This Lesson will conclude the exciting study of the prophecy of Revelation chapter 13.  Last lesson, we were studying about the rise of the United States of America, the second beast mentioned in this chapter.

We saw how it would rise in the late 1700s when the Roman Papal Beast would go into captivity and suffer a deadly head wound.  We saw how the prophecy also said this country would be a super power causing the world to “worship” the first beast.  Today the United States of America is the world’s lone super power.  We also studied how this country will begin to speak like a dragon by uniting church and state to enforce the teachings of the Roman Papacy.  This is already becoming a reality in America with powerful Christian movements such as Pat Robertson’s “Christian Coalition”, etc.

We also saw how this country would do great things and also cause “fire to come down from heaven in the sight of men.” We saw how the false fire of a false Holy Spirit movement, namely the neo-Pentecostal movement could easily fulfill this prophecy along with America’s technological “miracles” (such as the atomic bomb, etc.)  We will begin our study this session with Revelation chapter 13, verse 14.

1.  How does this second beast (the United States) deceive those who dwell on the earth?  See verse 14.

Answer: By the means of these which he had to do in the of the first .

The false miracles of a false religious movement will sweep over the world deceiving people.  These miracles will be done “in the sight of the beast,”  that is, in the presence and with full approval of the Roman Catholic Church!  Today the charismatic movement with the many “miracles” claimed is sweeping the world!  Many people are deceived by thinking that miracles are a sign that the person doing the miracle is of God, but this is not always the case!  See Revelation 16:14 and Matthew 7:21-23 now.

2.  What else does the second beast tell the world to do regarding the first beast?  See verse 14 again.

Answer: It tells the people of the earth to make an to the first .

As we have said before, the first beast -- the Roman Papal Church has operated by forcing its teachings and doctrines on the people by using the power of the state to do its bidding!  The Churches in the United States, in full agreement with Rome and her doctrines will more and more be saying, “We must make religious laws! We must get the country back to God!”  In so doing, they do not realize that this will lead to religious laws that will enforce Rome’s doctrines such as Sunday observance!  Sunday is the sacred day of ancient sun worship and has been adopted into the Roman church from paganism!

A major step toward this end took place just recently on March 29, 1994.  On that day the final draft of a document called Evangelicals and Catholics Together: the Christian Mission in the Third Millennium was signed.

This document calls for acceptance of Catholics as true Christians and discourages Catholics and Protestants from trying to convert one another.  In saying this, the Protestants have accepted the false doctrines of Rome as being genuine Christian doctrines!  This means that all those faithful martyrs who were put to death because they would not accept Rome’s false teachings which are contrary to the Bible, have received a slap in the face, so to speak, from their own Protestant brethren!  This is amazing in the light of recent developments.  For example, in October, 1996, Pope John Paul II said he saw no conflict between religious teachings and the Theory of Evolution!  How sad that the Protestant churches do not see anything wrong in aligning themselves with Rome!

There are many sincere, born again Christians in each and every denomination.  In these last days the Lord is calling His people to come out of Babylon (false religion) into His remnant church!  See Revelation 18:4.

3.  What does this country have power to do for this church and state union (the image of the beast) that is now being formed? See verse 15.

Answer: It has power to give to the image of the beast and that it should and cause as many as would not the image of the beast should be .

This country will give “life” to this union of church and state. It will speak by laws which will enforce Roman papal doctrines and worship, notably the false Sunday sabbath as we will learn shortly! Eventually this will grow until a death decree will be issued against those who do not adhere to the laws and decrees of this image to the beast!

4.  What does this beast cause to be put upon every person, small or great, rich or poor?  See verse 16.

Answer: A in their right or in their .

The right hand symbolizes that the people support the beast, give a hand, so to speak. The forehead symbolizes the mind! The people have in their mind the false teachings of Rome! The mind is where the battle takes place between truth and error!

To identify what the mark of the Roman beast is, we will let the Bible speak again!

5.  What did the Lord place on Cain to identify him as the first murderer so others would not kill him?  See Genesis 4:15.

Answer: A .

The word translated "mark" here is the Hebrew word ‘owth’ and is translated as both ‘mark’ and ‘sign’ in the Bible.

6.  What does the Lord say is His sign or ‘mark?’  See Ezekiel 20:12. (This verse uses the same word ‘owth’ that is translated ‘sign’ here.)

Answer: The is God’s sign or mark.

It is clear that God’s sign or mark is the seventh-day Sabbath. This commandment identifies Him as the Creator of all things! See Exodus 20:8-11.   The Roman Catholic Church has by its own admission, transferred the holiness from God’s true Sabbath and placed its blessing on Sunday, the ancient high day of sun worship!

History clearly reveals that the Roman Papacy was the originator of Sunday worship in Christianity!  The Roman Church has often said this herself.  A book entitled The Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine written by Catholic Priest Peter Giermann, was published by the Catholic Church in 1951.  This book is a question and answer book.  On page 50 it has the following questions and answers written.

“Question: Which day is the Sabbath day? 
Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day.
Question: Why then do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday."

In another Catholic Book called A Doctrinal Catechism by priest Stephan Keenan, on page 74 in response to the question, ‘Have you any way to prove that the Roman Catholic Church has power to institute festivals?’ Keenan wrote this:

“Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her ... she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for an observance of Saturday -- the seventh day, a change for which there IS NO SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY."

He was right about there being no scriptural authority for the change! Monsignor Segur, in his book Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today, on page 225 writes:

“It was the Catholic Church which by the authority of Jesus Christ, has transferred this rest to Sunday in remembrance of the resurrection of our Lord. Thus the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, an spite of themselves, to the authority of the Catholic Church.”

Pay homage to Rome?  Praise the Lord that those who obey God’s fourth commandment pay homage to their Creator and not to any manmade tradition inspired by Satan!  It is clear that modern Sunday worship came from the Roman Papacy!  D.B. Ray, a Roman Catholic author, in his book The Papal Controversy published in 1892, wrote this on page 179:

“From this same Catholic Church you Protestants accepted your Sunday, and that Sunday, as the Lord's Day, the Roman Catholic Church has handed down as a TRADITION; and the entire Protestant world has accepted it as tradition, FOR THERE IS NOT AN IOTA OF SCRIPTURE TO ESTABLISH IT! Therefore, that which Protestants have accepted as their rule of faith, inadequate as it of course is, as well as your Sunday, you have accepted on the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.”

Thus the Roman church proudly boasts that it has changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and she laughs at Protestants for obeying her commandment of Sunday worship even though there is ‘not an iota of Scripture to establish’ Sunday worship!  But Rome cannot make such a boast against Seventh-day Adventists!  Here’s what Rome has to say about the TRUE Protestants in this issue!

“The Roman Catholic Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by her Founder, Jesus Christ.  The Protestant, claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday.  In this matter, THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST IS THE ONLY CONSISTENT PROTESTANT.” - The Catholic Universe bulletin, August 14, 1942, page 4.

The Roman Papal Church claims its "mark" of authority is Sunday sacredness! In a letter written by Cardinal Gibbons, chancellor, on November 11, 1895, this leading Roman Catholic prelate wrote:

“Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change (from Sabbath to Sunday) was her act.  It could not have been otherwise, as none in those days would have dreamed of doing anything in matters spiritual and ecclesiastical and religious without her.  And the act is a MARK of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things.”

Also, recently, Pope John Paul II called for a ‘workless Sunday’ in Europe, citing Sunday as the ‘MARK of Christianity’!  Friends, the issue is clear.  God told us in His word that the ‘mark’ of the beast will be enforced law in the end of time.  We are surely heading to that point!

7.  What will no one be allowed to do unless they have the "mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name?"  See Revelation 13:17.

Answer: They will not be able to or .

There will be economic sanctions against those who do not adhere to the Sunday sacredness laws of the image to the beast. Perhaps cards or certificates will be given out in the apostate churches and unless you are registered with them you will not be able to do business!  We do not know for sure how this will be enforced.  When it comes to unfulfilled prophecy, we must be careful to not be too dogmatic.

8.  What is the number of the beast?  See verse 18.

Answer: .

Verse 17 says that it is the number of ‘his name’ or title. The Roman Pope is called by the official Latin title of VICARIVS FILII DEI. Translated this means ‘the vicar of the Son of God.’ Roman numerals have numerical value, and so it is possible to ‘count’ the number of his name as the Bible says! Let’s do that right now!

 If we add 112 plus 53 plus 501, we come to the number 666, which is the number of his name -- THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST!

We have learned some pretty intense truths this session and the last one.  Let us pray earnestly about these matters and ask the Lord for strength and wisdom to let us know what to do!

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