#8. When Christianity Follows the Beast!
Date: 2025-11-07
Categories: Prophecy, End Times, Sabbath, Final Events
Body: Revelation 13:8 It is vital to have your name in the Lamb's book of life. All who do not will finally worship the beast.
Revelation 14:6,7 Part of the everlasting gospel is to fear God and give glory to Him, because the hour of His judgment is come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. God's people will wor¬ship the Creator. Every¬one else will worship the beast. There will only be two classes, and the issue is over who will have your wor¬ship.
John 1:1-3,14 We worship the Creator by keeping His com¬mand¬ments. Can our love for Jesus motivate us to keep a command¬ment that will also cause us to worship Him as the Cre¬ator?
Exodus 20:11 The fourth commandment says keep the Sabbath for the Lord, the Creator, made heaven and earth. On the seventh day, Jesus made the Sabbath, bless¬ed it and hallowed it. The blessing of God made the Sabbath holy. God's blessing is very powerful.
Exodus 20:8 The commandment says, "Remember the Sabbath day," pointing back to creation and the first Sab¬bath. The Sabbath was not new with the 10 Command¬ments; it was as old as the earth.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:26 On the sixth day, God made man to be His friend.
Genesis 1:31-2:3 On the seventh day, the Creator made the Sab¬bath to be set apart for man to spend time with Him. He blessed and hallowed it, made it holy and set it apart for a holy purpose.
Isn't the Sabbath Just For the Jews?
Exodus 20:8-10 The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God (not of the Jews). The Sabbath is mentioned in the New Testament 55 times, yet not once is it called the Sabbath of the Jews. The commandment says that your family, your employees and the strang¬ers staying in your house (Gentiles who were not born Jews) should also keep the Sabbath. So it was not only for Jews but Gentiles too.
Mark 2:27 Jesus made the Sabbath for man─for all mankind─long before Jews even existed.
"But I Keep Every Day Holy."
Jesus made six working days and one holy day. The command¬ment says that we should work on six days and we should not work on the seventh day. Keeping the seventh day holy includes not work¬ing that day, yet God tells us to work six days. We cannot keep every day holy and still obey the commandment that says work on six days. God made one day holy. We cannot keep something holy that God has never made holy. Abraham Lincoln knew this when in the Gettysburg address he said, "we cannot hallow this ground." We should be Christians and live holy lives every day. By God's grace, we can live holy every day, but we cannot keep every day holy.
The Sabbath Reminds Us of God's Creative Power to Remake Us.
The Sabbath Is a Sign That God Is Our Lord.
Ezekiel 20:12 Jesus gave us the Sabbath. It is a gift from the Savior Himself. The Sabbath is a sign between God and us so we can know that He is the Lord that sanctifies us. To sanctify means to make holy. Just as Jesus made the Sabbath holy, He wants to make us holy. The Sabbath is a sign that identifies us as Christ's.
Ezekiel 20:20 Jesus wants us to hallow His Sabbath and remember it. He wants us to remember the time when there was no sin and that He will soon make a new heaven and earth without sin.
I keep All the Other Com¬mand¬ments. Isn't That Enough?
Matthew 5:17 Jesus did not come to do away with the law, and God's Ten Commandment law includes the seventh-day Sabbath.
James 2:10 If you break one commandment, you have broken them all. We cannot do away with one or two commandments and still keep the law. Breaking the law is sin, no matter how much or little of the law you break.
James 4:17 You cannot serve God halfway. You are either doing the will of God or you are not. Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters." If we love Jesus we will want to follow Him all the way.
Jesus Kept the Sabbath.
Luke 4:16 Jesus' custom or habit was to keep the Sabbath, partici¬pating in public worship each week. This is His example for us to follow. Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my command¬ments."
Does It Really Matter As Long As I Keep One Day Holy?
God has given only one day, the seventh-day Sabbath, as the sign between you and Him. This is the only day that is a memorial of God's creative power and a memorial day cannot be changed. Jesus said He gave us His Sabbaths. Should we really tell Him His gift doesn't matter, that it doesn't mean very much to us and that we would rather have another day?
God Knows My Heart.
Deuteronomy 8:2 Some say, "I don't have to keep the Sabbath because God knows what's in my heart." Yet God wants to know whether it is in our hearts to keep His command¬ments, or not.
Can We Really Know Which Day the Sabbath Is Today?
Exodus 20:8-11 The seventh day is the Sabbath.
Luke 23:50-24:3 Jesus died on Friday ("Good Friday"). Joseph of Aramithea took Jesus down from the cross and put Him in the tomb on Friday, which was the preparation day, and verse 54 says that the Sabbath drew on. The women saw Jesus in the tomb on Friday and prepared spices to embalm Him, but they did not em¬balm Him that day. They waited to rest on the Sabbath day, accord¬ing to the commandment, and then came to the sepulchre to embalm Him very early in the morning on the first day of the week (Easter Sunday as we know it). When they arrived, they saw that Jesus had already risen. The Sabbath, according to the command¬ment, fell between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. So then we know that the seventh-day Sabbath of the fourth command¬ment is on Satur¬day.
After Jesus' Death, Didn't His Disciples Keep Sunday?
Acts 17:2 After Jesus' death, it was Paul's habit or manner to reason with the people out of the Scriptures on the Sabbath day.
Acts 13:14 Paul went into the synagogue on the Sabbath. Some say the only reason Paul went to church on Sabbath was to convert the Jews to Christ. Yet we have seen that this was his habit, as it was Christ's, not something he did because it was other people's habit. Even when Paul preached to the Gentiles, he met with them on Sabbath (Acts 13:42). He did not meet with them on Sunday.
Acts 13:43 Paul persuaded the Jews and the proselytes (new Gen¬tile converts) to continue in the grace of God. Paul is preaching about grace to the New Testament Christians, yet he doesn't tell them to keep Sunday instead of Sabbath.
Acts 13:44 After persuading them to continue in the grace of God, he contin¬ues to meet on Sabbath to preach to Gentile Chris¬tians.
Acts 16:13 In the Gentile city of Philippi where there was no Jewish presence, Paul went out into a natural setting beside a river where He could remem¬ber the creation and fellowship with the Creator. He spent the Sabbath hours in devotion and fellowship with other believers.
Acts 20:27 Paul tells us that he has not shunned to declare unto us the whole counsel of God. Yet there is not one verse in any of Paul's writings that says that Sunday is holy, that it is a day of worship, that the Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sunday, or anything of the kind. There is nothing that says this in any of more than 50 New Testa¬ment scriptures that talk about the Sab¬bath.
Did Jesus Teach the Sabbath Should Be Kept After His death?
Matthew 24:19,20 Just before His death, Jesus told His disci¬ples about the destruction of Jerusalem 40 years later, when they would have to flee, and He said to pray that their flight would not be in the winter or on the Sabbath day. Jesus did not change the Sabbath.
Will We Keep the Sabbath in Heaven?
Isaiah 66:22,23 The Sabbath will continue even in heaven.
Why Do Most Christians Keep Sunday?
The Papacy, not Christ or the Bible, thought to change the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first day of the week.
"The pope is of so great authority and power that he can modify, explain, or interpret even divine laws. ... The pope can modify divine law, since his power is not of man, but of God, and he acts a vicegerent of God upon earth." Lucius Ferrari, Prompta Biblioth¬eca, `Papa', Art. 2.
"Question──Which is the Sabbath day?
"Answer──Saturday is the Sabbath day.
"Question──Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?
"Answer──We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church trans¬ferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday." Peter Geiermann, C.SS.R., The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50, 1957 edition.
The Bible predicted that the beast power, the Antichrist, would think to change the law of God. But how can almost the whole Christian world be going to church on the wrong day? Remember, the Bible tells us that "All the world wondered after the beast." So it shouldn't surprise us when see nearly all the Christian world follow¬ing the beast when it attempts to change God's law.
What About My Job, My Family, My Friends?
Psalm 37:25 God never forsakes us. He always provides our needs.
Matthew 6:31-33 Jesus knows we need food and clothing. If we try to serve Him first, God promises to supply our needs. That is where faith comes in. God is a kind, heavenly Father. We must trust Him.
Luke 6:22,23 Jesus was thought strange. He says to rejoice when people reproach you, because your reward is in heaven. And even on this earth, the only true joy comes in follow¬ing Christ.
#9. A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
Date: 2025-11-07
Categories: Prophecy, End Times, Second Coming, Rapture, Final Events
Body: Acts 1:9 Note the recurring words in this verse: beheld, sight, looked, gazing, seen.
Acts 1:9-11 Jesus went to heaven literally and visibly. The angels said He would return "in like manner as ye have seen him go" into heaven. How did Jesus go up? He went up visibly, with clouds.
Revelation 1:7 "Behold, He cometh with clouds." Isn't that just like Acts 1? Jesus went up to heaven with clouds, and here the Bible says He will return with clouds. The angels said "in like manner" and the book of Revelation agrees perfectly. How many will see Christ coming? Every eye, not only the righteous but the wicked as well. Why are the wicked wailing? Maybe they didn't think Jesus was real; or didn't think it mattered if they were ready or not, or didn't think He would come so soon. Then they realize they put it off until it was too late. They rejected God's offer of eternal life and now they see their great mistake. Look at it again in
Revelation 14:14-16 Again we have clouds, just as in Acts 1. Notice that when Jesus comes, it is to reap; He comes reaping a harvest; some¬thing is being gathered into barns. He comes to get His people.
I Thessalonians 4:16 This is "the word of the Lord." It says "the Lord him¬self" will come with a shout, voice, a trump. This is so loud the dead are being awakened. It doesn't sound secret at all.
II Thessalonians 4:17 "Then," when the shout, the voice, and the trump are all sounding, and the dead are rising, the living are caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds. Here the saints are gath¬ered, caught up, at the time when Jesus is coming with clouds, at the time when everyone is hearing, everyone seeing. There is complete harmony with what we read in Acts and Revelation. According to what we read, Antichrist must come before the saints are gathered, before Jesus comes. Is that found anywhere else in the Bible?
II Thessalonians 2:1,2 Paul is discussing the second coming and the gathering, and he says that the day of Christ is not at hand in his (Paul's) day. There was confu¬sion regarding the second coming and the gather¬ing even then. Paul said no matter what communication the Thessalonian Christians received, the day of Christ was not at hand during their day. Why not? What was the reason?
II Thessalonians 2:3 The day of Christ's coming and the gathering of the saints was not to come until after there was a falling away and the man of sin was revealed, or made visible, that is until the man of sin would be seen. Paul warns the saints not to be deceived here; the man of sin would come first, then Christ would come and gather the saints. Jesus also warned that false ideas regard¬ing His coming would come in.
Matthew 24:24-26 Be forewarned, Jesus said, If they say Jesus comes in the secret chambers, or in a secret way, don't believe it. Why not believe it? Because His coming is not going to be secret.
Matthew 24:27,28 It will be like lightning─we can see it, and thun-der─we can hear it. Jesus also tells when the saints will be gath¬ered.
Matthew 24:29,30,31 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days, ... and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." And (vs. 31) "He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." After the tribulation, Christ will appear, and then all the tribes will mourn, and then the angels will gather the saints. Notice there will be a great sound of a trum¬pet, there will be angels, the wicked will be mourning, and all will see Jesus coming in the clouds with power and great glory. Is that secret? No. The saints will be gathered, but it will not be se¬cret¬ly!
Gathering = 2nd coming
What happens to the wicked? Why are they weeping and wail¬ing?
Matthew 13:29,30 Jesus told a parable. A man sowed good seed, but weeds ap¬pear. The servants want to uproot the weeds, but both must grow together till the harvest. The saints and the wicked grow together, both remain in the world until the harvest. What har¬vest?
Matthew 13:39 The harvest is the end of the world. In Revela¬tion we saw Jesus reap the harvest. The saints and the wicked remain till the end, when the saints are gathered and caught up to meet Jesus in the clouds. What happens to the wicked at the har¬vest?
Matthew 13:30 The wicked are gathered into bundles to be burned.
Matthew 13:40-43 It is crystal clear that at the harvest the wicked are slain first, then the saints are gathered by angels to the clouds
Matthew 13:47-50 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea, and the net gathered of every kind. When it was full, they came to shore and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." The words of Jesus are so plain. The angels sever the wicked from among the just. The wicked are slain. That's why they are wail¬ing; they know it's all over for them.
II Thessalonians 1:7 Here we see the coming of the Lord, and ven¬geance being taken with flaming fire. Let's review. Antichrist is re¬vealed before the saints are gathered. The 2nd coming is visible and audible to ev-eryone. The wicked are mourn¬ing because they are not ready. The wicked are slain by the fiery brightness of the 2nd coming. The saints are gathered by the angels into the clouds at the 2nd coming.
What does it mean that Christ is coming as a thief in the night?
Always, when a thief in the night is talked about, the Bible refers to the timing and not the manner of Jesus' coming.
Matthew 24:42-44 "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.... if the goodman of the house had know in what watch the thief would come ... in such an hour as ye think not the son of man cometh." These are references to the timing of the thief's coming. If a thief came to a house, he would come when not expect¬ed, and likewise the second coming will take men by sur¬prise. That's why there will be mourning, but it won't be secret!
I Thessalonians 5:1-4 "Of the times and the seasons ... the day of the lord so cometh as a thief in the night.... But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief."
The day, not Jesus, comes as a thief. This is about the timing and not the man¬ner of His coming. The Bible says if the day surprises us we are in darkness. It's so clear, so simple, so plain when you just look at the texts for what they say. The day will come unexpectedly, the tribes of the earth will mourn, because they didn't expect Him and they are unpre-pared. The saints are caught up, but it will not be secret! What does it mean then that one will be taken and one left?
Matthew 24:36-39 Notice they knew not, but why not? because they couldn't know? They had 120 years, yet when the flood came, it came unex¬pectedly and it took them all away. Where did the flood take them to? to the bot¬tom of the sea. The wicked were de¬stroyed.
Matthew 24:40-42 What is Jesus telling us here? There will be two groups; the righteous will be saved and the wicked will be lost.
Luke 17:34-36 "There shall be two men in one bed; one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding together; one shall be taken and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; one shall be tak¬en, and the other left." Again, we see two classes, one class lost and the other class saved. Jesus ex¬plained this in
Luke 17:26-30 As it was in the days of Noah and Lot, "Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." What did the flood do? It destroyed the ones that weren't saved. When the flood was over, who was left to tell about it? Only Noah and his family were alive. The rest were de¬stroyed. In the same way, only Lot and part of his family were left alive when Sod¬om was de¬stroyed.
The evidence is overwhelming:
Antichrist will be revealed before the saints are gath¬ered.
The second coming will be visible and audible to everyone.
The wicked will mourn because they are not ready.
The wicked will be slain at the second com¬ing.
The saints will be gathered in the clouds at the second coming.
Will God be with us during the tribulation? Jesus said He would be with us "even unto the end of the world."
Psalm 91:5 "He shall give his angels charge over thee ... They shall bear thee up in their hands." Here's why: "because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name."
Revelation 3:10,11 Jesus promises to protect and deliv¬er those that keep His word.
Jesus is coming after the tribula¬tion, but hold fast, and "Listen to what the Spirit says to the churc¬hes" in
Revelation 3:12
Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
