Those Who Receive Plagues Made Plain!

There are other plain New Testament scriptures that tell us exactly why God pours out His wrath on certain people. We will examine them shortly.

We must first examine what God says sin is, for His plagues will be poured on a sinning humanity. Once we understand how God defines sin, we can better understand how Satan marks all those who are his servants.

Here is sin, defined by God: “Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4).

In plain words, just as the faithful are commandment-keepers, those who sin are commandment-breakers.

Now let’s examine for specific understanding about exactly what brings the wrath of God. Here is what Paul wrote: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the WRATH OF GOD comes on the children of disobedience” (Col. 3:5-6).

There it is! God pours out His wrath on those who DISOBEY Him! There is no misunderstanding the plain meaning of this verse.

But let’s consider another: “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness.... filthiness.... For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom.... Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things comes the WRATH OF GOD upon the children of disobedience” (Eph. 5:3-6).

Once again, this is most PLAIN regarding why, and upon whom, God pours out His wrath! And the next verse shows what Christians are instructed not to do with those who practice what Paul describes: “Be not you therefore partakers with them” (Eph. 5:7).

Those who “partake” of this conduct, or who fraternize “with them” (the world and its ways), will partake of God’s plagues on a rebellious mankind.

The prophet Zephaniah speaks most bluntly of this terrible day when God’s wrath is poured out. Notice: “The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hastens greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung” (Zeph. 1:14-17).

Let’s now summarize what we have read.

The mark of the beast is commandment-breaking, and he that breaks one breaks them all. The mark is that of the Roman Empire—the beast—not the woman who rides it. The false woman church “caused” the masses to receive the mark through deception. The human government through which Satan deceives the world, the Roman Empire, receives its power, its seat and authority from him. Holding a job and engaging in commerce—buying or selling—is impossible for those without the mark. Martyrdoms, past and future, occur because some refuse the mark, and keep the commandments of God instead. So, the mark is something the apostate church enforces, which is directly contrary to God’s Law, and has a direct relationship to earning a living—holding a job.

What Mark Would Satan Choose?

Since Satan has “deceived the whole world” (Rev. 12:9; 20:3), how has he accomplished this? On what point has he seized, which he can most naturally replace with a counterfeit? What command would Satan most easily change, and then expect carnal human reasoning to conclude is merely an innocent adjustment?

Now understand. The carnal mind is “enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7). Human beings are most agreeable to sin in all of its forms. People are perfectly willing to break every one of God’s commandments. Whether idolatry, stealing, adultery, murder, dishonouring of parents, coveting or lying, people willingly—and eagerly—do these things. And, of course, Satan has certainly led people into all of these practices.

But none of these represent, in any particular way, a test that directly connects to how one might earn a living or hold a job—to whether or how one could or could not “buy and sell.” And Satan must select a commandment, which affects this ability of those who will not compromise God’s Law.

There is only one commandment that Satan would see as a candidate for such a test. It is a commandment that God has always said is a sign between Him and His people.

We should now ask, “What is a mark, brand or sign?” What do these terms signify—what do they mean?

In practical application, ranchers brand their cattle to signify ownership. In many cases, retailers hang up a sign above their establishment to show whose hardware store, restaurant, or shop it is. In Genesis 4:15, after he killed Abel, Cain received a “mark,” signifying that he had sinned. This was also a kind of brand or sign telling those who met Cain who and what he was. The famous novel The Scarlet Letter is the story of a woman who committed adultery and had to wear a large “A” on the front of her clothing to signify what she had done.

It is no different with a church. God does not force anyone to obey Him. But Satan, through his church, does force his brand on his people in the same way that ranchers force their brand on cattle.

Now what is the sign that God says identifies His people? What point of obedience tells God that we are His people?

Next Part Recalling God’s Sign

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