The Mark of the Beast (what it really is explained)

[Timtofly]

The time is now for what? Are things worse now than they were 40 years ago? Yes, it's near, but how near? Next year or a thousand years? How would we know?
C.S. Lewis, one of the greatest Christian apologists of the 20th century, felt that Jesus’ failure to return during the first century was Christianity’s Achilles’ heel! I think he misunderstood what Jesus said was coming soon.

What Revelation says is that the time is near. The time for what?
The Bible often uses the word “parousia” when mentioning the “second coming.”
Parousia is a Greek word meaning “presence” or “coming.” This is a word used to denote the arrival of a conquering general, emperor or high-ranking official into a city for an extended stay oftentimes for several months or years before then returning to the capital city, the seat of his throne.
Did this not happen at the beginning of the church age?

Clement of Rome (c. 95 A.D.) - Let us consider, beloved, how the Lord continually proves to us that there shall be a future resurrection, of which He has rendered the Lord Jesus Christ the first-fruits by raising Him from the dead. Let us contemplate, beloved, the resurrection which is at all times taking place. Day and night declare to us a resurrection. The night sinks to sleep, and the day arises; the day departs, and the night comes on.

I do believe in the future returning of Christ to set up his kingdom when the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven.
Matthew 25:31-46 explains what will take place at that time.

The Second Coming is less than 3 years away. The harvest of the wheat and tares has already started. God has told us in the Bible it would only last for 3.5 years. There has for quite some time, even may have been all of the last 2000 years, knowledge, that the last 7 years of the church age would be the gathering. First century Christians did not grasp that it would be 2000 years later, because Satan had already started to deceive all. That was Paul's warning in 2 Thessalonians 2.

John himself in Revelation said that Satan would be given 3.5 years as well. So the tribulation period from God; the judgment of the church, the judgment of Jacob's trouble, and the judgment of the nations, will all happen in a 3.5 year period. The other 3.5 years are given to Satan.

This is the tribulation. It started last October, and there is less than 3 years left. We are living now in the seal judgments of Revelation 6. This is the judgment of the church, and the church will not escape the 3rd and 4th seal. That is what we need to be prepared for. The 5th and 6th seal is the rapture of Paul, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18.

 

[Renniks]

The Second Coming is less than 3 years away. The harvest of the wheat and tares has already started

How do you figure that?

 

[Renniks]

The hyper-futurist position fares very poorly We must understand that the book of revelation is essentially a letter and, like the other letters preserved in the New Testament canon of scripture, it was written primarily to specific groups for specific purposes. The New Testament letters were real letters, not simply literary devices aimed at the instruction of a general readership.
This doesn't mean they have nothing for us, but they have to be understood first for what they meant to the original readers.

 

[Timtofly]

How do you figure that?

The book of Revelation declares it.

 

[Timtofly]

The hyper-futurist position fares very poorly We must understand that the book of revelation is essentially a letter and, like the other letters preserved in the New Testament canon of scripture, it was written primarily to specific groups for specific purposes. The New Testament letters were real letters, not simply literary devices aimed at the instruction of a general readership.
This doesn't mean they have nothing for us, but they have to be understood first for what they meant to the original readers.

We are no longer talking about the future. It would be hyper realism. It is no longer "tomorrow" thinking. It is Today.

If the Holy Spirit is not revealing Truth to the believer, waiting for knowledge that has already happened 2000 years ago will not help a single bit.

 

[Renniks]

The book of Revelation declares it.

Where does it declare that the tribulation starts in 2020?

 

[Renniks]

We are no longer talking about the future. It would be hyper realism. It is no longer "tomorrow" thinking. It is Today.

If the Holy Spirit is not revealing Truth to the believer, waiting for knowledge that has already happened 2000 years ago will not help a single bit.

Let me ask this then: If the prophecy is only predicting events that happen well after the close of the first century (that is to say, any interpretation that sees the prophesied events occurring after the expected lifespan of the book’s first readers)why were such prophesies required to be distributed to a Church with enough problems in its own day? What would be the point in worrying about events in the far distant future, when the events of one’s own day were so serious (Matt.6:34)?

 

[Timtofly]

Let me ask this then: If the prophecy is only predicting events that happen well after the close of the first century (that is to say, any interpretation that sees the prophesied events occurring after the expected lifespan of the book’s first readers)why were such prophesies required to be distributed to a Church with enough problems in its own day? What would be the point in worrying about events in the far distant future, when the events of one’s own day were so serious (Matt.6:34)?

To prepare the church for the end of the age. God did not leave us in the dark. He gave us brains to read Revelation and reason it out.

 

[Timtofly]

Where does it declare that the tribulation starts in 2020?

That is not what it says. If you can do simple math, it started in 2019. The church, or some have taught it covers the last 7 years. Satan adds 3.5 years right in the middle of those seven years. 7+3.5 = 10.5. Revelation 10:5-7

5 Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted his right hand toward heaven
6 and swore by the One who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it: “There will be no more delay;
7 on the contrary, in the days of the sound from the seventh angel when he sounds his shofar, the hidden plan of God will be brought to completion, the Good News as he proclaimed it to his servants the prophets.”

This completion of God’s plan happens 2000 years after the day Jesus died on the Cross in April of AD 30. And 6000 years from the day Adam sinned and was banished from the Garden. In 6 days God created the heavens and the earth. In 6000 years humanity carried out God’s plan on earth.

So April of 2030 minus 10.5 years is Oct or Nov. 2019, if one can do the math. I do not know which day in 2030 is the exact Passover day in April. I do know that Passover was a few weeks ago, so we have less than 3 years before Satan gets his 3.5 years.

 

[Renniks]

A little more detail on the historical event:
Upon the burning of the holy house itself, and of all the building roundabout it, [the Roman army] brought their ensigns to the temple, and set them over against its eastern gate; and there did they offer sacrifices to them, and there did they make Titus imperator, with great acclamations of joy.{6}

The Roman ensigns were symbolic images of Caesar and Rome, the beast of Revelation. Upon these ensigns were often hung a cast image of the reigning Caesar.{7} Therefore it is likely that the ensigns worshipped on the eastern wing of the temple contained an image of Caesar Vespasian, the beast whose wound had been healed.{8} These ensigns were objects of the cult and were often worshipped by the Roman army. This is one such example. In an outward display of worship, the Roman army offered blasphemous sacrifices to these images of the beast on the wing of the temple, specifically its eastern gate. The fact that it was on the eastern gate is highly significant since the Messiah was to enter this gate in fulfillment of Ezekiel 44:2-3. As a side note, the entrance of a supernatural entity through this gate is recorded in Wars 6.5.3.293.{9} After this abominable act, the Romans destroyed the temple and went on a mass killing spree, hence Jesus’ warning to flee in the following verses.{10} With the temple destroyed, all sacrifices and grain offerings had permanently come to an end in fulfillment of Daniel 9:27.

To prepare the church for the end of the age. God did not leave us in the dark. He gave us brains to read Revelation and reason it out.

You didn't answer my question. You totally slipped over it, or didn't understand what I asked.

 

[Renniks]

This completion of God’s plan happens 2000 years after the day Jesus died on the Cross in April of AD 30. And 6000 years from the day Adam sinned and was banished from the Garden. In 6 days God created the heavens and the earth. In 6000 years humanity carried out God’s plan on earth.

The scripture you provided did not contain any numbers, so I don't know where you are getting them.

 

[Timtofly]

A little more detail on the historical event:
Upon the burning of the holy house itself, and of all the building roundabout it, [the Roman army] brought their ensigns to the temple, and set them over against its eastern gate; and there did they offer sacrifices to them, and there did they make Titus imperator, with great acclamations of joy.{6}

The Roman ensigns were symbolic images of Caesar and Rome, the beast of Revelation. Upon these ensigns were often hung a cast image of the reigning Caesar.{7} Therefore it is likely that the ensigns worshipped on the eastern wing of the temple contained an image of Caesar Vespasian, the beast whose wound had been healed.{8} These ensigns were objects of the cult and were often worshipped by the Roman army. This is one such example. In an outward display of worship, the Roman army offered blasphemous sacrifices to these images of the beast on the wing of the temple, specifically its eastern gate. The fact that it was on the eastern gate is highly significant since the Messiah was to enter this gate in fulfillment of Ezekiel 44:2-3. As a side note, the entrance of a supernatural entity through this gate is recorded in Wars 6.5.3.293.{9} After this abominable act, the Romans destroyed the temple and went on a mass killing spree, hence Jesus’ warning to flee in the following verses.{10} With the temple destroyed, all sacrifices and grain offerings had permanently come to an end in fulfillment of Daniel 9:27.

You didn't answer my question. You totally slipped over it, or didn't understand what I asked.

The NT was written after all this happened. Back in 167 BC there was already a pig sacrificed on the alter itself. Why would not this 8th king not be the one in a future temple? A future that Titus was already past tense, when John wrote Revelation. Why did John or Paul not clarify that Titus already fulfilled the prophecy. Both Paul and John seemed to indicate it would only happen at the end of the church age, not the beginning.

 

[Timtofly]

The scripture you provided did not contain any numbers, so I don't know where you are getting them.

It is a mystery to figure out. Are you saying that John should have just given us the exact dates, instead of it being a mystery? Read, the 7th trumpet is the Second Coming. It is the end of the age. It happens before Satan and the 3.5 year GREAT Tribulation. The one where Satan demands the 666 number worn or all heads chopped off. 6000 years of labor, 6 days a week, 6 hours a day. No one wants to accept the truth. They all want their pet doctrine and theology to be the one. God only has one plan, and that is it. The 6000 years is over. Adam's punishment is over. Those who want it to continue with Satan another 3.5 years, will have their names removed from the Lamb's book of life and be thrown into the lake of fire. This punishment will end, it will not go on for another day, month, year, nor even 1000 years. Being completed means the end. Those who understand will get in line to get their heads chopped off asap. Those whose minds are made up to hate and reject God will proudly wear the mark. Those undecided will try to hide not knowing what to do. It is all spelled out in the book of Revelation.

 

[Renniks]

The NT was written after all this happened. Back in 167 BC there was already a pig sacrificed on the alter itself. Why would not this 8th king not be the one in a future temple? A future that Titus was already past tense, when John wrote Revelation. Why did John or Paul not clarify that Titus already fulfilled the prophecy. Both Paul and John seemed to indicate it would only happen at the end of the church age, not the beginning.

As far as the dating of New Testament books, the pioneering labor of John A. T. Robinson in his scholarly work Redating the NewTestament is of great importance. He argues persuasively that all the books of the New Testament were written before 70 A.D. Modernists have refused to seriously investigate his scholarship, choosing instead to ignore it.

Recently the scholarly work of the papyrologist, Carsten Peter Thiede, has received widespread notice. He persuasively argues that Matthew’s Gospel is the account of an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ life. His pathfinding book written with Matthew D’Ancona,Eyewitness to Jesus, published in 1996, argues that the Magdalen Papyrus of St. Matthew’s Gospel was written around A.D. 60.

Gunther Zuntz, the internationally recognized authority on Hellenistic Greek, assigned the date 40 A.D. as the most likely date of Mark’s composition.
I could go on citing sources, but you get the point.
Irenaeus makes reference to “ancient copies” of the book of Revelation. That should tell you something.

 

[Renniks]

It is a mystery to figure out. Are you saying that John should have just given us the exact dates, instead of it being a mystery? Read, the 7th trumpet is the Second Coming. It is the end of the age. It happens before Satan and the 3.5 year GREAT Tribulation. The one where Satan demands the 666 number worn or all heads chopped off. 6000 years of labor, 6 days a week, 6 hours a day. No one wants to accept the truth. They all want their pet doctrine and theology to be the one. God only has one plan, and that is it. The 6000 years is over. Adam's punishment is over. Those who want it to continue with Satan another 3.5 years, will have their names removed from the Lamb's book of life and be thrown into the lake of fire. This punishment will end, it will not go on for another day, month, year, nor even 1000 years. Being completed means the end. Those who understand will get in line to get their heads chopped off asap. Those whose minds are made up to hate and reject God will proudly wear the mark. Those undecided will try to hide not knowing what to do. It is all spelled out in the book of Revelation.

Well if it's a mystery, why would I believe random dude on internet knows what he's talking about?

 

[Truther]

Christ’s command to His Church was clear "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:19) and that this will succeed because "surely I am with you always" (28:20) and because "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (28:18). Note, that Jesus said all authority "has been given to me", not "will be given to me at my second coming!

The power given to Jesus in Matthew 28 is the power that will also enable His 2nd coming and lordship over the earth for the 1000 year reign of Christ.

 

[Timtofly]

Well if it's a mystery, why would I believe random dude on internet knows what he's talking about?

Well you could ask God about it, while reading Revelation.

I realize that there was a 40 year period between the life of Jesus and the destruction of the temple in AD 70. It even took to Irenaeus day and beyond to confirm the NT canon. No one in the first 3 centuries inserted what modern theology wants to insert. Else all would already accept it.

 

[Reggie Belafonte]

In WW2, lots of ppl tried to claim that Mussolini's regime was the revived Roman Empire; then when they hanged him and his lady friend from a lamp post in Italy, they didn't come back and say, Hey we were wrong. By then some of them had gotten to the fact that the State of Israel had been established and, Guess what? it's all just about to happen, folks! (Well, maybe if not this year, then next.... or the year after.... )

Like you strongly imply, @Renniks , it's the Gospel that is the rule of the believer's life, while the Lord sovereignly pursues His ultimate purposes among the nations and Israel.

Are you claiming that the State that is claiming to call it's self Israel is in fact Israel ? That was created by mans works = Satan to lead the world astray.

It's not Israel at all, no Jew is Israel in fact.
OT Israel was finished 2000 years ago and anyone who follows the OT is lost today. for they do not know God in fact.
Any true Jew who clearly follows the OT would understand what Holy Moses was talking about, so if one is truly of Moses then they would know who Jesus Christ is in fact and the true Israelites knew Jesus was the Christ, as we seen in the disciples. the rest missed the boat, they were totally lead astray.
Their is only one way to God and that is through his only begotten Son, all who reject the Son are totally lost as to the Father, so nothing good can come from such a person at all, because they have not the Holy Spirit.

By Jew I mean a practicing person of the OT and nothing to do with a so called Race, that's the work of Satan to make claims like such rubbish, for one they were not a Race but a religious people, plenty of other Semitic tribes were around back in the day. so claiming such as Race is rubbish.
You have the Holy Spirit or you don't, that's the Key !
You must be Born again Jesus said ? bingo then you are Israel in fact ! because you Serve Jesus Christ.
If you are truly born again then you are in the Kingdom of God and you are worthy of God and you are a true Israelite.

 

[Renniks]

It even took to Irenaeus day and beyond to confirm the NT canon

The books were being read by the church long before the Canon was confirmed.

Well you could ask God about it, while reading Revelation.

I realize that there was a 40 year period between the life of Jesus and the destruction of the temple in AD 70. It even took to Irenaeus day and beyond to confirm the NT canon. No one in the first 3 centuries inserted what modern theology wants to insert. Else all would already accept it.

You mean like this verse? Maybe you should ask God what it means.

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

He's writing to the church in Ephesus, about the things they will soon suffer! Not about what Gentile Christians might suffer in the 21 century.

 

[Timtofly]

The books were being read by the church long before the Canon was confirmed.

You mean like this verse? Maybe you should ask God what it means.

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

He's writing to the church in Ephesus, about the things they will soon suffer! Not about what Gentile Christians might suffer in the 21 century.

What does any of this have to do with the claim, "all was fulfilled in AD70"? The seven Churches cover the span of the church age as well as having their own issues in their own day. After the section of the churches, the Revelation is the end times. You can put all the history in hindsight as they apply to the section of the churches themselves, without any argument from me. But after chapter 5 it all has to do with the end, except for some history, like the beast, covering a longer period of time to get to a final person, yet to be revealed.