What You Obey
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Paul, in his letter to the Romans, explained that people are the servants of whatever and whomever they obey: “Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you areto whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Rom 6:16).
Human beings either serve and obey God, and are given eternal life—or they serve and obey sin and the “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4), Satan, and earn eternal death (Rom. 6:23)!
In the Old Testament, Sabbath-breaking was punishable by death (Ex. 31:14-15). II Corinthians 3:7-8 describes the Old Testament administration of a civil death penalty, which is no longer applicable, because God is now building the nation of spiritual Israel (Rom. 2:28-29; 8:9; 11:24-26;Gal. 3:29; Eph. 2:11-13, 19; I Pet. 2:5, 9).
The Sabbath was to be kept perpetually, throughout the generations of Israel. There are still generations of Israel today—and there is spiritual Israel, which keeps the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Israel is not synonymous with Jewish. The Jews, who came from Judah, represent but one of twelve tribes of Israel that descended from the patriarch Jacob. Recall that the Tribulation is “Jacob’s trouble,” not merely “Judah’s.” (America and Britain in Prophecy makes all of this abundantly clear.)
Take heed whether and how you will obey God. For “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden underfoot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Heb. 10:28-29).
This is most serious!
How the Mark Is Made
During the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire caused people to receive a “mark.” What was this mark? Those who had it lived—those who did not, died. This mark protected all who received it.
The Roman system “set” this mark on all who obeyed and submitted to its pagan religious practices. These included observance of Sunday as the day of worship (instead of the true Sabbath), along with other pagan holidays (Christmas, Easter, New Year’s and others). We saw history records that tens of millions were killed for not obeying the Roman Empire in regard to Sunday observance.
Notice this revealing verse in Daniel 7:1-28 “I beheld, and the same [little] horn made war with the saints...” (Dan 7:21). This “war” is referring to the period that the Roman Empire, under the false church’s direction, put to death all those who would not worship on Sunday! Let me repeat: The universal church in Rome, working with the civil government, caused everyone under the Roman system to receive this mark. Sunday became the official day of worship for all—throughout the empire. Sabbath observance was outlawed, and anyone observing it was killed! Millions lost their lives in this persecution, and God’s Word tells us that it will happen again!
We have already seen that the book of Revelation is largely one of visions and symbols. We read that the beast “causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in theirright hand, or in their foreheads...” (Rev. 13:16).
What does this mean?
Let’s understand. What do people do with their hands? They work! So the “right hand” referenced in Revelation is a symbol for working—making a living. What about the forehead? The forehead is a symbol for what people believe. This is referring to one’s intellect or mind—specifically, what one obeys.
Again, God also has a “mark,” or a sign, He puts on those who follow His laws. In Exodus 13:9, God is explaining one of His annual Sabbaths to the nation of Israel. Notice this: “It shall be for a sign unto you upon your hand [they could not work on the Sabbath], and for a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth.”
This could not be more plain! Let’s examine two more passages: “Now these are the commandments...and these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart...and you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes” (Deut. 6:1, 6, 8), and “Therefore shall you lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes” (Deut. 11:18).
The Fourth Commandment, of God’s Sabbath, is the one command that professing Christianity outright rejects! This commandment separates those who have the mark of the Beast and those who carry God’s sign of Sabbath-keeping. It is the test command of one’s obedience to the true God.
God’s Law is not negotiable. If one breaks any of His laws, that person is guilty of sin. We saw that “sin is the transgression of the law” (I John 3:4). If you break it, you earn a penalty—death (Rom. 6:23). So both God, with His sign, and the Beast, with his mark, identify their followers. And both bring death—if disobeyed!
You must choose which mark to take. Choose correctly. Your future depends on it!
Now notice again Exodus 31:13: “...Verily My Sabbaths you shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the Lord that does sanctify you.”
So then, in plain terms, the mark of the Beast is Sunday-keeping and the keeping of pagan festivals—in place of God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths! The mark is disobedience to God’s Way!