An International Day of Worship & The Mark of the Beast
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SCRIPTURE Q & A Historical, Biblical examples of a national days of worship. Revelation 13:11-18 prophecies forced, worldwide, anti-Christ worship. The image to the beast of Revelation 13:1-10 is a day of legislated worship. Mandating worship will lead to persecution. The 7th-day Sabbath is The Lord's Day! Has the day of the Sabbath changed? What should we do during the International Day of Worship? |
SUMMARY Those that always choose to obey God, rather than man, will be blessed! |
THOUGHTS
Movements to Mandate Worship
"It will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the church and a law of the state ought not to be tolerated; that it is better for them to suffer than for whole nations to be thrown into confusion and lawlessness."
- The Great Controversy, p. 615
"Those who honor the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order, as breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy and corruption, and calling down the judgments of God upon the earth. Their conscientious scruples will be pronounced obstinacy, stubbornness, and contempt of authority."
- The Great Controversy, p. 592
"And then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve God are causing these evils. The class that have provoked the displeasure of Heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to God's commandments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors....Thus the accusation urged of old against the servant of God will be repeated and upon grounds equally well established: [1 Kings 18:17, 18 quoted]."
- The Great Controversy, p. 590
"Similar events will take place in the near future. Men will exalt and rigidly enforce laws that are in direct opposition to the law of God. Though zealous in enforcing their own commandments, they will turn away from a plain 'Thus saith the Lord.' Exalting a spurious rest day, they will seek to force men to dishonor the law of Jehovah, the transcript of His character. Though innocent of wrongdoing, the servants of God will be given over to suffer humiliation and abuse at the hands of those who, inspired by Satan, are filled with envy and religious bigotry."
-Testimonies to the Church, Volume 9, p. 229
"The conflict is between the requirements of God and the requirements of the beast."
- Testimonies to the Church, Volume 1, p. 223
"The founders of the nation [USA] wisely sought to guard against the employment of secular power on the part of the church, with its inevitable result-- intolerance and persecution."
- The Great Controversy, p. 442
The Image to the Beast of Revelation 13:1-10
"The "image to the beast" represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas."
- The Great Controversy, p. 445
"Since those who keep God's commandments are thus placed in contrast with those that worship the beast and his image and receive his mark, it follows that the keeping of God's law, on the one hand, and its violation, on the other, will make the distinction between the worshipers of God and the worshipers of the beast."
- The Great Controversy, p. 445
"The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes, for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided."
- Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 81
"The special characteristic of the beast, and therefore of his image, is the breaking of God's commandments."
- The Great Controversy, p. 446
The Prophecy of Revelation 13:11-18
"[Revelation 13:11 quoted] Both the appearance of this beast and the manner of its rise indicate that the nation which it represents is unlike those presented under the preceding symbols."
- The Great Controversy, p. 439
"In Revelation 17 an angel explained that waters represent "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 17:15. Winds are a symbol of strife. The four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea represent the terrible scenes of conquest and revolution by which kingdoms have attained to power."
- The Great Controversy, p. 439
"But the beast with lamblike horns was seen "coming up out of the earth." Instead of overthrowing other powers to establish itself, the nation thus represented must arise in territory preciously unoccupied and grow up gradually and peacefully."
- The Great Controversy, p. 440
"It could not, then, arise among the crowded and struggling nationalities of the Old World--that turbulent sea of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." It must be sought in the Western Continent. What nation of the New World was in 1798 rising into power, giving promise of strength and greatness, and attracting the attention of the world? The application of the symbol admits of no question."
- The Great Controversy, p. 440
"The 'speaking' of the nation is the action of its legislative and judicial authorities. By such action it will give the lie to those liberal and peaceful principles which it has put forth as the foundation of its policy."
- The Great Controversy, p. 442
"The Constitution provides that 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' and that "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office of public trust under the United States.' Only in flagrant violation of these safeguards to the nation's liberty, can any religious observance be enforced by civil authority."
- The Great Controversy, p. 442
"As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God's forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation's iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight,never to return. The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress which prophets have described as the time of Jacob's trouble."
- Testimonies to the Church, Volume 5, p. 451
The Sabbath - The Lord's Day
"In the issue of the contest all Christendom will be divided into two great classes--those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark. Although church and state will unite their power to compel 'all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond' (Revelation 13:16), to receive 'the mark of the beast,' yet the people of God will not receive it. The prophet of Patmos beholds 'them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God' and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Revelation 15:2, 3."
- The Great Controversy, p. 450
"And it is not until the issue is thus plainly set before the people, and they are brought to choose between the commandments of God and the commandments of men, that those who continue in transgression will receive 'the mark of the beast.' "
- The Great Controversy, p. 449
"The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God."
- The Great Controversy, p. 605
“This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed. All who prove their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious Sabbath will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God.”
- Letter 11, 1890
What To Do During the International Day of Worship?
"We are not left to our own direction. In all our ways we should acknowledge God, and He will direct our paths. We should consult His Word with humble hearts, ask His counsel, give up our will to His. We can do nothing without God."
- Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 368
"There is every encouragement, in the promises of God, for those who put their trust in Him. The prospect of being brought into personal danger and distress, need not cause despondency, but should quicken the vigor and hopes of God's people; for the time of their peril is the season for God to grant them clearer manifestations of His power."
- Selected Messages, Book 2, p. 370
"Keep right on with your missionary work, with your Bibles in your hands, and the enemy will see that he has worsted his own cause. One does not receive the mark of the beast because he shows that he realizes the wisdom of keeping the peace by refraining from work that gives offense, doing at the same time a work of the highest importance."
- Testimonies to the Church, Volume 9, p. 232
"On this day open-air meetings and cottage meetings can be held. House-to-house work can be done. Those who write can devote this day to writing their articles."
- Testimonies to the Church, Volume 9, p. 233
"Let the teachers take the students with them to hold meetings for those who know not the truth. Thus they will accomplish much more than they could in any other way. "
- Testimonies to the Church, Volume 9, p. 233
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy, p. 605-615
Testimonies to the Church, Volume 5, p. 449-454