As a youngster growing up in a Christian home and attending Christian Private Schools, I did not fully understand \"The things of the simple will confound the wise.\" I believe that the reason there is so much confusion in the Christian World regarding the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures is because God calls upon or commands man to do one thing and man goes and does what he wants to do. As a result I believe that there are many that have become reprobate minds. The issue is one simply of obedience. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (2 Tim 3:8 KJV) They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (Titus 1:16 KJV) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (2 Th 2:11 KJV) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Th 2:12 KJV) There is an extraterrestrial war going on. And the contestants are Jesus Christ and Satan. (Rev 12:7-9, Matt 4:8-10) It may also be worth noting that the 2 extraterrestrials (ET’s, as they are not from Earth) are conflicting over WORSHIP, not money or power. And since human being have to make allegiance with one or the other, what could a human being offer an extraterrestrial that already has everything. I think the only thing we could offer one or the other is WORSHIP…such as tell them how great they are. I think it is safe to say that their interest lies primarily in being WORSHIPED. Paul speaks about our having to align ourselves with one side or the other. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (Rom 6:16 KJV) There’s not doubt that mechanical devices such as chips connected to super computers will be used to enforce compliance to the beast. But neither is the chip nor super computers the mark of the beast referred to in the Bible. According to both the Bible (Rom 4:11) and the Dictionary, a mark is the same or synonymous as a sign or seal. It is simply the symbol or representation of someone\'s authority. All seals have 3 components: a) the person\'s name, b) their title and c) the domain over which they are sovereign. Example: Name: George W. Bush Title: President Domain: USA and its possessions Name: Elizabeth Stuart Title: Queen Domain: British Empire and its possessions Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. (Ezek 20:12 KJV) Name: The Lord Title: Creator Domain: The heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: (Exo 20:9 KJV) But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: (Exo 20:10 KJV) For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. (Exo 20:11 KJV) Jesus Christ foretold of an entity that would try to usurp His position as God on this earth… When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Mat 24:15 KJV) and as Daniel 7:25 put it, would seek to change times and law. (See Convert’s Catechism, Pg. 50 for the attempted changes in God’s Holy 10 Commandment Law) This is only one of 14 identifying characteristics ( www.pacinst.com/nslaw/chapter3/antichrist.html ) of this beast entity (or kingdom, Dan 7:23). No other entity in the world fits all 14 ID charictistics. 14 - POINTS OF IDENTITY OF THE PAPACY FROM THE BIBLE 1. Arises after the other horns Dan 7:24 2. Different from the first horns Dan 7:24, Rev 13:4 3. Subdues three kings Dan 7:8,20,24 4. Speaks great words and blasphemy against God Dan 7:25, Rev 13:6 5. Kills God’s true Christians Dan 7:25, Rev 13:7 6. Changes the times of God Dan 7:25 7. Changes the laws of God Dan 7:25 8. Reigns supreme for 1260 years Dan 7:25, Rev 13:5 9. Rises out of a populous area Rev 13:1 10. Receives a deadly wound Rev 13:3 11. Is healed of Deadly wound Rev 13:3 12. Is followed after by the whole world Rev 13:3 13. Is a world-wide, well-known church Rev 13:18 14. Has 666 for its number Rev 13:18 Paul goes even further stating… Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2 Th 2:3 KJV) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Th 2:4 KJV) It is also noteworthy to point out that the “Abomination of Desolation” in Mat 24:15, is a Hebrew expression which mean Anti-Christ. Now anti in this context does not only mean against, but rather it means substitute. In this context Jesus Christ was warning that there was an entity which was going to try to usurp Him and try to take His place as God on this earth. And the entity makes the following claim. “We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.” -Pope Leo XIII, in encyclical Letter, June 20, 1894 “The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ Himself, hidden under veil of flesh. -The Catholic National, July, 1895 I think this might be considered blaspheming to claim to be God when you are not…:) Just a little side note here… Since God, the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the sea and all that is in them is the one offering eternal life, it becomes somewhat difficult for me to reason that the Pope’s claim to be God is valid. Of course, when the Pope starts handing out eternal life, then he will surely attract my attention. But until then, I think I had better stay aligned with God the Creator, as it appears that He has the winning hand. The following is very interesting. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Dan 7:25 KJV) The he in Dan 7:25 is identified in Dan 7:23 as the 4th kingdom or world empire, Rome. And this entity would think to change times and laws. History records such an edict for the first change in the day of worship. All Christians, prophets of old, the disciples and Jesus Christ, prior to this edict worshipped on the 7th day Sabbath as God has commanded. “Let all the judges and town people, and the occupation of all trades rest on the venerable day of the sun” Edict of March 7, 321 A.D. Corpus Juris Civilis Cod., lib. 3, tit. 12, Lex 3. And the entity owns up to and claims the change. \"SUNDAY is our MARK of authority!\"...\"THE CHURCH IS ABOVE THE BIBLE\", and this transference of Sabbath observance is PROOF of that fact.\" The Catholic Record - London, Ontario, Canada September 1, 1923 God’s 4th commandment, commanding the observance of the 7th day, is set in both time and law. Personally speaking, if I was going to mess around trying to change God’s Holy Laws, written by His own finger twice, the only hard copy man’s has directly from the hand of God, I would be very reticent to mess with the one that deals with the very thing extraterrestrials seem to like best, WORSHIP. I would be inclined to leave that one alone. Now here is truly 1) who the beast is, and 2) what his mark of authority is according to the bible, according to history and according to his own claim from his publications. It is very important to become very clear on this point because the wrath of God poured out into His cup of indignation… (Rev 12:9) is hanging in the balance. This is no difference of requirement than there was with the 10th plague that was reigned down upon Egypt. The requirement was that the blood of a lamb without spot or blemish had to be on the doorpost when the destroying angel passed by, otherwise the first born of both the humans and animals were killed. It is un-thinkable that a loving God would hold our feet to fire of a warning with such a harsh punishment un-tempered with mercy and not give us clear understanding as how to avoid it. On the contrary, He has made His warning very clear. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man WORSHIP the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, (Rev 14:9 KJV) The same shall drink of the wine of the WRATH of God, which is poured out WITHOUT MIXTURE into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: (Rev 14:10 KJV) Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have SEALED the servants of our God IN THEIR FOREHEADS. (Rev 7:3 KJV) And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but ONLY THOSE MEN which HAVE NOT THE SEAL of God in their foreheads. (Rev 9:4 KJV) Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a SIGN (SEAL) between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. (Ezek 20:12 KJV) It appears that only non-7th day Sabbath keepers, (those who don’t have the seal of God in their foreheads) will be recipients of the 7 last plagues. But it is the adversary… Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Pet 5:8 KJV) has tried to obscure it through deception. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which DECEIVETH the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Rev 12:9 KJV) Isn’t it interesting that Jesus Christ And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as HIS CUSTOM WAS, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. (Luke 4:16 KJV) We know that 7th day Sabbath keeping was His custom because we know that His parents Joseph and Mary were Jews who kept the Sabbath. So Jesus Christ lived 33 years on this earth, that’s 1,716 weeks. This is a most profound and impressive personal example by the Master Himself for the keeping of the 7th day Sabbath, His Holy Sign or Seal. And Jesus makes some statements that are surely worth keeping in mind. If ye love me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15 KJV) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and THEY FOLLOW ME: (John 10:27 KJV) Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Mark 7:7 KJV) For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. (Mark 7:8 KJV) And He said unto them, Full well YE REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, that ye may KEEP YOUR OWN TRADITION. (Mark 7:9 KJV) Then right at the end of the 2nd commandment He tells us how he is going to deal with commandment breakers and commandment keepers. (I can understand why the beast would want to change this one.) …visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; (Exo 20:5 KJV) And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. (Exo 20:6 KJV) Well, I don’t know about anybody else, but I don’t want any angry God visiting my iniquity. I can just hear Him now at judgment day asking me…Ron, what part of thou shalt not didn’t you understand. What kind of an answer could I possibly give Him? Now most of the Christian world is alright with keeping 9 of the commandments, but when it comes to the 4th commandment, they want to say that they are not required to keep it any longer because the commandments were nailed to the cross. Well if they were, then its alright to go out and rob and bank and steal or kill somebody in the process of the robbery or commit adultery or lie. Either the 10 commandments are yet all valid or they are all invalid. We can’t have it both ways. James says they’re all valid. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10 KJV) Now here comes another problem. If you eliminate the 7th day Sabbath from the 10 commandments as most of the Christian world has done, you won’t know what God you are serving. Surely you will not be serving and WORSHIPING the God that created the Heavens, the Earth, the Sea and ALL that is in them (Exo 20:11), because the 4th commandment is the only one that identifies the God that performed the creation. Now has Satan surely twisted us to death with deception in an effort to get us not to worship our Creator on the Day He commanded us to? And we know from Cain’s experience that God is not stupid. He told him exactly what He wanted of him. But no, Cain thought he could just bring God the works of his hands, the fruits of the ground and God would accept it. Well, God isn’t stupid, He did know the difference and He did not accept Cain’s sacrifice offering. How can we then be so naïve and so deceived to believe that God is yet so stupid today, that He doesn’t know the difference between the 1st day and 7th day. When He says keep the 7th day, we say no. By the tradition of man (the Catholic Church) we’ll keep the Sun-day (as in the sun god Ra) and it’ll be alright, God won’t mind. We’ll just keep in honor of His resurrection. Well, He didn’t command us to. He commanded us to keep the 7th day Sabbath. Then there’s the problem. Satan really has us bamboozled with time. We don’t even tell time the way God does. Genesis 1 says that earth was void and darkness was on the face of the deep. Then, He said let there be light. So which was first? Yes, darkness was first, and light came second, not the other way around nor from 12am – 11:59PM. When you use God’s method of telling time you don’t need a clock. When the sun goes down the day begins. And He said the Evening and the Morning were the first day. And the Evening and the Morning were the 2nd day, and so were all the other days. (Gen 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31). Always the evening first half of the day and then the morning the second half of the day. And He further says … from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath. (Lev 23:32 KJV). Now sadly most so called Christians are not going to embrace this truth. Jesus said… And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world FOR A WITNESS unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Mat 24:14 KJV) But He didn’t say everybody would accept it. If fact He said that most would not accept it. They would rather do their own thing instead of His. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Mark 7:7 KJV) For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. (Mark 7:8 KJV) And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. (Mark 7:9 KJV) And He further stated that the results would be disastrous most simply weren’t going to make it, out of choice mind you. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (Mat 7:13 KJV) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Mat 7:14 KJV) Let’s take a look at how God has personally treated the Sabbath: 1. He personally established it at the end of Creation week. (Gen 2:3) 2. He (God Almighty) came personally down to earth out of Heaven and spoke it along with the rest of the 10 commandments to Moses on Mt. Sinai. (Deu 10:4; Deu 4:12-13) 3. He then wrote in stone twice, the only HARD COPY man has directly from the hand of God. God did not personally write any other scripture. (Exo 34:1; Deu 10:2) 4. He demonstrated it again in human form over 1,700 times over a life of 33 years. (Luke 4:16) 5. He said that in the new earth from one Sabbath to another ALL FLESH shall come to WORSHIP before Him. (Isa 66:22-23) Now if a person is going to follow Jesus Christ what is he going to do? John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and THEY FOLLOW ME: I choose to do the same, as did Joshua. …but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Josh 24:15 KJV)