And a third angel followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,
he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb,
and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name.
It is for the benefit of all to understand what the mark of the beast is, and how they may escape the dread threatenings of God.
Who is the Beast?
The book of Daniel is the key to Revelation. A comparison between Daniel Chapter 7 & Daniel Chapter 8, and Revelation Chapter 13, reveals the beast as the Church of Rome.
Daniel Chapter 7 & Daniel Chapter 8
The little horn speaks great words against God.
Thinks to change time and law.
Tramples on the sanctuary of the host.
Wears out the saints for a time, two times, and half a time.
The leopard-bodied beast utters blasphemies against God.
Blasphemes God’s name, His dwelling, and those who dwell in heaven.
Makes war with the saints for forty-two months.
The Little Horn in Daniel Chapter 7 tries to change the set times and the laws. The Catholic Church doesn’t teach people to commit adultery or commit murder. The commandment which it claims to have changed is the fourth commandment, the one about the Sabbath.
What does the Catholic Church have to say about changing God’s Commandments?
“The third commandment is: “Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath Day.”
Like the first two commandments, this one also concerns our duties to God, particularly the duty to worship Him on a designated day. The word Sabbath means rest, and is Saturday the seventh day of the week.” (The Catholic Church changed God’s order of the Commandments by removing the Third commandment, warning God’s people not to make images or idols to worship them, which in turn made the Fourth Commandment the Third).
“But since Saturday, not Sunday, is specified in the Bible, isn’t it curious that non-catholics who profess to take their religion directly from the Bible and not from the church, observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Yes, of course, it is inconsistent; but this change was made about fifteen centuries before Protestantism was born, and by that time the custom was universally observed.
They have continued the custom, even though it rests upon the authority of the Catholic Church and not upon an explicit text in the Bible. That observance remains as a reminder of the Mother Church from which the non-catholic sects broke away-like a boy running away from home but still carrying in his pocket a picture of his mother or a lock of her hair.” – The Faith of Millions by Rev. John A O’Brien, PHD.
This book also carries the Nihil Obstat, and Imprimatur of the Catholic Church, which means it is free from doctrinal or moral error.
“The Sabbath was Saturday, not Sunday. The church altered the observance of the Sabbath to the observance of Sunday. Protestants must be rather puzzled by the keeping of Sunday when God distinctly said, “Keep holy the Sabbath day.” The word Sunday does not come anywhere in the Bible, so, without knowing it they are obeying the authority of the Catholic Church.” – Canon Cafferata, The Catechism explained, The Faith of Millions – p.89.
“You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and you will not find a single line authorising the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce a religious of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.” – Faith of our Fathers.
“What protestant can, after perusing these articles, with a clear conscience, continue to disobey the command of God, enjoining Saturday to be kept, which command his teacher, the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, records as the will of God.” – Rome’s Challenge, The Faith of Millions – p23.
The Church of Rome has changed the commandments of God, which were written by his own finger on tables of stone on Mt. Sinai.
The Image to the Beast
The image to the beast is the Protestant churches who by the authority of the Church of Rome and not the Bible, keep Sunday as their Sabbath.
The Mark of the Beast
The mark received on the forehead or on the hand is symbolic, not literal.
The mark on the forehead symbolises what we believe. We will receive it if we believe the Church of Rome’s false doctrines, and Sabbath.
The mark on the hand symbolises our actions. We will receive it if we act and keep the false Sabbath.
This demands the perseverance of the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.