The mark of the beast is such an icon in the SDA church that sometimes it is difficult to process the information in a Bible way. But since we are supposed to be a people of the Book I would like to present a brief study on the subject and see if it is helpful. My intent is to give us material to study and to react to. It is with the intent of bringing new ideas out of the Mine of Truth that I attempt to share. I am going to share a study on the concept of "mark" and one on the "mark of the beast".

Mark – In the Old Testament the Hebrew word Oth can mean mark or sign. The mark, or sign can be placed on the hand or forehead. Exodus 13:9,16; Deuteronomy 6:8 & 11:18. Youngs Concordance. Examples of marks or signs:
Mark of Cain. Genesis 4:15
Passover. Exodus 13:8
Sabbath. Exodus 31:13,17; Ezekiel 20:12
God’s Word. Deuteronomy 6:3-9 & 11:18-20

Mark of the Beast – When a person, or nation, comes to his point of experience when God marks the decision are irreversible. Historical examples of:
Satan. Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12- 18;Revelation 12:7-9
Cain. Genesis 4:1-16
Pre-flood man. Genesis 6:1-13
Sodom and Gomorrah. Genesis 18 & 19
Egypt. Exodus 5-15
Midianites. Numbers 22-25 & 31
Uzziah. Mark of leprosy in forehead. II Chronicles 26:16-21
Babylon. Daniel 5
Israel when choosing Barabbas and Caesar. Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 23:37-38; Mark 15:6-15; John 18:39-19:15
Last day people. Revelation 13:11-17; 14:9-11; 18:1-6; 19:19-20

I would appreciate any insights or responses to these concepts.

Greg, this should be an interesting study. Thank you for bringing it up. I didn't quite understand the following statement:

"Mark of the Beast – When a person, or nation, comes to his point of experience when God marks the decision are irreversible."

Are you saying that God marks our irreversible decisions? Like the unpardonable sin? As in passages like these?

Hebrews
6:4 For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put [him] to an open shame.

2 Thessalonians 2
2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Revelation
17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

My idea is that when a person comes to the point that he has sealed his rebellion, and God accepts that seal of his rebellion - that sealing process is the "mark of the beast". It is the mark because you have totally committed to Satan. It is the same procedure that is used when the slave is ready to be set free and they refuse. They are then to be brought to a pillar and have an awl put through their ear lobe. This is a sign that you have totally committed to your Lord to be his. To me that is a mark/sealing of committment. I believe this marking process is used for God or for Satan. Seal of God or mark of the beast.

Greg, this is an excellent point. And is needful when introducing the MOB. Thank you. How do these insights help us specifically interpret and identify the MOB?

Mike:
For me they are helpful in that it brings the entire Bible into the study. Historically I have tried to isolate the mark of the beast to Sunday keeping and it did not feel as spiritual. Now that I can follow a train of thought from Genesis to Revelation it feels "right" and it feels more on a solid Bible platform. I like the idea that any truth has been in existence all through God's plan and we are seeing a "final" manifestation of the concept. That is how I see it.

Greg

Yeah, I know what you mean. Whenever I have the opportunity to share this topic with non-SDA's I like to point out that the "seal" of God is the law (Isa 8:16) and that sabbath keeping is the "sign" of the seal of God (Eze 20:12,20). Thus the seal of God is more than just sabbath keeping. It includes the entire law.

And by contrast, the MOB includes the law of God, but it substitutes sunday keeping in place of the sabbath. Which is interesting to me. Because the people who receive the MOB are not a bunch of lawless hypocrits, but rather they believe they are zealously defending the truth. John 16:2 and Jude 3. Sad.

[ December 19, 2001: Message edited by: Mike Lowe ]

So an example of the mark of the beast would be John 12:37-43?

Well, I might make a distinction between the MOB and a MOB. Sort of like the difference between the "spirit" of antichrist and the antichrist himself. 1 John 4:3.

From what I've studied the MOB is specifically the sunday sabbath. And a person receives the MOB when they obey the laws enforcing it when they know better. That's when the prophecy is fulfilled. Between now and then if they refuse to obey God it's called rebellion rather than receiving the MOB. Is that how you understand it?

If they are confirmed in rebellion then they would have lost their salvation. If they are confirmed in rebellion would they have committed the unpardonable sin? Is the unpardonable sin similar to the mark of the beast? Is the mark of the beast a sign of loyalty/committment to satan? Sunday keeping is the last of a long string of marks to the beast. For example in the Noah situation the seal of God would have been to walk the plank into the ark. Apparently sunday keeping was not an issue at the time. In the Exodus story the seal of God was the Passover and especially the blood on the doorpost. The mark of the beast was to ignore the blood. The culmination of that situation was the Red Sea. The righteous walked through the red sea on dry ground by faith. The unrighteous tried to walk through the red sea but since they did not walk by faith, but by rebellion against, God they drowned. Sunday keeping was not an issue but the seperation between Christ and Satan was clearly revealed. The last battle between Christ and Satan is still formulating. Sides are developing and soon everyone will have chosen their sides and selected their banners. Christs side will display the law of God and especially the Sabbath will be their sign. On satans side the banner will be sunday the sign of their rebellion from Jesus. As soon as the sides are clearly drawn then the last crisis will occur - the battle of Armageddon. When that battle is engaged then Jesus will stand up and deliver His people - those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

I like the idea of saying all those events you mentioned are a type of the MOB, but I'm not sure I'm ready to call them the MOB. You see what I mean? That seems like an over generalization, which can dilute the ultimate truth about the MOB.

Also, to suggest that those who receive the MOB during the sunday crisis are serving Satan may give the impression that they are not serving Jesus. Whereas isn't it true that although they have chosen a false sabbath they still believe in their deceived hearts that they are serving God?

Since you've titled this thread - A revised view of the MOB - I'm being careful not to obscure what I know about the MOB and its place in prophecy at the end of time. However, I do like your thoughts about how MOB type events have been happening since the beginning of time, and that the sunday crisis is the one true MOB event that actually fulfills the prophecy.