SABBATH IN PROPHECY Flashcards
SIP1) Does the Bible predict that an attempt to change the Lord’s holy day, the seventh day Sabbath would occur?
Yes. long ago God predicted that, from within the church itself, misguided men would arise who would think to attempt to change GOD’s holy law.
Daniel 7:25
Acts 20:28-30
There is only one commandment that is both a time and a law as described in Daniel 7:25. That is the 4th commandment to keep the Sabbath holy.
Exodus 20:8-11
SIP2) Who does the Bible identify as responsible for thinking to change the 7th day Sabbath?
According to Daniel 7:25, the Little Horn Anti-Christ is the responsible party. In the Bible’s prophetic book of Daniel, God lists manyidentifying characteristics of the little hornwho would ‘think to change’ God’s law.
The Bible’s identifying points clearly implicate the Roman Catholic church as this organization. Infact, you can even find the answer to this question by looking at the many statements made by the church and its leadership.
“The Catholic Church designated Sunday as the day for corporate worship and gets full credit – or blame – for the change.” This Rock, The Magazine of Catholic Apologetics and Evangelization, p.8, June 1997
“The Church, on the other hand, after changing the day of rest from the Jewish Sabbath, or seventh day of the week, to the first, made the Third Commandment refer to Sunday as the day to be kept holy as the Lord’s Day.” The Catholic Encyclopedia,
‘Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act. And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters.’ C. F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons, in answer to a letter regarding the change of the Sabbath, November 11, 1895.
SIP3) Is it important that we keep GOD’S 7th Day Sabbath?
Yes! According to the 3 Angels Messages, found in Revelation, which is God’s Final Warning Messages to the Earth it is important. In God’s final warning messages to the world we find a call to worship the Creator.
Revelation 14:6-7
The call to worship in Revelation 14:7 brings us back to the Sabbath Commandment which GOD set aside for holy purposes.
Exodus 20:8-11
Throughout the scriptures we can see an emphasis on the recognition of GOD as the Creator.
Revelation 4:11
Psalms 96:4-5
Psalms 121:2
By keeping the Sabbath holy, as He commanded us, we show our love for Him and give recognition of His authority in our lives.
1 John 5:1
SIP4) Does it matter who we worship or how we worship GOD?
Yes. The battle or Cosmic Controversy is over worship. In John chapter 4 the woman at the well asked Jesus the same question. Jesus responded: “ true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth”
John 4:23-24
God issues a strong warning in Revelation 14 clarifiying that we should “worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”
Revelation 14:7
This strong warning is needed because the devil has deceived almost the entire world into accepting his substitute and thus multitudes worship or obey him rather than the Creator.
Revelation 13:3-4
Remember Cain, he chose to worship GOD his way as opposed to GOD’S way.
Genesis 4: 3-5
SIP5) Can we know who the Little Horn of Daniel 7 and the beast of Revelation 13 really are?
Yes, we can, they are one in the same.. It is important that we know, so we will not be deceived.
The Bible clearly says that those who worship the beast will be lost.
Revelation 14:9-10;
In the light of this most serious and solemn warning from God we must not listen to anyone who tells us that we can’t understand who the beast is or that it really doesn’t matter.
2 Timothy 4:3-4,
2 Corinthians 11:14-15
By letting the Bible interpret itself, comparing scripture with scripture, we can know exactly who the beast is. James 1:5
Isaiah 28:10-13
SIP6) What points are given in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 that identify the little horn anti-christ beast of the sea of Revelation 13
There are 9 points that can be made. Points 1 thru 3 are as follows:
Point [1] It rises from the sea (Daniel 7:1). It would rise from the sea (Revelation 13:1). The sea (or water) in prophecy refers to people or a populated area (Revelation 17:15). So the beast—antichrist—would arise amid the established nations of the then known world. The papacy arose in Western Europe, so it fits this point.
Point [2]
It is the composite of the four beasts in Daniel 7:2.
The four beasts of Daniel 7 are depicted as part of Antichrist, or the beast, because the papacy incorporated pagan beliefs and practices from all four empires. She clothed them in spiritual garb and spread them to the world as Christian teachings. Here is one of many supporting statements from history: “In a certain respect, she [the papacy] has copied her organization from that of the Roman Empire, has preserved and made fruitful the philosophical intuitions of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, borrowed from both Barbarians and the Byzantine Roman Empire, but always remains herself, thoroughly digesting all elements drawn from external sources.”1
1Andre Retif,The Catholic Spirit, trans. by Dom Aldhelm Dean, Vol. 88 ofThe Twentieth Century Encyclopedia of Catholicism(New York, Hawthorne Books, 1959), p. 85.
This point definitely fits the papacy.
Babylon
Lion-like beast (Daniel 7: 4)”Mouth of a lion”
(Revelation 13:2)
Medo-Persia Bearlike beast (Daniel 7:5)"Feet of a bear" (Revelation 13: 2)
Greece
Leopard-like beast (Daniel 7:6)”Like unto a leopard” (Revelation 13: 2)
Rome
Ten-horned beast (Daniel7: 7)”Having … ten horns” (Revelation 13: 1)
Point [3]
The dragon gives it power and authority (Daniel 7:2).
The beast must receive its power, seat (capital), and authority from the dragon (Revelation 13:2).
To identify the dragon, we go to Revelation chapter 12, where God’s end-time church is pictured as a pure woman. In prophecy, a pure woman represents God’s true people or church (Jeremiah 6:2 Isaiah 51:16). Revelation chapters 17 and 18, speak of fallen churches that are symbolized by a fallen mother and her fallen daughters. The pure woman is portrayed as pregnant and about to deliver. The dragon crouches nearby, hoping to “devour” the baby at birth. However, when the baby is born He evades the dragon, fulfills His mission, and then ascends to heaven. Obviously the baby is Jesus, whom Herod tried to destroy by killing all the babies in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16). So the dragon represents pagan Rome, of which Herod was a king. The power behind Herod’s plot was, of course, the devil (Revelation 12:7-9). Satan acts through various governments to accomplish his ugly work in this case, pagan Rome.
We will quote just two supportive references from history, though there are many: (1) “The Roman Church … pushed itself into the place of the Roman World-Empire, of which it is the actual continuation. …The Pope … is Caesar’s successor.”2(2) “The mighty Catholic Church was little more than the Roman Empire baptised. Rome was transformed as well as converted. The very capital of the old Empire became the capital of the Christian Empire. The office of Pontifex Maximus was continued in that of Pope.”3So this point also fits the papacy. She received her capital city and power from pagan Rome.
SIP7) What are points 4 thru 6 that identity the sea beast of Revelation 13?
Point [4]
It receives a deadly wound (Daniel 7:3).
It would receive a deadly wound (Revelation 13:3).
The deadly wound was inflicted when Napoleon’s general, Alexander Berthier, entered Rome and took Pope Pius VI captive in February of 1798. Napoleon decreed that at the death of the pope, the papacy would be discontinued. The pope died in France in August of 1799. “Half Europe thought … that without the Pope the Papacy was dead.”4So this point also fits the papacy.
4Joseph Rickaby, “The Modern Papacy,”Lectures on the History of Religion, Lecture 24, (London: Catholic Truth Society, 1910), p. 1.
Point [5]
Its deadly wound is healed (Daniel 7:3).
The deadly wound would be healed, and the entire world would give homage to the beast (Revelation 13:3).
Since its healing, the strength of the papacy has grown. Today she is one of the most powerful religious-political organizations and influence centers in the world.
The Pope is the most well-known person in our world. People of the world see him as a strong moral leader. Thousands of Catholics and non-Catholics throng to him when he visits other countries. In 2015, he spoke before a joint session of the U.S. Congress for the first time in history.
An American ambassador has said the Vatican is unmatched as a “listening post.”5 Papal structure is already prepared for worldwide control.
Clearly, the wound is healing and the eyes of the nations are upon the Vatican, fitting the prophecy of the Bible.
Point [6]
It is a strong political and religious power (Daniel 7:3, 7:7-8). (Revelation 13:3,7,8)
SIP8) what are points 7 thru 10 that identify the sea beast of Revelation 13?
Point [7]
It is guilty of blasphemy (Daniel 7:1, 7:5, 7:6).
It would be guilty of blasphemy (Revelation 13:5-6 ).
The papacy is guilty of blasphemy because her priests claim to forgive sins and her popes claim to be Christ.
Point [8]
It wars with and overcomes the saints (Daniel 7:7).
It would war with and persecute the saints (Revelation 13:7).
The papacy did persecute and destroy millions of saints during the Dark Ages.
Point [9]
It rules for 42 months (Daniel 7:5).
It would reign for 42 months (Revelation 13:5).
The papacy reigned for 42 prophetic months, which equals 1,260 years, from A.D. 538-1798
Point [10]
It has a mysterious number—666 (Daniel 7:18).
It would have the mysterious number 666 (Revelation 13:18).
This verse says, “It is the number of a man,” and Revelation 15:2 refers to “the number of his name.” What man do you think of when you think of the papacy? Naturally, we think of the pope. What is his official name? Here is a Catholic quote: “The title of the pope of Rome is Vicarius Filii Dei” (English: “Vicar of the Son of God”).
Malachi Martin, in The Keys of This Blood, uses the same title for the pope on page 114. A footnote for Revelation 13:18 in some Douay versions of the Bible it reads, “The numeral letters of his name shall make up this number.” When we total up the Roman numeral value of the letters of the name it equals 666. Again, the papacy fits the identification point. The beast with the “mark” is the papacy. No other power in history could possibly fit these 10 divine descriptive points.
SIP9) What is the seal or sign of GOD’S authority?
The Sabbath is called a “sign” between God and His people in the Bible (Exodus 31:13, 17;Ezekiel 20:12). It identifies God’s people as being sanctified or set apart by God.
Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). The Sabbath today is still a commandment and an identifying sign of God’s people.
Another occasion of marking or identifying people is found in the book of Ezekiel where God tells one with a writer’s inkhorn, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it” (Ezekiel 9:4). This mark identified those who obeyed God and mourned over the sins of the city.
What is the location of the markof the beast on a person?
The account in Revelation says those who receive the mark of the beast will receive it “on their right hand or on their foreheads” (Revelation 13:16). Many people think it will be some kind of physical mark in or on one’s skin, and this certainly could be. Yet because the book of Revelation employs many symbols, we must also consider the possibility that these references to the “right hand” and “forehead” are symbolic. If so, what do they mean?
If we hold to and practice the faith of Jesus and keep the commandments of God, we can reject the mark of the beast. In the Bible, the right hand can represent our actions, works and labor. The forehead can symbolize the inner beliefs, the intellect and what is in the mind. The mark of the beast is thus related to what we believe in our mind and what we do with our hands.
Compare this withDeuteronomy 6:8, where God commanded ancient Israel to bind the commandments “as a sign on your hand, and … as frontlets between your eyes.” The connection between our thoughts and our actions is a good explanation of faith. In the Bible the real “faith of Jesus” has two parts, belief and acting in faith on those beliefs.
How can one avoid the mark of the beast?
The Bible says the mark of the beast will be forced on an unsuspecting world before the return of Jesus Christ. This world will not realize it is following the teachings of a false religious system.
But God gives those who read the Bible and believe the Scriptures a clear choice. If we hold to and practice the faith of Jesus and keep the commandments of God, we can reject the mark of the beast.
Choosing to obey God will have consequences for those who reject the mark of the beast. But this is the choice we must make in order to please Godand to receive eternal life in the family of God.
SIP10) What is the Mark of the beast or the symbol of his authority?
The mark of the beast represents disobedience to God
The mark of the beast will separate people into two groups. One group will accept the mark and the other group will reject it. The apostle John writes, “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb’” (Revelation 14:9-10).
This shows great suffering will come on those who receive this mark of the beast.
In verse 12 we see the group of people who do not receive this mark. “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” This is speaking of the saints of God—all those who are obedient and faithful followers of Jesus Christ.
Throughout the Bible obeying God is a mark or sign of those who are God’s.
For example, in instructing the ancient Israelites how to observe His annual festival theDays of Unleavened Bread, God said this act of obedience to His law would “be as a sign to you on your hand” (Exodus 13:9).The apostle Paul reinforced this in telling the Christians in Corinth to continue to “keep the feast … with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8).
The mark of the beast thus represents disobedience to God’s commandments and rejection of the faith of Jesus.
The book of Revelation says that those who receive the mark will be subject to the seven last plagues, while the obedient saints are described as having attained “victory over the beast” (Revelation 15:2). These faithful people will be given eternal life and reign with Christ at His second coming (Revelation 20:4).
What is the mark of the beast?
As we’ve already seen, this specific sign determines who may officially transact business. One who has this identifying sign will be able to “buy and sell.” The Bible clearly explains the financial repercussions that will come based upon whether one has this mark or not. We also note that there is one commandment of God that is often closely connected to one’s ability to do business and that identifies God’s people. Of God’s 10 Commandments, the Fourth Commandment is the one most likely to affect one’s ability to work, earn a living and do business.
The command says, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God” (Exodus 20:8-10).
Most people think it does not make any difference what day one observes, but it does to God. In this age, it takes the “faith of Jesus” to avoid working on the Sabbath and to keep it holy.
What is a mark in the Bible?
The Greek wordcharagmainRevelation 14:9means “a scratch or etching, that is, stamp (as a badge of servitude)” (Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries). A mark is thus a brand or sign of identification.
