Even though many people, including Christians may not know it, the concepts contained in the mark of the beast have already begun to take deep root in our society, and it’s just a matter of time before the entire system is implemented nationally, and then on a global scale. The beast system, as mentioned in the book of Revelation is the method by which laws that are contrary to scriptural teaching, are urged upon the people, and where economic boycott in one form or another is the consequence of choosing to differ.
In other words, when any popular, mainstream ideologies, or beliefs are not subscribed to, then the dissenters will be hit where it hurts, in their pocket books. And in the case of the mark of the beast, the issue is of course worship. Worship doesn’t merely involve going to church or bowing down, because the definition of the word primarily means to show reverence, adoration, or pay homage to someone, something, an ideology, or a concept. Therefore, it is imperative that we all understand the scriptural injunction against idolatry, which is false worship, so that it may be accurately identified for what it is today. Let’s read:
Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God”…..
[The great Controversy pp. 583] It is as easy to make an idol of false doctrines and theories as to fashion an idol of wood or stone. By misrepresenting the attributes of God, Satan leads men to conceive of him in a false character. With many, a philosophical idol is enthroned in the place of Jehovah; while the living God, as he is revealed in his Word, in Christ, and in the works of creation, is worshiped by but few. Thousands deify nature, while they deny the God of nature. Though in a different form, idolatry exists in the Christian world today as verily as it existed among ancient Israel in the days of Elijah.
The god of many professedly wise men, of philosophers, poets, politicians, journalists, the god of polished fashionable circles, of many colleges and universities, even of some theological institutions, is little better than Baal, the sun-god of Phoenicia.
For instance, the theory of evolution is a form of idolatry, for it deifies nature whilst denying the existence if its Author, and it has now permeated the area of gender identity, by which a person can go to bed one night as a male, and “evolve” into a female by the next morning. Thus it is, the satanic principle of allowing our “feelings” to define and designate who we are as persons, is now causing a mass exodus from original birth identity. It’s worthy of note here that when God created man, Adam did not “evolve” into a male. As The Lord God put the particles of dust together on the ground, Adam was a lifeless male, before God breathe into his nostrils the breath of life.
The act of legalizing gay marriage is the equivalent of integrating idolatry into our constitution, and as the various issues, and ideologies connected with the LGBT movement become more entrenched into law, we will be forced to address the concerns both individually and collectively. And we are not to deceive ourselves into thinking that these problems are only external, pertaining to the political and secular world. Very soon, our own organization will be forced to confront the same issues, because enforcement will apply across the board. Let’s read:
Thus, we will find that the main concept inherent in the mark of the beast is to coerce agreement, or adherence to a form of worship, by means of economic threats. And we are already witnessing and experiencing the headwinds involved in the basic concept, which according to the scriptures, is scheduled to cascade into a full-blown movement, which will ultimately garner the support, and blessing of the legislature. Let’s read:
Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
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.
18 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.
Let’s take a few recent and current examples so as to confirm that the fundamental principles of the beast system are already being implemented. Let’s read:
Emanuella Grinberg, CNN Updated 8:06 PM ET, Fri May 13, 2016
“A joint letter from the Departments of Education and Justice went to schools Friday with guidelines to ensure that "transgender students enjoy a supportive and nondiscriminatory school environment," The letter does not carry the force of law but the message was clear: Fall in line or face loss of federal funding”.
ABC News: By SUSANNA KIM Apr 13, 2016…
PayPal Drops Plan to Build $3.6M Facility in NC Because of Controversial Law.
Within the last two weeks, two major corporations announced they are pulling back plans to add a total of 650 jobs in the state. Deutsche Bank said on Tuesday it is freezing its expansion plans in Cary, North Carolina, in light of the law. Last week, PayPal announced that it's withdrawing plans to build a $3.6 million operations center in Charlotte that would have created more than 400 jobs.
It's not just corporations that have taken a stance against North Carolina. Rocker Bruce Springsteen announced last week that he canceled his show in Greensboro, North Carolina, in protest of the law. Today, Ringo Starr canceled his concert that was scheduled for June in Cary.
By Sarah Aarthun, CNN… Ordering lunch just got a lot more complicated than deciding how to answer, "Do you want fries with that?" Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy sparked reactions that were swift and strong after he weighed in on same-sex marriage by saying his company backs the traditional family unit. Politicians from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum spoke up. Supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage protested. And suddenly, the type of fast-food bag you carry could reveal your views on a hot-button social issue that has split the country.
Some proponents of same-sex marriage have decried Cathy's comments and called for a boycott of the chain, which had annual sales of more than $4.1 billion last year and has more than 1,615 locations in 39 states and Washington, D.C., with the strongest concentration in the Southeast. "How backward and ignorant ... how sad," CNN reader Joe Brown said. "No more Chick-fil-A for me. I am not in the stone-casting business as a Christian."
But at the local level, Chick-fil-A is meeting resistance from city officials in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Philadelphia City Councilman James Kenney sent a letter to Cathy this week, telling the CEO in blunt terms to "take a hike and take your intolerance with you," and vowing to introduce a resolution at the next council meeting condemning the company.
What is sad about the issue is that some Christians may have inadvertently been drawn into the beast concepts and methods, on account of fundamental differences in ideologies, and belief systems with the secular world. As a result, some have adopted the current policy of economic boycott as a means of voicing their disagreement to same-sex marriage, and transgender issues. Thus, it is has now become necessary to lay scriptural foundations for sound judgment, and reasonable discourse on this matter, since it is scheduled to be at the doors of every Christian organization, in the not too distant future.
If we were to go the route of boycotting persons and businesses, because of the position they have adopted on LGBT issues, then we will have put our own backs against a wall, without knowing it, for with each passing day, more and more companies and businesses are coming on board. Thus, if we were to build on the beast principle of economic boycott, then we will deprive ourselves voluntarily of groceries, goods, services, electronics, social media, sports, all apple products, and ice-cream, even before the issue of worship takes center stage.
The list goes on and on, and is expanding every day to include such big companies as Aetna, Coco-Cola, CVS, Google, Pay-pal, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, The New England Patriots, The San Francisco Bay Giants, Ben and Jerry’s, E-Bay, CBS General Electric, Levi Strauss, Chase, Microsoft, American Airlines, American Express, AT@T, Capital One Financial, Comcast, Cigna, and DIRECTV, among 379 businesses and corporations.
The genius of true Christianity is that it allows for freedom of choice, in matters both temporal and spiritual in nature. And since this freedom is a God-given gift to every human being, we need to be very careful in subscribing to economic boycotts in order to punish those with whom we may not agree. And while on the one hand, Christians do retain the right to disagree or refuse participation in ideologies that are overtly contrary to the teachings of scripture, yet there are basic human rights that cannot, and should not be denied to any person, just because of their sexual orientation.
In other words, the basic human needs such as food, raiment, shelter, and protection, such as is to be granted to every other citizen, should not be denied to those of alternative lifestyles, merely on the grounds of ideological or lifestyle differences. This is not a figment of our imagination, it is written down in the word of God, and fully exemplified in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Let’s read:
Matthew 5: 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Romans 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil”.. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Proverbs 24:9 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
In other words, Jesus Christ is here cautioning us not to deal in the same currency as the beast, for if we do, even for so-called valid reasons, we too will become inextricably entangled in the snare of 666, which, as stated before, integrates the concept of financial persecution through economic boycotts, because of differences in beliefs. For us to better understand the godly concepts and methods to be adopted at such a time as this, we will need to examine an incident which took place in the land of Palestine many years ago.
The nation of Israel had become weary of trusting in God, and because of the popular, gravitational pull of the surrounding heathen nations, they demand a king, knowing that this request will greatly displease the God of heaven, under whose wings they had been protected and sustained all along. Both God and Samuel voice their utter displeasure at the irreverent request, but at the end of the day, after the overwhelming majority of the people continue to clamor for that which is evil, God finally gives them their heart’s desire, even though He knows they will suffer tremendously because of their own choices. Let’s read:
1st Samuel 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
10 And Samuel told all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.
19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord.
22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king”…..
It is worthy of note that in this instance God did not institute an economic boycott on account of the sin of the people, for if there was any one who could have done so, effectively and immediately, it would have been God. Instead, after a vigorous protest against their course of action through the prophet Samuel, God finally allowed them to have their own way, with the natural results that would follow.
The lesson here for us is that we should do as God would do in similar situations. If after several vigorous protests from the scriptures, against the evils of the day, the majority opinion insists that the people do wrong, then it is the positive duty of Christians to let the laws of the land prevail on a national and public level, at the same time standing on the principles and promises of God. Those of us Christians who are now up in arms against the LGBT issues of the day, and who are willing to institute economic boycotts to make their voices heard, will use the same methods to sustain their own course of action when the issue of worship takes center-stage.
Our only safe course at this time is in preaching the unadulterated truths of the Bible, whilst permitting each individual to choose for themselves. The use of force in coercing the conscience is a principle that has its origins with the devil, and we should avoid using the same methods to accomplish that which may be good. God accepts only the free, willing service of each person, and we also should respect the God-given freedoms endowed by our Creator.
There are man-made freedoms and rights, and then there are God-given freedoms and rights, and as Christians we should know the difference. If a man-made right conflicts with a God-given mandate then the Christian should subscribe to the scriptures, at the same time, recognizing the freedom of others to disagree with the scriptural standard. Each person must answer to God individually for the choices they make, but whilst we still live in an evil world, there are some issues and decisions we must leave alone. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which contains the principle to be applied at such a volatile period of earth’s history. Let’s read:
1st Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.
God bless!