Unravelling the Mark of the Beast and its Identity. 

        In our previous article, we saw that Covid-19 was not the mark of the beast; it was similar to the mark of the beast in that all the descriptions about what the mark of the beast would incur on society were featured in Covid; these descriptions, however, did not materialize in actuality.  In this article, we will seek to find out who this ‘beast power’ is and what is its ‘mark.’

        Let us start by looking at What or who is the beast.  In Bible prophecy, a ‘beast’ refers always to a national government, a king, or a kingdom.  For example, in Daniel 7:3 God gives Daniel a dream and a vision.  In this dream and vision, Daniel saw four beasts come out of the sea, each one being different from the other.  In Daniel 7:15-17 we read that Daniel became worried and troubled as to the meaning of these animals.  However the angel next to him gave him the answer and this is how he designated the beasts: In Daniel 7:17 Daniel was told that the four beasts were four kings that shall arise in the earth, he goes on to further describe these kings as kingdoms when he says that the fourth beast was the fourth kingdom on earth, Daniel 7:23.  The Bible also describes ‘horns’ as ‘kingdoms’; we see this in Daniel 8:22.  There Daniel was told that the ‘four horns’ were four kingdoms that will arise when the first horn was broken. 

        In Daniel 8:3 the prophet was given another vision in which he saw two animals, and the angel told him the animals were the kings of Media and Persia, and the king of Grecia, Daniel 8:20, 22.  So in Bible prophecy, animals and horns refer to rulers and kings in their kingdoms.  In Revelation 13:3, 4 we read that all the world will wonder after this ‘beast power’ and will worship it.  However, God tells people in Revelation 14:9, 10 that “if anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark…he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God…”  These two passages make us understand that we are indeed dealing with a religious power or a religious organisation.  Revelation 13:8 says that “all the who dwell on the earth will worship him [the beast power] whose names are not written in the Book of Life…”  so let’s see which religious organisation is this.

        In order, then, to find out which organisation this is, we have to ask the question, is there an organisation that has worldwide coverage and has a ‘mark’ which it boasts of?  If there is a positive answer to this question, then we should be able to identify this organisation.  History tells us that there is an organisation that is worldwide and that has a special mark which it boasts of.  Let us look at some historical documents that prove this. 

1. In the Catholic Record, Sept. 1, 1923, we read: “Sunday is our mark of authority… The church is above the Bible and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact.”[1]
2. “Perhaps the boldest thing, the most revolutionary change the Church ever did happen in the first century. The holy day, the Sabbath, was changed from Saturday to Sunday…not from any directions noted in the Scriptures, but from the Church’s sense of its own power… People who think that the Scriptures should be the sole authority, should logically become 7^th Day Adventists, and keep Saturday holy.”[2]
3. In Letter, Oct. 28, 1895, From C. F. Thomas we read: “Of course, the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act… And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters.”[3]
4. In the Catechism of the Council of Trent, p. 402 we read, “The Church of God [That is, the Catholic Church] has thought it well to transfer the celebration and observance of the Sabbath to Sunday.”[4]
5. Sunday is our mark of authority…The church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact.”[5]
6. In “The Convert’s CATECHISM OF CATHOLIC DOCTRINE, by Cardinal Peter Gierman (Convert’s Catechism) we read: Q: Which is the Sabbath day? A: Saturday is the Sabbath day. Q: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?  A: Because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.”[6] 

        So then, the Mark of the beast is clearly Sunday observance or worship.  God’s Sabbath is Saturday which was instituted from Creation.  Having found that the mark of the beast is loyalty to Sunday observance, hence loyalty to the Catholic Church and disloyalty to the Creator who gave us His Sabbath, we ask the question, can we confirm that the beast itself, according to the historical quotations below, is the Roman Catholic church?  What historical facts do we have that can confirm this?

        There are many historical facts that make it clear that the ‘beast power’ in Daniel 7 and 8 and Revelation 13 is indeed the Roman Catholic Church.  Here are a few historical facts that confirm the Bible.

1. In 313 AD Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan which accepted Christianity; about ten years later it had become the official religion of the Roman Empire. By about 330 AD Constantine moved the capital of the empire from Rome to what is not called Turkey, naming the city Constantinople.  On leaving Rome for the new city, some historians state that he left the city in the charge of the popes or the bishops of Rome.  According to Labianca, professor of History at the University of Rome, we read “When Constantine left Rome, he gave his seat to the Pontiff.”[7]  In reality, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, “nine popes made a strong case for Rome’s supremacy, despite a growing challenge from the see of Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Empire.[8]
2. Again, we read in Stanley’s History, p. 40, “The popes filled the place of the vacant emperors of Rome, inheriting their power, prestige, and titles from paganism.”[9]
3. Labianca again states, “To the succession of the Caesars came the succession of the Pontiffs in Rome. When Constantine left Rome, he gave his seat to the Pontiff.”[10] 
4. Alexander Clarence Flick wrote, “The mighty Catholic Church was little more than the Roman empire baptized… the very capital of the old empire became the capital of the Christian empire. The office of Pontifex Maximus [the name of the chief priest of pagan Rome] was continued in that of the pope.  Even the Roman language has remained the official language of the Roman Catholic Church down through the ages.”[11] 
5. History makes clear that when Rome was vacated by Constantine the Great, the popes played not just a spiritual role over the people of the city, but also took on the temporal affairs of the city. This role was thrust upon them as they had to negotiate with the barbarians who sought to invade the city.[12]

        These are some of the many historical facts that tell us clearly that the ‘beast power’ is indeed the Roman Catholic Church.  While Covid-19 is not the mark of the beast as we saw in our previous article, Covid-19 does, however, bring to our consciousness the impending restrictions that will come upon those people on earth that refuse to pay homage to the mark of the Roman Catholic Church.  God’s call to loyalty to Him is found in Revelation 14:9, 10, it reads: “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.”

        We understand in this article that the beast power in the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation refers to Roman Catholic Church and that its mark of distinction is Sunday worship which the said church instituted in place of the Bible Sabbath, the Saturday.  The idea of Covid-19 and the Mark of the beast is that the Roman Catholic Church (united with Protestantism) will enact the same restrictions that Covid was not able to fully establish.  Is it possible that God allowed Satan to bring about this situation with Covid and the Great Reset in order to warn His people of the soon coming calamity with the mark of the beast?  This will be a time of great persecution of those people who do not comply with or show loyalty to the RC church by refusing to worship on the false Sabbath (Sunday) that the church has instituted.  God is doing everything to awaken His people to the events ahead; I plead with my readers to please take refuge in God now while there is time. 

        Lest we feel that the world is in a free fall, spiralling out of control I would like to leave the message of the following text with you, found in Ps. 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”  Despite the violence and immorality of humans today God is still in charge, seeking to redeem as many as would return to Him, for when He does return to earth it will be too late for anyone who has spurned His appeal to him or her.  For those who love God but are concerned that God does not seem to be involved in the affairs of society and therefore feel disenchanted with Him,  remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:12, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”  Let’s not diminish our love for God because we are unable to follow His dealings among the nations of Earth.  One day He will make all things plain to each of us.  Please hang on the best is yet to come!

        Does God have a seal or mark of importance that we should be aware of?  In my next article, we will look at that.  Blessings to you all.

[1] Catholic Record, Sept. 1, 1923

[2] Saint Catherine Catholic Church Sentinel, May 21, 1995

[3] C.F. Thomas, Letter, Oct. 28, 1895.

[4] Catechism of the Council of Trent, p. 402

[5] Catholic Record. September 1, 1923

[6] Cardinal Peter Gierman, The Convert’s CATECHISM OF CATHOLIC DOCTRINE

[7] Labianca, Professor of History at the University of Rome; recorded in Stanley’s History, p. 40

[8] Coppa, Frank J.. “papacy”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 18, Feb. 2020.  https://www.britannica.com/topic/papacy. Accessed 22 February 2022.

[9] Stanley’s History, p. 40.

[10] Labianca, Professor of History, University of Rome

[11] Alexander Clarence Flick, The Rise of the Medieval Church, 1959, pp. 148-149.

[12] Bamber Gascoigne, Chairman, History of the Papacy found in History world, an interactive digital programme, created by Gascoigne in 1994.  http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=etn.

If you have any comments or questions please contact Pr. Ron Henderson at ronhende@outlook.com.

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