After
writing about the “beast
or
the antichrist” and “the dragon
– the devil or Satan” being worshiped by people upon the earth,
John the apostle wrote, “If
any man have an ear, let him hear.”
John continued with the words, “He
that leads into captivity shall go into captivity: he that kills with
the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the
faith of the saints. 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.
And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and
causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first
beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great wonders, so
that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of
men, and deceives 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. 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”,
and in chapter thirteen and verse sixteen of Revelation John saw how
this second beast, “causes”
everyone to “receive
a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” where
we read:
And
he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor,
free
and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their
foreheads:
The
verse reads, “And
he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free
and bond,
...”
John
began with the words, “and
he causes”
which means “and the second beast or false prophet makes and
brings” “all”
or “each, every, the whole and everyone”,
“both small and great”
which means “of little influence as well as the abundant, powerful
and highly esteemed for excellence”, “rich
and poor”
or “both wealthy and abound in material possession as well as the
person who is needy, destitute, helpless and powerless”, “free
and bond” which
refers to “the unrestrained and unbound by obligation as well as
the servant, slave or person of servile condition”. John shared
how the “false prophet” forces every person regardless of their
“station or position” in life and society to do as he directs.
The
verse continues, “...
to
receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:”
John
added words, “to
receive”
which means “to be obligated to have, get and acquire ” “a
mark”
or “a stamp, brand or imprinted graven work” “in
their right hand”
which means “on their right hand which is the hand of honor or
authority”, “or
in their foreheads” or
“or upon the space between their eyes”. John saw how the “false
prophet” will force people to “take” an “imprinted brand”
upon their “right
hand”
or upon their “forehead”.
When
we consider John's words in this verse, we see the power this second
beast or “the false prophet” will exercise upon people. Everyone,
regardless of their position or station in life, will be made to
“receive” the “mark of the beast”. This foretelling of
the future management of the “antichrist” and his cohort, the
“false prophet”, should make every person stand up and take note
because this technology is available today. God desires to save
people from such a horrific mandate through a relationship with His
Son Jesus, and those who are wise shall pay attention and realize,
the days of these “beasts” are near and upon us.
Next
time John shares how this second “no
man might buy or sell”
if
he did not have “the
mark”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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