What did Nebuchadnezzar command people to
worship? Daniel 3:4-6
Fall down and worship the
NOTE: An image was erected on the plain of Dura
(see lesson 5 ). Those who refused to bow down and worship the image were
to be thrown into a "blazing furnace." Here was an attempt by
Nebuchadnezzar to force people to worship false gods and break the
commandment of God that forbade bowing down to images. The issue was
clearly false worship and disobedience to the commandments of God.
What was Daniel prohibited from doing in the
crisis of Daniel 6? Daniel 6:7
Anyone who
NOTE: While in Daniel 3 there was an inducement
to false worship, in Daniel 6 there was a command that prohibits
genuine worship. Daniel is not allowed to even pray to his God. In the
crisis that will come to God's people in the time of the end, both
issues will be present. At first the authorities will attempt to induce
them to false worship. When that fails, the authorities will eventually
prohibit the true worship of God. The conflicts in the book of Daniel
will be repeated in the end time. The book of Revelation contains the
startling details.
THE BEAST IN
REVELATION 13
Describe the beast in Revelation 13. Revelation 13:1-2
It "resembled a
NOTE: Revelation 13:1-10 primarily
describes the papal system as it operated during the Dark Ages. The
beasts mentioned here are the same as Daniel's beasts in Chapter 7 (see
lesson 9 and 12 ).
What happened to the papacy at the end of the
Dark Ages? Revelation 13:3, 10
One of the heads of the beast seemed to have
had a
NOTE: In 1798 Berthier, the French general
under Napoleon, took the pope prisoner on order of the French
revolutionary government, thus inflict the deadly wound.
What was to happen to the papacy after he
received a deadly wound? Revelation 13:3
But the fatal wound had been
NOTE: After receiving the deadly wound in 1798,
the papacy was to be revived. Eventually the whole world would follow
this revived papacy. Revelation 13:11-18 adds some very
significant details, however. It points out that this revived papacy
will not stand alone. It predicts that another power would join with it
to force people into worshiping the first beast, the papacy.
Describe the second beast that John sees in
Revelation 13. Revelation 13:11
coming out of the He had two horns like a he spoke like a
Where did the first beast come from? Revelation 13:1 What do the seas represent? Revelation 17:15
,
multitudes, nations and languages.
NOTE: The first beast rose out of the sea; the
second beast rose out of the earth. The seas represent multitudes of
people; the earth represents sparsely populated areas of the earth.
How does John describe the second beast? Revelation 13:11
He had two horns like a
NOTE: A lamb is a symbol of innocence and
freedom. In its beginning this second beast would appear to be an
innocent, freedom-loving nation, but eventually it will speak as a
dragon. The Bible characterizes this second beast as a power that
arises around 1798 in a new sparsely populated country, instead of
arising out of the teaming multitudes of the Old World. In its
beginnings it is lamb-like, innocent and freedom-loving, but eventually
it will speak as a dragon. Only one power on earth meets these
specifications -- The United States of America. Here we find in
Revelation the same power we discovered in Daniel as the Feet of Iron
and Clay in Chapter 2 and the King of the North in Chapter 11, verse
40. Certainly we can be thankful for America and the great freedoms it
allows, but the Bible predicts the time will come when America will no
longer be the freedom-loving nation that has characterized its first
two hundred years of existence. The second phase of the feet will be
like the second phase of the iron legs, America will speak as a dragon.
Whose power does the United States exercise,
and what does it cause people to do? Revelation 13:12
He exercised all the authority of the And made the earth and its inhabitants
NOTE: The issue in this conflict is the same
issue that we have seen throughout the book of Daniel, the issue of
true worship versus false worship. The first beast persecuted those who
disagreed with it. The second beast will likewise persecute dissenters
in its attempt to force people to worship this first beast, the papacy,
whose deadly wound is now healed.
What does the second beast do in order to
convince the world to worship the first beast? Revelation 13:13, 14
And he performed great and miraculous
NOTE: Through false signs and wonders and
miracles, the United States and its people will join hands with the
revived papal apostasy and convince the world that they have God's
truth because of all the miracles being performed.
What does the second beast create as a result
of all these miracles? Revelation 13:14
He ordered them to set up an
NOTE: An image is a likeness. The beast power
was a union of church and state, which persecuted those who disagreed.
An image to the beast would therefore be an American cooperation of
Church and State that will persecute those who disagree. The Religious
Right and the Saving of America are signs of the times.
What does the image of the beast proclaim
will be done to those who do not worship it? Revelation 13:15 What does this revived papal-American union
now impose on people? Revelation 13:16 What happens to those who do not receive this
mark? Revelation 13:17
So that no one could
NOTE: This second beast, which we now see to be
a coalition of American religious and political leaders with a revived
papal apostasy, will seek to persecute those who disagree with it. It
will impose the mark of the beast, with all its economic restrictions,
and ultimately will attempt to execute the death penalty upon those who
do not worship this power. To worship the beast does not mean a person
needs to join the beast power. One only has to bow in humble obeisance
to the authority of the beast power, thereby worship the beast.
THE MARK OF
THE BEAST What does the papacy think it has the ability
to do? Daniel 7:25
And try to change the set
NOTE: History bears out that the Roman church
indeed did try to change the times and the laws by attempting to change
God's sacred seventh-day Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. She did this
not by authority of Jesus or the Bible, but by her own authority (see lesson 17 ).
Does the Roman church
agree with history about the change of the Sabbath? [click here]
NOTE: Since the Roman Church so clearly
fulfills the identifying marks of the beast and the little horn
delineated in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13, even admitting to attempting
to change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday, it becomes very clear
that the Roman Church is the beast of Revelation 13.
If the Roman Church is the beast, then the mark
of the beast would be the mark or sign of the authority of the Roman
Church. If we wish to discover what the mark of the beast is, we simply
have to ask the Roman Church what is the mark of its authority and
power.
What does the Roman Church claim as the mark
of her authority and power?
"Of course the Catholic Church claims that
the change (from Sabbath to Sunday) was her act ... And the act is a
mark of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters."
Reply to a letter dated October 28, 1894 and addressed from Cardinal
Gibbons by Chancelor C. F. Thomas. "It was the Catholic Church which ...
transferred this rest to the Sunday ... Thus the observance of Sunday
by the protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to
the authority of the (Catholic) church." Plain Talk About Protestantism
of Today, p. 213, Monsignor Louis Segur.
NOTE: What a bold admission! The bible
indicates that the Roman Church is the beast. The beast says her mark
of authority is her ability to change the Sabbath from Saturday to
Sunday. Thus, the mark of the beast is the Roman Church's attempt to
change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. This she claims to be the
mark of her authority and power. When Revelation 13 describes a time
when no man is able to buy or sell unless he has the mark of the beast,
it is talking about the United States enforcing Sunday-keeping by
legislation in order to Save America. People will worship and bow to
the authority of the Roman Church. Please note that no one has the mark
of the beast today. It is yet to come. But when it comes, God's people
must resist it. To keep the mark of the beast is to fail to keep God's
sacred Sabbath, the sign of our relationship with God. To the people of
God, a relationship with Him is more important than obedience to the
beast.
THE SEAL OF
GOD What is to be placed in the foreheads of
God's servants before these final climactic events take place? Revelation 7:2, 3 Where are the servants of God sealed? Revelation 7:3 What does God write in our foreheads, or
minds? Hebrews 8:10
I will put my
NOTE: If God writes his law in our minds, and
the seal of God is placed in the mind, then if follows logically that
the seal of God is found in the law.
Every seal of any government official or any
seal on any legal document has three essential parts:
The person's name, The person's title, and The person's dominion.
God's seal likewise must have His name, title
and dominion.
Where is the seal of God found in God's law? Exodus 20:8-11
For in six days the
NOTE:
The word "LORD" in the NIV is God's name
(sometimes translated as Jehovah or Yaweh). His title is Lord or God. His dominion is heaven and earth, etc.
Amazingly, God has placed His seal in the
Sabbath commandment, just as the beast has put his mark on the Sunday
commandment.
The saints are sealed in their minds with the
seal of God, indicating that by spending this quality time with God in
Sabbath-keeping, they have developed a deep personal relationship with
Jesus. Those who have such a deep personal relationship will be able to
resist the imposition of the mark of the beast.
What warning does God give concerning the
mark of the beast? Revelation 14:9, 10
If anyone
NOTE This is the most severe warning in all the
Bible, the warning against the mark of the beast. Clearly God does not
want anyone to receive this mark. The beast power threatens people with
death if they do not receive the mark of the beast. God warns that
people who receive the mark of the beast will suffer eternal death.
Here all the issues foretold in the book of
Daniel come together. The whole world is forced to make a decision
regarding obedience to God and the worship of God, or obedience to the
beast and the worship of the beast. This is not just a question between
Saturday and Sunday. The day we keep is only the outward symbol. The
real issue is, who is the supreme person in your life, Christ or
anti-Christ, Jesus or the beast? The day we honor and keep in this
final crisis will reveal who is the supreme authority over our lives.
The Sabbath is not a minor issue, because the real issue over the
Sabbath is our relationship with God. To God's people, nothing is more
important than their relationship with God. That's why they refuse to
worship the beast and receive this mark.
When faced with a similar command by
Nebuchadnezzar, how did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego respond? Daniel 3:16-18
The God were serve is
NOTE: The events of ancient Babylon have close
parallels to the events under the imposition of the mark of the beast.
God's people in both cases were threatened with death if they did not
worship the image. But Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego declared boldly
that whether God delivered them or not, they would not worship the
image. In the last days when the mark of the best is inflicted, God's
people, like the three Hebrews, will make the same decision. Whether
God delivers them or not is unimportant. They have settled the issue.
God is supreme authority in their lives, and nothing can swerve them
from obedience to God and the worship of God, even if they are
threatened with death.
Who holds supreme authority you your life?
And how do you show what you believe?
