View source for Disobedience Is the Mark

'''[[What Would Satan Choose?]]'''
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The above scriptures reveal that God&rsquo;s  people refuse the mark, keep His commandments and obey His government. Those of  the world receive the mark, obey&nbsp;<em>something else</em>, and thereby  disobey God and reject His rule over them.<br>

Now here is the description read in the  last chapter of those who have triumphed over Satan&rsquo;s mark, expanded for  context: &ldquo;And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that  had gotten the victory&nbsp;<em>over the&nbsp;beast&nbsp;</em>,  and&nbsp;<em>over his&nbsp;image&nbsp;</em>,  and&nbsp;<em>over his&nbsp;mark&nbsp;</em>,  and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of  God. And they sing the&nbsp;<em>song of Moses</em>&nbsp;the servant of God, and  the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God  Almighty; just and true are Your ways, You King of saints&rdquo; (Rev.  15:2-3).<br>

God likens those who have achieved  victory to those who escaped Egypt  and Pharaoh&rsquo;s rule. Under Moses&rsquo;  leadership, Israel escaped  the plagues that fell on Egypt,  which were a forerunner and type of the plagues to fall on those who have  received the mark. Paul spoke of how  Old Testament examples &ldquo;are written for our admonition, upon whom the&nbsp;<em>ends  of the world</em>&nbsp;are come&rdquo; (I Cor. 10:11).<br>

God&rsquo;s saints are shown to &ldquo;sing the  song of Moses&rdquo; standing on a sea of  glass (before God), just as Israel  stood on the shore of the Red Sea having been delivered from oppression in Egypt.  They sing Moses&rsquo; song because Moses reflects God&rsquo;s commandments. They sing the song  of the Lamb (Christ) because, through faith (&ldquo;of Christ&rdquo;), they have conquered sin, and received salvation.<br>

Now back to&nbsp;Revelation  12:1-17&nbsp;and key events happening to the  Church at the very end.<br>

Remember, Satan  is angry, and directs his wrath against God&rsquo;s people. This is contrasted to  great joy in heaven because of God&rsquo;s final victory through His servants.  Notice: &ldquo;Therefore rejoice, you heavens, and you that dwell in them. Woe to the  inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for&nbsp;<em>the devil</em>&nbsp;is come  down unto you, having&nbsp;great wrath,&nbsp;<em>because  he knows that he has but a short time</em>&rdquo; (Rev 12:12). The last phrase reveals&nbsp;<em>why</em>&nbsp;the  devil is angry.<br>

Rev 12:13-16&nbsp;explain that a very select few of  God&rsquo;s completely faithful servants will be protected in the Church&rsquo;s &ldquo;place&rdquo;  for three and a half years (also see&nbsp;Revelation 3:10-11). But those who are less vigilant, less convicted  and lukewarm, and who have accepted certain doctrines of the&nbsp;Revelation  17:1-18 &ldquo;woman,&rdquo; while remaining generally  faithful in keeping the commandments, will&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;be protected.<br>

Here is what Satan  does to this lukewarm group next. Read it carefully, for it is further proof  that God&rsquo;s people keep the commandments, and is proof that they suffer Satan&rsquo;s wrath as a result.<br>

Continue with the final verse of the  chapter: &ldquo;And the dragon was wroth with the woman [God&rsquo;s true Church], and went  to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the&nbsp;<em>commandments  of God</em>, and have the&nbsp;<em>testimony of Jesus Christ</em>&rdquo;  (Rev 12:17).<br>

Christians are commandment-keepers, and  the testimony of Jesus Christ is God&rsquo;s Word&mdash;the  Bible. The &ldquo;testimony of Jesus Christ&rdquo; is also  referred to as the &ldquo;spirit of prophecy&rdquo; (Rev. 19:10). God&rsquo;s servants understand the basic framework of  His overall prophetic timetable and plan. They are not confused about &ldquo;what  happens next,&rdquo; once certain prophecies begin to take place.<br>

However, just as God knows His  servants, and they are marked by obedience to Him, so Satan knows&nbsp;<em>his</em>&nbsp;servants,  and marks them as his own, so that they may be protected from his wrath&mdash;the  Tribulation!<br>

Understand this in the following way: Satan marks his servants and protects them from his wrath,  while persecuting and martyring those who will&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;take his  mark. On the other hand, God protects His most faithful servants (Rev.  3:10-11;&nbsp;12:13-16), because they will&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;take the  mark, or in any manner compromise His way, but pours&nbsp;<em>His</em>&nbsp;wrath  on those who&nbsp;<em>do</em>&nbsp;take Satan&rsquo;s mark. (But even those who are  lukewarm can in the Tribulation, through death, triumph over the mark and  receive salvation.)<br>

Get this picture absolutely clear in  your mind!<br>

<strong>Those Who Receive Plagues Made Plain!</strong><br>
There are plain New Testament  scriptures that tell us exactly&nbsp;<em>why</em>&nbsp;God pours His wrath on certain  people. We will momentarily briefly examine one before a more in-depth look  later.<br>

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

Here is sin, defined by God: &ldquo;Whosoever  commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law&rdquo;  (I John 3:4).<br>
In plain words, just as the faithful  are commandment-<em>keepers</em>, those who sin are commandment-<em>breakers</em>.<br>

Now let&rsquo;s examine for specific  understanding what&nbsp;<em>exactly</em>&nbsp;brings the wrath of God. Here is  what Paul wrote: &ldquo;Mortify therefore  your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate  affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which  things&rsquo; sake the&nbsp;wrath of God&nbsp;comes  on the&nbsp;<em>children of disobedience</em>&rdquo; (Col.  3:5-6).<br>

There it is! God pours out His wrath on  those who DISOBEY Him! There is no misunderstanding the meaning of this verse.  Again, this will be made clearer, with more plain verses, in its own later  chapter.<br>

Let&rsquo;s now summarize what we have read.<br>

The mark of the Beast is  commandment-breaking, and he that breaks one breaks them all. The mark is that  of the Roman Empire&mdash;the Beast&mdash;not the woman  who rides it. The false woman church &ldquo;caused&rdquo; 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&mdash;buying or selling&mdash;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&rsquo;s Law, and has a direct  relationship to earning a living&mdash;holding a job.<br>
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'''[[What Would Satan Choose?]]'''
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'''Back to [[1The Bible’s Greatest Prophecies Unlocked!]]'''
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