In Daniel chapter seven we find the prophet describing a series of night visions God had given him concerning the world-ruling governments that would come into being between that time (the sixth century) and the end of the age–the time in which we now live. The Lord used beasts and horns to symbolize the governments–ten in all–that would come to power, remain over time, then disappear, to be replaced sometime later by another ruling entity.

From among those ten horns arose a horn that was different from the others (7:8, 20-22,24-26). This horn–a governing power–though shorter than the others, was “stouter” than they were. This horn had eyes like a man and a mouth speaking great things against the Lord while making war against His people. This horn began its reign by destroying the three horns (governments) that had arisen before it. This little, though mighty man-like horn would, among other things, “change times and seasons” (festivals–God’s holy days). This horn, through influence rather than physical power, would “rule” the people on earth for the final 3 1/2 years of the age before being destroyed by the Lord. This government-influencing power broker is the Catholic Church which Jesus warns about in Revelation 2:14,15 where He tells the people in the church at Pergamum that He had something against them, specifically their embracing of the “… teachings of the Nicolaitans.” In verse 16 He commands the people to “… repent” of following such teachings. Otherwise, He would “…. fight against them ….” What were the offending teachings?

The word “nicolaitan” is personalized into the name “Nicolas.” The Nicolaitans were people who had embraced the teachings of Nicolas of Antioch, a convert to Christianity who had headed a church and was teaching false doctrines to the people. The word “Nicolas” means “conquerer of people.” Nicolas taught that God had awarded church ministers personal control over what the people were taught. He assumed TOTAL DICTATORIAL POWER OVER HIS CHURCH AND THE “TRUTHS” IT WAS ALLOWED TO HEAR. Nicolas determined what was truth and what was not. The Bishop of Rome (later called the Pope) embraced the theology of Nickolas and declared himself dictator over the entire Catholic Church. His word became unquestioned law. He then aligned himself with the Roman Empire which agreed to use its military power to carry out the pope’s commands. One of the first things the pope did was to convinced the Roman Government to reject God’s Saturday Sabbath and to embrace the Sunday Sabbath. Because the Romans “ruled the world,” the first day of the week became “the day of rest” for most of the world’s people. Modern popes enjoy the same level of power within the Catholic Church. I know a man who flew to Italy so that he could kiss the pope’s hand. I saw a picture of him doing so. I read about a family who drove 2000 miles just to see the pope from approximately 200 yards away. They were thrilled that they could get that close to him and returned home satisfied.

Satan is intent on destroying mankind. However, he knows that he cannot destroy God’s true saints. Therefore He tries to deceive them into destroying themselves by sinning–disobeying His Law, which is God’s definition of sin (1 Jn. 3:4). Satan knows that sin separates church people from Him (Isa. 29:2), leaving them at his (Satan’s) mercy. The Lord inspired the Prophet Jeremiah to proclaim how important His Law is to Him and His people by announcing that He (through the Holy Spirit) would write His Law in the hearts (minds) of His true saints (31:33), a fact that the Apostle Paul confirmed in his letter to the Hebrews (8:10). Note that it is only after God’s Law is written on one’s heart that one will be God’s child and He will be one’s God.

In Hebrews 4:8-14 Paul made it clear that God had given the Israelites (and us) A REST DAY, not the rest day of their (and our) choice. Joshua had given them that same rest day. They were to keep the same day Jesus Christ observed as HIS REST DAY. We are commandment to obey the same commandment He obeyed relative to THAT, AND ONLY THAT DAY. He said that we must prove our love for Him and the Father by obeying their commandments–ALL OF THEM (Jn. 14:21;15:10/ 1 Jn. 2:5). Nowhere does He make an exception for a commandment, including #4.

Satan knows that each commandment in God’s Law must be obeyed in order for a believer to receive eternal life (Mat. 19:17). Satan also knows First John 2:3-5 where we are told that in order to be one with God and Christ we must keep their commandments (Law). He also knows that to break one commandment is to break the entire Law (Jam. 1:10), making one a worker of iniquity (Lawlessness). Jesus said He would reject all workers of iniquity regardless of their religiosity (Mat. 7:21-23). Therefore, Satan knows that he only has to convince people to break one commandment for which Jesus will reject them on the Day of Judgment. Satan also knows what Jesus said about proving one’s love for Him by obeying His commandments/Words (Jn. 14:15,23). Recall that the rich man was denied salvation for “one thing” (Lk. 18:18-23).

Satan also knows which commandment is the easiest to break and to justify doing so. That would be THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT. To prove how important His Sabbath is to Him, the Lord made three covenants with Israel relative to its observance. He made it clear that the seventh day is, the ONLY day of the week that He blessed, sanctified and called “My holy day” (Gen. 2:2,3; Isa. 58:13). NOWHERE ARE WE TOLD THAT HE CHANGED HIS HOLY DAY, OR THAT HE BLESSED AND SANCTIFIED ANY OTHER DAY OF THE WEEK. We know who changed it and why. By observing his false sabbath, billions of iniquitous church members have obeyed, served, honored and worshiped Satan over the past 1700 years, all the while believing his false prophets’ repeated assurances that they are saved, sanctified, born again and rapture-ready. Incredibly, showing workers of iniquity (Lawlessness) what God says in their Bibles has no effect on them. Never underestimate the power of Satan over church people.

What do those in power within the mother church say about themselves relative to their power to deny the Words of God and substitute their own words, specifically regarding commandment #4? Do the billions of followers of the (Catholic) whore agree with her? Let us allow them to answer those questions for themselves. And remember, those in the whore’s Protestant daughters’ churches also agree, otherwise they would not observe their mother’s commanded Sunday sabbath.

The following are quotes uttered or written by Catholic Popes concerning their power within the church. Popes call themselves “the Vicar of Christ.” Vicar means “substitute in office.” Pope Leo X called himself “the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.” Leo XII allowed himself to be called “The Lord our God.” Pope Martin V called himself “The most holy and most happy, who is the arbiter of heaven, the lord of the earth, the successor of St. Peter, the anointed of the Lord, the master of the universe, the father of kings and the light of the world.” One Catholic writer (Angustinus Triumphus) wrote that the pope “knows all things.” Those statements are blasphemous in that they apply only to the true God.

Now let us read statements made by some in the church about those who are elected to the popehood. “The Pope is of so great authority and power that he can modify (change) and interpret divine law … since his power is not of man, but of God. He acts as vicegerent of God upon earth with most ample power of binding and loosing the sheep.” From the PROMPTIA BIBLIOTHECA. “The Pope has power to change times, to abrogate laws and to dispense (do away) with all things, even the precepts (policies) of Christ.” From DECRETAL DE TRANSIAL. “The Pope can dispense above the law, and of wrong make right by correcting and changing laws.” Pope Nicholas.

It is within the words: “think to change laws” relative to the little horn (Dan. 7:25) that we find the “mark of the beast” being identified. The following are quotations that will tie the mark of the beast to the observance of the Sunday Sabbath.

“The Catholic Church of over one thousand years before the existence of a Protestant, by virtue of her divine mission, changed the (Sabbath) day from Saturday to Sunday. From THE CATHOLIC MIRROR. Sept. 23, 1893. One will notice that the Catholics themselves admit that it was they, not God, who changed the day of the Sabbath (on March 7, 364 A.D. at the Council of Laodicea). When asked about the church’s authority to change the Sabbath day, Reverand Stephen Keenan responded: “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 the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.” A DOCTRINAL CATHECHISM, p. 174. During the reign of the Roman Empire the church decreed that one could not work, buy or sell on Sunday. That same law will be enforced in the latter days (Rev. 13:17). This tells what we need to know.

How many people have born the “mark of the beast” over the past 2000 years by observing Satan’s Sunday Sabbath? How many people, when confronted by God’s written Word on the subject, have chosen to follow the god of this world? Jesus prophesied that many would go through the devil’s wide door of Lawlessness (iniquity), but that only a few would enter the Lord’s narrow door in obedience to the Law (Mat. 7:13,14). How many, upon reading this series and knowing right from wrong will, like billions before them, choose to obey the enemy of the One Whom they claim has saved them? Hopefully, none. LJ.