Guest man Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I think the mark is spiritual. But that's just me. How will a spiritual mark determine whether you can buy or sell? See my response to OneLight. Let's say you are someone who has accepted the mark and can sell your goods. You are following the beast and his commandments. Someone who has not taken the mark enters your store to buy some food. How are you to acknowledge 100% that the person who is buying the food has taken the "spiritual" mark? They already are use to being deceived and any good actor can play the part or starve. To ensure 100% that you are on the same side, you will have to give proof, which is the mark. If one says that they will spiritually know who belongs to the beast, then God being more powerful, why is it that we cannot know for certain that someone is a believer of we don't know them? There are extremely too many holes in the spiritual knowledge concept when all it would really take is to show them the mark you received physically on either your right hand or forehead. You're looking at this through the eyes of the store clerk. You're saying they have to be able to identify who is and who isn't a worshipper of the beast. They don't have to know anything. The place of business will be under the authority of the beast and anyone who uses that establishment will have to pledge some sort of allegiance to the beast. A true believer would never make such a pledge and if they did, they are immediately marked......spiritually. The system could be set up so that simply using that establishment is a pledge in itself. Again, a true believer would not do that. They could not buy or sell because of their convictions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SDGS Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 You guys seem to want to take every word in the bible literally. I have the entire ESV bible on my computer and when I do a search on "rapture", it comes back "no matches" We're actually more diversified than you would think. These topics have been debated so much though that some of us are worn out concerning the debates and don't speak up like we used to. As for this mark business, are you sure, absolutely certain, that it means a literal mark on the face or hand? It may, it may not. I would hate for it to be something that isn't obvious for what it is, though. Has it occurred to anyone that the bar code could be your biblical mark? Every thing you buy has a bar code. The computer you are using has it's own signature code. Bank card, credit card, checks, bar code identifying you. Every medical thing, bar code. Every injection (flu shot anyone?) bar code. Donate blood? That is given a bar code and it traces right back to you. The problem with this - what makes it an abomination to the Lord? Why is the bar code deserving of the wrath of God? Not being a christian, I have no idea. I read the bible, and though this will likely be blasphemous to you guys, I think the whole thing is nuts. Nobody can answer even one of my questions. It seems to me that for being God, He sure does things the hard way. He is God. Why go to all this trouble? I am trying to learn and all I am finding is less and less ability to believe this stuff. I can read a Stephen King book and say "it could be this way", but I cannot say that about the bible. I'm not trying to stir the pot, just trying to toss out a guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebula Posted January 13, 2011 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 5,823 Topics Per Day: 0.76 Content Count: 45,870 Content Per Day: 5.95 Reputation: 1,897 Days Won: 83 Joined: 03/22/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/19/1970 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Not being a christian, Oh, I'm sorry. I did not know this. Well, reading prophecy is like watching a dream. One thing to consider is the difference between a lesson taught point blank with no mysteries versus a story - like The Little Boy That Cried Wolf. Which has the more lasting impact? The Bible teaches through stories more than anything point blank. Prophecy is similar. It has meanings that go beyond the meanings. But people are so caught up with trying to predict the future that they miss the mystery which is meant to be revealed through it. I'm sure that sounds bizarre, but I have found that this is the way it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest man Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 But people are so caught up with trying to predict the future that they miss the mystery which is meant to be revealed through it. Everybody wants to be a prophet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest man Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I read the bible, and though this will likely be blasphemous to you guys, I think the whole thing is nuts. Nobody can answer even one of my questions. It seems to me that for being God, He sure does things the hard way. He is God. Why go to all this trouble? I am trying to learn and all I am finding is less and less ability to believe this stuff. I can read a Stephen King book and say "it could be this way", but I cannot say that about the bible. I'm not trying to stir the pot, just trying to toss out a guess. Take some time and read Matthew, chapters 5,6, and 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other one Posted January 13, 2011 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 29 Topic Count: 598 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 56,127 Content Per Day: 7.56 Reputation: 27,855 Days Won: 271 Joined: 12/29/2003 Status: Online Share Posted January 13, 2011 But people are so caught up with trying to predict the future that they miss the mystery which is meant to be revealed through it. Everybody wants to be a prophet. Not me.... I do like to point out what's happening, but I've seen how people are treated who speak for God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdktlk Posted January 13, 2011 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 282 Content Per Day: 0.06 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/30/2010 Status: Offline Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 We read, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." Then we see, "And His disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist." (Mat 17:10-13) In this respect prophecy is written for our enlightenment so that we may be able to see that which has happened, is happening and will happen so that we might be able to stand in the evil day. But, we must see it correctly, not as the scribes saw it. What say you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdktlk Posted January 13, 2011 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 282 Content Per Day: 0.06 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/30/2010 Status: Offline Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 But people are so caught up with trying to predict the future that they miss the mystery which is meant to be revealed through it. Everybody wants to be a prophet. Having thought about the first horse, the "white" horse, can you see the second horse, the "red" horse in Scripture? Yours in Christ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest man Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 But people are so caught up with trying to predict the future that they miss the mystery which is meant to be revealed through it. Everybody wants to be a prophet. Having thought about the first horse, the "white" horse, can you see the second horse, the "red" horse in Scripture? Yours in Christ I'm still working on the white horse. If the Holy Spirit is represented by the first white horse, what is He conquering? He's not conquering sin, because that's still here. He's not conquering death, because that's still here too. On what do you base your beliefs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdktlk Posted January 13, 2011 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 11 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 282 Content Per Day: 0.06 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/30/2010 Status: Offline Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 But people are so caught up with trying to predict the future that they miss the mystery which is meant to be revealed through it. Everybody wants to be a prophet. Having thought about the first horse, the "white" horse, can you see the second horse, the "red" horse in Scripture? Yours in Christ I'm still working on the white horse. If the Holy Spirit is represented by the first white horse, what is He conquering? He's not conquering sin, because that's still here. He's not conquering death, because that's still here too. On what do you base your beliefs? I had said that he is conquering the hearts of men. He most definitely conquered mine, and yours I'm sure. He is indeed bringing to a completion the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ in that He causes us to be, "...more than conquerors through him that loved us..." (Rom 8:14-39) He is even now subduing the world, the flesh and the devil to bring to a final conclusion that which the Lord accomplished on the cross. Though we do not see all things yet brought into subjection unto Him, we do see Jesus... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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