The Coming Mark of the Beast Law
The coming Sunday law from the Bible
When questioned by the Pharisees as to “why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?” (Mat. 15:2). Jesus responded to the hypocritical religious leaders by a question where He said, “why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” (Mat. 15:3). What tradition was it that lead them to transgress the commandment of God?
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Mat. 15:5–9
The religious leaders of the day had a tradition called Corban or gift (see Mark 7:11) where if one promised to give his inheritance after their death to the temple then they would be released from the necessity of taking care of their elderly parents which the fifth commandment required (“Honour thy father and thy mother….” Ex. 20:12).
Jesus concluded by saying that it is in vain to worship Him if it’s based on doctrines and commandments of men. (Mat. 15:9). True worship is thought by God’s commandments. The first commandment teaches that here is only One true God and that we are to have no other gods (Ex. 20:2, 3). The second commandment teaches that we are not to bow or revere images or statues. (Ex. 20:4–6). The third commandment teaches us that we are not to use God’s name in vain or lightly. (Ex. 20:7). The forth commandment teaches us to honor God by keeping His Sabbath (seventh day) holy. (Ex. 20:8–11). The rest of the commandments, from fifth to the tenth, have to do with our relationship with other fellow human beings. Keeping this in mind, consider the following passage.
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. Rev. 15:2
The four things listed that God’s people obtain victory over are a replacement or counterfeit of the first table (first four commandments) of God’s law which defines true worship. The beast seeks to take God’s place and receive worship instead (see Rev. 13:4, 6, 8). The image of the beast is an attack on or counterfeit of the second commandment (Rev. 13:12, 14, 15; 14:9; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4). The second beast of Rev.13 forms the image of the beast when the religious power begins to control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends forcing it upon the people via law. This is symbolically counterfeiting the second commandment. The number of his name has to do with counterfeiting the third commandment which calls us to honor God’s name. Finally, God’s people obtain the victory over “his mark” or the mark of the beast. The only commandment that is left from the first table of the law and has to do with worship is the forth or the Sabbath commandment. The mark of the beast is counterfeit of the true Sabbath. What day is has replaced God’s true Sabbath? Sunday, a common working day has substituted the Bible Sabbath purely by human authority.
- the beast (counterfeit of the 1. commandment)
- his image (counterfeit of the 2. commandment)
- the number of his name (counterfeit of the 3. commandment)
- his mark (counterfeit of the 4. commandment)
According to Rev. 13:11–18, the mark of the beast or Sunday law will be forced upon people by the second beast (United States). Also, those who are sealed by the seal of God (see Rev. 7:2, 3) are spoken of as hated by the dragon (Rev. 12:17) because they keep God’s commandments. They are also mentioned in Rev. 14:12 as keeping the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. So that no one is confused as to the issue at the end of time, Rev. 22:14 says it plainly. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”
In Matthew 7, Jesus plainly showed what the reason for refusing people into heaven will be:
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Mat. 7:21–23 (NKJV)
Who does things in the name of Jesus? I think you know the answer. The reason for their condemnation is because they dishonor God by refusing to accept His law, namely the Sabbath commandment.
