Notice the similarity to the Name of the Islamic Allah in Arabic...
Just saying...
Posted on 12/07/2013 6:26:29 PM PST by pastorbillrandles
Notice the similarity to the Name of the Islamic Allah in Arabic...
Just saying...
You make a good point that so many will be completely beholden to some sort of gov’t entity which really leads me to believe that the mark is not necessarily “agreement” with the gov’t as God makes clear that he puts all kings in place and removes all kings. It is tied directly to believing in Satan as your god than the one true God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
The harvest can be a very broad term, including different crops at different times. If you can find the Church on earth anywhere in Revelation 4-19, please let me know.
You are tricking yourself into believing that you will magically escape what’s coming and I am lovingly telling you beware. Do not be deceived. We are all here until His return and his return is only once (not a secret ‘psst, come here’ from the clouds) and all eyes will see and all ears will hear.
I don’t think the mark of the beast is what we think it is from the original translation. Man will know it but not in our lifetimes.
Someone asked me a good while back what would I do if I found out I was wrong (i.e. if I found myself living during the Tribulation). I answered that I would run to the closest tatoo parlor, and have "Jesus is Lord" tattooed on my right hand! That would take care of this Mark business. But, like I said, I don't expect to be here at the time, so it's just talking!
Wouldn’t it be grand if we missed what he warns of by being removed? I would truly love to know we escape it that way but I actually believe the “wrath” is the destruction of the earth at Jesus’ return. All elements will melt with a fervent heat, etc.
We’ve had tribulation since the beginning of time and no one escaped it by leaving but we were protected from what God brought. Just like in Ezekiel how those of us that sighed and cried had our foreheads marked so we would be protected. Or the children of Israel in Egypt when the plagues were poured out, they were unscathed. Or the blood on the doorpost to protect the babies of Israel.
You get the picture. I believe we’re here and need to be ‘sober and vigilant’ and we may lose that edge and our sight will grow dim, if we think we get to miss it by being removed.
Anyhoo...I’m not picking on you ( and hopefully you don’t think I am) but I do think we can ALL succumb to deception if we’re not diligent and I think we’re being deceived when we believe we skirt the end times.
By the way, I know alot of the pretrib people look to the scripture about meeting Jesus in the clouds but the word ‘meet’ in the Greek is the same word used in reference to going to meet an official or important person and then bring them back. It’s the same word for the prodigal son. His father ran to meet him and brought him back.
I'm not looking for the easy way out, but in years I have never changed the mind of a mid or post tribulation believer... and neither have they changed mine. What really matters is that all of us believe Jesus is coming back, and when He does, everything else will be just academic!
about 8 years ago, I saw a ad for Visa,touting the development work on a digital ID that would be using hand chip or eye recognition to verify you as the person who is the owner of you visa account. Brought the whole mark thing to mind. The ad stated the system was ready to implement in the near future.
No one will accidentally take the mark or have it imposed against their will. God is not capricious. Those who take the mark will have full knowledge of what they are doing, and will have been warned of the consequences before doing so.
There’s lots of technology out there, which can be used. And I’m sure more technology will be invented for business and economic reasons. I don’t have a problem with the technology, actually. What I have a problem with is the worship of the beast, who is directly empowered by Satan himself - very literally so.
To go further ... we cannot identify what technology is going to be used by Satan, in order to provide the fulfillment of this prophecy that God has told us about.
That’s why I say we don’t know what the mark of the beast is - because Satan has not revealed the choice right now. It will be revealed what that choice of Satan is and what that mark consists of — WHEN Satan links some technology up with the worship of the beast - and this combination is then tied into whether that person can buy or sell, as a direct result of their choice (of worshipping the beast or not).
WHEN you see the angels announcing their message from God - around the world - THEN at that time it will be absolutely clear what that mark is and that the “choice” to worship the beast (or not) - has finally arrived.
Those angels, sent from God, with His message — is going to be your sign as to when this is happening.
According to Strong, Thayer, NASEC, and all others I could find the word used in all of those verses is epi (ἐπί) and means on, or upon. Of the 896 instances of the use of that word in scripture not once is it translated by them as in nor should it be.
None of the other versions do.
That said, the Seal of God may not mean a visible seal on the skin but a Seal in the Mind...same for the Mark of the Beast.
RFID chip, permanent indelible ink or invisible bar code, brand or tatoo that you willingly accept. And there will be a lot of people that will willingly accept it to feed their children.
You take the mark and you are done. Don’t let anybody tell you different.
The wrath of God already started with seals at the beginning of the tribulation.
Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
>>We’ve had tribulation since the beginning of time<<
Tribulation yes but never the wrath of God against faithful believers as will be the case during the last seven years. Never has any group had to suffer the wrath of God and He has promised to never subject them to it. In fact, we have been promised to be kept from or escape the wrath to come.
Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape (ekpheugó) all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Ekpheugó - I flee out, away, I escape
In Revelation 3:10 we are told that those who are faithful will kept from. The Greek text actually says “out of the hour of the trial”.
Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth
See also Matthew 3:7, Matthew 24:21-22, 2 Corinthians 6:2, Matthew 24:13, Acts 2:21, 1 Thessalonians 5:9.
Scripture tells us that what is coming has never been before and will never be again after that.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
If you think this world has seen tribulation and that somehow says we will go through what is coming you haven’t seen anything yet and need to pray to be worthy to be taken “out of the hour of trial”. Faithful followers of Christ will be removed from this earth prior to what is coming on the unbelieving world.
You evidently missed the part about “so shall we ever be with the Lord”. The Greek text actually reads “and so always with the Lord we will be”.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
That “meeting” results in forever being with the Lord.
I have often pondered that myself but keep coming back to the fact that it has to be something seen and verifiable or how do they keep people from buying and selling?
Thanks for taking the time to write a great post. I should be ashamed that I said “I’ve never convinced a mid or post-trib believer” instead of trying! You did a great job of presenting the information and that’s all a person can do. Can’t wait to meet you on that day!
I usually come back around to the concept that the Mark of the Beast is a symbol (visible or not) of one's commitment to Satan. And any actions that follow (like supporting Obama) would have benefits...just as a commitment to God (as evidenced by actions) would have consequences (like being investigated by the IRS).;-)
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