Compliance or Embargo - Rumor notes 119

 Revelation 13

16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads; 17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.

that no one would be able to buy or to sell

So much could be said about this that could take days to unpack. Buying and selling lie at the very root, and permeates every aspect of Satan's counterfeit design of reality he invented while still in heaven as Lucifer. This involves the mindset and practice of trading, something never imagined before the beginnings of sin. Trading and commerce is a distortion of the principle of agape love which is unconditional with no strings attached, no expectations or obligations of a return. Trading by definition expects return on investments – ROI. Heaven's principle is expressed clearly this way:

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give. (Matthew 10:8)

But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God. (1 Corinthians 2:12)

This embargo action on the part of the collective hierarchy of this world's powers is the ultimate way to polarize and force everyone to conform to Satan's counterfeit system rooted in trading. The spirit of trading is the hallmark of Satan's handiwork, and at this point in history, participation in that system will be predicated on conformity, or at least acquiescence, to the spirit and methods of the dragon enforced by his henchmen. This is all embodied in receiving the mark, the mindset of the beast which is reflective of the mindset of the dragon who still insists he is the prince of this world.

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the abundance of her luxury."

The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise any more;

The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you, and all things that were dainty and sumptuous have perished from you, and you will find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, will stand far away for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning;

They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!' For in one hour is she made desolate. (Revelation 18:3,11,14-15,19)

When your wares went forth out of the seas, you filled many peoples; you did enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of your riches and of your merchandise. In the time that you were broken by the seas in the depths of the waters, your merchandise and all your company did fall in the midst of you. All the inhabitants of the islands are astonished at you, and their kings are horribly afraid; they are troubled in their face. The merchants among the peoples hiss at you; you are become a terror, and you shall nevermore have any being. (Ezekiel 27:33-36)

The idea of trading seems completely innocent and innocuous to us today because that is all we have known most of our lives. It may come as a shock to learn that this is part of the poison of Satan's subtle design to undermine and distort creation design. Yet as we come to understand how this is indeed the case, it becomes easier to discern how it defines so much of our thinking and interferes in our relationships, especially when it comes to God.

They joined with their brothers, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of Yahweh our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes; and that we would not give our daughters to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons; and if the peoples of the land bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy of them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt. (Nehemiah 10:29-31)

This is a prime example of how the subtle spirit of trading includes the spirit of legalism. Most assume God relates to us on a legal basis; blessings in exchange for obedience. Keep in mind that trading (an invention of Lucifer turned Satan) is foreign to God's design, for it opens the way to every other kind of evil. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10 KJV) It defies the existence of unconditional love, which is not based on obligations of return but a deep desire for joy-based intimacy. When we come to view God as issuing laws, statutes and regulations for others to obey before He will give favor, rather than as instructions for how to live in harmony with design principles of creation, we erode our capacity to enter into His rest, peace and joy. The result is emotional starvation. When legalism (viewing God as demanding obedience, and becoming offended and executing punishments when we are not) replaces love motivated by appreciation for His kindness, goodness and love, our heart is infected with a spirit of violence, and sooner or later it acts out in violating others. This is what happened to Lucifer and is a natural byproduct of trading, and this is inevitable in all who have this as the basis of their relationships.

By your wisdom and by your understanding you have gotten you riches, and have gotten gold and silver into your treasures; by your great wisdom and by your traffic have you increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches--

By the abundance of your traffic they filled the midst of you with violence, and you have sinned: therefore I have cast you as profane out of the mountain of God; and I have destroyed you, covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your traffic, you have profaned your sanctuaries; therefore have I brought forth a fire from the midst of you; it has devoured you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all those who see you. (Ezekiel 28:4-5,16,18)

Here we see the spirit of violence emerges whenever the spirit of trading defines our relationships.

It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn't worship the image of the beast to be killed. (Revelation 13:15)

Worship involves receiving our identity as well as learning how to act like ourselves from some source. Satan invented trading, but it is a denial of God's faithfulness and undermines trust in God's constant care and provision for all His creation. The spirit of expecting something in return sets us up for the spirit of offense and bitterness to fester in our heart whenever our expectations are unmet. As unresolved offenses accumulate, they become volatile emotions increasing tension until finally violence explodes. Violence means violating any part of God's design, and our heart is designed for unconditional love, graciousness, kindness, peace, joy and anything else reflective of God's heart. Trading contradicts who God is and thus produces dissonance in hearts never designed to live that way. The image of God becomes defaced so that the reflections of the heart become reflections of Satan's twisted view God. This is at the root of sin, not that God gets upset because people break His rules, but rather people distrusting His heart because they imagine Him to be demanding, severe and threatening punishments when He does not get paid back what He expects out of His investments in us. This is what it means to worship the beast, and the result is being transformed by the beast's version of God while rejecting the Lamb's true revelation of God's heart.

Thus says Yahweh my God: "Feed the flock of slaughter. Their buyers slaughter them, and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, 'Blessed be Yahweh, for I am rich;' and their own shepherds don't pity them. For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land," says Yahweh; "but, behold, I will deliver the men everyone into his neighbor's hand, and into the hand of his king. They will strike the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them." (Zechariah 11:4-6)

When people cling to dark views of God despite all His efforts to attract them through exposure to His unconditional love, the only thing left He can do is to respect our choices and to release us to experience the tragic consequences that result from worshiping beast-like gods. The principle of reflection and projection means that God will be perceived to be acting like us, yet in reality it is our own darkened views of God distilled from our own sordid thinking and reinforced by the father of lies that condemns and destroys us. God's wrath literally means giving us over, releasing us to the authority of the god we have chosen to serve. When the version of god we insist is accurate is actually a false twisted god perception, we project back onto Him the likeness of Satan rather than of Jesus.

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. (Matthew 25:7-10)

Notice the source relied on by these foolish virgins. Their mindset was shaped by the economic system while the wise virgins were more focused on their relationship with the Bridegroom, so they had planned ahead because relationships was their highest priority.

Trading is predicated on expecting something in return in all our dealings with others. This way of thinking infects not just assets or services but becomes entangled in all our relationships. The spirit of trading and exchange under-girding our monetary systems can be summarized as the love of money, but we are told how to push back against that mindset.

But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. [the root of all evil. (KJV)] Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, "I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you." So that with good courage we say, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Buy the truth, and don't sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding. (Proverbs 23:23)

My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;' and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. (Revelation 3:17-18)

What we must not miss in this last passage is the currency we are to use in this transaction. Jesus says we are poor, despite the fact we think we are rich and need nothing. If we are poor, how does He expect us to pay Him when He says we must buy from Him what we lack? The currency is what He just listed as our condition; that is what He wants in exchange for the valuable things we desperately need. What He wants is our wretchedness, our misery, our poverty (blessed are the poor in spirit...), our blindness and our naked condition. In short, it is our sins, our garbage, our filth, our dark feelings of shame and condemnation and guilt – these are what we must unload onto Jesus so we can receive what we need most, His gold of faith and love, His white garments that reflect the righteousness of God, and eye salve that can remedy our spiritual blindness so we will see true reality more clearly. This is the strange currency Jesus invites us to use to become truly rich, clothed with light that liberates us from shame, and with clear thinking and hearts to experience the joy of being free and healed by love. This is the startling but powerful invitation Jesus offers all who want to experience true life.

Ho, everyone who thirsts, come you to the waters, and he who has no money; come you, buy, and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which doesn't satisfy? listen diligently to me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Turn your ear, and come to me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. (Isaiah 55:1-3)

Here is a pivotal passage related to trading and exchange that exposes the core of our problem.

For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse. Because, knowing God, they didn't glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.

Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions.... (Romans 1:20-26)

This cuts to the very heart of the nature of evil. Humans are created to reflect the image of God, and key to this is our freedom to choose. In Revelation we find the beast and its image demanding worship to them, using even threats of death to compel everyone to conform to their image. In Romans 1 we find the description of how this comes about.

Our original design was to glorify and reflect God's goodness and kindness, and ever express continual gratitude to Him (the essence of the New Song). But our logic has become confused and vain in the way we think and reason. Our heart has lost sensibility, capacity for sympathy, compassion, love and joy. Heavenly wisdom has been displaced with worldly wisdom, and without realizing it we have been made fools. We imagine we are rich, wise, healthy and have little need for God, but this is because we traded the truth about God for lies and false ideas that seduced us into believing we could live independent of God. By exchanging the truth of God for THE LIE, we worship and serve Satan, the creature, the most subtle, crafty and dangerous liar that ever existed. Worship means we receive our identity through his value system. We are kidnapped to be his slaves, serving him with ever-increasing fear rather than serving God in joy and freedom. We keep giving up our freedom in exchange of the truth about God, keeping us in bondage to fear or pride. Our hearts are darkened, empty and desperate inside. Yet we imagine we must participate in the trading system of this world to sustain our own life and satisfy our desires. Yet this is no different than the Israelites clamoring to go back into Egypt rather than staying in the wilderness dependent on God.

unless he has that mark

Now great multitudes were going with him. He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me, and doesn't hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can't be my disciple. Whoever doesn't bear his own cross, and come after me, can't be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build, and wasn't able to finish.' Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace. So therefore whoever of you who doesn't renounce all that he has, he can't be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-33)

People must weigh the consequences of being cut off from participation in the trading and exchange system this world uses to control the lives of all who dwell on the earth. Initially it may feel terrifying and overwhelming. Yet compare that with the rest of the story outlined in these others references to this mark in Revelation.

Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. (Revelation 14:9-11)

I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!" The first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth, and it became a harmful and evil sore on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image. (Revelation 16:1-2)

The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. (Revelation 19:20)

I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived, and reigned with Christ for the thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

Cain said to Yahweh, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me out this day from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. It will happen that whoever finds me will kill me."

Yahweh said to him, "Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." Yahweh appointed a sign [mark] for Cain, lest any finding him should strike him. Cain went out from Yahweh's presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (Genesis 4:13-16)

Yahweh said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst of it. To the others he said in my hearing, Go you through the city after him, and strike: don't let your eye spare, neither have you pity; kill utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but don't come near any man on whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house. (Ezekiel 9:4-6)

How does this link to the mark in Revelation 13 and the kind of God Jesus brings into the open?

In Ezekiel the ones being marked appear to be the good guys while everyone else is in line to be killed. In Revelation the ones being marked worship the beast to avoid being killed. These passages appear to contradict each other. Are they referring to the same thing or are they opposite?

Previously in this chapter we discussed implications involved in bringing fire down out of heaven onto the earth as part of a program to deceive all who dwell on the earth. By relying on Elijah's precedent set on Mt. Carmel, the beast powers use his example of killing off the prophets of Baal as justification to kill off all who dare defy the clear evidence that God is behind the agenda being promoted by the beast.

How might this be repeated here in relation to the mark? In Ezekiel it appears clear that those who are on the side of God and have His favor and protection, are the ones who receive the mark on their forehead. Thus a strong argument could be advanced that in order to avoid punishment and death, people need to get with the program to save the planet for the good of mankind. To receive the mark can be portrayed as taking God's side who supports the agenda promoted by the beast powers. They are simply promoting the common good of humanity and portray dissenters and resistors as deserving of punishment and eventually death should they continue to resist compliance with the requirements for unifying a solid front to existential threats on the planet, and to restore and secure law and order in all the earth. What we learn here is that it all depends on the perspective one has about an issue that determines the meaning and interpretations of the symbols involved.

As previously discussed, this mark is more about disposition and perceived identity than anything. In Revelation the mark is located in two specific places – the right hand and/or the forehead. This sentence we are analyzing refers to 1 mark with 2 location options along with 3 different ways of identifying with the mindset of the beast and its image. What are the implications of this?

the name of the beast

The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. (Revelation 14:11)

And on her forehead a name was written, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Revelation 17:5)

They said, "Come, let's build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let's make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:4)

Clearly here in chapter 13, none of the beasts have been identified with names like we think of them, so to suddenly bring up the issue of the name of the beast highlights that this is about character and disposition. The name or character of the beast is being exposed increasingly throughout this chapter and reflects the methods and motives of the dragon, the arch opponent and mortal enemy of the Lamb, the real hero of this book. So a good way to identity the name of the beast, the dragon and those with them is to get to know the Lamb who brings the light that exposes everything hidden in our darkness of lies and superstition that induces animosity against goodness and truth.

Because one of the locations for the mark is in the forehead, this corresponds to our chosen identity and character, share mindset with the spirit of compulsion and force exhibited by the beastly powers. When one has the name of the beast, it means they have not just chosen compliance to the intimidating demands of the beast powers, but they have come to embrace their spirit until they reflect them and form permanent characters in the likeness of the beast. This is different from those who have the mark on their hand which we discussed previously. This is willingly choosing to embrace an identity in opposition to those who choose to follow and reflect the Lamb.

the number of his name

These are people identified by a number relating to the name just discussed. What does this mean? Why are there three distinct categories as highlighted by the word 'or' in this sentence?

I believe it is helpful to contemplate the counterparts of these symbols we will study in the next chapter. When comparing truth with counterfeits, the true that is being counterfeited can sometimes be uncovered by noting why or how the counterfeit has power.

That mark on their right hand or forehead	Lamb and Father's name on their foreheads
The name of the beast	Name of the Lamb and his Father
The number of his name (666)	With the Lamb a number,144,000

This is part of a chart comparing Revelation 13 with the first half of Revelation 14. Here we see the counterparts on each side of the war and how their identity is located on their forehead as is the name they are associated with. Closely linked is a number by which they are also identified.

There appears to be a progression of ID here beginning with a mark, then connection with a name and finally a number. If the mark is primarily about a disposition, a mindset shaped by how we perceive God relating to us, this would indicate an internal condition of the heart and mind witnessed in how we express our thoughts, attitudes and character externally. Those who receive the mark of the beast will either embrace it enthusiastically with their mind and join the beast in its agenda to unify the world through means of compulsion and enforced laws (relying on the reward punishment system invented by the dragon), or at the least they will succumb to the pressure of threats of severe economic boycotts and conform to the demands and agenda of the beast even while not believing it internally but mainly out of fear.

The second ID relates to which source is allowed to shape our character, influence our choices and determine what direction each moves toward as far as worship. Keep in mind that worship is primarily about who we permit to define our identity, our sense of worth, and who we rely on to provide for our needs and satisfy our cravings. Those who worship the beast, its image and ultimately the dragon behind all of them, are squeezed into the world's mold while simultaneously becoming less like the image of the One who created them. They perceive their identity by how the world defines them, and their character absorbs the attributes of the name/character of who they identify with as their master. This is what it means to have the name of the beast. It means a person chooses to embrace, or at least comply with the ways and motives and agenda of the beast rather than resist it and thus incur the wrath of the dragon over them.

The last ID is more external, the number of the name of the beast. We will focus on this in our study of the next verse, but most important is heavenly wisdom and divinely assisted discernment to calculate what that number means. Note that having one's name displaced by a number is intentional dehumanization. Being identified only by a number diminishes our perceived sense of value, being merely a digit among many with no rights, little respect and buried in the psyche of the trading system which is about mind control.

By contrast, the number identifying the followers of the true Lamb denotes a perfect cube. This is found in Revelation in the dimensions of the New Jerusalem which is really a symbol of God's people. 144,000 is the product of 12 cubed times 1000, the latter being the symbolic number of God's presence (the cubic volume of the Most Holy room of the sanctuary where the literal presence of God's Shekina glory dwelt).

In contrast, those who dwell on the earth are identified by a number of fallen humanity, different from their counterpart group who identify with the Lamb. Freed from fear of death, they can no longer manipulated by fear or threats, for the Lamb overcame the power of death and has neutralized the enemy whose only power is fear. They live in freedom from fear for they live by faith in the Christ revealing that God is love and light with no darkness in Him. They receive His love freely and give love freely without resistance. They no longer love their own lives above others. They are motivated by the Spirit of the One who is love and they derive their identity from Him.

Embedded Identity - Rumor notes 118

 Revelation 13

16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads; 17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.

on their right hands

In Hebrew the hand signifies authority, and the right hand symbolizes exercise of one's highest authority. When a person complies with demands, even if they don't agree or believe in them, that acquiescence is effectively surrender of their authority to whomever they choose to submit.

Don't you know that to whom you present yourselves as servants to obedience, his servants you are whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? (Romans 6:16)

Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind, "Now brace yourself like a man. I will question you, and you will answer me. Will you even annul my judgment? Will you condemn me, that you may be justified? Or do you have an arm like God? Can you thunder with a voice like him?

"Now deck yourself with excellency and dignity. Array yourself with honor and majesty. Pour out the fury of your anger. Look at everyone who is proud, and bring him low. Look at everyone who is proud, and humble him. Crush the wicked in their place. Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in the hidden place. Then I will also admit to you that your own right hand can save you." (Job 40:6-14)

Do not miss what God is saying to Job here, or the subtle deception of the enemy can blind us to what God was seeking to communicate higher truth. Job's opinions about how God should do things were immature like many of ours, yet Job clung to his trust in God's heart despite the mass confusion all around and inside him. His presumptions about God's character were tainted with the subtle philosophies of good and evil. As with Job, God is challenging all of our views of Him and how He relates to the wicked. Job rehearsed similar opinions to ours, about how we assume evil must be dealt with if God ever expects to win this war and bring a final end to the reign of evil in the universe. The opinions of Job and even his three friends have been continued to be shared by many of God's children throughout history, yet it does not mean they are true simply because Bible heroes like Job and David believed or practiced them. It simply means we need to pay even closer attention to the truth that Jesus brings to light, and that is what God was conveying in His dialog with Job. We must not overlook this.

God said Job was seeking to annul God's judgment by condemning God in order to justify himself. God then goes on to rehearse Job's presumptions that sound the same as many people have today, about what God should do to bring an end to evil. The burning question of Job was why bad things happen to people who don't deserve them, yet what he failed to perceive, and so many of us continue to misread, was the false premise driving the question itself. God does not relate to His children according to the earning deserving system, and that is what is so important for all of us to appreciate. The real truth will set us free from the doubts, fears and misapprehensions that continue to trap us in the darkness of superstition.

Keep in mind that God was not angry or upset with Job. Quite the opposite, God actually called Job a hero. But He wanted Job, and everyone reading this story with an ear to hear, to learn how to respond rather than react to circumstances that seem convoluted and make God appear to be dark and sinister. Job was reacting to tragedies happening in his life much like many might react (though not as bad as his 'friends' seemed to perceive things). Yet too often many of us fail to turn our attention immediately to seek God's face and perspective in times of calamity. But when we do we may receive light to discover truths that can radically alter how we perceive reality when we learn to view things from the much larger perspective of heaven's vantage point rather than our narrow experience and emotions. This is true responsibility – learning to grow our ability to respond instead of react.

Look closely at the kind of God He describes here, but keep in mind that God is challenging the validity of this view of Himself rather than endorsing Job's reactionary views about Him.

An arm like God (Job believes God needs to flex His muscles more that He appears to do).

Thunder with a voice (God needs to be more forceful in stopping evil).

God decks Himself with excellency and dignity (this reflects the spirit of Lucifer, not God).

God arrays Himself with honor and majesty (He doesn't need to because these are inherent).

Pour out fury of anger (intimidation and use of fear to manipulate and control others).

Bring low and humble the proud simply with a stare (shaming, threats and intimidation).

Crush the wicked (use brute force to defeat evil, what Satan insists is true about God).

Hide the wicked and proud in the dust and bind their faces (humiliating punishment).

After listing the methods many imagine are necessary for God to regain control and exert raw power to achieve advantage over evildoers, God declares that if someone can prove that such high-handed methods are actually effective (as so may widely insist they are), then He would be willing to admit that our version of justice, our right hand use of power is the right way to save us, implying that God is the one who is wrong. But the truth is that these methods are never effective in the long run which is why God does not rely on them to overcome evil. God relies on kindness, graciousness, humility and forgiveness which is how good overcomes evil and repentance is induced in hearts softened by love and grace.

Such dark views of God are behind the methods and activities of these beasts and their image, for they all originate with the dragon who is the origin of such ideas and uses of power. These methods are what most people believe are indispensable to maintain control and keep evil in check. This is what we have long assumed is meant by the right hand of power, yet power as defined by the enemies of the Lamb is used to balance both good and evil through enticements of reward along with use of severe punishments for noncompliance as the means by which social order is maintained.

To receive the mark on the right hand involves perceiving God as using power to intimidate and crush evil by force whenever necessary. This is very popular among many today, yet it betrays the influence of paganism that permeates most all religions. It directly contradicts the revelation of God in Jesus Christ, represented as a non-violent Lamb who alone can effectively take away the sins of the world without ever resorting to Satan's tactics, methods or motives.

You let your mouth loose in evil and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. These things you have done and I kept silence; you thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes. (Psalms 50:19-21 NAS95)

I will wash my hands in innocence, so I will go about your altar, Yahweh; that I may make the voice of thanksgiving to be heard, and tell of all your wondrous works. Yahweh, I love the habitation of your house, the place where your glory dwells. Don't gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men; in whose hands is wickedness, their right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in my integrity. Redeem me, and be merciful to me. (Psalms 26:6-11)

Notice the contrast between these two views. To walk in integrity and innocence is to give voice to thanksgiving and broadcast the wondrous works of God. It is to dwell where God's glory dwells and embrace the redemption accomplished for us and to rest in God's mercy. This is in stark contrast with wickedness which is rooted in false ideas about what is needed is to placate God's wrath with sufficient payments to buy Him off with bribery. Bribery is is implied in most theology circulating today, yet many cannot see that penal substitution is nothing less than bribery, buying God off, satisfaction of a beastly demand for punishment purported to originate in His Law.

How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:6-8)

You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.' (Hebrews 10:6-7)

"This is the covenant that I will make with them: 'After those days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;'" then he says, "I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more." Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. (Hebrews 10:16-18)

Stretch out your hand from above, rescue me, and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners; whose mouths speak deceit, Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

I will sing a new song to you, God. On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you. You are he who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword. Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners, whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. (Psalms 144:7-11)

This next passage is an important parallel to what we are learning about this image to the beast who compels its mark to be implanted on everyone's right hand or forehead.

Everyone who makes an engraved image is vain. The things that they delight in will not profit. Their own witnesses don't see, nor know, that they may be disappointed. Who has fashioned a god, or molds an image that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed; and the workmen are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame together.

The blacksmith takes an axe, works in the coals, fashions it with hammers, and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water, and is faint.

The carpenter stretches out a line. He marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes. He marks it out with compasses, and shapes it like the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to reside in a house. He cuts down cedars for himself, and takes the cypress and the oak, and strengthens for himself one among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir tree, and the rain nourishes it. Then it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it, and warms himself. Yes, he burns it, and bakes bread. Yes, he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it an engraved image, and falls down to it.

He burns part of it in the fire. With part of it, he eats meat. He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. Yes, he warms himself, and says, "Aha! I am warm. I have seen the fire." The rest of it he makes into a god, even his engraved image. He bows down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, "Deliver me; for you are my god!"

They don't know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can't see; and their hearts, that they can't understand. No one thinks, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, "I have burned part of it in the fire. Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals. I have roasted meat and eaten it. Shall I make the rest of it into an abomination? Shall I bow down to a tree trunk?"

He feeds on ashes. A deceived heart has turned him aside; and he can't deliver his soul, nor say, "Isn't there a lie in my right hand?"

Remember these things, Jacob and Israel; for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.

Sing, you heavens, for Yahweh has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth! Break out into singing, you mountains, O forest, all of your trees, for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will glorify himself in Israel. Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb: "I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself; (Isaiah 44:9-24)

He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Yahweh, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary. Yahweh said to Satan, "Yahweh rebuke you, Satan! Yes, Yahweh who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn't this a burning stick plucked out of the fire?" (Zechariah 3:1-2)

The word Satan literally means accuser as clearly stated in chapter 12 where the devil, the dragon is clearly identified as the one who accuses day and night. Accusing originated with Satan, and it involves a diabolical twist of a principle that brings death out what was designed to be life-giving. The principle that accusing misrepresents is the way in which God rebukes. God never condemns or accuses, but at times rebukes are necessary to warn people to bring them an awareness of serious danger or to confront those who are abusing and exploiting other vulnerable children of God.

Here we see Satan strategically positioning himself at the right hand of God, the symbolic position of God's authority. From that vantage point he accuses, prosecutes, is an adversary, an antagonist. Such a spirit is not of God, for it is foreign to His nature of agape love. Love does rebuke when needed, but is never like the spirit of Satan who brings confusion, darkness, shame and fear.

If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. (Matthew 5:30)

It also happened on another Sabbath that he entered into the synagogue and taught. There was a man there, and his right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him. (Luke 6:6-7)

It is helpful to contrast this abuse of the right hand with the truth about God's use of His right hand. There are so many passages mentioning God's right hand that we will just look at a sampling in order to contrast the true nature and purpose for this mark being applied to our 'right hand.' Here is a summary of verses showing how God uses His right hand with only references instead of the full text for each one.

Jesus uses His right hand to raise us up or dispel our fears (Rev. 1:17)

Jesus holds 7 stars in His right hand representing all who follow Him (Rev. 1:20; 2:1)

God was left holding a sealed scroll in His right hand later taken by the Lamb (Rev. 5:1,7)

The right hand is raised as part of swearing an oath (Rev. 10:5-6; Isaiah 62:8)

In passing on the generational blessing, the right hand showed priority or favor above others (Genesis 48:13-14,17-18; Psalms 45:9)

The right hand symbolizes superior power and salvation (Exodus 15:6,12; Psalms 17:7; 18:35; 20:6; 21:8; 44:3; 45:4; 60:5; 74:11; 80:15,17; 89:13,25; 98:1; 108:6; 109:31; 110:5; 118:15-16; 138:7)

Having God at our right hand brings security and pleasure (Psalms 16:8,11; 63:8; 73:23; 121:5; 139:10; Prov. 3:16; Ecl. 10:2; Song. 2:6; Acts 2:25)

Who or what is at God's right hand has greatest authority (Psalms 77:10; 110:1; Mt. 22:44; 26:64; Mr. 12:36; 14:62; 16:19; Luke 20:42; 22:69; Acts 2:33-34; 5:31; 7:55-56; Rom. 8:34; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Hebrews 1:3,13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22)

As is your name, God, so is your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness. (Psalms 48:10)

Don't you be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)

Here is another helpful passage that may relate to this compulsive mark on the right hand.

"Woe to him who gives his neighbor drink, pouring your inflaming wine until they are drunk, so that you may gaze at their naked bodies! You are filled with shame, and not glory.

You will also drink, and be exposed! The cup of Yahweh's right hand will come around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the destruction of the animals, which made them afraid; because of men's blood, and for the violence done to the land, to every city and to those who dwell in them.

"What value does the engraved image have, that its maker has engraved it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he who fashions its form trusts in it, to make mute idols? Woe to him who says to the wood, 'Awake!' or to the mute stone, 'Arise!' Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But Yahweh is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him!" (Habakkuk 2:15-20)

After reviewing significant verses referring to the right hand of God, keep in mind that humans are designed to reflect God's image and become like Him. So it makes sense that this mark by God's arch-enemies targets the symbol of God's power and authority on the right hand. In other words, the enemy intends to hijack the authority of the right hand of every reflector of God to implant his own identity so that his version of authority is what they reflect, his image and the disposition of his beasts displaces the image of the original Creator. This is the ultimate defacing of the image of our true Creator in the very beings designed to reflect Him best.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:22-25)

on their foreheads

God's image is designed to be primarily reflected from the prefrontal cortex which is the creative and imaginative part of our brain. Thus the mark of Satan implanted in that location is clearly designed to deface the image of God in humanity and replace it with the face of evil. By this means Satan's objective is achieved, for by distorting the reflection of God's glory and character in the ones best designed to reflect what is hidden in the mystery of where God exists, Satan can point to His mirrors designed to reflect His heart, now emanating reflections of evil, and legitimately boast that his initial slander about God's true character is vindicated as true after all.

This creates a difficult argument to refute. The evidence is from mirrors designed to reflect what is invisible! No created being has ever seen God, so His character, disposition and motives have to come out in other ways. We saw this in chapter 12 in the war involving Satan and Michael. Satan asserted God is a mixture of good and evil, light and darkness, relying on enticements of reward linked with threats of punishment to control His subjects. These allegations about God undergird his entire trading and balance scale system. This goes to the very heart of how reality is perceived, how social order should be maintained, how peace and harmony can be effectively sustained.

Until this issue is settled unequivocally, evil cannot be defeated or eliminated effectively from the universe. The methods and motives of God in defeating evil is the key issue central to vindicating His reputation. This truth alone effectively exposes the true nature of evil and neutralizes it. And there can be no residual doubts left over that could potentially reinfect the universe again.

Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. (Revelation 14:9-10)

We will look at this much closer in future studies, but notice that this is describing cause and effect, not inflicted punishment imposed by God. The torment is an unavoidable reaction to exposure to the presence of those filled with the passionate love of God, not the location where forced punishment is administered as so many assume.

I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived, and reigned with Christ for the thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

The word translated judgment here comes from a root word meaning discernment, ability to make right decisions. Never confuse this with our distorted ideas about passing judgment on others like we do here on earth. This is not about soliciting saints to figure out how much punishment sinners deserve, but rather utilizing their matured judgment, their ability to think and discern like God does, so they can perceive the real issues involved beneath the surface appearance. This is about being given advanced capacity of perception that is in sympathy with how God clearly sees everything.

The following passages are examples of how the forehead and the face exhibit motives, expressing the emotions and inward feelings driving the behavior a person.

Then Uzziah was angry; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, beside the altar of incense. Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked on him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there; yes, himself hurried also to go out, because Yahweh had struck him. (2 Chronicles 26:19-20)

Hear you this, house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah; who swear by the name of Yahweh, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness (for they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves on the God of Israel; Yahweh of Armies is his name): I have declared the former things from of old; yes, they went forth out of my mouth, and I shown them: suddenly I did them, and they happened. Because I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your brow brass; therefore I have declared it to you from of old; before it came to pass I shown it you; lest you should say, My idol has done them, and my engraved image, and my molten image, has commanded them. (Isaiah 48:1-5)

These referred to anger and hardness being expressed on the forehead. Here are verses referring to how the forehead can display a spirit of prostitution, something closer to home than we might think.

The look of their faces testify against them. They parade their sin like Sodom. They don't hide it. Woe to their soul! For they have brought disaster upon themselves. (Isaiah 3:9)

They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, will he return to her again? Won't that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the prostitute with many lovers; yet return again to me, says Yahweh. Lift up your eyes to the bare heights, and see; where have you not been lain with? By the ways have you sat for them, as an Arabian in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your prostitution and with your wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain; yet you have a prostitute's forehead, you refused to be ashamed. Will you not from this time cry to me, My Father, you are the guide of my youth? Will he retain his anger forever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, you have spoken and have done evil things, and have had your way. (Jeremiah 3:1-5)

When Balaam saw that it pleased Yahweh to bless Israel, he didn't go, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness. (Numbers 24:1)

The story of Balaam is strange indeed, but helpful in ways to understand the nature of this mark implanted into the forehead. From the outset of his story it becomes clear that in spite of the fact that Balaam was a prophet of the true God, the same God who brought Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness to be a special people to reflect His character to the world, Balaam's craving for power, recognition and lust for wealth continually caused him to look for every way possible to leverage both sides for his own advantage. He wanted to keep his reputation in tact as being a messenger of heaven, yet at the same time gratify his greed and pride. This led him to compromise and circumvent clear instructions given him by God without outright rebutting them.

The passage above comes in the narrative after two failed attempts by Balaam to cast a curse upon unsuspecting Israel in order to win massive payoffs on the part of Balak king of Moab who felt threatened by the encroaching presence of these people. This is clearly spiritual warfare, something extremely relevant to what we are studying here right now. Because it had become clear to Balaam that attempting to invoke a curse on Israel through the normal means of offering sacrifices was not possible, Balaam appears to be trying a different venue in hopes that maybe he can somehow invoke a curse from God on Israel some other way so he could achieve his goal of accessing the rich rewards being offered to him by Balak. In essence, both Balak and Balaam were attempting to bribe God.

Much to his frustration, and leading to a furious reaction on the part of Balak, this third attempt to curse Israel from another direction only led to even greater insights of blessing, including a famous prophecy about a coming Messiah who would defeat and overturn the plots of several nations arrayed against His people. Yet throughout all this, what was clear is that Balaam's disposition and heart was not right with God, for he was set on manipulating God for personal gain by any means possible.

Contrast this disposition of Balaam setting his face toward the wilderness with the spirit of the One who was the true revelation of God's disposition, the One unwillingly prophesied about by Balaam.

It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before his face.... (Luke 9:51-52)

For the Lord Yahweh will help me; therefore I have not been confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be disappointed. (Isaiah 50:7)

Behold, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. As an adamant harder than flint have I made your forehead: don't be afraid of them, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. (Ezekiel 3:8-9)

Finally we come to passages that symbolize how God wants to mark the forehead of all who are willing to cooperate with His design for restoring His likeness in the forehead of His children.

"You shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, 'HOLY TO YAHWEH.' You shall put it on a lace of blue, and it shall be on the sash; on the front of the sash it shall be. It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall make holy in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always on his forehead, that they may be accepted before Yahweh. (Exodus 28:36-38)

They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it a writing, like the engravings of a signet: "HOLY TO YAHWEH." They tied to it a lace of blue, to fasten it on the turban above, as Yahweh commanded Moses. (Exodus 39:30-31)

I saw another angel ascend from the sunrise, having the seal of the living God. He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, saying, "Don't harm the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads!" (Revelation 7:2-3)

I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)

There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. (Revelation 22:3-4)

In summary, the image of God was the original plan for all humanity to reflect and most clearly through the expressions of joy seen in their faces and embodied in their creative brains located right behind their foreheads. This image was never designed to involve force, fear, coercion or anything similar, for the glory of God is found in the love, joy and freedom so His reflectors could enjoy the infinite capacity to grow and develop and expand their joy and intimacy for all eternity. This is a heart relationship, intense admiration and reflecting of God's heart. This joy and freedom to live transparent and vulnerable, free of all fear or shame is the very thing the enemy hates most, so it is no surprise that in the end it is the primary target to deface the glory of God in His reflectors.

Mark of Cain - Rumor notes 117

 Revelation 13

16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads; 17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.

He causes all... to be given marks

This concept of a mark first shows up in the story of Cain which is significant because it involves separation from God by those who come to despise and persecute those who remain loyal to Him.

Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" And the LORD said, "What have you done? Listen; your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground! And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth."

Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear! Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me."

Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance." And the LORD put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (Genesis 4:8-16 NRSV)

I believe this story holds the key to understanding the nature of this mark associated with the beast and its cohorts. While there has been endless speculation as to what this mark of Cain might have been, I believe the context of the story itself holds the key, for this mark is not a physical one but rather a disposition, a mindset of intense rebellion against the design of heaven for humanity to live in love.

Some time ago I was impressed to explore the story of Cain where I discovered many fascinating insights that often go unnoticed. We don't have time to look at the entire story which could be helpful for context, but I believe it will be very useful to at least consider some of the key phrases in this story and their implications as we explore the potential meaning of this most important symbol. The story of Cain and his brother Abel is almost a synopsis of the entire history of the war and in many ways parallels the tension between the two covering cherubs from the very outset of the great rebellion.

It was his own brother that Cain killed out of jealousy, bitterness, resentment and anger.

When questioned by God, Cain lies by denying any knowledge of his brother's death.

The blood of Abel is said to be crying out to God from the ground.

He deceives those who dwell on the earth (Rev. 13:14)

The ground itself will no longer give its strength to Cain.

Cain blames God as being the one driving him away from the soil he has loved.

I shall be hidden from Your face. (Why is Cain is afraid of losing sight of God's face?)

I shall be a fugitive and wanderer on the earth.

This repeats what God said would be the curse Cain brought onto himself.

Anyone who meets me may kill me. (God had said nothing about this. This is purely fear.)

Whoever kills Cain will suffer sevenfold vengeance. (This is not a threat by God but a prediction of the ferocity that would take over Cain's disposition as a result of defacing the image of God in himself.)

This began a sequence of 7's representing the nature of sin that craves retaliation.

Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me. If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times." [or 7 x 70 times] (Genesis 4:23-24)

Seventy weeks are decreed on your people and on your holy city, to finish disobedience, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. (Daniel 9:24)

Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22)

Who is being told to forgive using this specific number, and why? It is those who choose to follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They participate in His anointing to fulfill the work of the most holy One, the Messiah who brings an end to disobedience, makes an end of sins (retaliation, settling scores, balancing scales of psuedo-justice), makes reconciliation for iniquity and brings in everlasting righteousness. The key to accomplish all of this is unconditional forgiveness.

The mark on Cain inhibited anyone from killing him.

"Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"

This is the disposition of all who wonder and follow after the beast and its image.

Cain choose to leave the presence of Yahweh, despite his fear of being hidden from His face.

Judas left the presence of Jesus in the upper room and the inner result was darkness.

The mark of the beast then is possibly very similar to the mark of Cain, because it involves both a disposition as well as a practice opposite forgiveness, kindness, compassion and agape love. It is the mindset of compulsion, justice through violence to balance imaginary scales that we worship as God. It really represents the entire counterfeit system invented by Satan including rule by artificial law, the earning/deserving system along with enforced hierarchy. This mark is actually a sign of allegiance to this system as our version of what God has to be like before we will view Him as worthy of our worship and allegiance.

Throughout the next few chapters we will see references to the results of embracing this mark played out in the lives of those rejecting the mercy and kindness of God as displayed by the Lamb hero of this book. This mark becomes the defining identity of all who either out of fear of punishment or actual belief, embrace and comply with the perspectives of the dragon, the beasts and the image/false prophet who all insist that any god worth serving must enforce our system of scales-based justice. Yet in doing so they are spurning the Son of God and leave His presence to go into outer darkness.

This narrative of a mark identifying all who consent to the demands of the image to worship it and the beast, strangely parallels a passage found in Ezekiel.

Then he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause you them that have charge over the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lies toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.

The glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer's inkhorn by his side. Yahweh said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst of it. To the others he said in my hearing, Go you through the city after him, and strike: don't let your eye spare, neither have you pity; kill utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but don't come near any man on whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house. (Ezekiel 9:1-6)

There is another mark connection I would like to mention here. It is a word not usually translated as mark, but it actually means a mark. It is the word we have been using in this study as one of the two criteria relied on to interpret this book and is in the first verse. In the KJV it is translated as signified, but it means a mark. This is interesting when compared to the use of a mark in this chapter. Here the mark is used as an identifier of compliance to demands of the enemies of the true God of heaven. In contrast, a different kind of mark directs how we are to view this entire book as symbolic.

Written words are what we use as marks which symbolize words. Words and language in turn are also symbols of concepts, ideas, things, places, people and even thoughts and feelings. Thus marks are symbols of ideas, and this was how this book was put together using symbols to represent spiritual realities that, together with the Word of God, bring out the revelation of Jesus Christ who is the truth. The One who is the Truth, the Way and the Life, here alerts us about things soon to take place in these last days, and all this is presented for anyone willing to read or listen so they may receive the blessing of being brought into harmony with God by the Lamb. On the other hand, the kind of mark being imposed on the whole world by this image of the beast, involves a sign of slavery, forced conformity relying on the threat of death which is the very opposite of the disposition of the Lamb and how He relates to us.

This mark is often contrasted with the seal of God, and rightly so. Many insist that this seal is identified in the first angel's message in the next chapter, though the word seal is not mentioned. I want to touch on this as it is important to maintain perspective and allow the Bible to explain itself.

Clearly here this mandatory mark involves forced worship and compliance with demands of the beasts and their image. Many insist it refers to an enforcement of Sunday observance as the final test of allegiance in defiance of the true seventh-day Sabbath which is a sign of allegiance to the Creator. They point to the first angel's message as describing this seal and especially note how the authority given as the reason to worship the God of heaven is because He is Creator of everything in this world. Many others deny this line of reasoning, finding it unimaginable that such a scenario of compulsive worship could ever play out in modern society (ignoring the fact that Sunday rest enforcement is already gaining great momentum and popularity in many places around the world even now).

My personal review of the evidence here in this book and throughout Scripture leads me to see no problem with believing that a titanic clash between Sunday sacredness enforcement and genuine Sabbath observance could soon become a central issue in the intensifying war against all freedom of conscience, and it may happen sooner than many imagine. At the same time I have great concern about what I see as a serious deficiency in the simplistic logic of many promoting this view who rely on tradition rather than personal investigation of evidence. What I mean is that I fear many imagine they have all the truth, and their only intention is to cling tenaciously to observance of the seventh-day Sabbath as the right day to worship God while ignoring far more important principles. This sets many up as highly susceptible to insidious tactics of the enemy, even similar to how Balaam outwardly spoke the words of God while under inspiration, yet continually resisted in his heart reflecting the disposition of the very God who had entrusted him with the gift of prophecy.

I believe this narrative in Revelation has close ties to the story of Balaam and Balak, and we would do well to contemplate that carefully and allow the Spirit of God to bring conviction in order to expose the subtle infection of selfishness, pride and greed from sabotaging our resistance to this mark of the beast. We must come to understand that this mark is far more than simply activities we do on which day of the week. Those are merely surface symptoms that in the end simply reflect what is deep in the mind and heart. Thus this mark that competes with the true seal of God is not merely about our outward activity as much as it is a barometer of the condition of our heart and mind and how we posture our relationship with God, and especially our view of His disposition towards us.

Hear, you mountains, Yahweh's controversy, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for Yahweh has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me! For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage.

I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh."

How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:2-8)

I have come to believe that this war over whether we receive the mark of the beast or remain loyal to God and receive His seal and name in our forehead, will not merely involve what day we go to church on as our test of loyalty. There is enormous importance in true worship, but worship is about who we reflect from our heart, what motivates us and who we allow to shape our identity that in turn defines how we act like ourselves.

The mark of the beast as we have come to see, is about disposition, intent, motivation and methods used to achieve conformity, compliance and unity in the name of God for the common good of humanity. Do I believe enforced Sunday observance could be a part of that? Absolutely! Yet having said that, compliance to laws compelling worship on Sunday for the good of the world goes much deeper and involves how we perceive God's disposition towards those who oppose Him. This is why what day one rests and worships God on is merely the tip of the iceberg, not the underlying issue of contention. It is merely a signal, an outward sign of what one really believes about God more than merely keeping the right day to prove one is loyal so God will reward us for keeping the right day. In other words, rather than focusing on merely keeping the right day of the week as Sabbath, we need to examine our heart and allow the Spirit of the Lamb to expose hidden dark opinions we retain about God like those described in Micah we just read, even while seeking to live in alignment with God's commandments. Heart work has to be a far higher priority than managing the externals.

When Micah asks the question about how we are to come before God and bow before Him in worship, the succeeding verses relate to motives and perceptions of what God wants from sinners who are seeking to come into alignment with His will. The following list involves increasing levels of expense as related to offerings that clearly are intended to satisfy or change God's disposition towards us so we can be accepted and saved by Him. Yet any attempts to change God's thinking about us or to manipulate Him to accept us or release blessings into our lives, are all infected by a similar spirit to what motivated both Balak and Balaam. They attempted to manipulate or even bribe God to bring a curse upon a people they saw as a threat to their own well being. This chapter in Micah begins with God telling Micah that He had a controversy with His people, and that involved how they perceived His disposition along with how they were trying to manipulate and even bribe Him to do what they want without regard to the condition of their own hearts.

If we will be honest and willing to humble ourselves to seek to know God as He truly is, revealed clearly through the violently slaughtered Lamb who alone exposes the truth about God's disposition towards His enemies, we will discover that many of our ideas about worship are also infected with the slander of His arch-enemy. Many are not actually resting in His love, because we imagine God to be more like us or like Satan rather than like His Son that He sent to reconcile us to His heart. What must become clear here is that any notion of appeasement required to reconcile God to us, whether attempted on our part through sacrifices and good works, or even by trusting in meritorious works of Christ or accepting His death on the cross as a payment expensive enough to buy appeasement of God's wrath towards sinners – anything of this line of reasoning is riddled with dark views of God's heart. Such religion makes it impossible for us to enter into His rest, the true evidence involving the seventh-day Sabbath kind of rest.

Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn't profit them, because it wasn't mixed with faith by those who heard. (Hebrews 4:1-2)

There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11)

The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. (Revelation 14:11)

The reason why those who receive the mark of the identity of the beast can never experience rest day nor night, is not because God refuses to allow them to rest, but rather they are trapped in the lie that God must be paid off sufficiently before He will accept and love or save them.

Fully developed, this mark of the beast very likely will involve Sunday observance enforced by law. Yet the problem with this is not the day itself but the means employed that reflect lies believed about what is required to have salvation. The problem with Sunday enforcement is the reliance on force, compulsion, violence and ostracism as the means by which it will be imposed. These methods reveal that the god(s) being worshiped endorse these methods as the way in which unity in worship can be achieved. This involves the root lie of Satan who is the instigator of all such worship, his lie that God is demanding and does not value freedom of choice for everyone.

Too many today cling to their Sabbath observance as their assurance of receiving an eternal reward, yet they harbor dark views of God's disposition. This sets them up to succumb to the pressure of fear in the end, because fear is the fuel relied on by the enemy of God. Merely maintaining allegiance to a day of worship is not the same as reflecting the true disposition of the God of heaven. They are motivated by fear of punishment or hope of reward for good behavior and right obedience. Many diligently keep the right Sabbath while their heart motives contradict the revelation of God in His Christ, the hero of this war. Unless they come to repent and turn away from all such dark views of God, their hearts cannot be put right with God even if they stubbornly cling to practicing the external sign of allegiance to Him. This is why many will be deceived in the end, even while firmly believing they are remaining loyal to God. The believe they deserve to have a place in His kingdom based on outward obedience, yet they are more intent on being right than on letting the Spirit of God transform them to reflect His selfless love even toward their enemies.

Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?'

Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.' (Matthew 7:22-23)

What does it mean that Jesus doesn't know them? This is not superficial knowledge or awareness of their existence, but rather it is entirely about mutual intimacy from much time spent together opening up honestly about what is deep inside. These people have focused on the form of godliness while missing the real power of it which is receiving and giving love ever flowing from the heart of God.

I don't think it would violate the intent of Jesus here to add a few other things to this list, all things we do in His name, imagining that in doing them we are earning a place in His kingdom.

We carefully kept the right Sabbath day of worship in your name.

We obeyed every detail of the Torah in your name.

We meticulously paid every tithe we owed in your name, and sometimes a double tithe.

We learned to say your name exactly the way it is pronounced in Hebrew, your sacred language.

We brought our offerings and trusted in the most expensive sacrifice that could be offered to you, the death of the Son of God himself that was killed to purchase your pardon and forgiveness for us.

We believed that the name of Jesus/Yashua/(fill in the blank with your pronunciation) was the way to release your power in our lives, so we preached His name faithfully.

You see, we have been more loyal to you more than all these other worse sinners out here behind us.

Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: 'God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.' [I keep the right Sabbath on the seventh day every week without deviation.]

But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn't even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18:10-14)

This is the main difference between those who in the end are found to be true followers of the Lamb, and those who end up displaying the disposition of the beast version of God. Just doggedly making sure we know the right day of the week upon which we are to worship is no assurance that our heart is right before God and we are connected to Him intimately. Salvation is experienced not by maintaining rigid allegiance to outward signs, but rather as our heart is transformed through experiencing the power of true love that radically challenges all our previous assumptions about God, ourselves and reality in general.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35)