The Mark and the Image

[other one]

We should kind of wait till at least December and see if things have changed....   or ET's arrive to save human kind from itself.

[other one]

I have friends that were in Iraq when that war first started and they tell me that the tomb of Gilgamesh was discovered and the large things were removed from there......    we most likely have the body of Gilgamesh and many Bible scholars believe that He, Nimrod, Apollo and whatever the Egyptian name of that god was are all the same entity.

[tinyprayers]

On 2/2/2016 at 7:10 PM, missmuffet said:

I see a lot of people wanting to give Scripture their own meaning. That is dangerous. 

That's the side effect afforded the written word since the invention of the printing press.
You've never played the telephone game at parties?

[Last Daze]

I found this gem the other day that I think might help explain how the image of the beast will be a code of conduct that people will be required to obey.

• For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.  Romans 8:29a

Two questions:

1. What is the image of Jesus?
2. How do we conform to it?

I think we can all agree that conforming to the image of Jesus is talking about behavior, our worship of God in spirit and truth.  In like manner, conforming to (worshiping) the image of the beast is also about behavior, behavior that acknowledges the false prophet's dominion and claim to deity, behavior that worships him as God.

Just wanted to pass that along for those who might be interested.

[ytLiJC]

On 2/3/2016 at 12:50 AM, Last Daze said:

The mark and the image are always mentioned together.

• Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,"  Revelation 14:9
• and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand;  Revelation 20:4b

They are also together when they are introduced at the end of Revelation 13, and there are other passages that mention them both together as well.  It's safe to say that they are closely related if not inseparably so.  We also know enough about them that those who accept them are the objects of God's wrath, so it would be worth taking a look at what they are:

• the mark - something uniquely identified as belonging to the false prophet, either his name or the number of his name.  It will required to conduct financial transactions and is located either on the right hand or forehead.
• the image - something that people will be required to worship or they will be put to death.  Worship is lifestyle behavior and people will be required to live in accordance with what the image requires.

When looked at together, receiving the mark is a one-time event that aligns a person with the false prophet and worshipping the image is the ongoing lifestyle behavior that the image requires.  It is essentially an aggressive way for the false prophet to ferret out dissenters and keep people in line.  It is how he makes war on the saints, the great tribulation.

Believers are called on to persevere through this time and reject the mark and the image regardless of the consequences.  Many do and are martyred as a consequence.  After the great tribulation, when everyone has had an opportunity to respond to the "worship or die" ultimatum, the seven plagues are brought to bear on those who sided with the false prophet by taking his mark and worshipping the image.

The question is, can those who sided with the false prophet realize because of the plagues that they made a mistake and repent?  Can they cease to worship the image and be forgiven?  I think it's possible.  I've always been told that taking the mark seals one's fate but I don't find any support for that.  Those who do may not be counted among those who persevered by rejected the mark and the image but I still think they can yield to God's judgment of the first four trumpets and repent.  I realize that at some point in the plagues that people's hearts harden to the point of no repentance but that isn't until after the first four trumpets.

If you disagree and you think people can not repent after receiving the mark and worshipping the image then please explain why based on scripture.

• "Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,” declares the Lord God, “rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?"  Ezekiel 18:23

The 144,000 are mentioned just before, and are protected from, the seven plagues for a reason.

 

repentance is possible in principle, at least before it's too late, but we, who are christians, have also to take into consideration that we can also, and could also turn out to be some of those who, worship/serve the "beast" - after all, unrighteousness in the spiritual/religious practice is the "mark" of the "beast", and the other/second "beast" (a.k.a. "false prophet") is at least the satanic equivalent of the Holy Spirit itself, which tries to and could mislead religious worshipers in their hearts and minds

Blessings

[simplejeff]

3 minutes ago, ytLiJC said:

which tries to and could mislead religious worshipers in their hearts and minds

According to Scripture, thru and thru,  most all the world is misled (deceived, and doesn't turn to God to be saved).

 

[ytLiJC]

19 minutes ago, simplejeff said:

According to Scripture, thru and thru,  most all the world is mislead (deceived, and doesn't turn to God to be saved).

 

yes, but what is the meaning of the scriptural "world"?!

it is written that the world God created in six days is not unclean/sinful in and of itself (Genesis 1:31, Romans 14:14-20, 1 Corinthians 10:26, 1 Timothy 4:4) - so how is it possible that the world God created be unclean/sinful?! - there must be something that came and has manifested thereafter i.e. after God created the world, and that thing must be the one that in Scripture is called "world" in the negative sense of the word

Blessings

Edited January 14, 2018 by ytLiJC

[simplejeff]

1 minute ago, ytLiJC said:

 

yes, but what is the meaning of the scriptural "world"?!

it is written that the world God created in six days is not unclean/sinful in and of itself (Genesis 1:31, Romans 14:14-20, 1 Corinthians 10:26, 1 Timothy 4:4) - so how is it possible that the world God created be unclean/sinful?! - there must be something that appeared and has manifested thereafter i.e. after God created the world, and that thing must be the one that in Scripture is called "world" in the negative sense of the word

Blessings

Can a tree be deceived  ?  Or a river ?  Or a rock ?  Or a cloud ?   No.  No.  No.  No.

Can people be deceived ?  Yes.  That is their normal condition.  i.e. world = people,  society, nations,  opposed to God.

God's Word says people (society/ the world) is pernicious.  So evil it seeks to drag everyone down in sin every day. (and succeeds with the majority) ....  And it is a daily battle,  every day.   All over the world, and within each one spirit vs flesh always at war, for now.

[ytLiJC]

12 minutes ago, simplejeff said:

Can a tree be deceived  ?  Or a river ?  Or a rock ?  Or a cloud ?   No.  No.  No.  No.

Can people be deceived ?  Yes.  That is their normal condition.  i.e. world = people,  society, nations,  opposed to God.

God's Word says people (society/ the world) is pernicious.  So evil it seeks to drag everyone down in sin every day. (and succeeds with the majority) ....  And it is a daily battle,  every day.   All over the world, and within each one spirit vs flesh always at war, for now.

 

people have also been created by God, at least through the biological processes of pregnancy in the wombs of pregnant women; so let's again remember everything God creates is quite good and nothing of it is unclean/sinful in and of itself - so there must be something else, including, apart from humans as creatures/creations of God

Blessings

Edited January 14, 2018 by ytLiJC

[Guest]

are you sure the mark is a physical mark?

maybe?

The woman in red is the ROMAN CHURCH and the beast is he who sets her up in power again and the mark is sunday worship since the ROMAN CHURCH changed it from saturday. people who wont except sunday worship under one world religeon wont be able to buy or sell and will be labled terorists