p. 10 | THE MARK OF THE BEAST by Charles P. Whitford

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 4, 1878

THE MARK OF THE BEAST.

By Charles P. Whitford

In the fourteenth chapter of Revelation three messages are brought to view, which are to be given to the inhabitants of the world just before the second coming of Christ; and as signs in the physical, moral, and political world indicate that that day is near at hand, we may now look for a fulfillment of the predictions concerning these messages. We find by looking over the history of the past that Wm. Miller and his associates proclaimed the first message: “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come,” between the years 1834 and 1843. The second, “Babylon is fallen,” was announced to the world between the years 1843 and 1844, when fifty thousand left the churches within a period of three months. The third and last message to be given before the coming of the Son of man on the white cloud to reap the harvest of the earth, has been gradually attracting the attention of the world, and rising in strength and power, since the year 1846. This message warns against the worship of the beast and his image and the reception of his mark, and threatens the “wine of the wrath of God” upon all who do not heed its admonitions. Rev. 14: 9-12. A more solemn and terrific warning cannot be found in the word of God.

If all who receive the “mark of the beast” are to drink the “wine of the wrath of God,” it is of the utmost importance that we clearly understand what the beast is, and what is his mark, and what his worship. Some tell us that we cannot tell what the mark of the beast is; but to me it does not look consistent that God should threaten his creatures with such terrible punishment for an offense the nature of which they cannot comprehend. Such a course would seem unjust. If God has given us no rule whereby we can determine what that mark is, we must remain in ignorance of it. In his word such a rule is given us. He has a sign to distinguish between his people and the world; and if we can find what constitutes the sign between God and his true people, we may find, by the same rule, what constitutes the sign, or mark, of the beast.

The sign between God and his people is found in Deut. 5, 6. In the fifth chapter the ten commandments are repeated unto the children of Israel by Moses, and in the sixth chapter he says: “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.” Here is the mark, upon the forehead and upon the hand. It is the holy law of God lived out in the life. “And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” Verses 7-9. As the blood of the lamb was a sign to shield the children of Israel from the destroying angel (Ex. 12: 1-13), so the holy law of God lived out in our lives will be our shield and buckler “when the wine of the wrath of God” (the seven last plagues: Rev. 16) shall be poured out. “His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Ps. 91: 4. “The law of God is the truth.” Ps. 119: 142. “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Isa. 8: 16. This is the mark of God in the forehead and in the hand.

Now what is the mark of the beast? It must be a counterfeit law that passes for the law of God.

Most of the churches believe that the law of God—the ten commandments—is in full force now, but they hold the counterfeit for the genuine. Satan is a counterfeiter. Ever since his fall he has been counterfeiting the most important work of God, and passing the counterfeit for the genuine among cold-hearted professors who live so far from God that they do not understand the difference. Satan has counterfeited the Sabbath. He has counterfeited baptism; yes, and he has counterfeited the power of God. The seventh day is the genuine Sabbath; but the counterfeit is in circulation. The power of God is manifested in his church, but the counterfeit is in the world. The loyal people of God have studied the detector, and have learned the difference between the genuine and the false. They know that those who keep the counterfeit Sabbath, after once being enlightened, are servants of the law-changing power rather than of the law-making power. They know that to whom they yield themselves servants to obey, his servants they are to whom they obey.

The mark of God is his holy Sabbath. God says, “I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign [mark] between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” Eze. 20: 12-20; Ex. 31: 13-17. God has commanded his people to keep his holy law all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and to teach it to their children.

Ours is a merciful God. He is too good to punish his creatures without mercy before he has revealed to them his will. The mark of God is his holy law, Deut. 6: 1-9; and the mark of the beast is the counterfeit, for he has thought to change God’s law. He has counterfeited it. And blessed will that man be, who, by keeping and teaching the genuine Sabbath, will repair the breach that the man of sin has made in the law of God. Isa. 58: 12-14.

CHARLES P. WHITFORD.

Berkshire Center, Vt.