I’m not wealthy, not talented, and I have the average I.Q. (or at least I hope it’s that high), but I’m no idiot either.
Jesus said that the tribulation would be the worst of the worst – if the word tribulation wasn’t there I would have thought he was talking about Obama or Bush or Clinton:
“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt 24:21).
I’m happy to say that, as of 2007, I was removed from the devil’s invitation list.
About the New World Order, I’m not sure if the rapture will be before or after it, but I believe it will be before.
Anyway, as you are reading my posts, if you think I’m a nut, you’re correct, I’m a fruitcake, but I belong to Jesus so it’s okay, He said so, and I’m proud of it:
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pet 2:9).
After an exhausting 18 hours in labor, a mother delivers a healthy baby.
The parents are overwhelmed with emotion to see their firstborn come into the world.
Nursing staff wheel the child into the newborn ward, with a smiling father following.
But his joyful expression suddenly changes into a distressed frown when a nurse takes a stainless steel syringe and inserts a microchip capsule into the child’s right hand.
The healthcare worker quickly reassures the concerned father this is standard procedure.
This scenario depicts the much-discussed, often-feared, possible expanded use of radio-frequency identification (RFID).
According to The Morning Call, developers claim, “This stuff is going to be everywhere” and “nobody has even thought of where this [technology] is going to be applied.”
RFID is an advanced identification process in which an individual or item is tagged with a specific ID number.
Using radio waves, a computerized reader can scan a tag’s unique serial number and access any stored information.
The advantage of this system?
Beyond today’s barcode technology, the tagged object need only come within a few feet of a reader to process an identity number.
Picture a society
in which a microchip embedded in a person’s hand is crucial to everyday life.
Shopping at the supermarket or buying any other item would be as simple as a flip of the wrist or walking through a pay point.
Doors would unlock with a wave of the hand, and carrying a wallet with a driver’s license would be unnecessary.
Proponents of this technology maintain the chip would improve day-to-day life, with almost infinite applications.
Consider how it could revolutionize the banking sector or advance the healthcare industry—or the benefits to travel, education and keyless home access.
In 2004, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the RFID implant, VeriChip, for medical purposes.
According to The Associated Press, the device is no bigger than a grain of rice and can be inserted under the skin through a procedure that takes less than 20 minutes.
On top of proposed widespread medical uses, the chip is already being used for recreation, as reported by AP: “Club hoppers in Barcelona, Spain, now use the microchip to enter a VIP area and, through links to a different database, speed payment much like a smartcard.”
But there are genuine concerns.
“You are walking into potential pitfalls when it comes to privacy,” an American Civil Liberties Union legislative director told The Morning Call, adding, “People are amazing with their skill and ability to hack into databases.
Any time there is massive amounts of information gathered anywhere or your personal information gathered anywhere, we want to make sure there are barriers in place to protect it.”
Security issues are not the only concern.
The thought of RFID implants or similar technology causes anxiety and fear for some.
A number of evangelical Christian groups even feel the technology may be the biblical mark of the Beast described in the book of Revelation.
The New York Times described a 2007 lawsuit in which a woman sued the police department after being suspended from her employment because she refused “to be fingerprinted or accept [an updated identification] card, insisting that she was guided against doing so because she feared the cards carried ‘the mark of the beast’…She felt that getting the new card could ‘jeopardize [her] salvation.’”
Many prophecy watchers are convinced that RFID will be part of the mark of the Beast.
Articles, books and websites offer a cacophony of wildly different ideas on this subject.
Self-proclaimed experts merely contribute to the confusion.
Is microchip technology the mark of the Beast?
Makes me think of the 1975 movie “The Stepford Wives.”We have talked about many things, ancient things, spooky things, and ridiculous beliefs. The last few days we’ve talked about horrible things like the evilness of Satan, the Illuminate, the evil Eye of Horus and so forth.
Speaking about the eye…I’m sure that after talking about the Mark of the Beast you are looking forward to hearing more about the Catholics, I mean the Whore of Babylon, and we’ll get to that in Chapter 17.
Atheists and other foolish beliefs believe that we came from nothing, and they are somewhat correct – we were created from nothing and there is nobody but God that can turn nothing into something.
The works of God is fabulous and spectacular and anyone that can push their arrogance aside is able to “see” that. Able to see how powerful and complex that even a tiny item (formed through the intelligence of God) can be .
Have you heard about the Chinese atheist who became a born again Christian WITHOUT the help of any type of religion? He didn’t need his sense of hearing, only his mind’s eye, so tomorrow we will look at…
Revelation 13
The Beast From the Sea
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
“Beast rise up out of the sea” – first mentioned in 11:7. According to some, he beast symbolizes the Roman empire, the deification of secular authority. However, he seems to be the final, personal antichrist. The background seems to be Daniel’s vision of the four great beasts (Dan 7:2-7).
“Seven heads” – seven is the total number of combined heads in the four beasts in Dan 7:1-8.
“Ten horns” – the ten horns correspond to the ten toes of the image in Dan 2:44 (as mentioned in the above article), as well as the ten horns of Daniel’s forth beast (Dan 7:7-8, 24). This is a confederation of ten kingdoms headed by one powerful man – the antichrist.
“The name of blasphemy” – Roman emperors tended to assume titles of deity. Domitian, e.g., was addressed as Dominus et Deus noster (“Our Lord and God”).
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
“Leopard…bear…lion” – John’s beast combined characteristics of Daniel’s four beasts (Dan 7:4-6).
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 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?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
“Forty and two months” – for the first half (3½ years) of the tribulation period, the antichrist is the friend of Israel, making a covenant with Israel and possibly allowing them to rebuild their temple (Dan 9:26).
However, from the time the antichrist desecrates the temple (Dan 9:27), eh becomes Israel’s adversary for these 42 months, the last half of the tribulation.
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
“Another beast coming up out of the earth” – according to some, he symbolizes religious power in the service of secular authorities.
However, in accordance with the personal aspects of the antichrist, he is the personal false prophet (see 16:13, 19:20, 20:10).
“Two horns like a lamb” – he attempts to appear gentle and harmless.
”Spake as a dragon” – see Jesus’s warning in Matt 7:15 about ravening wolves who come in sheep’s clothing.
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.
“Exerciseth all power of the first beast” – the trinity of evil is now complete. The beast form the earth is under the authority of the beast from the sea. The latter is subject to the dragon.
Satan, secular power and religious compromise (or Satan, the antichrist and the false prophet) join against the cause of God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
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.
“Should both speak” – belief in statues that could speak is widely attested in ancient literature. Ventriloquism and other forms of deception were common.
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:
“Mark” – whatever its origin – possibly the branding of slaves or enemy soldiers, the sealing and stamping of official documents, or the sign of the cross on the forehead of a new Christian – the mark of the beast apparently symbolized allegiance to the demands of the imperial cult.
In the final days of the antichrist it will be the ultimate test of loyalty. It imitates the sealing of the servants of God in chapter 7.
17 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.
“Buy or sell” – economic boycott against all faithful believers.
“Number of his name” – in ancient times the letters of the alphabet served for numbers. Riddles using numerical equivalents for names were popular.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
“Sex hundred threescore and six” – various schemes for decoding these numbers result in such names as Euanthas, Lateinos, and Nero Caesar. Others take 666 as a symbol for the trinity of evil and imperfection – each digit falls just short of the perfect number 7.
This article is going to be about the Mark of the Beast, but before every article I post I research in books or online sites, sometimes dozens, and I choose what I want to use, what I think is the most prevalent or interesting.
I came across a site about the number 666 that I feel I need to not necessarily warn you about because I’m not saying it’s wrong, but it can be confusing. The Book of Revelation is confusing as is.
I’m not saying the author of this site – 666 Number of the Beast: Who is the beast and the man with the number 666? – is evil or is of the devil because there are some interesting facts in it, but remember, the devil is the author of confusion.
“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1 Cor 14:33).
“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:4-5).
“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Cor 4:4).
Like I have said in the past, I did not create this blog to make friends, nor am I trying to convince idiots that they are idiots because they would sit and argue with me that they are not.
I’m here as a teacher, as well as a student because some of the things I post are new to me, I learn about it through extensive research.
When you take your car in to get the oil changed usually the attendant will tell you what things your car may or may not need.
That’s basically what I’m doing; accept I’m also ready to oblige anyone that wants to debate over Jesus Christ or just throw-down.
Or you can see me as a Travel Agent. I’m here to sell tickets to a trip. But this trip includes the most fabulous event man has ever known.
It is expensive, i.e., you are not allowed to participate in things that the world offers, but it’s a nonstop flight forever.
If you are not interested in what I have to tell you about then you are obviously looking for a cheaper product so I suggest you go to Wal-Mart because they have everything but the good stuff.
666
What is the mark of the beast (666)?
The main passage in the Bible that mentions the “mark of the beast” is Rev 13:15-18. Other references can be found in Rev 14:9, 11, 15:2, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4.
This mark acts as a seal for the followers of Antichrist and the false prophet (the spokesperson for the Antichrist).
The false prophet (the second beast) is the one who causes people to take this mark. The mark is literally placed in the hand or forehead and is not simply a card someone carries.
The recent breakthroughs in medical implant chip and RFID technologies have increased interest in the mark of the beast spoken of in Rev chapter 13, which you will read after this article.
It is possible that the technology we are seeing today represents the beginning stages of what may eventually be used as the mark of the beast. It is important to realize that a medical implant chip is not the mark of the beast.
The mark of the beast will be something given only to those who worship the Antichrist. Having a medical or financial microchip inserted into your right hand or forehead is not the mark of the beast.
The mark of the beast will be an end-times identification required by the Antichrist in order to buy or sell, and it will be given only to those who worship the Antichrist.
I agree with the above, but I certainly wouldn’t let the government do anything to me because you have no idea what secrets they have that they don’t tell.
Yet, don’t be confused here. Let us say the time is now and you have a choice to accept the mark of the beast or not. You cannot accept the mark and say you are not worshiping the beast, in God’s you are.
“…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…” (Rev 14:9-10).
It would be the same as you saying:
* You are a vegetarian but then order a hamburger, or
* Obama says he’s a true American when he was born in Kenya, or
* Oprah says she’s a Christian but also says Jesus isn’t the only way to heaven.
You can’t kind of be pregnant, you are or you aren’t.
Many teachers of Biblical eschatology will even refer to modern 21st century technology and point to some type of tattoo or implantable microchip under the skin when attempting to explain the mark.
But why? What is in the text that leads many to believe that this mark must be physical when, after all, virtually every one of us would agree that while the book of Revelation speaks about the dragon, the Beast, the “Whore of Babylon” or the mark of Christ upon the elect etc. that these descriptions are not referring to a literal dragon, a literal animal, a literal prostitute or a literal seal of Christ?
This is obviously figurative language pointing to something completely different.
On the other hand, so to speak, is there anything from Scripture to indicate for us that this mark need not be a physical mark at all, but could instead be something else entirely?
After careful consideration, I believe that the Mark of the Beast is very likely a spiritual mark just as the mark of Christ upon the elect is spiritual.
Since many will resist the suggestion that a figurative Beast will also have a figurative mark, despite the fact that there is nothing in the text stating that the Mark of the Beast must be physical, it is important to rightly divide the Word of God and study, from the whole of Scripture, the significance of the hand and head and how it often relates to man’s condition in the Biblical text.
Yet, why can’t it be a beast? or a Dragon? Satan is not a human being, but a fallen angel, so is the Book of Revelation symbolic, or literal?
Many good expositors of Revelation differ widely as to the exact nature of the mark of the beast. Besides the implanted chip view, other speculations include an ID card, a microchip, a barcode that is tattooed into the skin, or simply a mark that identifies someone as being faithful to the Antichrist’s kingdom.
This last view requires the least speculation, since it does not add any more information to what the Bible gives us. In other words, any of these things are possible, but at the same time they are all speculations. We should not spend a lot of time speculating on the precise details.
The Meaning of 666
The meaning of 666 is a mystery as well. Some have speculated that there was a connection to June 6, 2006—06/06/06. However, in Revelation chapter 13, the number 666 identifies a person, not a date.
We are told:
“Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Rev 13:18).
Somehow, the number 666 will identify the Antichrist. For centuries Bible interpreters have been trying to identify certain individuals with 666. Nothing is conclusive.
That is why Rev 13:18 says the number requires wisdom. When the Antichrist is revealed…
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thess2:3-4).
At that time it will be clear who he is and how the number 666 identifies him.
Does the Bible prophesy a one-world government and a one-world currency in the end times?
The Bible does not use the phrase “One World Government” or “One World Currency” or “One World Order” in referring to the end times.
It does, however, provide ample evidence to enable us to draw the conclusion that both will exist under the rule of the Antichrist in the last days.
In his apocalyptic vision in the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John sees the “beast,” also called the Antichrist, rising out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns:
“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy” (Rev 13:1).
Combining this vision with Daniel’s similar one:
“I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
UPC Barcodes when first introduced, caused many to speculate that the tagging by the Beast was about to begin.
Decades later – no evil tagging was initiated.
But today, a new method of identification sounds strangely similar to the warnings given in the Bible and many people are beginning to panic.
RFID Technology is Here
RFID, or Radio Frequency Identification, is a new technology somewhat analogous to UPC barcodes but with a very intriguing twist.
It does not require physical scanning but rather transmits identifying information using radio signal waves (hence the name).
Passive RFID tags actually operate without any external power source – astonishingly, their minimum power requirements are so low that they can actually be powered by the radio signal itself.
Will this technology take hold?
Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, has mandated that all its suppliers provide RFID tags on their shipping containers by the year 2006.
If they refuse to tag their items using RFID technology then they’ll lose Wal-Mart as their supplier.
Quite an incentive to participate.
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even for ever and ever.
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
And of the ten horns that were in his head and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings” (Dan 7:16-24).
Now we can conclude that some sort of world system will be inaugurated by the beast, the most powerful “horn,” who will defeat the other nine and will begin to wage war against Christians.
The ten-nation confederacy is also seen in Daniel’s image of the statue:
“And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken” (Dan 2:41-42).
Where he pictures the final world government consisting of ten entities represented by the ten toes of the statue.
Whoever the ten are and however they come to power, Scripture is clear that the beast will either destroy them or reduce their power to nothing more than figureheads. In the end, they will do his bidding.
John goes on to describe the ruler of this vast empire as having power and great authority, given to him by Satan himself (Rev 13:2), being followed by and receiving worship from “all the world” (Rev 13:3-4), and having authority over “every tribe, people, language and nation” (Rev 13:7).
From this description, it is logical to assume that this person is the leader of a one-world government which is recognized as sovereign over all other governments.
It’s hard to imagine how such diverse systems of government as are in power today would willingly subjugate themselves to a single ruler, and there are many theories on the subject.
A logical
Touted as “being chipped”, a chip as small as a grain of sand can be injected into the right arm between the elbow and the shoulder.
ADS foresees a day when ATM cards and credit cards will be replaced by these new devices and is actively seeking partnerships with banking and credit companies to team up and develop commercial applications using the chip.
No longer would a person need to swipe a card to buy or sell goods but would rather simply agree to the business deal and let the RFID technology complete the transaction.
The technology is proven in real world use too – RFID chipping has been used to tag animals, cattle and household pets, for over 10 years now and Exxon is currently using RFID technology attached to key-rings to provide wireless gas station transaction processing.
Applying to the Masses
So the technology is here but how could it possibly be forced upon people?
Would the pressure to comply be enough (driver’s licenses are not required but practically everyone has one since it’s needed to drive and to conduct banking transactions).
Or will it simply be aggressively marketed to encourage adoption?
Many in government have begun debating just such a plan.
They point out that by requiring every citizen to accept this digital, embedded method of payment we could eradicate all commerce in illegal activities.
Consider this – with every payment definitively tied to your person and digitally recorded so that the transaction is traceable – how could prostitution, buying and selling of stolen goods, or purchase of illegal drugs be conducted.
Additionally, theft of credit cards and identity theft would be impossible (unless of course, the thief took your entire arm, embedded chip and all, which strangely, is a concern for some). The externally portrayed idea being that just such a plan would be perfect to “better our economic methods” and to “make the world a better place to live in”.
A means to procure and sell – inserted into the right arm – for the good of the human race – will mankind buy into this?
conclusion is that the disasters and plagues described in Revelation as the seal and trumpet judgments (chapters 6-11) will be so devastating and create such a monumental global crisis that people will embrace anything and anyone who promises to give them relief.
Once entrenched in power, the beast (Antichrist) and the power behind him (Satan) will move to establish absolute control over all peoples of the earth to accomplish their true end, the worship Satan has been seeking ever since being thrown out of heaven (Is 14:12-14).
One way they will accomplish this is by controlling all commerce, and this is where the idea of a one-world currency comes in.
Rev 13:16-17 describes some sort of satanic mark which will be required in order to buy and sell. This means anyone who refuses the mark will be unable to buy food, clothing or other necessities of life.
No doubt the vast majority of people in the world will succumb to the mark simply to survive. Again, verse 16 makes it clear that this will be a universal system of control where everyone, rich and poor, great and small, will bear the mark on their hand or forehead.
There is a great deal of speculation as to how exactly this mark will be affixed, but the technologies that are available right now could accomplish it very easily.
After the Rapture
Those who are left behind after the Rapture of the Church will be faced with an excruciating choice – accept the mark of the beast in order to survive or face starvation and horrific persecution by the Antichrist and his followers.
But those who come to Christ during this time, those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev 13:8), will choose to endure, even to martyrdom.
…the ability to see.
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