In 2014 I posted a series in which I tied the sign (“mark”) Jesus said would be used by a world-ruling, church-dominated government to enforce a universal Sunday Sabbath law during the final 3 1/2 years of this age during which the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord would play out on the world scene. Read about those horrific times which will unfold during this generation using the key word Tribulation. In the original series wrote that the “mark” (666) associated with that law would be used to identify the enemies of the “beast”–the universal church-state government described in Revelation 13:16-18 and 17:1-5. I also wrote that the “beast” to come on the world scene will be the final resurrection (horn) of Daniel’s fourth beast (Dan. 7) and John’s beast (Rev. 13 and 17).

All of the Biblical signs that must take place before Christ can return have been manifested–except one. The most recent sign is the drying up of the Euphrates River (Rev. 16:12). The final sign, identified in Luke 21:20, is coming closer to fruition each day as the European Union (the final resurrection of the Roman Empire) grows ever more militant and prosperous. The European Union is the final government (horn) of Daniel’s fourth beast and John’s beast. The E.U. is the end-time resurrection of the Roman Empire which, though put to “death” by the true Church, will rise one more time and will ravage the world for 3 1/2 years. Then Christ will return and destroy it once and for all.

In the following postings I will bring forward the main tenants of the previous “mark” series to which I will add a current update that will show that we are very close to the time when “the first beast” (Rev. 13:1,2) and its religious leader known as both the “second beast” and “the false prophet” (Rev. 13:11-18; 19:20, 20:10) will rule the world under the power of the “dragon” (Satan, the “serpent”)–Rev. 13:1,2. Let us begin, first with a mini-refresher course relative to the “mark.” We will end with a present day look into the future importance of “the mark of the beast” which the counterfeit church (Catholicism/Protestantism) has been wearing for almost 1700 years. That mark is THE SUNDAY SABBATH.

The “mark of the beast” was instituted by Roman Emperor Constantine for the Roman Empire in 325 A.D. at the Council of Nicea. He instituted the law in order to appease the sun worshipers whom the empire had defeated and absorbed into her political, economic and religious (Catholic) system. The law stated that the first day of the week–Sunday–the day the sun worshipers honored their god–would from that time forward be the official “day of rest” for the people of the empire. On that day the people were prohibited from working, buying and selling in obedience to the Lord’s commands relative to His seventh day Sabbath (Exo. 20:8-11 and Deut.5:12-14). Later, on May 7, 364 A.D., Pope Sylvester I decreed that Constantine’s Sabbath law would be enforced forever by the church. When the Protestants (protesters) left the mother church they took many of her heathen beliefs and practices with them, the Sunday Sabbath being one of them. See the homepage for this website for a list of other paganistic “truths” which the modern church continues to embrace. Concerning the Counsel of Nicea, Constantine also dictated that from that time on the Lord’s commanded Passover celebration would cease to be celebrated and would be replaced by what the Western world today calls “Easter.” Also, Easter, the celebration in honor of the “Goddess of Fertility,” would always be observed on Sunday in honor of her son, Tammuz, the sun god (Eze. 8:14). The state church (Catholicism) had immediately embraced the eradication of the Lord’s Sabbath and Passover celebrations. It is not clear why the church waited until 364 A.D. to “officially” adopt the Sunday Sabbath in that she had been observing it since Constantine dictated the change 39 years earlier. Perhaps she saw that the empire would not last forever wanted to keep the Sunday Sabbath should it fall. Since that time Satan’s Sabbath and Easter celebrations have been two of the characteristics by which his church system has been known. Equally popular identifiers of his religion are the celebration of Christmas and the popularity of the cross. Read the series on Christmas and the series titled Did Jesus Die On A Cross? Key words–Christmas and Die respectively.

Early on the Roman Empire and its religious guiding force–the whore church–used Sunday Sabbath observance as the “mark” by which she identified those who were enemies the empire and therefore the enemies of God. Those who insisted on observing the Lord’s Sabbath were persecuted, often unto death. Only a few remained true to God. These precious souls paid dearly for their obedience. Nothing has changed except the extent of the persecution which, in modern times, has been limited by social law to attitudes and words. That will change. One need only watch the news to see such changes taking place.
Question: Who keeps God’s Sabbath? The Jews. Who are the most hated people on earth? The Jews. Who do people all over the earth wanting to eradicate? The Jews, called the “little Satan.” Who is called the “big Satan?” The United States. Why? Because of her religious connection to the Jews. What is Christianity called? “THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN RELIGION.” Christianity is forever connected to the Jewish religion. CHRISTIANITY’S SAVIOR WAS A JEW. Who established the seventh day Sabbath on Mt. Sinai? THE GOD WHO CAME TO EARTH AS JESUS OF NAZARETH. Read The God of the Old Testament. Key word–Old.

True Christians will one day be rejected, hated and despised as the Jews are today. The saints’ haters will be those who today are called Catholics and Protestants–the mother whore and her harlot daughters (Rev. 17:1-5). As Revelation 12:14-16 reveals symbolically, the persecution will be in tune with laws passed by the beast government which will send its military after God’s Very Elect. These people will be saved by miracles such as the symbolic opening of the earth to engulf them. Sound familiar? Remember that God used the Red Sea to destroy the Egyptian army. When Revelation 12:14-16 takes place, God’s true saints will be the object of the government and the God-hating people’s hate. It is then that He will take His people to their place of safety.

Since she became the official church of the Roman Empire the Catholic Church has orchestrated the martyrdom of tens of millions of people for refusing to obey her dictates. Some of the most horrific punishments known to man were used to torture and kill masses of people. I have seen estimates as high as 150,000,000 victims. Some were sawn into pieces; some were burned to death; some were torn apart and eaten by animals; some were beheaded. Nothing was too horrible for the church to do in the name of her god whom she claimed to be the God of the Holy Scriptures. If the Book of Revelation and the warnings of Jesus are to be believed, much worse times are coming on the earth. And, contrary to popular opinion, there will be no “rapture” to whisk people in THE church off to heaven. Read The Rapture. Key word–Rapture.

Early on, the Catholic hierarchy would not allow their parishioners to own, to read or to hear the reading of the Holy Scriptures. Death was one of the punishments for breaking that law. There will again be a time when the Bible will be outlawed, when being a true Christian will be a felony punishable by beheading (Rev. 20:4). These victims will have come to the Lord during the Tribulation period. Such treatment was seen during a previous resurrection of the beast government known as the Holy Roman Empire and will be seen again following her final resurrection that is soon to come. As was the case then, the world-ruling government, directed by “the church,” will be the persecutors of God’s people.

The biological and spiritual descendants (the European Union) of the original Roman Empire will repeat what their ancestors did, only with more power and with a more vindictive “guide” (whore church-Rev. 17:1-5). This church-state beast will be a world-controlling religious entity ruled by a powerful “minister” (“second beast”/ “false prophet”–Rev. 13) who will perform signs and miracles so as to deceive the masses (vs 13), making them believe that its leader is the Biblically-promised Messiah of God sent to solve the world’s problems. This man will force all people to bow to the Catholic regime through threat of death administered by the beast government upon whom she “rides” (influences)–Rev. 17:1-5. For more on “mystery Babylon”–the great whore and her harlot daughters–read The Ingathering: The Rise of the End-time Church. Key word–Ingathering. Also recommended: Simon of Samaria. Key word–Simon.

When the beast and its religious advisor come on the scene, only God’s Very Elect will be protected from the ravages of Satan as he uses his people to control the world’s masses. By then the Lord will have taken His true saints to “her (the true church’s) place” (Rev. 12:6,14) where they will abide in peace and plenty throughout the time of destruction and death that will ravage the earth for 48 months. Afterward God’s people will rule, first over the earth for 1000 years, then over the universe forever. Read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe and The Kingdom of God. Key words–Caretakers and Kingdom. L.J.