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The Mark of the Beast Linked With Mammon

"No man might buy or sell save he that had the mark" ( Revelation 13:17). What’s the buying and selling system of the world? Isn’t it the money system, the love of money, controlled by the spirit of mammon? The goal of many people is to become a millionaire. Those who love money will not endure. People will be sold out to the greed of this world and the love of money unless they’ve instead been marked by God.

Some people are able to make large sums of money because they’ve taken the beast’s mark; they’ll not be able to operate in the world’s system without his mark. His mark insures receiving those things this world has to offer. Those who receive the beast’s mark receive his goods because he will buy and sell with them; even the poor are marked since greed is a heart attitude. Even those with nothing can be greedy since lust is in the heart of man.

Satan’s system is run by buying and selling, whereas God’s kingdom is operated by giving and receiving. Using the money system of the world is not evil in itself since money is an amoral object that the spirit of mammon tries to control. Money is part of the world system with the spirit of mammon being the entity behind that system.

As Christians we should use money only as an exchange or purchase system, not for power as do Satan’s followers. Revelation 13:16 says the beast system causes all to receive his mark. (That is, all but Christians, since verse 8 states the whole world worships the beast except those whose names are written in the book of life). Verse 17 says that no man might buy or sell except he had the mark, or the name or the number of the beast.

To do business with the devil you must have his mark (be conformed to his image), or have his name (become an heir of Satan by becoming his child), or have his number (that spiritual number of 666 which denotes the whole beast system of mankind). I think we will have choice to take the mark or refuse it.

I don’t believe men are going to be forced to take a literal number to buy or sell, but rather the world and the beast system will in all probability refuse to sell or do business with Christians. Evil men will try to destroy Christians by denying us the use of the system. They will try to starve us or keep us from prospering. The true end-time church will be walking in God’s power and anointing which brings conviction on evil men who hate Christians; therefore, the wrath of evil men will try to top the church. Christians can choose to take the mark by adhering to the evil world system, but I don’t believe it will be forced on them.

We already see the lines being drawn between good and evil. Those who love God certainly would refuse anything that would cause them to sin against Him. Using credit cards or legal banking systems is not sinful (as long as we repay according to the credit terms).

Only dishonest or worldly demands that would cause us to deny Christ or break His commandments would mark us with the beast system. When these worldly systems progress to that point, we must refuse to use them as that would be sin. Perhaps this is why God is speaking to the church to get out of debt and owe no man anything except the debt of love ( Romans 13: 8). Then we are in bondage to no one, but we’re free to serve God as He leads us.

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