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| The dreaded mark |
Contrary to the claims of popular revival prophets, the last days on earth directly preceding the return of Jesus Christ are going to be extremely bad times for true Christians.
In what way? Many Christians are going to be persecuted and slaughtered by a powerful leader and his tyrannical world government.
Certainly, many Christians are already being persecuted throughout the world in such places as Northern Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and even in Western Europe.
But the persecution that Christians are now enduring pales in comparison to what's coming. And ironically, the prophetic end time persecution won't come from Islamists or atheists. Rather, it's going to come from those who will claim to be Christians.
How will that persecution manifest? A powerful world leader will arise who will rule a world government that will consist of 10 regional kingdoms governed by seven kings. (Daniel 7:7, Revelation 13:1, Revelation 17:3)
This leader will be the dreaded Antichrist and he will institute an electronic marking system that will enable his government to keep track of every person on earth. This computerized mark will contain a person's vital information and will enable them to buy, sell and transact all of their financial business. It will replace cash, coins, checks, credit and debit cards. (Revelation 13:16-17)
However, in order for a person to acquire this electronic device, he or she will be forced to swear allegiance to and worship the world leader as God. Those who refuse will not receive the device and will be forced to survive on their own instincts. And if they're captured, they will be killed along with those who help them.
Though this world leader will claim to be Jesus Christ, true Christians will refuse his mark because they will know who he really is. And he will vent his fury at those who refuse to worship him. (Daniel 7:25, Revelation 13:7)
According to the apostle John who recorded the Revelation in about 90 A.D., the electronic mark will contain the number 666. That number is significant because it not only reveals the identity of this man, it tells us where he's going to come from. "This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666." (Revelation 13:18)
And so, let's calculate the number. The number reveals that the Antichrist will be a man rather than God, so his claim to be Jesus Christ will be rejected by those who refuse to be seduced by him. Remember that Christ is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. The Antichrist will be a counterfeit.
Secondly, the number 666 represents the number of years that occurred between the time of Alexander the Great's (Greece) invasion of Persia in 331 B.C. and the establishment of the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. by Roman Emperor Constantine.
But wouldn't 666 years from 331 B.C. bring us to 335 A.D.? According to our modern 365-day calendar, (366 days every fourth year) it would. But the ancients utilized a 360-day calendar. Therefore, we subtract 3,497 days or 9.7 years which brings us to 325 A.D.
What's so significant about this time period? When Alexander invaded Persia, it opened up an important cultural gateway from Europe to the Middle East. That gateway would allow a powerful religion to spread its influence throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa and eventually across the entire world.
Thus, with the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., the Roman Catholic Church was born. And the Middle East would become extremely important to the Catholic Church. Why? Because of Israel and its capital city of Jerusalem. The Catholic Church has always believed that Jerusalem belongs to her and to no one else.
And when the Catholic Church eventually gains control of that city, the Roman Church believes that Christ will return and establish his earthly kingdom.
In the final installment, the bride of the Antichrist.
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