SEVEN SIGNS (4-5): THE MARK OF THE BEAST (REVELATION 13:16-17)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Revelation
a) John wrote Revelation while a prisoner on the Island of Patmos, approximately 85-95 A.D. Its purpose is to give encouragement and hope for all Christians to continue watching for the return and triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ. It also is to warn of the Final Judgment that nonbelievers will endure on that Last Day.
b) John wrote that Revelation is special because,“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).
c) A brief view of the Book of Revelation. It gives you some basic understanding of the book of Revelation.
2. The Mark Of The Beast
Revelation 13:16-17
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.
3. His False Mark, Name, And Number
Revelation 13:16-17
a) Mark, name, number
i) In the vision, all those who worshiped the image received a mark on their right hand or forehead. This mark was the name of the beast or a number representing the name (Revelation 13:16). In the vision of the messages to the seven churches of Asia, Jesus had promised to write upon every one of his followers his new and heavenly name (Revelation 3:12-18 cf Revelation 14:1). Not to be outdone, the beast writes his own name upon those who follow him. We cannot wear both names, nor can we reject both names. We must choose our mark —either the name of God and his kingdom, or the name of the beast and his kingdom. We are citizens in one or the other.
b) Buy and sell (Revelation 13:17)
i) The antichristian kingdom comprises several powers —political, military, financial, judicial, and religious. The wisdom of separating these powers is embodied in the constitutions of many nations, including Australia. However, in a corrupt kingdom they merge. This is illustrated in the vision. John sees that nobody was permitted to buy or sell who was not marked with the Beast’s name.
ii) he False Prophet presides over false justice. He legislates that in order to buy or sell people must validate the transaction by showing their mark. If it is the mark of the Beast, they are okay, but if it is the mark of Jesus Christ, they are arrested and sentenced to death. Whether such a thing has ever happened or will happen in the real world, I don’t know. That's not the point. The vision shows us that antichrist will go to great lengths of injustice to further his aims.
c) Number
i) The "number of the beast and of his name" (Revelation 13:16,18) is 666, which is the sum of the inferior Roman numerals in descending order: DCLXVI=666.
The End ...
16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.
3. His False Mark, Name, And Number
Revelation 13:16-17
a) Mark, name, number
i) In the vision, all those who worshiped the image received a mark on their right hand or forehead. This mark was the name of the beast or a number representing the name (Revelation 13:16). In the vision of the messages to the seven churches of Asia, Jesus had promised to write upon every one of his followers his new and heavenly name (Revelation 3:12-18 cf Revelation 14:1). Not to be outdone, the beast writes his own name upon those who follow him. We cannot wear both names, nor can we reject both names. We must choose our mark —either the name of God and his kingdom, or the name of the beast and his kingdom. We are citizens in one or the other.
b) Buy and sell (Revelation 13:17)
i) The antichristian kingdom comprises several powers —political, military, financial, judicial, and religious. The wisdom of separating these powers is embodied in the constitutions of many nations, including Australia. However, in a corrupt kingdom they merge. This is illustrated in the vision. John sees that nobody was permitted to buy or sell who was not marked with the Beast’s name.
ii) he False Prophet presides over false justice. He legislates that in order to buy or sell people must validate the transaction by showing their mark. If it is the mark of the Beast, they are okay, but if it is the mark of Jesus Christ, they are arrested and sentenced to death. Whether such a thing has ever happened or will happen in the real world, I don’t know. That's not the point. The vision shows us that antichrist will go to great lengths of injustice to further his aims.
c) Number
i) The "number of the beast and of his name" (Revelation 13:16,18) is 666, which is the sum of the inferior Roman numerals in descending order: DCLXVI=666.
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