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Prophets : Wolves - False Prophets - Teachers - Spiritual Leaders
666 - Mark of the Beast / Anti-Christ
The Christian church needs to wake up ! You need to read the scriptures for yourself and not just sit in the pews being spoon fed, naively trusting that your minister is preaching correct doctrine.
The Lord Jesus Christ warned His followers, "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheepʼs clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matt. 7:15). The warning was important because Jesus later said to them: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves" (Matt. 10:16). The apostle Paul, with tears and a deeply troubled spirit, penned a similar warning: " Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. " (Acts 20:28-31).
Throughout church history these warnings have seldom been taken seriously. Christians continue to be deceived because they can not discern truth from error. According to Webster's Dictionary "deceive" means "to lead astray or to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid." Could it be the church has not only lost its ability to discern truth from error but also to discern wolves from sheep? - Beware of Wolves in Sheep's Clothing by Mike Gendron. http://proclaimingthegospel.org/equip/articles/30-beware-of-wolve-s-in-sheep-s-clothingThe Bible tells us that there will be many false teachers just before Christ returns who will introduce false doctrines.
2 Timothy 3:1-5, 12; 4:1-4
3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. . . 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. . . 4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.To take "the mark" is eternally fatal. It is an end time decision that cannot be reversed. It is a guarantee of eternal separation from God. Once taken there is no 2nd chance - no repenting from this decision.
The number 666 [Mark of the Beast] will be a clue for those who are alive during the Tribulation. It will be a sign that the end has come. It will be required to buy or sell. Those who do not accept the sign will probably die of hunger or be hunted down and killed. It will be a serious decision to make.
Those who accept the sign will be supportive of the Anti-Christ and the other world rulers. They will end up on the side against God. Those who reject the device or marking will be considered traitors, but they will be on God's side. The Tribulation will be a war between God and world governments.
The right decision will be to reject the sign, believe in Jesus Christ, and prepare for death. - Bible Questions and Answers http://www.neverthirsty.org/pp/corner/read1/r005331.html
The Beast out of the Sea [Anti-Christ]
13 Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. 2 This beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon [Satan: Revelations 12: 3, 9] gave the beast his own power and throne and great authority.
3 I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery—but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance to the beast. 4 They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they also worshiped the beast. “Who is as great as the beast?” they exclaimed. “Who is able to fight against him?”
5 Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months [3 1/2 years]. 6 And he spoke terrible words of blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling—that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. 8 And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made—the Book that belongs to the Lamb [Jesus: the Lamb of God - John 1: 1-5 9-14] who was slaughtered.
9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. 10 Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison. Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword.
This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.
The Beast out of the Earth
11 Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching. 14 And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. 15 He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.
16 He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. 17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. 18 Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.
New Living Translation (NLT)
The Three Angels
6 And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.”
8 Then another angel followed him through the sky, shouting, “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen—because she made all the nations of the world drink the wine of her passionate immorality.”
9 Then a third angel followed them, shouting, “Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand 10 must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. 11 The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.”
12 This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”
New Living Translation (NLT)
The Song of Moses and of the Lamb
1Then I saw in heaven another marvelous event of great significance. Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God’s wrath to completion. 2 I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire [glass sea before the throne of God]. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them. 3 And they were singing the song of Moses[Old Testament], the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb [New Testament]:
“Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations. 4 Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”
New Living Translation (NLT)
1 Then I heard a mighty voice from the Temple say to the seven angels, “Go your ways and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.”
2 So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl on the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue.
New Living Translation (NLT)
The Rider on the White Horse [Jesus]
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God [John 1: ]. 14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. 15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. 16 On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, shouting to the vultures flying high in the sky: “Come! Gather together for the great banquet God has prepared. 18 Come and eat the flesh of kings, generals, and strong warriors; of horses and their riders; and of all humanity, both free and slave, small and great.”
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies.
New Living Translation (NLT)
The Thousand Years
4 Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.[1Peter 2: 5,9, Revelations 1:6; 5:10]
from article Mark of the Beast
http://deeptruths.com/posters/mark_of_the_beast.html
John further predicts [through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the book of Revelation] that the man who will control this system, referred to as the Antichrist, will be possessed by Satan. The dragon [Devil] gave him [the Beast/Antichrist] his power and his throne and great authority (Revelation 13:2; 12:9). He will end up "ruling" the world, controlling it by forcing everyone to accept a mark: He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark on their right hand, or on their foreheads: and that no one may buy or sell except one that has the mark or the name of [the Antichrist] or the number of his name (Revelation 13:16-17). In order to make it all acceptable, this program will be disguised as a technological breakthrough for the benefit of everyone.
The coming world leader will also demand the world's worship; not only because he has a severe ego problem, but also because he will be possessed by the Devil. You see, this is what Satan is really after when he causes his puppet, the Beast/Antichrist, to set up the one world credit system: To force the people of the world to bow down and worship him. This sounds a little farfetched, but the Bible warns: If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead, or on his hand, the same shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God. (Revelation 14:9-10).
Now come on," you might say, "God would not give such a severe punishment for simply accepting an identification and credit mark that allows you to buy your groceries, would He?" Well, here's the issue: voluntarily receiving the mark will primarily be a spiritual decision to worship the demonic Antichrist and accept his power over you, so it is a serious decision.
These will be very difficult times for those who don't accept the mark, because they will get persecuted by the Antichrist's government. But no worries, because God will intervene when Jesus Christ returns to rescue His people and defeat the forces of evil. In the words of John, Those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands ... lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4). Smooth ending, isn't it?
So when you see a world government arise and its leader demanding your allegiance, and even your worship, don't fall for it. No matter what they try to entice you with, or however they threaten you to take their "mark," give worship to the one true God, your Creator, Who loves and cares for you. Only He can and will see you through the days ahead if you put your trust in Him.
Some of the above may astonish you, but it's God's truth as revealed in the Bible. Countless Biblical prophecies have already been accurately and specifically fulfilled, so you can be sure that these predictions of the future will be as well! You can prepare for the exciting days ahead by receiving Jesus into your heart. Simply pray,
Father God,
I come to You just as I am. There is nothing I can do to earn salvation. I know that I am a sinner and I ask Your forgiveness for all the wrong, in thought, word and deed, that I have ever done.
Wash me clean with the precious, life-giving blood of Jesus Christ, Your Son. I believe He took my sin upon Himself and died on the cross for me. And I believe that He was raised from the dead, giving me power over my enemy, Satan.
I want to turn from my sins. I don't understand everything about being a Christian, but I invite You to come into my heart and life.
I ask for the powerful indwelling of Your Holy Spirit to strengthen me and to guide and teach me. I will read my Bible and pray to seek Your truth so that I will know You and Your love better and so I will understand what sin is, so that I stop doing the things that grieve You.
Jesus, I will trust and follow You as my Lord [these means obeying Christ, not just believing] and Savior. With the help of The Holy Spirit, I will strive, daily, to walk in obedience with You.
Thank You, Father, for Your gift of restoration and eternal life.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
Now, tell someone about your decision to be a Christian. Jesus tells us that this is important: “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven."- Matthew 10: 32-33
Now be baptized, as an adult who has made this decision for yourself.
And remember, take the time to chat daily with the Lord - This is prayer. It doesn't have to be fancy - just honest and from the heart !"
Project Bluebeam, Demons and the Mark of the Beast
