Ezekiel 20:12.

12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

How do we know the Lord, who makes us holy or sanctifies us, what is the sign? The sign is the Sabbath.

Notice Ezekiel 20:20. God says…

hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’

What is the sign that shows that we are the subjects of the Lord our God? The Sabbath, according to the Bible. What does John Paul II say in dies domini?

Paragraph 21. He appeals to Revelation 1:10.

I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day.    The mark of the Beast

Now If you let the Bible explain it’s self, what is the Lord’s day? The Sabbath, you see but he says the Lord’s day is Sunday. You know why he says that? He says that, because at the end of the second century in the apocryphal gospel of Peter its an apocryphal book, it says there that the Lord’s day is Sunday, but its not until the end of the second century. Now Let me put this into some perspective so that you can understand the time frame.    The mark of the Beast

The first century covers from the year 1 till the year 99. The 2nd century goes from the year 100-199. The book of Revelation was written, according to most scholars, around the year 95. I want you to notice that the apocryphal gospel of Peter was written towards the end of the 2nd century, a hundred years after the book of Revelation was written. It is not fair to take the meaning of the Lord’s day a hundred years later and project that back, into the book of Revelation. The meaning of the expression, Lord’s day, in the apocryphal gospel of Peter, does not necessarily mean the same as in the book of Revelation. Now lets notice.

21. The Book of Revelation gives evidence of the practice of calling the first day of the week “the Lord’s Day” (1:10).

Revelation 1:10, does not identify which day it is. It simply calls it the Lord’s day. By letting the Bible explain its self, the Lord’s day is the seventh day of the week, the Sabbath. Notice what he continues saying.   The mark of the Beast

This, (That is Sunday observance), would now be a characteristic distinguishing Christians from the world around them.

According to John Paul II what is the sign that distinguishes Christians from the world? Sunday. Notice what he says in paragraph 30.

Given its many meanings and aspects, and its link to the very foundations of the faith, the celebration of the Christian Sunday remains, on the threshold of the Third Millennium, an indispensable element of our Christian identity.

Notice what he says in Paragraph 7

Sunday is a day which is at the very heart of the Christian life.

So, according to John Paul II, what is the distinguishing sign between God and his people that distinguishes them from the world? It’s Sunday.

The Bible say’s the distinguishing sign is the Sabbath. Lets ask another question. Where has God placed his seal? We studied this in our last lesson. The seal of God is found in the fourth commandment. It has the three characteristics of a seal. It has his name, his office or function and the territory over which he rules. Very clearly, the Sabbath is God’s seal. Notice Exodus 20:11.

For in six days the ‘Lord’ (That’s His name) ‘made’ (That’s His function: Creator) the ‘heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them’, (That’s His territory)….

Now I want you to notice what John Paul II says, contains the seal God He is quoting the great Roman Catholic theologian St Augustine and notice what he says…

Saint Augustine notes in turn: “Therefore the Lord too has placed his seal on his day, which is the third after the Passion.

According to John Paul II, which day has God’s seal? Sunday, has God’s seal. What does the Bible say, contains God’s seal? Sabbath, contains God’s seal. Now if I were to ask you the question, which is the day above all other days? What would your answer be? It’s a no brainer The Sabbath is the day, above all other days.   The mark of the Beast

Does Genesis indicate that Sabbath is the day above all other days? It is the only day that has a name and a number. It’s the 7th day and its called the Sabbath. The only day that God blessed. Its the only day that God sanctified. The only day that God rested. Its the day that Jesus rested in the tomb.Its the only day God calls His. Its the only day in which manna did not fall. Which is the day above all days? There is no doubt what so ever, biblically that the day above all days is the Sabbath.

What does John Paul II say in dies domini? Paragraph 25… …

25. In effect, Sunday is the day above all other days which summons Christians to remember the salvation which was given to them in baptism and which has made them new in Christ.

and in paragraph 55, he says…

55. “Blessed be he who has raised the great day of Sunday above all other days.

Now my question is, did God raise Sunday above all other days? No. The beast did. He is saying, blessed be he who raised Sunday above all other days, and if he did it, he’s the one that is supposed to be, what? Blessed. That’s blasphemy The Bible tells us that the day above all other days is the seventh day Sabbath. That’s the testimony of scripture.

Lets ask another question. Did the adoption of Sunday as the day of rest, have anything to do with pagan worship of a sun God? For this, I want to go back to what we talked about in our last lecture. Ezekiel 8:16-17.

You remember Jerusalem was going to be destroyed? There was a group of leaders in the temple and they had their backs to the temple and they were worshiping the sun? You remember that, they were worshiping the sun to the east and there was a group that was sighing and crying because of this abomination and other abominations that were being committed in the temple? Lets read about it.   The mark of the Beast

Ezekiel 8:16-17.

So he brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house and there at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the alter, were about 25 men with their backs to the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun in the east, and He said to me, have you seen this, oh son of man? is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah to commit these abominations which they commit here? They have filled the land with violence, then they have returned to provoke me to anger.

Let me ask you, did John Paul II, make any connection between the pagan worship of the sun and Christian worship on Sunday? I want to read an amazing statement that he makes in dies domini. Paragraph 27. You remember last time that I asked a question whether worshiping the sun is the same thing as worshiping on the day of the sun? Remember that? I showed that in principle, worshiping on the day of the sun is the same thing as worshiping the sun? In principle, its the same. Because God didn’t make the sun for worship, and if you worship the sun, which is a secular object, you’re practicing idolatry. If you make a day of worship for worship that God didn’t make for worship and you are using as a day of worship, that’s idolatry. Because God didn’t make it for worship its a man made day for worship. Are you following me? Listen to what he has to say in paragraph 27.

Wise pastoral intuition suggested to the Church the christianization of the notion of Sunday as “the day of the sun”,

He is saying the day of the sun is Christianized. It was adopted into Christianity and Sunday became the day of Christians as well as the day of pagans. I don’t say it, John Paul II says it. And by the way, I don’t know if any of you have ever been to the Vatican Museum. It is an amazing sight to see. The one thing that amazed me, more than anything else, is to see the number of sun bursts that are found there in the Vatican Museum.   The mark of the Beast

Not only in the Vatican Museum, but in Roman Catholic cathedrals and churches. There are sun bursts over the heads of saints there are sunbursts on the alter on the glass stained windows on the works of art, on the  challises, on the vestments there are sunbursts rays coming from all over the place. this does not come from the Bible. This comes from ancient paganism.

Roman Catholic authors have made it very clear that they realize that many of the practices of the church came directly from paganism. And in the dies domini, John Paul II, is admitting that the day of the sun, was Christianized. By the way it came into the times of Emperor Constantine.
Who called it the venerable day the sun. He also called it the invincible sun. You see he was a sun worshiper, so now, because he was a politician, he sees Christians all over the empire and he says, hey how can I join Christians and pagans?

He says, hey the pagans keep the first day of the week in honor of the sun and Christians, they are starting to keep the day of Sunday, in honor of the resurrection. Maybe we can merge the two.
This can be shown to be true, historically.

Let me ask you this question. Should the observance of Sunday be guaranteed by civil legislation?

In other words should the church appeal to the state, so that the state will guarantee, that people can keep Sunday, or Saturday for that matter, as a day of rest? Lets see what the Bible has to say.

Matthew 22:21-22.

And He said to them, render therefore to Caesar (this is Jesus speaking), the things that are Cesar’s and to God, the things that are God’s.

To whom does the Sabbath belong? To Caesar or to God? The Sabbath belongs to God. Should Caesar get involved in mandating worship on Sunday and guaranteeing it by civil legislation? Absolutely not.

The first amendment of the Constitution of United States says    The mark of the Beast

“Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Congress can’t make any law having to do with establishing religion, or forbidding the free exercise of religion. The state should be independent from the religion business. It is here to rule in civil matters. That’s what Jesus meant when he said, render therefore to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.   The mark of the Beast

That’s what is represented by the two horns, like a lamb. Which we studied about, remember?
The beast that rose from the earth that had two horns like a lamb. Two kingdoms in one nation The United States recognizes two kingdoms. The kingdom of the church and the kingdom of state but separate from one another.

What does John Paul II say in dies domini, about the state getting involved in legislatingthe day of worship? Notice paragraph 66. He is refering to Pope Leo XIII.

66. Pope Leo XIII in his Encyclical Rerum Novarum spoke of Sunday rest as a worker’s right which the State must guarantee.

Must the state guarantee the observance of Sunday? Absolutely not. By the way, I’m not going to read it, but in this same document, Pope John Paul II, extols and praises the first Sunday law that was written by Constantine in the year 321. Saying, this is the way it should be done. I’m paraphrasing here. Notice paragraph 67.

Christians will naturally strive to ensure that civil legislation respects their duty to keep Sunday holy.

He is saying that should fight for legislation to ensure that everyone can keep Sunday holy. That is not biblical. Actually, as we have studied before, it was a union of church and state that led to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

They are to remain separate, not to be together.

Here comes another question. Who changed the day of worship, Now Pope John Paul II does a valiant effort, he puts forth a valiant effort to try and prove that change was already contemplated in the new testament. He uses the same Bible verses that Protestants use. Well, Jesus resurrected the first day of the week. Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus on Sunday. Jesus appeared to the apostles on Sunday night in the upper room. The apostle Paul had this prayer meeting service in Acts 20 where it was an evening meeting on the first day of the week, it says. Paul also says that we are to take our tithes and offerings to the church on the first day of the week. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. All of those texts have been more than satisfactory answered by Sam Bacioci in his book From Sabbath to Sunday. If I had the time I would go into it Just because Jesus resurrected on the first day of the week does not make the day holy. No where does the Bible say that the day is holy because Jesus resurrected that day. No where does it say that we are supposed to go to church. That meeting that Paul held, according to Acts 20, was an extraordinary meeting because he was leaving the next day the people wanted to continue hearing him preach. By the way, it was not a meeting on Sunday night, it was a meeting on Saturday night.  The mark of the Beast

I don’t have time to show you that. When people use 1 Cor 16:2 and they say that Paul was saying to take your offerings to the church, in fact it says, everyone was supposed to lay aside at home a certain sum the first day of the week. That’s the way many versions translate it. The fact is, the Bible tells us that God sanctified and blessed the Sabbath, because he rested on the Sabbath in order for Sunday to be blessed and sanctified God would have had to have rested on Sunday, and Jesus didn’t rest on Sunday, he rested in the tomb on the Sabbath. As you read this document carefully you soon discover that John Paul II, actually attributes the change to tradition and to Christians. You have to read carefully, I think what he is doing or what he did in this letter that he wrote, is that he wanted to appeal to Protestants. You see Catholics traditionally have not used these verses from the Bible, Jesus resurrected the day, appeared to the disciples on Sunday night, Paul had this meeting on Saturday night, which they say is Sunday night. Your supposed to take your money to church on Sunday, every first day of the week. Catholics never used to use this verses They always used to say, the church changed it, the papacy changed it by the authority that God gave them. John Paul II was a very ecumenical Pope, and so he uses the verses that Protestants use in order to say hey, I’m on your side. When you read the document carefully, he actually reveals whom it was that changed the day. Notice paragraph 6.

it seems more necessary than ever to recover the deep doctrinal foundations underlying the Church’s precept….In doing this, we follow in the footsteps of the age ­old tradition of the Church

Notice paragraph 18… He says..

Christians….made the first day after the Sabbath a festive day, for that was the day on which the Lord rose from the dead.

Who gave Christians the right to make that change? Interestingly enough, he doesn’t say the Bible. He says Christians, by the way as you read dies domini, it becomes a very frustrating document. because John Paul II argues mostly from a philosophical perspective. He is a philosopher. So, he just philosophies, and he reasons, he uses human reason to try and prove that Sunday is the day of rest, but he has no Thus saith the Lord from scripture. So, he says in Paragraph 27…

‘Christian reflection’ and ‘Pastoral practice’ changed it.

Since when does Christian reflection change the day of worship? Since when does pastoral practice have a right to change the day of worship? Paragraph 63    The mark of the Beast

Christians, called as they are to proclaim the liberation won by the blood of Christ, felt that they had the authority to transfer the meaning of the Sabbath to the day of the Resurrection.

Who gave Christians such a right? Only God would have the right to change the day, and If the papacy claims to have made the change, they must claim that they have the power and prerogatives of God. That’s why, 2 Thessalonians 2 says that the man of sin sits in the temple of God which is the church, showing himself that he is God.

Notice paragraph 81…

81. The spiritual and pastoral riches of Sunday, as it has been handed on to us by tradition, are truly great.

Are you catching, as you read carefully, where he says the change comes from? He can provide no verse from the Bible that justifies the change, what so ever. He appeals to history as he interprets it. He appeals to arguments to reason, he appeals to philosophical arguments. Never can he present a text where thus saith the Lord.

Listen folks, if we are going to change the day that we worship on, we better have a thus saith the Lord.

Few years ago, I was speaking in Argentina. It was at a seventh day university, but there were many students that were not seventh day Adventist who were attending and one evening, I preached a sermon on the harlot of Rev. 17. I said, tonight I’m going to preach about the harlot of Rev. 17 I’m going to give you all of the characteristics, but I’m not going to tell you what system this applies to. You are going to know, I said, by the characteristics which system of the world, this harlot is referring to. So, I preached the sermon. I gave woman represents the church, a harlot woman is the fallen church, she sits upon many waters which means its a world church, she fornicates with the kings of the church, which means she is involved with politics She is decked with gold, silver and precious stones she must be a very rich church majors in these materials She has daughters, because she is called the mother of harlots, daughters that were born from her, I went through all the characteristics. I never identified what system I was referring to.  The mark of the Beast

The next morning, I was in a room, where I had interviews with students, they could come and ask questions and I would pray for them, they would have prayer requests. This woman came in, actually a young lady, she says pastor, I want you to know that you offended me last night; I looked at her, and I said, Really? I offended you? Why did I offend you? She said, well you didn’t offend me, you offended my church. I looked at her, and I said, but I don’t remember mentioning the name of any church last night. She says, No, you didn’t mention the name, but by all of the characteristics we knew you were talking about the Roman catholic church.  The mark of the Beast

So I looked at her and said, Hey, if all I had to give you was the characteristics, and by the characteristics, you reached the conclusion without me having to tell you, maybe you should pay attention. Then I asked her a question, I said which day of the week are we supposed to go to church and worship? She says, On Sunday. I said, Oh really, why? She says, beause that’s what the Bible says. I said, Really, where? She said, Well, the church has told us, the Bible says that we are supposed to keep Sunday. I said, have you ever read the ten commandments in the Roman Catholic Bible? She says, I can’t remember reading them. I said, How about you get a Roman Catholic Bible and you read Exodus 20:8-11 in your own Roman Catholic Bible. She says, What difference would it make? I said, if you read in there, you are going to find that it says, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy and its going to tell you that the Sabbath is the seventh day.  The mark of the Beast

She says, Well, Sunday is the seventh day. I said, Oh really? Which day of the week did Jesus resurrect? She says, He resurrected on the first day of the week. said, Really, what day is the first day of the week? She says, Sunday. I said Okay, the seventh day isn’t Sunday She said, Oh. Things started dawning. I said, Go read it, in your own Roman catholic Bible It says that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God, I said, So who are you going to believe? Are you going to believe your Roman Catholic Bible? Or are you going to believe your Roman Catholic Pope?  The mark of the Beast

She paused for the longest moment in time. She said, I’m confused. I don’t know how to resolve this. I’m going to go talk to my bishop. I told her, Go talk to him. but I’m going to tell you what he’s going to tell to you He’s not going to be able to give any verse in the Bible that says the day was changed, but he’s going to say that Jesus gave authority to the church to change the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday. She left. To this day, I don’t know what happened with this lady I pray to God, that when she meet with her bishop, if she did that she asked additional questions and she came to accept the truth as its found in the Bible, but I don’t know. So, my question to Roman Catholics is, whose authority do you accept? The authority of your Roman catholic Bible and the fourth commandment that’s in there, or do you accept the authority of dies domini? Yours is the choice. And I say to Protestants, do you accept the testimony of the Bible that the Sabbath was made at creation. It was blessed and sanctified by God. Or will you observe the first day of the week, which never the Bible says was made holy be God. Never says it is blessed by God. Never is it called Gods holy day. Will you keep that day thinking that you are keeping it, because the Bible teaches it but you are really keeping it because it has been handed down by the tradition of the Roman Catholic church.  The mark of the Beast

This is where the choice is in the end time folks. The choice in the end time is between the seal of God and the mark of the beast. Its between one day and another. The seal of God is the Sabbath The mark of the beast is the first day of the week. You say, Oh, your saying then, that the whole world is going to be divided by a day? Let me tell you, the day is only the means by which God will test you, to see whose authority you accept. Who you are loyal to? Do you remember that God placed a tree in the Garden of Eden known as the tree of knowledge of good and evil? He said to Adam and Eve, you can eat of all of the trees of the garden, like he says to us, you can work six days and do all of your labor. God said, don’t eat from that tree He was saying that tree is off limits to you, that’s my tree. That’s not yours. Was the test over a tree? No. The purpose of the tree was only to test Adam and Eve to see whether they would be loyal to him or loyal to Satan. Whether they would accept Gods authority or whether they would accept the devils authority.  The mark of the Beast

The external tree was the means of testing to whom they would be loyal. and so at the end of time, the day of worship is the way in which God is going to test people to see, to whom they will be loyal, and to whose authority they will accept. If you, in the end time, accept the authority of the beast, you will receive his day of worship, you will keep the first day of the week. The Bible says, that those that receive the mark of the beast will receive the wrath of God. That’s why this is such an important issue.

I want to end with a quotation from that classic book, The Great Controversy, pg 53. Here Ellen White speaks about the process of how Sunday was adopted. She says.  The mark of the Beast

The archdeceiver had not completed his work. He was resolved to gather the Christian world under his banner and to exercise his power through his vicegerent, the proud pontiff who claimed to be the representative of Christ. Through half-converted pagans, ambitious prelates, and world-loving churchmen he accomplished his purpose. Vast councils were held from time to time, in which the dignitaries of the church were convened from all the world. In nearly every council the Sabbath which God had instituted was pressed down a little lower, while the Sunday was correspondingly exalted. Thus the pagan festival came finally to be honored as a divine institution, while the Bible Sabbath was pronounced a relic of Judaism, and its observers were declared to be accursed.

This can be proven historically true, and Sam Bacioci has done it in his publications.

Folks, the bottom line is this. Will I accept the authority of God and reveal it by keeping his Sabbath and receiving his seal or will I accept the authority of the beast and receive his sign, which is the observance of the first day of the week.