Participants: Pr. Kenneth Cox
Series Code: GMTB
Program Code: GMTB000030
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00:20 When we were children,
00:22 someone told my sister and I 00:24 that the world was going to end 00:27 in a violent thunderstorm. 00:29 And so every time there was a 00:31 big thunderstorm there in Buffalo, New York 00:33 we thought that was the big one. 00:35 I remember one August evening it was hot 00:39 and were quite young but we had chores... 00:41 even as young children. I had to do dishes, 00:43 and doing dishes meant that you cleaned the table 00:45 and cleaned the stove and washed and dried and put them away. 00:48 And my sister was downstairs in the basement doing laundry. 00:51 And the sun was beginning to set and all of a sudden there was 00:54 a massive flash of lightning followed by 00:57 an incredible clap of thunder. 01:00 And I took off. I don't know where I was running, but 01:03 I took off running out of the kitchen. 01:05 My sister took off running upstairs from the basement. 01:08 Between the kitchen and the dining room there was this door. 01:12 And about the time I reached that door 01:14 my sister came bursting through the door from the other side. 01:17 Now to this day some 50+ years later I have no idea 01:21 how hard I hit that door or how hard that door hit me, 01:24 but I was knocked out cold. 01:27 And I do remember actually seeing stars. 01:29 When I came to, my mother sat my sister and I down 01:35 and we were surpised that she didn't know that the world 01:37 was going to end in that thunderstorm. 01:39 But she tried to tell us as best she could. 01:42 She was not a church-going person. 01:44 She was a holiday church-goer: 01:46 Christmas, New Years, Easter... that kind of thing. 01:49 So she tried to explain to us how the world was going to end. 01:53 But they didn't really discuss that in her church, and so 01:55 in frustration she said to me: 01:58 "Well you go the Adventist church. They know everything. 01:59 Just ask your Sabbath School teacher. " 02:01 And so that Saturday in church 02:04 I did ask my Sabbath School teacher, 02:05 and for the very first time she presented to me 02:08 the prophetic story and the gospel message. 02:11 I remember thinking how nice it is that God is in control. 02:16 And she ended her little talk with me by saying: 02:19 "Just stay on Jesus' side. " 02:24 "Just stay with Jesus and everything will be all right. " 02:27 My family used to watch science-fiction movies... 02:30 those old B movies... you know, giant roaches destroying 02:33 the world and all that kind of stuff. 02:35 And I would sit back very smugly and say to my father 02:38 and my mother: "It's not going to be like that 02:40 because Jesus has got it in control. " 02:43 Some 50+ years later as I sat here during these meetings 02:47 and listened to our evangelist Kenneth Cox, 02:50 I got that same feeling. 02:52 Jesus is in control. 02:54 As we look at the prophetic picture, 02:57 I got sort of a spiritual warm fuzzy 03:01 and it said to me: "It doesn't matter what's going to happen. 03:04 Just stay on God's side 03:08 because Jesus is in control. " 03:11 And as we look back at the prophetic past 03:15 and forward to the prophetic future, 03:17 it re-affirms for us all Jesus is in control. 03:23 Amen and amen. 03:25 My name is C.A. Murray and on behalf of Kenneth Cox 03:28 and the whole evangelistic team 03:30 we welcome you to... sadly... 03:32 the last night in this particular series of meetings. 03:35 They have gone so very, very, very fast. 03:37 The information has been wonderful. 03:40 I was talking with my step-daughter 03:42 last night, Becky, and my step-son Tera, and Kevin. 03:46 We were all sitting around and Becky said: 03:48 "You know, I've never heard it so plain like this. " 03:51 And I was telling Elder Cox God has given him a unique gift 03:54 to make that which can be complex very plain 03:58 and very, very simple. 04:00 God's not trying to hide anything from us. 04:02 He wants us to be prepared for the coming of the Lord. 04:05 And Elder Cox has been His instrument these last several 04:08 nights... indeed, THIS WHOLE SERIES, 04:09 to make to us plain the Word of God. 04:13 And as we discuss the Mark of the Beast this night, 04:17 I know when he shall have finished you will have a clear 04:19 understanding of what God is saying, what God is doing, 04:24 and what God is moving us through as we make our way 04:27 to the kingdom of the Lord. 04:30 Amen and amen. 04:31 Before Elder Cox comes to us, 04:32 Dona Klein is going to play for us Jericho Road. 06:34 Dona Klein. Jericho Road. 06:37 Good evening. 06:39 Very happy to welcome you again. 06:41 We're down to the last one of these presentations 06:45 on this series... 06:46 this series on prophecy 06:48 entitled Was, Is Not, Yet Is. 06:53 So we hope that it's helping you as we continue 06:55 to study God's Word each evening 06:59 as we're taking a look at Bible prophecy. 07:01 Most important that we understand where we are. 07:05 What says the Bible, 07:06 the blessed Bible? 07:08 This should my only question be. 07:11 Prophecy is fulfilling, 07:14 the end is nearing. 07:16 What says the Word of God to me? 07:19 That's what we want to find out. 07:21 That's what we want to know. 07:22 This is the last presentation 07:26 that we're doing on prophecy. 07:29 We've actually spent two presentations... or two 07:33 series on prophecy: the one we did before on 07:37 Five Have Fallen and this one on Was, Is Not, Yet Is. 07:41 Those are the two that we have done on prophecy. 07:44 Our next series is entitled Life in the Son. 07:51 Very, very important series 07:55 because this is an area that a lot of people misunderstand. 08:00 And they don't understand what the scripture teaches about 08:04 life in Jesus Christ. 08:06 And so be sure, be here as we go into this subject. 08:11 Life in the Son. 08:12 Tonight: The Mark of the Beast. 08:16 What do you want to find out? What do you want to know? 08:19 Well first thing, you need to be very, very clear 08:22 in your thinking as to who the beast is. 08:25 Establish that. Clear. 08:28 Also you want to be very clear in your thinking 08:32 of what the image to the beast is. 08:35 You need to also understand clearly what the mark is. 08:39 How does a person receive it? 08:41 What's involved in it? 08:42 The scripture is very, very clear on this subject. 08:46 It's not something you have to be in doubt about. 08:49 It's very clear on it. 08:50 So we hope you'll follow along as we take a look 08:53 at the mark of the beast. I think you'll find it to be 08:57 a subject that will help you see clearly 09:00 what the scripture teaches. 09:02 And so follow closely as we take a look at it. 09:05 I've enjoyed very much having with us Larry Blackwell. 09:10 Have you enjoyed his music from night to night? 09:12 Very, very much we've enjoyed it. 09:14 Those of you that are watching by television, 09:16 listening by radio, we hope you have been blessed by his music. 09:20 And he's going to sing for us tonight a song entitled 09:24 Not Far From Here. 09:45 Somebody's down to their last dime. 09:49 Somebody's running out of time 09:55 not too far from here. 09:58 Somebody's got nowhere else to go. 10:03 Somebody needs a little hope 10:08 not too far from here. 10:14 And I may not know their face 10:18 but I'm praying for Your grace 10:22 that You'll use me, Lord, 10:25 to take away the fear 10:30 'Cause someone is waiting 10:34 not too far from here. 10:46 Somebody's troubled and confused. 10:50 Somebody's got nothing left to lose 10:56 not too far from here. 10:59 Somebody's forgotten how to hope. 11:03 Somebody needs a little love 11:09 not too far from here. 11:15 And I may not know their name 11:19 but I'm praying just the same 11:24 that You'll use me, Lord, 11:26 to wipe away a tear. 11:32 'Cause somebody's crying 11:35 not too far from here. 11:42 Help me, Lord, not to turn away 11:47 from pain. 11:50 Help me not to wait 11:52 for someone's guilty pain. 11:58 Give me Your strength 12:03 and compassion. 12:07 When somebody finds the road of life 12:12 too steep. 12:18 Somebody's troubled and confused. 12:22 Somebody's got nothing left to lose 12:27 not too far from here. 12:31 Somebody's forgotten how to hope. 12:35 Somebody needs a little love 12:40 not too far from here. 12:46 Now I'm letting down my guard. 12:51 And I'm opening my heart. 12:55 Help me speak Your love 12:58 to every needful ear. 13:04 Someone is waiting 13:07 not too far from here. 13:17 Someone is waiting 13:24 not too far from here. 13:59 Father in Heaven, tonight as we open Your Word 14:04 and we look at this subject, we pray in a special way 14:09 for the Holy Spirit. That it may be present. 14:13 That it will give us the insight, 14:18 the knowledge, the understanding, 14:22 That we each may purpose in our hearts 14:26 to stand on Your side. To follow You. 14:30 To walk with You. To let You be our God 14:34 and that we will say "We are Your people, 14:37 You be our God. 14:39 We will walk and follow You by faith. " 14:41 Grant to us that opportunity and that privilege we pray. 14:45 In Christ's name, Amen. 14:53 I can think over the years of all the different things 14:58 that I have heard people say the mark of the beast was. 15:01 I can remember when they said 15:04 that somebody's going to come 15:05 around with a branding iron 15:07 and is going to brand on your forehead 666. 15:11 And everybody's going to receive the mark of the beast. 15:15 And many people believed 15:16 that that's the way it was going to happen. 15:18 And then as time went on, 15:20 people said when they came out with social security numbers 15:24 they said: "Don't take one of those things. 15:26 If you take a social security number, you're going to get 15:29 the mark of the beast... without question 15:31 you're going to have it. " 15:32 And then I can remember... I was just a kid 15:35 at the time of the Second World War 15:37 and they came out with rationing stamps. 15:40 And they said: "Don't take them. 15:42 If you take those rationing stamps, 15:44 you're going to get the mark of the beast. 15:46 That's just for sure... you'll get it. " 15:49 But they didn't. 15:51 And then just here in the last few years 15:55 they talked about the computer chip. 15:58 Saying: "Oh, somebody's going to come around and they're 16:00 going to put in your forehead a computer chip 16:03 and that will be the mark of the beast. " 16:05 So you hear all kinds of things 16:07 about the mark of the beast and what it is and so forth. 16:10 We need to understand what the mark of the beast is. 16:14 Very, very important that we understand where we stand. 16:19 You see, the scripture divides things into two's. 16:24 Not threes... it divides things into two's. 16:29 I talks about the saved and the lost. 16:34 The sheep and the goats. 16:36 The righteous and the unrighteous. 16:39 It divides it into two's. 16:41 When it comes to the mark of the beast, 16:43 only two. Those that have the mark of the beast... 16:46 those that don't. 16:47 Watch what the scripture says about it. 17:12 These are the people that receive the mark of the beast. 17:17 Contrasting those people you read in Revelation 15, 17:21 and it says: 17:37 Here are the people that don't have the mark of the beast. 17:40 So you have two classes: 17:42 those that have the mark of the beast; 17:44 those that do not have the mark of the beast. 17:47 And you and I, don't care where you are anywhere in the world, 17:51 you have to make a decision 17:54 whether you're going to be on God's side 17:57 or whether you're going to be on the beast's side. 18:00 Because there's only two classes... 18:02 that's all there is. 18:03 And so tonight we want to clearly identify 18:07 who the beast is. 18:09 Now the beast that's referred to here 18:11 is the beast mentioned in Revelation the 13th chapter. 18:15 But we found out in our study last night... 18:19 last presentation we found out that the best of Revelation 13 18:24 is also the one that's pictured in Revelation 17. 18:29 OK? Because he's the one that was, is not, yet is. 18:35 OK. So let's take a look at what the scripture says 18:39 about this beast here in Revelation 13. 18:42 And I have highlighted different parts in these texts 18:46 to help you identify who it is. 19:14 One point you need to listen to carefully. 19:48 Now you notice God's giving you one point right after another 19:52 to help you identify who this beast is. 20:19 So here it's listed one point right after another. 20:22 And then it comes and says: 20:41 So now we have just looked at seven points 20:46 that God gives to identify this beast. 20:48 And I must say that we're going to look at these 7 points 20:52 quickly. I do not have time, folks, to go back 20:57 and go through each one of those points 20:59 and spend a little time on it. 21:01 If you want to study it more, 21:03 then go and get the one on Five Have Fallen 21:07 and look under papal Rome and it will help you there. 21:09 But I'll have to go through these quickly because 21:11 there's probably people watching who didn't see any of those 21:15 and they need to understand who the beast is. 21:17 So let's see if we can take the 7 points of identification 21:21 and talk about who they are 21:23 and find out what the scripture says about it. 21:26 OK. The first point of identification is simply this: 21:34 Dragon gave him his power, his seat, and his great authority. 21:39 Second one: 21:43 So we're finding out how long he's going to be ruling. 22:08 Those seven points the scripture gives. 22:11 Now folks, there is only one power 22:15 in all the history of mankind 22:19 in all the earth that fits all those points of identification. 22:22 You can't find another power other than the papal power 22:28 that will fit all those points of identification. 22:31 So the scripture makes it absolutely clear 22:34 who the beast is. 22:35 Now you can take probably four of them 22:38 and make them fit some other power. 22:40 But you can't take all seven of them 22:43 and make them fit some other power. 22:44 It will only fit this power. 22:46 So let's take a look at those seven points 22:49 and see what the scripture has to say about it for us. 22:59 The dragon referred to here - 23:03 this is the beast of Revelation 13- 23:05 the dragon that's referred to here is the 12th chapter. 23:10 The dragon in the 12th chapter of Revelation 23:12 gave to this beast in Revelation 13 23:15 its power, its seat, and its authority. 23:18 And if you pick up your Bible and you go back 23:20 and you study it, you'll find that the dragon 23:23 mentioned here in Revelation 12 23:26 is pagan Rome. 23:28 So it's saying that pagan Rome 23:31 would give to this beast its power, its seat, 23:35 and its authority. And history tells us 23:38 that's exactly what happened. 23:40 Watch: 23:53 And history says that the bishop of Rome 23:56 stepped to the seat of Caesar 23:58 and seized the scepter. 24:01 And so we find exactly the dragon - pagan Rome - 24:05 gave to papal Rome its power, its seat, and its authority. 24:11 Second point: 24:17 This was the period of time that this beast power 24:20 would continue would be forty-two months. 24:23 And as we looked at this in the scripture and have studied it, 24:27 we found out that in the Bible 24:29 a day represents one year in Bible prophecy. 24:39 So if I've got forty-two months, 24:41 and I multiply - because there's 30 days in a Biblical month - 24:46 and I multiply it times 42 24:48 it gives me 1,260 years 24:53 or days. That was the time that they would rule: 24:57 1,260 years. 25:01 And history tells us that's exactly what happened. 25:04 That is known in history, folks, as the years of papal supremacy. 25:09 That's when they were in charge. 25:12 OK. And then it says: 25:21 And so this power is going to make war with the saints. 25:24 Persecution... that's what it's basically saying. 25:27 This is what it says here: 25:48 Now, stop and think about it. 25:51 I told you: never in history has there ever been a time 25:57 in which a church power took over civil power, 26:03 state power, that it didn't persecute. 26:06 Because really a church... 26:09 a church really isn't worth it's salt, folks, 26:13 if it doesn't believe that it's teaching truth. 26:16 Now you stop and think about it. 26:20 A church is not worth anything if it doesn't believe that 26:24 what it's teaching is true. 26:25 So that church believes they're teaching the truth. 26:29 Therefore, if they can get everybody to accept 26:33 what they believe, they believe they're 26:35 giving them the truth. 26:37 And so without question 26:40 churches that get involved in civil power persecute. 26:44 That's what happens; that's what takes place. 26:47 And of course the papal power believed that 26:49 and they persecuted. 26:50 And I mentioned to you... All you have to do is, you know, 26:54 pick up such books as Fox's Book of Martyrs 26:58 or read Here I Stand by Bainton. 27:03 History of the Reformation by d'Aubigne. 27:07 All those books outline for you what took place, 27:11 and you can read abou the persecution that happened 27:14 by this power. 27:15 OK. Let's go on. 27:22 So it says that he would speak great things and blasphemy. 27:26 I don't have time to go back and give you all the basis. 27:29 You understand what blaspheme is? 27:32 You understand what the scripture says blasphemy is? 27:37 The scripture says that blasphemy is when a person 27:41 puts... considers himself God. 27:46 When a person... like they accused Jesus of blasphemy 27:50 because He said He was God. 27:52 That's one definition scripture gives. 27:55 The other definition that scripture gives 27:57 is when a human being claims he has the right to forgive sin. 28:02 They also classify that as blasphemy. 28:05 And so it says this power would speak great words and blasphemy. 28:10 Well, I'm just going to read you one statement. 28:13 There's many, many, many statements I could read you. 28:25 "We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty. " 28:31 And this is basically what they believe. 28:34 So as far as scripture is concerned, 28:37 that's blasphemy. 28:45 Now this beast has seven heads. 28:47 And he said: "I looked at one of those heads 28:50 and it was mortally wounded. " 28:53 And in our study you remember we found out 28:55 that at this particular time Napoleon has come to power. 29:00 Napoleon very desirous of being able to rule all of Europe. 29:06 In fact, he said Europe was soon to become one nation. 29:09 He was going to put it all together. 29:11 But he realized he could not do that 29:14 unless he could break the back of the papal power 29:18 because the papal power was in control. 29:21 And so we find on February the 15th, 1798... 29:33 The papal power came into being 29:38 538 AD. 29:41 That is when the bishop of Rome took over the seat: 29:46 538 AD. 29:49 It said he was going to rule for 1,260 years... 29:53 which takes you to 1798 AD. 29:56 And just exactly as the scripture said 29:59 Napoleon was there, took over, 30:03 and established a secular government. 30:05 1,260 years. 30:13 When Napoleon took over, they took the Pope. 30:19 Put him in prison... he died in prison. 30:21 They elected another Pope. 30:22 He moved back to the Vatican, 30:25 moved in and didn't show his face for 50 years. 30:28 But there was effort after effort made 30:33 to try to settle this thing. 30:35 And this in history is called The Roman Question. 30:39 And it was always a question of settlement. 30:43 And they always tried to settle it by the Italian Parliament. 30:47 Rome was never willing to accept that. 30:50 And that went back and forth, back and forth, 30:53 for over a hundred years. 30:55 Until finally you hit the 1900's 31:00 and then a man now is in charge in Italy who is not 31:05 controlled by the Parliament... he is a dictator, 31:08 and his name is Mussolini. 31:12 And Mussolini decided he would settle The Roman Question. 31:16 They set up conferences and after negotiation 31:20 it was settled. And history tells us this is what happened: 31:47 And thus the Lateran Pact was signed, 1929. 31:53 Do you understand what it did? 31:55 Hmmm? Do you understand what the Lateran Pact did? 32:00 Well it gave back to the Vatican the right 32:05 to be a civil government. 32:08 So it's not... when we refer to this, it's not just 32:12 a church. It is a church as well as a government. 32:16 Let me give you a quick illustration of what I'm 32:18 talking about. 32:20 Why did the Pope have the right 32:24 to speak to the United Nations? 32:30 Because the United Nations... 32:32 the only ones that's allowed to speak there 32:33 is a head of state. 32:36 But you see, he is head of state 32:39 and therefore he had the right to speak at the United Nations. 32:44 There's one other religious leader that spoke at the 32:47 United Nations. Do you know who that is? 32:49 The Dalai Lama... because he's the head of a state. 32:53 So you see, this is... this is what it gave back to them. 32:56 It paid them 21 million dollars for the spoilation of the 32:59 papal states; it gave them the right to be a civil power. 33:04 Re-established that. 33:05 It gave them the right to send ambassadors 33:09 to every country in the world and receive ambassadors. 33:13 All that was given to them at the signing of the Lateran Pact. 33:28 Now, let me just pause here. 33:30 Have to read this carefully. 33:33 It says that it is the number of a... "man. " 33:38 The Bible also says this: 33:50 So it tells us it's the number of a man. 33:52 It tells us it's the number of his name. 33:56 So that gives us indication of what it's talking about. 34:01 Now when we're looking at this 34:03 you have to realize that this is symbolic. 34:06 We don't have beasts running around here with seven heads. 34:10 See? So you find that the beasts are symbolic. 34:14 When it talks about an image, that's symbolic. 34:17 When it talks about a name, it's going to be symbolic. 34:21 When it talks about a number 666, that's a symbol - symbolic. 34:24 The seal is; the mark is. 34:26 All that's symbolic language, OK? 34:30 The official name... The official name 34:35 for the Pope is Vicarius Filii Dei. 34:41 That's an official name for him. 34:45 OK. It says that the number of a man is the number of his name. 34:50 So if we take his name 34:52 Vicarius Filii Dei 34:55 and... when you went to school you were taught something. 35:02 You were taught Roman numerals. 35:04 Why? 35:05 Do you use them? 35:08 No. But God intended for you to understand this... 35:12 that's the reason you were taught Roman numerals. See? 35:14 So watch, because you remember Roman numerals are 35:18 nothing but Latin letters that have numerical value. 35:20 That's what they are. 35:22 So if we take the word Vicarius, watch what happens. 35:26 V is worth how much? 5 35:29 I is worth 1, C is worth 100. 35:34 A has no numerical value, neither does R. 35:37 I the value of 1. U carries the same value as V. 35:41 U is a modern letter. 35:46 Years ago there was no U, it was V. 35:50 And if you doubt what I'm saying to you, 35:53 I'm going to show you something. 35:54 This is a little town in Oklahoma called Oakmogie. 35:59 OK? I'm going to show you the courthouse in Oakmogie. 36:05 Look at it. Can you read it up there? 36:08 Oakmogie. Look at how the U is: V. 36:14 County. Look how they spelled county. 36:17 Court. See how they spell it? Look how they spelled House. 36:21 All of them have a V instead of a U 36:25 because that... U is a modern term. 36:28 So when it says there Vicarius Filii Dei 36:32 that U has the same numerical value as does V. 36:37 Filii. F has no numerical value. 36:40 I has the value of 1. 36:42 L has the value of 50. 36:46 Both I's one each. That gives you 53. 36:49 And Dei. 36:50 D is worth 500. 36:52 I is worth 1. 501. 36:55 You add them up... that is 666. 36:58 So when the scripture says it is the number of a man, 37:04 it's the number of his name, and that is his official name. 37:06 This God gives you and I to help us understand 37:12 and identify who the beast is. 37:14 OK? And that's what we have just done. 37:17 We have identified who this beast is. 37:21 OK. So now, so let's move ahead 37:25 and see if we can find out what is the mark of the beast. 37:31 Well to begin with, let's get something clear. 37:42 It says the mark of the beast can be received 37:45 in the right hand or it can be received in the forehead. 37:48 OK. Why does the scripture say it can be received in the 37:52 right hand and it can be received in the forehead? 37:56 Because in the scripture the right hand represents 37:59 cooperation. 38:01 That's what it stands for. 38:03 So it says that he gives 38:04 his hand to it. 38:05 It means I am willing to 38:07 cooperate. 38:08 The forehead represents intelligence. 38:12 It represents where I give mental acceptance to something. 38:16 Let me tell you friend, they're not going to come around 38:19 and hold you down and put in your forehead 38:23 a computer chip. 38:24 That's not going to happen. 38:26 OK? Understand that. 38:28 Let me ask you something. 38:29 I serve the Lord. 38:31 I love the Lord; I'm going to stand with Him. 38:33 So let's say somebody comes around and they hold me down 38:36 and they install a computer chip in my forehead. 38:39 Is that going to change my relationship to the Lord? 38:42 Not in the least. 38:44 So let's not be led astray by that kind of thinking. 38:47 That... when it says that it is given in the forehead, 38:50 that means that I give mental acceptance to that. 38:55 I believe that. That's what I say. 38:57 That's what I believe. 38:58 If I may not give mental acceptance to it but I say 39:02 I'll go along, that's giving my right hand to it. 39:05 That is what it means when it talks about 39:08 being in the right hand or in the forehead. 39:10 OK. I'm going to read to you 39:15 three texts. I'm going to read to you 39:18 Revelation 14:9, 10, and 11. 39:22 When I'm through reading that, 39:25 I'm going to ask you a question. 39:27 If you answer the question right, 39:31 we'll go on. 39:32 If you don't answer it right, 39:35 we're going to go back and read those texts again 39:37 because it's important that you know exactly what it says. 39:41 So let's look and see what it says. 40:17 Now let me ask you, 40:19 is this talking about the people 40:21 that receive the mark of the beast? 40:22 You're quiet. 40:26 You've got to respond better than that. 40:28 So let's back it up... take a look. 40:30 We'll just back it up here and see what it says. 40:33 OK, Verse 9... here we go. 40:45 Is that talking about people that receive the 40:47 mark of the beast? 40:49 Yes. OK. 40:57 Is that talking about people 40:58 that receive the mark of the beast? 41:00 Yes. 41:06 Is that talking about people 41:07 that receive the mark of the beast? 41:08 Yes. 41:19 Is that talking about people that receive 41:21 the mark of the beast? 41:23 Yes! All three of those verses 41:25 talking about people that receive the mark of the beast. 41:28 OK. Let's read verse 12. 41:43 Do these people receive the mark of the beast? 41:45 No, they don't. 41:47 Why don't they? 41:50 Why don't these people receive the mark of the beast? 41:54 Because they keep the commandments of God 41:58 and have the faith of Jesus. 42:00 Are you with me? 42:02 Because they keep the commandments of God 42:04 and have the faith of Jesus. 42:06 Therefore... THEREFORE 42:09 if I keep God's commandments 42:12 and have the faith of Jesus 42:14 I don't receive the mark of the beast. 42:17 Right? Right! 42:19 Therefore... THEREFORE 42:22 the mark of the beast must affect the commandments of God 42:27 and faith in Jesus Christ. 42:29 Are you with me? See? 42:33 It has to. It has to affect the commandments of God 42:36 and faith in Jesus Christ. 42:38 So the question then is 42:40 of these two things... next two things: 42:49 What does the scripture tell us 42:51 about faith in Jesus Christ? 42:55 Well, this is what it says: 43:07 So the scripture is telling me 43:10 that the way I walk with the Lord is by faith. 43:15 OK. That's how I walk with Him. 43:32 So it simply tells me that my life is changed 43:38 and the righteousness of Christ is given to me by faith. 43:42 That's how I walk as a Christian. 43:47 Does the papal power 43:50 have anything to say 43:53 about this question of 43:54 walking with the Lord by faith? 43:57 Well, let's look. 44:15 It says the only way you can be saved 44:20 is by being part of the Catholic church. 44:24 Not by faith... 44:27 not by justification by faith 44:30 but by belonging to the church. 44:32 Let me read you one more. 44:58 In other words, they're saying 45:00 that it isn't by justification by faith 45:02 but it's by you and I working our way 45:06 into the kingdom of heaven. All right. 45:10 Also, what about keeping God's commandments? 45:14 Does God have anything to say about keeping His commandments? 45:19 "If you love Me, keep My commandments. " 45:24 Very clear; very simple. 45:25 He said: "If you love Me, keep My commandments. " 45:41 Well, has the papal power done anything 45:47 that affects the commandments of God? 45:50 Well, If you pick up your Bible 45:55 and read Exodus the 20th chapter you'll find the 10 Commandments. 46:00 If you pick up a Douay version of the Bible 46:04 or an American Catholic version of the Bible 46:06 and turn to Exodus 20 and read the commandments, 46:09 they'll read just like yours. 46:10 But when you pick up a Catechism 46:15 the picture changes. 46:17 You see the second commandment has been taken out. 46:21 And the third commandment's been pushed up to the second. 46:25 And the fourth commandment up to the third and so forth. 46:28 And they divide the tenth one so they can still have ten. 46:32 But they do something. Listen to this: 46:58 So they took the second one out. 47:00 They moved it up; the fourth commandment became the third. 47:03 And they said that really applies not to the Sabbath 47:07 but to Sunday. 47:09 Uh, I read this next statement a few years ago. 47:14 I couldn't believe it when I read it. 47:17 And so I picked up the phone 47:21 and I called the priest that wrote this statement 47:25 and talked to him personally. 47:27 I want you to listen to the statement. 47:44 Now he's... he's saying this is one of the most revolutionary 47:48 things that's ever been done: 47:49 they changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. 47:53 Now listen to what he goes on and says: 48:01 He said there's nothing in the scripture here 48:04 saying they could do this. 48:06 OK? 48:11 Said: "The church did it of their own power. " 48:25 Saturday holy. 48:27 He said: "If you're going to follow scripture... 48:30 you're going to say this is my authority, 48:33 this is what I believe... " 48:34 he said, "then you've got to come back 48:37 to keeping the Sabbath. " 48:38 That's what he's saying. 48:40 Definitely made a change. 48:48 Listen to this... 49:00 And so you find the change was definitely made. 49:02 OK, let's hurry. We've got quite a little bit yet to go. 49:15 This is saying what this beast power is going to do. 49:26 Says that this was going to cause the people... 49:29 was going to enforce it... 49:37 So it says that in order for this to happen 49:40 it has to be enforced by government. 49:44 That's what it says. When it says that he will 49:47 speak and cause that means legislation and enforcement. 49:53 And so at this present time, 49:55 nobody has the mark of the beast. 49:58 It is not being enforced on people. 50:02 But when the day comes that it IS enforced 50:05 and you and I willingly accept it... 50:09 or accept it period... 50:11 then we are receiving the mark of the beast. 50:14 That's what it's saying. 50:16 So how are they going to put teeth into this? 50:18 How are they going to make it happen? 50:20 This is what they're saying, so listen carefully: 50:27 Now who should? 50:54 They say in other words: "It needs to be enforced. " 50:58 It needs to be a requirement. 51:00 We need to close up things on Sunday. 51:04 Listen to one more: 51:20 Now listen to what they're saying here. 51:40 Now, you live in a democracy, right? 51:46 Yeah. And in a democracy who rules? 51:49 The majority. 51:52 OK. So you can think that through right quick. 52:01 So how are they going to enforce that? 52:04 Well, very simple. 52:07 As long as people have money 52:10 you cannot boycott them. 52:13 Did you know that? 52:14 Because if you can't get it at the front of the store 52:16 you can get it at the back. 52:19 But you live in a different time, folks. 52:21 We live in a time of the Internet. 52:25 And you can't use cash on the Internet. 52:30 You have to use what is called "cyber money. " 52:34 You use your card. 52:37 You can take that card and you can trade and buy 52:41 stuff anywhere in the world. 52:43 Did you realize that? 52:44 But all they've got to do is say "don't accept that number" 52:50 and, dear friend, you have been boycotted. 52:53 See, this is how it happens. 52:56 The believers of the last days: what are they going to believe? 53:07 They'll worship the Lord. 53:10 I'm talking to you.. signs, what the believers will do. 53:13 They'll worship the Lord. 53:15 They'll be a small remnant. 53:17 There's not going to be a large group of people, folks. 53:20 The world as a whole is not going to come running 53:23 and join the Lord's side. That's not going to happen. 53:26 They'll believe that salvation is by Jesus alone. 53:30 No other way. 53:32 Justification by faith in Jesus Christ. 53:35 They'll keep God's commandments. 53:38 They'll have the faith of Jesus. 53:42 They'll say: "this is what we believe. " 53:44 Stand with Jesus Christ. 53:46 They'll have God's seal in their forehead. 53:49 And by the way, the seal of God is placed in the forehead... 53:51 it's not placed in the hand. 53:54 So when they get the seal of God, that means that person 53:57 gives mental acceptance to what God says. 54:00 I say: "I'm going to follow what God's Word says. 54:03 I'm going to obey His Word. " 54:04 And they'll uphold God's Sabbath. 54:07 That's what the believers in the last days... 54:11 the days in which you and I are living... 54:12 are going to do just before Jesus comes. 54:15 You and I must place ourselves 54:19 on the Lord's side. 54:21 We need to take the same stand, 54:24 folks, that the apostles of old took. 54:35 That's where we need to stand. 54:37 We need to say: "I'm standing with the Lord. 54:40 Put myself on His side. 54:42 I'm going to follow Him. " 54:44 Hope that you have learned. 54:46 I hope that you have been helped 54:48 with this series on Bible prophecy. 54:50 Folks, stand with God in all that you do. 54:56 A coal miner of old 54:57 would leave his family every day 54:59 and descend into the depths of the earth 55:01 with the certain knowledge that the smallest mistake 55:05 could keep him and others from ever seeing daylight again. 55:09 Walking along in the dark, 55:11 he could only rely upon his feeble oil lamp 55:14 to keep him alive. 55:16 He faced many dangers down there. 55:18 Rockfalls, flooding, fires. 55:21 But perhaps the danger he feared the most 55:24 was the one that he could not see. 55:27 They called it chokedamp or blackdamp: 55:30 an unbreathable mixture of gases 55:33 that could quickly snuff out his life. 55:35 Imagine for a moment the terror he felt when he realized 55:39 he had hit a pocket of blackdamp. 55:42 The sudden drop in oxygen would put out his lamp 55:45 leaving him in terrifying darkness, fumbling in vain 55:49 to relight it before he lost consciousness. 55:53 Then in the late 1800's, 55:56 a bright new light began to shine in the dark world. 56:00 Using marble-sized pellets of calcium carbide 56:04 and a few drops of water, 56:05 this new lamp produced a gas which burned six times brighter. 56:10 Not only did it make his job a whole lot easier 56:13 but it also saved lives. 56:16 You can see this tiny reflector 56:18 could focus that beam of light 56:20 on the roof of a mine so that he could detect dangerous cracks. 56:25 The lamp was also easy to re-light. 56:27 And since it required far less oxygen, 56:30 it could illuminate the way out 56:32 should they encounter the chokedamp. 56:35 What an incredible illustration this is 56:38 of the condition of fallen man. 56:40 After struggling to survive the pitfalls of life, 56:44 he suddenly realizes the danger he could not see 56:47 had left him without hope and gasping for his last breath 56:52 in utter spiritual darkness. 56:54 For him there is no eternal life through Jesus. 56:58 In fact, he may not have ever heard about Him. 57:03 But friends, just as that bright light 57:06 of the carbide lamp saved lives, 57:09 so does the light of the Bible. 57:11 We need the light of God's Word to illuminate the dark corners 57:15 of our hearts. It focuses our attention on Jesus Christ... 57:19 our only hope for salvation. 57:21 And all who read and study it 57:23 are warned about the rockfalls of life. 57:27 That's why we call this series Give Me The Bible. 57:30 We're trying our best to bring the light of God's truth 57:34 to those who are living and dying in despair. 57:37 It's our mission. It's our passion. 57:39 Won't you join us? 57:42 Please consider what you can do 57:44 for those who still don't know about Jesus. 57:47 As the Holy Spirit impresses, 57:49 you may send your tax-deductible gifts to: 58:03 Thank you for helping us to bring the Blessed Hope 58:06 to millions all around the world. |
Revised 2014-12-17