How To Survive Without The Mark Of The Beast

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Watching the news a few days ago, I saw photos and videos of people protesting against the COVID-19 quarantine on full display. I am increasingly tired of how certain biblical texts are tied to certain political movements and protests – texts that are, quite frankly, misused and misunderstood. Sadly, Christianity will be distorted in the process. See photos like these floating around in newspapers and on social media. to Revelation.

The mark of the monster

Contents

I know of no reputable biblical scholar or theologian who attests that COVID-19 quarantine or vaccines are associated with the “mark of the beast.” For starters, in the book of Revelation, “the mark of the beast” is not a medical procedure at all. Chances are, it’s not even a physical or visible sign. Contrary to some of the more frightening theories formerly popular among some missionaries, “signs” are not at all something that can be taken away accidentally. Because the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:16-18) is a sign associated with the worship of the beast (13:12, 15; see 19:20; 20:4). So the mark of the beast is a sign of loyalty and devotion to the beast. of the beast could very well be a sign that identifies you as something you’ve got—namely, wicked and evil, a man of dragons. I say this because when you read Revelation 7:1-8 and 14:1 (where the mark of the Lamb is discussed), you will find that it is a sign for God’s people, I servants of God, to know them. so and of course, to protect them. They received the sign of the Lamb because they were united with the Lamb. two polar realities, two opposite signs, showing that these are two different types of people, the wicked on the one hand and the righteous on the other. a mental imprint, not visible; It’s a sign of loyalty and adoration and not something you can casually accept. symbolic expression or “sacrament of evil” (sorry for oxymoron!) of your willful and overt denial of the Christian faith that you despise. If that’s you and if that’s your plan, the problem isn’t the vaccine.

About that beast….

Any interpretation of Revelation that results in the “beast” being the focus (and dreaded fear) of your prophetic theory certainly shows that you have completely misunderstood the book. . The Neronic specter loves the attention you give him, but really, he doesn’t deserve it.Read more: how to fix steep stairs in small spaces | The leading question and which we give him so much attention is perhaps obvious when we observe the following: most Christians are only familiar with texts that speak of the “mark of the child”. beasts” (e.g., Revelation 13:16-18) and not about the texts that speak of “the sign of the Lamb” (e.g., Revelation 14:1). That is interesting to me. I mean, it’s all conceivable, I suppose. After all, in popular culture, the “mark of the beast” has received more attention, becoming the obsession of many people. (Monsters are noisy and attract attention; lambs can go unnoticed and ignored.) However, I think it might be better to learn one’s theology from places other than sensational films and pop-culture best-selling fiction books. A mere suggestion. Speaking of sensationalism, it’s interesting how things rotate the way they are. Even in our lifetime, for example, the “brand” is first attached to a social security number, then to a credit card. Now, apparently, certain interpretations of the COVID-19 quarantine are contributing specifically to the Gospel lore. added that what particularly infuriates me is the way such ignorance works to sow needless fear among God’s people — a good reminder that theology has consequences.

Whose revelation?

Common interpretations of “Revelation” are often forgotten (neglected?) The fact that this book is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1). Many people (especially on social media) treat it as if it were the revelation of the dragon and its fury. The quieter eschatological teachers focus so much of their attention on endless speculations regarding the Antichrist, the “mark of the beast”, etc., that I really wonder if they think that Revelation is primarily a revelation about satan or not. Two things need to be said about this. : (1) Such assumptions about the book of Revelation see Satan as the star of end-time speculations, once again causing needless fear among good people. And (2), such views are simply wrong: Neither dragons nor beasts are the stars of the show; therefore, they should not be the focus of our obsessions, but on the contrary, the point of the book of Revelation is to reveal and uncover the Lamb’s victory and the victory that the Lamb shares with his people. me. Jesus is the focus. This is, quite frankly, old news. In fact, it’s news that’s 2,000 years old. That is basic theology. Yet it is ignored, I suspect that much of the false eschatological hype has not so much to do with theology but more to do with certain political ambitions that can be achieved by ways of weaponizing major biblical texts (e.g., Rev 13) for their own ends—a sort of horrible/bestial thing. However, that is the politics of our times.

Let’s play the game

Let’s assume that the monster and its sign are, in fact, linked to the COVID-19 quarantine or to some related vaccine, as this sign alludes to. (Continue wants to know that I have seen a protester with a gun; what is the point of protesting with a gun?). By all means, to oppose his “beast” and his “mark” with threats of this world’s weapons is to fight the enemy in enemy ways. But you cannot advance God’s agenda with violence or threats of violence. If you live by sword, then you know… Read more: how to get free Overwatch for pc 2017 In many ways, when one tries to advance the Kingdom of God through violence, ironically they end up shows that he has more in common with the beast and the dragon than he does with the Lamb. On the contrary, we are taught that, as Christians, we overcome our enemies “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of the Lord.” [our] testify” (Rev 12:11). In other words, we pass by the way of Christ, not by the way of Caesar. So if and/or when you see silly signs like these, don’t let them cause fear or panic in your heart or mind. Honestly, I wouldn’t give them any more credit than a quick glance.

The Theologian’s Burden

If you are a biblical scholar or Christian theologian, now is the time to help others navigate the vast array of information out there. Perhaps you can find a way to provide biblical and theologically unified guidance to those who are ill-informed or misinformed when it comes to ontology — at least as it is being understood. COVID-19 pandemic. Pastor or local church leader, I encourage you to utilize reputable eschatological sources to deliver to your church. There are respected scholars writing on the subject — scholars committed to careful study, meticulous reflection, and timely application. Digging into these resources will be time consuming. Halsted published a follow-up article, The Covid Vaccine has 666 articles written on it… and Why That Doesn’t Matter According to Revelation. Get started with a few of these great offerings from Logos: Mobile Ed: AR271 The Seven Cities of Revelation – a course taught by David deSilva, a renowned expert in the NT field. by Steve Gregg Revelation, International Theological Commentary, by Peter Leithart Read more: How old do you have to be to skyd