The Last Days Pt.2

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The Mark of the Beast is a topic Hollywood has made movies about, bands have sung songs about it, but the bottom line is it’s not sensational entertainment but something the Bible talks about.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this, you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,  and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming and is now already in the world. 1 John 4:1-3 NKJV

John spoke about love more than anyone else but in the midst of that, he also spoke about the last days.  Here he is declaring that the spirit of the Antichrist is already here.  

He was granted the power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. Rev 13:15-18

Hollywood has made a joke about this but it is no joke.  Why am I compelled to talk about this?  Right now we are hearing so much about the collapse of the economy.  There is talk about a worldwide currency.  We are in a digital society.

So what would the Mark be?  Why would people be willing to take it the Mark which, according to the Bible would label them as belonging to the Beast?

The Mark represents self interest.  Let’s read what scripture has to say.  

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?  And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.  The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders… 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9 NKJV

The spirit of the AntiChrist is already active now.  This spirit has expressed itself as self-interest.  

 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. 1 John 2:15-19

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,  traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 2 Tim 3:1-5

Obsession with money, boasting of great things, calling holiness legalism, and ingratitude. According to scripture a sign that we are in the last days would be that men are self-absorbed and self-gratifying.

The lure of the Mark is not devil worship its self-interest.  Self-preservation.  Without thMark, you can’t do business.  American society is based on modern convenience.  Are we bound by this?

We are a society that will usher in the Antichrist as selfishness and consumerism.  This will set up even those who should know better to willingly take the Mark in order to preserve themselves.

We are in a human potential movement. Just look at how we raise kids these days.  Everything has to soothe children and make them happy.  Everyone wins.  We are turning children into self-absorbed people who in the last days, the Bible says, will turn against their own parents. We live under a new trinity.  

The trinity of today is “me, myself, and I.”  Never underestimate the power of self-preservation. Take fasting for example.  When you forget to eat it’s no big deal.  But the minute you decide to fast, self-preservation kicks in and you have trouble denying yourself food.

Let’s look at some ways self-interest can hurt you.

  1. Self-interest will trouble your family.

But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.  Now, brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Mark 13:11-13 NKJV

  1. Self-preservation never satisfies.

He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver;  Nor he who loves abundance, with an increase. This also is vanity. Ecclesiastes 5:10

  1.  Self-interest causes people to leave the kingdom

 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10 NKJV

  1. Self-indulgence brings misery.

Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. James 5:3

The spirit of Christ is the opposite of the Antichrist.  The Spirit of Christ is self-sacrificing, self-less, and dies to self.  We would like to think we could die for Jesus but if we cannot live for Him we are deceiving ourselves.  The true nature of Jesus is always self-sacrifice. All the worldly habits I gave up when I got saved is not sacrifice.  Sacrifice is giving up your rights…giving up your privacy.  The Christian walk is all about others.

The Spirit of Christ gives up the right to ownership.  God is now recognized as the owner.  The Antichrist spirit is living for self. But once you are bought and recognize who owns you you give God glory for everything. It is wrong to be possessed by things or the lust for things. God owns it all.

We must fight against this nature. Give God your time, talent, and treasure. Jesus said it’s more blessed to give than receive.  Wherever your treasure is that is where your heart will be.  Your treasure follows your heart and your heart follows your treasure. Do you want to defeat that Antichrist spirit?  Then be a giver.

The Mark of the Beast has to do with money.  So if money grips your heart now and you can’t trust God with money you are already marked.  A selfish spirit is the Mark of the Beast.  Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of beans.  Judas betrayed Jesus for silver.  If you compromise or act foolishly now you will take the Mark when your family’s life is on the line.  Repent and settle your heart now and you won’t take the Mark.

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17

Be unselfish.  Be concerned for others.  Live like Jesus.

PRAY THIS

Father search our hearts and kill this spirit of self-preservation.  Kill selfishness and help us to give our time, treasure, and talent for the good of your Kingdom.  Make us ready that nothing in us will move us to take the Mark of the Beast.  Amen.

MEDITATE ON THIS

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. Phil 2:3-4 NKJV