Wednesday's Journal Entry.
Here it is Wednesday evening and I am just now making my journal entry. I goofed and didn't make an entry on Tuesday. I am trying to make daily entries. Just as I would in a diary or journal by hand.
I am venting about face book as usual. I read a comment from someone about raising christian children. I liked what the comment said, so I copied and pasted it to my timeline. I don't remember if there was a share button or not. I said in my comments that I had taken it from someone else to share. The party I shared it from, comments back to me that I should have quoted what she said correctly. Especially since I was giving her credit for making the comment. She went on to say I had only posted the first paragraph of a lengthy article. Excuse me. I copied and pasted the first paragraph only because that is all that showed up on my face book page. Then another party makes a comment about how used to when you quoted someone else, you made sure you had permission from them to share it. Then be very careful and quote it exactly. I didn't think it was such a big deal. I gave the credit where credit was due. I did not say it was my own comments. If you don't want people to share what you post on face book, do not post it on a public media site.
One subject that is being talked a lot about lately is the teaching on the Mark of the Beast. Some say it has already taken place, while others say it will take place in the future. I always thought the Church of God (Seventh Day) stand is it has already taken place. That is what my grandpa Johnston always taught. Here is what is in articles published in the December 2009 and March-April 2010 issues in the Bible Advocate from former President Robert Coulter: The dragon (Revelation 12:3) gave this beast its power and authority. The fact that crowns, on the heads of the dragon, are now worn on the horns of the beast (13:1) indicates that the dragon's authority has been transferred to the kingdoms that developed in Western Europe upon the fall of the Roman Empire. One of the beast's heads is fatally wounded, but to the astonishment of the world, the wound was healed (v.3). This wound was to the head representative of Rome. It was initiated by Emperor Constantine, who divided the capital of Imperial Rome between the cities of Rome in the west and Constantinople in the east...
The wound was healed (v.3) by the Frankish king Charlemagne, a pretender of Christianity and supporter of the papacy...The second beast of John's prophecy arose out of the earth (13:11), a succession within the kingdoms described in Daniel 2 and 7. It had two lamb-like and spoke like a dragon, indicating the dual nature of a church (lamb-like) untied with civil authority (a dragon). This beast represents The Holy Roman Empire, the union of the Romish church with the political kingdoms of Europe...
This addressed the fact that the Roman church's hieracy was organized and operated much like Empiral Rome, even to emporer worship in the worhsip of its popes as "Holy Father"...Gave breath (life) of the image of the first beast so that it could spew its blasphemies and require the saints to adopt its heresies, or be killed (v.15). It did this through the use of the clergy, puppet kings, and magistrates... This beast forced people to receive a mark in their right hands or their foreheads as a preresquite to pursuing the ordinary activities of life (vv.16, 17)...
John calls for wisdom and insight in calculating the number of the beast (13:18a)... Many attempts are made to identify this mysterious figure, but speculation about his identity is unimportant because enforcement of his mark is now history. Although the maniforld blasphemies, heresies, and anti-christian idealogies of the beast still exsist, in this apostate church, it no longer exercises the authority to enforce its edicts either through papal decree or through the agency of the state...
Many teach that the mark of the beast is yet to be enforce by a latter-day anti-christ. That is imporssible if John's time allocations are taken literally. The time God allowed the saints to be persecuted equals 1,260 days or 1,260 years. This period indicated by John is identical with the time given to Daniel's little horn to oppress the saints (Daniel 7:25)...That time is now past. For all practical purposes, the beasts of Revelation 13 have been rendered impotent, even if the dregs of their heresies and Idolatries linger on in the world. (Coulter, R. The Persecution of Christianity. Bible Advocate Press, December 2009)
The eighteenth chapter of Revelation describes the judgment of the beast riding harlot first introduced as a little horn (Daniel 7) and later described as a two-horned beast (Revelation 13:11-17). God purposed that the kingdoms that she reigned over would ultimately rise up against her, hate and destroy her. An angel of great authority appeared, illuminated the whole earth, and shouted, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestible bird" (18:1 & 2). This cry of judgment was upon the harlot church that God had permitted to make war against the saints and exalt herelf against Him for an extended time (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:6, 14; 13:5). That time had ended. This reign and judment of the harlot did not occur in John's day. He was privileged to anticipate it, while we are blessed to look back on it in history...Thank God! His judgment on the prostitute has occured in history. It is not the judgment that will occur when the Lord Jesus returns to claim his kingdom, but it prevents the Roman church from enforing her will upon God's univeral church in our time. (Coulter, R. God's judgment. Bible Advocate March-April 2010, pp. 19-20)
I disagree with COG Writer on this subject. My grandpa, who was an evangelist and minister, believed the Mark of the Beast is past. He preached on it many times. I have studied it again a few times over the last several years and I agree with my grandpa. I am very certain the COG7 used to print a tract called the Mark of the Beast. It is a very old tract. I have talked to Jason Overman, Editor of the Bible Advocate who is also in charge of publications, about this tract. He says he doesn't remember the publishing house ever printing such a tract. I used to have a copy of the tract. I need to search through my tracts and see if I can find it.
Please study God's word and find out for yourself, if indeed the Mark of the Beast is past or it is coming soon in the near future. I do not believe this is a salvational issue. I do not believe we need to be concerned of loosing our salvation because we do not agree on this subject. Pray daily that God shows you the truth of this subject.
God Bless
*Starlight*
I am venting about face book as usual. I read a comment from someone about raising christian children. I liked what the comment said, so I copied and pasted it to my timeline. I don't remember if there was a share button or not. I said in my comments that I had taken it from someone else to share. The party I shared it from, comments back to me that I should have quoted what she said correctly. Especially since I was giving her credit for making the comment. She went on to say I had only posted the first paragraph of a lengthy article. Excuse me. I copied and pasted the first paragraph only because that is all that showed up on my face book page. Then another party makes a comment about how used to when you quoted someone else, you made sure you had permission from them to share it. Then be very careful and quote it exactly. I didn't think it was such a big deal. I gave the credit where credit was due. I did not say it was my own comments. If you don't want people to share what you post on face book, do not post it on a public media site.
One subject that is being talked a lot about lately is the teaching on the Mark of the Beast. Some say it has already taken place, while others say it will take place in the future. I always thought the Church of God (Seventh Day) stand is it has already taken place. That is what my grandpa Johnston always taught. Here is what is in articles published in the December 2009 and March-April 2010 issues in the Bible Advocate from former President Robert Coulter: The dragon (Revelation 12:3) gave this beast its power and authority. The fact that crowns, on the heads of the dragon, are now worn on the horns of the beast (13:1) indicates that the dragon's authority has been transferred to the kingdoms that developed in Western Europe upon the fall of the Roman Empire. One of the beast's heads is fatally wounded, but to the astonishment of the world, the wound was healed (v.3). This wound was to the head representative of Rome. It was initiated by Emperor Constantine, who divided the capital of Imperial Rome between the cities of Rome in the west and Constantinople in the east...
The wound was healed (v.3) by the Frankish king Charlemagne, a pretender of Christianity and supporter of the papacy...The second beast of John's prophecy arose out of the earth (13:11), a succession within the kingdoms described in Daniel 2 and 7. It had two lamb-like and spoke like a dragon, indicating the dual nature of a church (lamb-like) untied with civil authority (a dragon). This beast represents The Holy Roman Empire, the union of the Romish church with the political kingdoms of Europe...
This addressed the fact that the Roman church's hieracy was organized and operated much like Empiral Rome, even to emporer worship in the worhsip of its popes as "Holy Father"...Gave breath (life) of the image of the first beast so that it could spew its blasphemies and require the saints to adopt its heresies, or be killed (v.15). It did this through the use of the clergy, puppet kings, and magistrates... This beast forced people to receive a mark in their right hands or their foreheads as a preresquite to pursuing the ordinary activities of life (vv.16, 17)...
John calls for wisdom and insight in calculating the number of the beast (13:18a)... Many attempts are made to identify this mysterious figure, but speculation about his identity is unimportant because enforcement of his mark is now history. Although the maniforld blasphemies, heresies, and anti-christian idealogies of the beast still exsist, in this apostate church, it no longer exercises the authority to enforce its edicts either through papal decree or through the agency of the state...
Many teach that the mark of the beast is yet to be enforce by a latter-day anti-christ. That is imporssible if John's time allocations are taken literally. The time God allowed the saints to be persecuted equals 1,260 days or 1,260 years. This period indicated by John is identical with the time given to Daniel's little horn to oppress the saints (Daniel 7:25)...That time is now past. For all practical purposes, the beasts of Revelation 13 have been rendered impotent, even if the dregs of their heresies and Idolatries linger on in the world. (Coulter, R. The Persecution of Christianity. Bible Advocate Press, December 2009)
The eighteenth chapter of Revelation describes the judgment of the beast riding harlot first introduced as a little horn (Daniel 7) and later described as a two-horned beast (Revelation 13:11-17). God purposed that the kingdoms that she reigned over would ultimately rise up against her, hate and destroy her. An angel of great authority appeared, illuminated the whole earth, and shouted, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestible bird" (18:1 & 2). This cry of judgment was upon the harlot church that God had permitted to make war against the saints and exalt herelf against Him for an extended time (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:6, 14; 13:5). That time had ended. This reign and judment of the harlot did not occur in John's day. He was privileged to anticipate it, while we are blessed to look back on it in history...Thank God! His judgment on the prostitute has occured in history. It is not the judgment that will occur when the Lord Jesus returns to claim his kingdom, but it prevents the Roman church from enforing her will upon God's univeral church in our time. (Coulter, R. God's judgment. Bible Advocate March-April 2010, pp. 19-20)
COG Writer remarks on the mark of the beast: he states that the whole world has not yet worshiped the beast, his mark is not past, and people were able to buy and sell without the "mark of the beast" during the Middle Ages, the harlot church has not been destroyed, hence Revelation 13 and 18 has not yet been fulfilled. A careful read of Daniel 17:25-26 shows that God's kingdom is established right at the end of that particular, and future persecution. Persecution also clearly affects Christians just prior to and during the Great Tribulation according to that which is recorded in Matthew 24:9-22; Mark 13:9-20; Luke 21:12-24 and Revelation 12:13-17. Daniel clearly teaches that this happens at the appointed time of the end (11:28-39, 7:25). The Beast of Revelation has not fully risen up. To teach otherwise is wrong, major heresies and dangerous. Despite waht Robert Coulter recalled for the current issue of the Bible Advocate, he holds a "preterist" view of prophecy, which I consider to be dangerous.
I disagree with COG Writer on this subject. My grandpa, who was an evangelist and minister, believed the Mark of the Beast is past. He preached on it many times. I have studied it again a few times over the last several years and I agree with my grandpa. I am very certain the COG7 used to print a tract called the Mark of the Beast. It is a very old tract. I have talked to Jason Overman, Editor of the Bible Advocate who is also in charge of publications, about this tract. He says he doesn't remember the publishing house ever printing such a tract. I used to have a copy of the tract. I need to search through my tracts and see if I can find it.
Please study God's word and find out for yourself, if indeed the Mark of the Beast is past or it is coming soon in the near future. I do not believe this is a salvational issue. I do not believe we need to be concerned of loosing our salvation because we do not agree on this subject. Pray daily that God shows you the truth of this subject.
God Bless
*Starlight*
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