Buying and Selling

Now we must consider Revelation 13:17, 'No-one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.'

We immediately wonder how we are going to survive if we take this verse literally. Where will we get our food? Will God do the same sort of miracles for us that he did for Elijah?

When these words were first written, I don't believe they would have struck terror into the hearts of those who read them. In agricultural societies most people produce their own food and even clothes. People did not need to buy and sell to live. I cannot say for certain that this verse will not have a literal, physical fulfilment. However I believe we do better to look for its spiritual meaning.

The beast of verse 17 is the beast who came up out of the earth (as we read earlier in this chapter). The earth, as I will explain in more detail later, is a picture of those, believers or church members, who are not dwellers in heaven. They walk according to the flesh rather than the spirit. The earth is distinct from the sea, and also distinct from the heavens. The sea is the multitude of unbelievers and heathen (see Rev 17:15). The heavens are those who are seated with Christ in heavenly places. We can say that the earth represents the carnal church.

The carnal church is full of buying and selling. It is described later in the book of Revelation as a prostitute. The sexual act is an act of deep and intimate communion between husband and wife. It pictures the communion we should have with God. A prostitute is someone who takes this act, and uses it in a totally wrong way - outside marriage - to make money. In different ways throughout history, the church has done exactly the same thing.

It has taken the things of God, and sold them for money. In previous times, priests offered forgiveness of sin in return for money. The church became unbelievably rich through the services it offered and the taxes it demanded. In modern times, evangelists will offer their healing gifts for money. "Mail me your love offering for God's work, and I will pray for God to heal you." In some developing countries 'pastors' become much richer than they would ever have been if they had stayed in a normal job. Well-meaning churches from the west pour in money to "spread the gospel" and support the "work of God". Direct and less direct lies are told to keep the money flowing.

I don't believe the real work of God has ever suffered from lack of funds! God never starts a building project that he has not got the finances to complete.

When anyone, openly or in a more hidden manner, uses the things of God to build up his own position, reputation or bank balance, he is, in the sight of God, a prostitute.

Chapter 18 of Revelation describes the fall of Babylon. In verse 3 we read: 'For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.' The chapter goes on to describe the immorality of the kings of the earth and the massive wealth of the merchants of the earth, and their great sorrow at the fall of Babylon.

In Bible times money did not have the same implications as it does now. In these days certainly in western society people cannot live without money. Most people live in cities and earn salaries with which they pay for their food and clothing and other needs. In ancient times most people could produce their own food and clothes and had little need of money. Merchants were unproductive people who bought what others had made or produced and transported it to somewhere else where they could sell it for a profit. Many of the goods described in Revelation 18 were luxury items.

We can see a spiritual parallel to this in those preachers and teachers who have no real word from God of their own. They take what they have heard in sermons and on tapes, and what they have read in books. They pass it on as if it were their own. They use it to build up their own reputation and status. Such people are marked with the number 666. They buy and sell in Babylon, and they will weep greatly when their Babylon's fall.

The way of God is very different. The Spirit and the Bride (Rev 22:17) issue an invitation to 'take the water of life freely'. Someone once said, 'Heaven gives, earth sells, hell robs.' God, and his true servants will always give. 'Freely you have received', Jesus said, 'freely give.' Those who have learnt to live in the heavens with Christ will not wish to buy and sell the things of God. They have received freely from their heavenly Father. They will give freely to all who want to receive from them.

Next Part The Mind of Christ