MARK OF THE BEAST AND THE NUMBER 666
Many religious teachers and scholars have taught that the mark of the beast is a number tattooed on your
skin or a personal information chip under the skin. Maybe, an eye scans! Or you may have to register with the
"One World" government! Also, it has been hinted at the bar codes could be this mark, but could all these be
wrong? When looking at Bible prophecy, we should look to the Bible for the answers.
It is an unfortunate, but nevertheless a true statement that doctrinal teachings of long standing are
accepted by the Churches and its leaders as having and teaching the whole truth. No one is expected to present
new evidence which questions either accuracy and the individual who does voice opposition to one or more
segments of centuries-old Church dogma commits an act of extreme presumption. However, there is much to
be revealed from a diligent and analytical study of the Scriptures that will at times upset previously established
assumptions which have been accepted for generations as a theological truism. All knowledge from the
Scriptures has not yet been revealed and foolish indeed are those who refuse to consider and-weigh new Biblical
evidence brought to bear even upon old and on accepted beliefs.
When presenting the false teaching of the "Mark of the Beast" into God's prophecies, we receive
dissenting opinions raised by Church leaders, objecting to the presentation of the error in what is called the
"Sacred" teachings kept by most Churches of God today. The usual method of theological reasoning and
deduction presented in this magazine [ Prove All Things.] and the sameness in all the statements clearly indicated
that the thinking of these objectors is cast in the same theological mold. When theologians confine themselves
"to quoting the writings of each other as their authority," their conclusions are apt to be circumscribed within
very narrow limitations, marked by a kind of intellectual inbreeding that renders them incapable of bringing forth
new truths. For example, this attitude toward new Biblical revelation is responsible for the rejection by the
Churches and its leaders. God's truth from God's word should be our beliefs!
On the other hand, that despite of being subjected to the worst adage ever devised, as in, "there is no black
and white," everything is a shade of grey, "the most important decisions people make about their lives are
overwhelmingly black and white. You either live a life of honesty and integrity, or you don't. You either choose
God's way or the worlds way!
For many years now we have taught that we should let the Bible interpret the Bible. John, in Revelation
describes the last, final, warning message. "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his MARK
in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of GOD, which is poured out without
mixture" (Rev. 14:9-10). When connecting the dots, we see this also has to do with keeping God's
commandments. Rev 3:10, "Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour
of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." More evidence: "Here
is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev
14:12).
According to God's word, we see where a sign could also be a mark! Exod 13:9, shows to God's people,
"And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD's
law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt." Also, "Hear, O
Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And
thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and
when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for
a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes" (Deut 6:4-8). "Therefore shall ye lay
up these My words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as
frontlets between your eyes" (Deut 11:18).
For those who keep God's 7th Day Sabbaths and His annual Holy Day Sabbaths at their appointed time
will be rewarded. "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the
souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not
worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands;
and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" (Rev 20:4).
The mark of the beast has every sign of not keeping God's commandments! The Protestant and Catholics
observe Sunday for their day of worship and Muslim cultures keep Friday. They do not keep God's 7day
Sabbaths! Judaism, postpones God's annual Holy Days Sabbaths and this make them having a mark of the beast!
The sign between God and His people is the keeping of the weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days
Sabbaths on the right days!
Another sign of the mark of the beast is, "And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark,
or the name of the beast, or the number of his name" (Rev 13:17). Those who buy and sell on God's 7day
Sabbaths, have the mark of the beast. God's plainly tells us we should not buy and sell on God's weekly
Sabbaths and annual Holy Day Sabbaths! "And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the
Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath, or on the Holy Day: and that we would
leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt" (Neh 10:31). Notice now what Nehemiah 13 says: "In
those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses;
as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day:
and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which
brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane
the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city?
yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of
Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they
should not be opened till after the Sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden
be brought in on the Sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once
or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will
lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that
they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy" (Neh
13:15-22). See Jeremiah 16:21-24, 27.
God originally told Moses, "....., This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the Holy
Sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which
remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade:
and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a Sabbath
unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which
is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the
seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep My
commandments and My laws? See, for that the LORD hath given you the Sabbath, therefore He giveth you on
the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh
day" (Exod 16:23-29). The Sabbath was given by God at the beginning of the re-creation week! "Thus the
heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which
He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the
seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all His work which God created and made"
(Gen 2:1-3).
When we take the words of religious teachers and scholars about the mark of the beast, we have been
looking into the wrong places for answers! Only God's word has answers for spiritual matters.
THE MARK OF THE BEAST AND THE NUMBER OF HIS NAME!
Quoting Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong's booklet, "Mark of the Beast" [copyright 1952], "Better be sure
whether this brand is upon you! Without it, no man will be able to buy or sell! Without it, you will be tortured
even to death! But with it, you shall suffer the seven last plagues." The mark of the beast is something very
undesirable. Who gave the beast his power? "The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority"
(Rev. 13:2). We can recognize that the dragon is Satan, the devil. "So they worshiped the dragon who gave
authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast saying, `Who is like the beast?" (Rev. 13:4).
For those who are still in doubt as to what the mark of the beast is, let's look at his number. In Rev. 13:18,
"Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast for it is the number of a man: his number is
666." In the New Testament, the letters of the Greek word "cuporia," from which the word "wealth" is
translated, totals 666. Out of all the 2000 Greek nouns of the New Testament, there is only one other word that
has this numerical value, the word "paradosis," translated "tradition" [Acts 19:25; Matt. 15:2-3]. Wealth and
Tradition - interestingly enough are the two great corrupters of society and the world today! Wealth corrupted
their practice and honesty; tradition corrupted their doctrine. Here Wealth and Tradition deceive churches and
therefore are used by the devil to deceive the world.
Notice now the description of those who refuse this evil mark. "Here is the patience of the saints; here
are they that keep the commandments of GOD, and the faith of JESUS" (Rev. 14:12). Those who keep the
commandments of GOD are those who do not have the mark. Those who have the mark refuse to keep the
commandments. The mark therefore involves the rejection of the commandments of GOD, or any one of them
as we find in James 2:10. "For if we are guilty of breaking one, we are guilty of breaking all of them."
There is only one possible commandment that affects a man's job or his business, and that is the fourth
commandment which says "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" (Exo. 20:8).
The Roman Catholic Council of Laodicea, in 363 AD, passed this decree; "Christians must not Judaize
by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, resting rather on Sunday. But if any be found to be
Judaizing, let them be declared anathema from CHRIST." Those following the Hebrew Calendar have decreed
that the Feast of Trumpets [an annual Holy Day Sabbath] must be postponed, by authority of Judaism's
traditional postponement rules!
GOD'S sign, the Sabbath, is not a temporary covenant, but is for ALL GENERATIONS, FOREVER!!
The ETERNAL spoke unto Moses saying, "Verily My Sabbaths you shall keep; for it is a sign between Me and
you throughout your generations" (Exo. 31:13). It was for Sabbath breaking that GOD sent both the house of
Israel and the house of Judah into slavery!
Regarding one of GOD'S annual Sabbaths, we read "It shall be for a sign unto you upon your hand,
and for a memorial between your eyes, that the ETERNAL'S law may be in your mouth" (Exo. 13:9).
Sunday observance, and the annual Holy Day postponement rules of Judaism are a "MARK OF THE BEAST."
Satan has used the postponement rules in the Jewish Hebrew calendar that most Churches of God use
today, to try and deceive God's elect. What better Feast Day would Satan want us to postpone than the Feast of
Trumpets! Naturally the Jews would not keep the true Feast of Trumpets which pictures the return of Jesus Christ
as the Messiah-when they don't believe Jesus Christ is the Messiah and the Son of God!! Christ said, "For had
ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall
ye believe My words?" (John 5:46-47). "Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love Me: for
I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do ye not understand My
speech? Even because ye cannot hear My word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye
will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When
he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye
believe Me not" (John 8:42-45).
THE POSTPONEMENTS AND THE MARK OF THE BEAST
Now you're asking what has all this to do with the postponements? Leviticus the 23rd chapter, makes it
very clear how GOD regards HIS weekly Sabbath and HIS annual Sabbaths. They all are Holy Convocations,
Sabbaths of rest. A weekly Sabbath is a memorial of creation, designed to keep us in the true worship of GOD
on the seventh day. The seven annual Holy Day Sabbaths are to keep us constantly in the understanding of
GOD'S great plan of redemption. The weekly Sabbath and the annual Sabbaths stand and fall together. NOT
ONLY IS FAILURE TO KEEP THE WEEKLY SABBATH, THE MARK OF THE BEAST, BUT FAILURE
TO KEEP GOD'S ANNUAL HOLY DAYS ON THE RIGHT DAY IS ALSO THE MARK OF THE BEAST!!
If we follow the Jewish Hebrew custom and tradition of the postponements, we will be misled into keeping the
wrong days for GOD'S annual Sabbaths [Holy Days]. "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were
of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands
when they eat bread. But He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of
God by your tradition? Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye
hypocrites, well did Esaias [Isaiah] prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth,
and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for
doctrines the commandments of men. And He called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Then came His disciples, and said unto Him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard
this saying? But He answered and said, Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted
up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the
ditch" (Matt. 15:1-3,6-14).
When blindly following the Jewish Hebrew calendar, you will fall into the ditch Christ was talking about.
You will be following anti-christ!!! "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist" (2 John 7). Islam also says that Jesus was not
the Son of God! Which makes them anti-christ also!! "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard
that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time"
(I John 2:18).
GOD says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Pro.
14:12 16:25). It is time we begin to follow JESUS' example and KEEP HOLY THE DAYS GOD MADE
HOLY!
For more information write for our free booklet "Postponements, Another Mystery of the Ages" and our
bi-monthly free magazine "Prove All Things"
Church of God, In Truth; P.O. Box 1120 Branson West, MO 65686
Tel: 417-338-0033 E-mail cogit@flash.net Or at www.postponements.com