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The Commentary

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 31, 1888

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 14, No. 34.

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The Commentary.

THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE.

THE MARK OF THE BEAST.

(Lesson 11, Sabbath, September 15, 1888.)
1. WHO will be required to worship the beast and his image, and to receive his mark?
"And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed." "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; 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. 13:12, 15-17.
2. In opposition to this what does the Third Angel's Message say?
"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 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 into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb." Rev. 14:9, 10.
3. What are those led to do who heed the voice of this message?
"Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Verse 12.
4. What does this show?—That the powers spoken of in Rev. 13:12-17 will put forth all their strength to compel men to do something that is contrary to the commandments of God.
5. What have we found was the principal object of the Papacy, in the fourth century? and what is the purpose of the Protestantism of to-day?—To use the power of the State to compel all people to keep Sunday as the Lord's day, or Christian Sabbath.
6. Of what day is Christ the Lord?
"Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." Mark 2:28.
7. What day is the Sabbath?
"But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates." Ex. 20:10.
8. Then what day is the Lord's day?
9. What does the Lord call the seventh day?
"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words." Isa. 58:13; Ex. 20:10.
10. Is there any commandment of God for keeping Sunday?—None whatever.
11. What testimonies can you give on this point from eminent first-day authorities?
The $500 prize essay of the American Tract Society acknowledges the "complete silence of the New Testament so far as any explicit command for the Sabbath [Sunday, the first day of the week] or definite rules for its observance are concerned."—Abiding Sabbath, p. 184. And the $1,000 prize essay of the American Sunday-school Union says: "Up to the time of Christ's death, no change had been made in the day." And, "so far as the record shows, they [the apostles] did not, however, give any explicit command enjoining the abandonment of the seventh-day Sabbath, and its observance on the first day of the week."—Lord's Day, pp. 186-188. See note.
12. What was the single link that in the fourth century united Church and State, which developed the beast?—The Sunday institution.
13. What is the single point in a similar movement in our day which develops only an image to the beast?—The Sunday institution.
14. What does the Papacy set forth as the sign of its authority to command men under penalty of sin for disobedience?
"The very act of changing Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of. . . . Because by keeping Sunday strictly they acknowledge the church's power to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin."—Catechism of the Catholic Christian Instructed.
15. Then what is the mark of the beast?
16. Then what is the keeping of Sunday?
"The keeping of Sunday is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the Catholic Church."—Plain Talk about Protestantism.
17. Then when Protestant churches attempt to compel people by law to keep Sunday, what is that only to do?—It is only to compel men to worship the Papacy—to worship the beast.
18. But, as in the very act of compelling people to do this these churches make an image to the beast, what then will be the enforced observance of Sunday in this nation?—It will be the worship of the beast and his image.
19. But may not Sunday-keeping be enforced as a civil duty?—Never; because Sunday is wholly a religious institution; and the civil power has no right to enforce religious duties.
20. What does Christ command on this subject?
"Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." Matt. 22:21.
21. By what power was Sunday-keeping instituted?—The church.
22. Why were the ancient Sunday laws enacted?—The church demanded it, and it was done to satisfy and help the church.
23. Why are Sunday laws now enacted?—For the same reasons precisely.
24. Is the church Caesar?—No.
25. Is the church God?
26. Then what follows?—That as Sunday-keeping belongs neither to Caesar nor to God, there is no power in existence that can of right command it.

NOTE.

QUESTION 11.—The student is at liberty to present any other testimonies on this point that he may choose.