Non-SDA sources affirm that the Mark of the Beast
has to do something with the Papacy
Pastor Tillam, a Baptist preacher in England, in his
book written in 1657, identified the
mark of the beast with Sunday, “The first Royal Law that ever Jehovah
instituted, and for our example celebrated, (namely His blessed Seventh-day
Sabbath), is in these very last days become the last great controversy between
the Saints and the Man of Sin, the Changer of Times and Laws. Awake ye
slumbering Virgins, the figtree is apparently budded, the signs of his second
coming who is the Lord of the Sabbath, are so fairly visible, that although the
day and hour be not known, yet doubtless this generation shall crown obedient
Saints with everlasting Rest...”..“Never more cause of mourning, then to see
Saints in these days of light still honoring the little Horn in the gross abuse
of the Lord’s Sabbath time, and the Lord’s Supper-time. Why Christians will you
stick here? Have you got victory over the Beast, and beheld the Holy One tumble
down his Image, and will you now lose all your labours for want of a compleat
victory over the Mark of the Beast, which is so visible and legible in the head
of the little Horn, the changer of Times and Laws”. (p4, The Seventh-day Sabbath, sought out and Celebrated). Read his entire book here.
United Church
of God, "Likewise the mark of
the Beast is evidently a mark of disobedience to God. Many Bible students have
pointed to God's seventh-day Sabbath as an identifying sign of His people in
Exodus 31:12-17 and see
the mark of the Beast as running counter to it. They believe that forced
observance of Sunday—a day originally dedicated to the worship of the sun as a
god instead of the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath—could be involved.
This view is strengthened by the fact that other prophecies in the book of
Revelation show a great counterfeit religious figure and system will play major
roles in leading people away from the true God and play into Satan's hands at
this time. (Source: http://www.ucg.org/bible-faq/what-mark-beast-talked-about-book-revelation)
Pastor Paul
Randall, Reformed Baptist, “Even
so, the Papal Antichristian system has a mark which they expect will be taken
by those who are the true worshipers of God in their estimation. It is not a
physical mark per se, but a spiritual mark. Notice the wording. “He causes all,
both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark…” It is
the Roman Church’s expectation with force behind it, that a person “receive”
this mark. This mark is a mental blind submission to the doctrine and authority
of the Roman Catholic Church, and the expectation is, that in converting to
that church there will be a blind allegiance. (Source: His sermon Mark of the Beast ). Note: Pastor Paul does not believe that Sunday is mark of the beast although he connects the mark to submission to the doctrine of the Papacy).
John Purvey, Wycliffe's associate identified that
the mark of the beast had to do with the Papacy, and pertained to papal
power and decrees.
Andreas
Osiander (died 1552), Reformation
pastor at Nurnberg, said that it was subserviency to the Papacy.
Nikolaus von
Amsdorf (died 1565), of Magdeburg, Luther's associate, thought it had to do
with enforced papal ceremonies and decrees.
Heinrich
Bullinger (died 1575), Zwingli's
successor at Zurich, took it to be the Papacy's excommunicating power.
Bishop Nicholas
Ridley, of England (martyred in 1555), declared it involved allegiance to
the beast.
Scottish mathematician Sir John Napier (died 1617) defined it as a profession of obedience
to Rome.
Pietist Johann
Lucius (died 1686) believed it to be the confession of the Roman religion.
Sir Isaac
Newton (died 1727) placed the mark of
the beast and the seal of God in contrast.
In Colonial America, John Cotton (died 1652) , Puritan theocrat believed that those
who receive the mark of the beast are the ones who receive their orders from
the Church of Rome.
Edward Holyoke (died 1660), Congregationalist,
defined it as yielding to the pope's law, “The Pope’s canon-Law telleth that
none may live under the Empire, but by yielding to the Pope’s laws, in his
subscribing to his Imperial and Ecclesiastical Supremacy, and oath of fidelity
as a mark on the hand, and some open token of communion with him, and
profession of his decrees as a mark in the forehead.’” LeRoy Edwin Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 3, p. 96:8,
9.
Back again in England, Baptist theologian Andrew Fuller (died 1815) placed the
mark of the beast and the seal of God in opposition.
American Presbyterian minister Robert Reid (died 1844) it was
submission to Roman error.
What is the Biblical basis for identifying the
"mark of the beast" with the tampering of "law of God"?
Notice how Daniel 7 and
Revelation 13 describe exactly the same things:
What does the little horn who is identified by countless protestants as
the Papacy “think” to “change”?
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible
translates this as, “The times and the Law” (Daniel 7:25).
Obviously, “the law” mentioned here cannot refer
to Old Testament injunctions requiring animal sacrifices, for those old laws
were nailed to the cross when Jesus died (see Ephesians 2:15). Whatever “law”
the horn “thinks” to “change,” it must by its very nature be unchangeable. The
only law that meets the requirement of this prophecy is the Ten Commandment
law, which on Mount Sinai was inscribed upon “two tables of testimony, tables
of stone, written with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18).
In reading the Ten Commandments in either
location, note that there is only one commandment that specifically mentions
“times.” That solitary commandment is the fourth one: “Remember the Sabbath day
to keep it holy … the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord” (Exodus 20:8, 10;
emphasis added), which Jesus said was MADE for the man at creation (Mark 2:27; John 1:1, Genesis 2:2-3).
Where do you “remember” anyway? The
solemn answer is: in your forehead.
Does the Little horn admit that it can and has changed the law of God?
"The Pope has the power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things,
even the precepts of Christ." "The Pope has the authority and often
exercised it, to dispense with the command of Christ." Decretal, de Tranlatic Episcop. Cap. (The
Pope can modify divine law.) Ferraris' Ecclesiastical Dictionary.
Sunday is our MARK of authority...The [catholic]
Church is above the Bible, and this transference of the Sabbath observance is
proof of that fact. Catholic Record (September 1, 1923)
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. (Letter from C.F. Thomas, Chancellor of
Cardinal Gibbons on October 28, 1895)
Sylvester
the pope first among the Romans . . . ordered that the rest (otium)
of the Sabbath would better be transferred to the Lord's day, so that we should
leave that day free of worldly works in order to praise God.—Rabanus Maurus, De
Clericorum Institutione, bk. 2, ch. 46; found in Bible Student's Source Book,
entry 1765.
Some have said that the Sabbatarian are wrong to say that the Papacy has changed the Sabbath. Read a full response to this arguement here.
Does anyone have the mark of the beast today?
To clarify some things: no individual has the mark
of the beast today. When “the mark” (Sunday observance) of “the beast” (the
Roman Church) is fully enforced by law (see Revelation 13:16) during Earth’s
last crisis, then the final hour of decision will have come. There are true
Christians who keep Sunday within many denominations. If you are a
sincere Christian, or a sincere member of the Catholic Church, and you
presently keep Sunday, please realize that the purpose of this article is
not to condemn, but to enlighten.
Cited:
LeRoy Edwin Froom, The Prophetic Faith