We possess the imprint of the Lord!
Rev 13:16 / Ps 63
Revelation13:16 “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive or mark on his right hand or on his forehead.”
In Revelation13, there included two beasts. Verse 1-10: The beast out of the sea represented the anti-Christ; Verse 11-18: another beast out of the earth represented the false prophets. During the calamity, the two beasts colluded with each other to induce and persecute the elects and made war against the saints. All inhabitants of the earth would worship the beast, all whose names had not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb. The image of the beast was given breath and the power to speak, causing all who refused to worship the image to be killed. They wanted to rule over every tribe, people, language and nation. The beast representing the false prophet has given him the power to perform great and miraculous sign, even causing fire to come down from the heaven to the earth, deluding all the earth (Revelation13:7-15). This is such a horrifying delusion and persecution!
In Revelation13:16: We may also see that the false prophet forced everyone on earth, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead. His purpose is to control them under the power of the beast to do whatever to exploit them so that those without the mark could not buy or sell. The control of the human economy and the lifeline of existence are totally under the control of their hands. This is the dragon (that is the devil or called Satan) who is in control behind the scene. He took advantage of the anti-Christ and the false prophet and his vilest mean to do whatever he pleased. He forced men to be imprinted so their thoughts and actions become a slave of sin, being tied and restrained, falling into the snare of death and cannot pull themselves out. For existence purpose, people cannot refused his mark and be submitted under his control.
What is the mark of the beast? A mark on the right hand or on the forehead is to cause people to turn from their mental consciousness to daily behavior, to accept the set of unfounded, wicked living style completely. And inducing men to struggle under hard labor and chasing after the wind all day long; only for the present enjoyment of this life and their own personal interest; rushing about and work themselves to the bone. It also uses all sorts of evil inducement to desecrate, to corrode human hearts; to corrupt man’s morality; being apathetic to our conscience and finally to destroy human souls, heading towards the everlasting road of destruction. In Revelation 14:9-11 it pointed out that whoever worship the beast and his image and receive his mark on the forehead or on the hand, they too will drink the wine of God’s fury… They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. They will have no rest day or night. And now the whole earth has been lying on the hands of the evil one. No one can escape from the meaningless live and their fate is doom to destruction. That would be such a horrifying ending! Therefore, Jesus said “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)
Brothers and sisters, we are the people of God in Heaven. Therefore we should set our minds on things above, not on earthly things. Let us follow God’s will, be joyful in doing good, preach and save others throughout our lives. In this way our labor in the Lord is not in vain. (Colossians 3:2; 1Corinthians 15:58)
The Bible says:
“But then, God’s foundation has been firmly set.” There is a sign above saying: ＂The Lord knows who are His people.”
“Then I look, and there before me was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had His name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)
“They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.” (Revelation 22:4)
“They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” (Revelation 9:4)
According to the above scriptures, we can understand our God wants to segregate the religious to belong to Him. (James 1:26-27)
Firstly, let us ponder how do we set apart for the Lord and be a religious man? What ought to be marked on ourselves?
1. The Sign of Salvation: The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead, so that the laws of the Lord are well versed in you, for He has brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand. (Exodus 12:13; 13:16) Here it reminds us of the blood of the Lamb of God – the precious blood of Jesus Christ is our everlasting sign. This sign is the powerful weapon by which we overcome Satan who has been accusing us day and night. (Revelation 12:11). Throughout our lives, we cannot afford to be away from the precious blood of Jesus Christ! This is because this sign will mark our identity from the worldly people, a sign of protection and a sign of triumph. So the wicked cannot burden us! The mark of the beast only calls us to depend on our own, to struggle by ourselves to labor in wickedness. Without the sign of the precious blood, we can neither save ourselves, nor can we save others.
2. The seal of the Holy Spirit: “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14) “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13) “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30) The Holy Spirit is not only the evidence of our future inheritance. Moreover He is forever with us, leading us to every truth, guiding us to our future, so that we may, at any time, be victorious and holy by the Spirit, renewed in our lives, to testify God and glorify Him. Those who took the mark of the beast depend on might and power. They brag about themselves and their wealth. But without the Holy Spirit, all the labor is deadly, lifeless, without any lasting value. They are creating the tower of Babel that reaches to the heavens so as to make a name for themselves. But it was ultimately destroyed. Therefore we ought to be humble at all times, live by the inspiration and in communion with the Holy Spirit. In prayer and by the help of the Holy Spirit, we overcome all kinds of worldly temptations and not to allow the mark of the beast and his power to wear us down.
3. The footmarks of God’s words: “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” (Proverbs 7:2-3) “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. (Deuteronomy 11:18) “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8)
God’s word is our treasure which should not depart from us, not even for a moment. It is our life, our source, our light and weapon. Thus we need to keep God’s words in our hearts and in our minds. Not only should we keep them in our hearts, but to have them ready on our lips (Proverbs 22:18). By the Holy Spirit, may we be able to pay attention and walk according to God’s way, reject the mark of the beast, imitate our Lord Jesus Christ who has used the scriptures to fight against all the temptations and attack of the wicked. Those who bear the words of the Lord will love what God loves and hate what God hates! God’s word has been well established in heaven forever! Worldly people love to hear the sound of Satan but reject the voice of God. Their minds and their actions have been hard pressed with the mark of the beast and ultimately cannot be freed from the condemnation of God’s word (John 12:48). We should only to listen to God’s voice, resist every sound of Satan and the sound of man. This is because “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” (Proverbs 30:5)
4. The sign of the cross: Thanks to our ever loving Father God. Through the cross of Jesus Christ which enables us to win over our old self, our physical body and the world, so that we may confide in the cross and be victorious! Let us learn the ways of Paul. “Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. (Galatians 6:17) This mark is the mark of the cross of Jesus Christ. Paul has pursued an action of ‘ready to risk death daily and to take the risk momentarily’ to conquer the power and the mark of the beast. There was nothing, whatsoever to trouble him. We too need to nail ourselves on the cross. Let the cross be forever our victory and glory! Those who take the mark of the beast and choose to walk a wide road, though they may, for a time, become wealthy, enjoyable, complacent and revel, their ending is miserable and forever destruction!
In Revelation 14:1-3 John saw the Lamb on Mount Zion and with him 144,000 people. There was no mark of any kind except the sign of God, which was the name of the Lamb and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. In Revelation 15:3-4, it said:
“Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
King of the ages.
Who will not fear you, O Lord,
And bring glory to your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
For your righteous acts have been revealed.”
This is the song of salvation – a victorious song, a glorious song! May we be able to have a share in the triumphant rank in heaven!
We once knew a devoted sister. Her husband was a mechanical engineer of an airline company. Though he has accepted the Lord not for too long, his behavior and action follow the teaching of the Bible. Once he had an on-site examination of the construction of an airport of a certain place. As a result he found that the project was not according to standard and quality. Without any sense of modesty, he ordered that the construction be demolished and re-built. Not anyone of all the staff of the airport from top to bottom wanted to follow his order but had no alternative. After this brother has finished examining the work, he was ready to leave. When he was about to board the plane, there was a bag filled with money notes brought before him. He was impartial and incorruptible. Without any hesitation he rejected the bribery. He was scrupulous in every detail and spotless. Many occurrences of this sort happened, but he prevailed by the Lord. He always said the Lord has given him much abundance. He was thankful and satisfied. Thus he was never distressed by the world. Several years afterwards, he was publicly appraised in the same airline company for the chief engineer. The ending result was not a party member of his unit or the zealous participant was appraised. This brother, who was always silent, cautious and conscientious, never after fame and power became the chief engineer. God’s name was greatly glorified!
Praise God, because of His never ending grace, bestowing on us this precious sign, the heavenly sign which far outweighed the beast. We must therefore earnestly seek Him, follow Him closely and deeply rest in Him. In distress we can overcome exceedingly, sing praise and triumph over under the shadow of God’s wings!
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