They are not that high-tech, are they? Revelation 13:16,17.

 “ It (the false prophet – also referred to as a beast) causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.” Revelation 13:16-17 (Emphasis mine)

If you think about how Islam deals with infidels, they are not that high-tech, are they?

I say that because, for the longest time, we were subjected to watching the beheading of Isis captives and an American citizen like Nick Berg – who was an American freelance radio tower repairman who went to Iraq after the United States invasion of Iraq. He was taken hostage and eventually beheaded on public television. Others have been shot in the head, and some have been hanged in public squares.

I have been watching how Islam treats people for several years now and decided to do a little research to see if the Quran prescribed the sword as the unique method of death for infidels. I can't say that I found that directive, but it is clear killing infidels is communicated.

If you attempt to research this for yourself, you will find the obligatory rebuttals to these passages from the Quran. In their rebuttals, they will tell you that Muslims are only to kill if attacked. It would seem that even an oral statement, especially one like this, in which my statements could be deemed blasphemy against Allah, constitutes an attack. Oh yes, the Quran tells them that deception is an elevated form of Jihad; and from what I understand, Allah is openly stated as the greatest of deceivers. So take that for what is worth. So, when they stand in defense of orders to kill, we might need to perceive what they say as nothing more than an attempt at deception.

While the next few lines may not speak to the method of death, it does speak to how serious they are about killing you.

From the website https://www.markalanwilliams.net/post/2017/01/02/koran-says-to-kill-infidels-bible-doesnt.

“So, let’s look at where the Koran says to kill infidels and then the fact that the Bible does not teach the same.”

1. The Koran says to kill infidels.

Note: an “infidel” means “a person who does not believe in religion or who adheres to a religion other than one’s own.”
Synonyms are unbeliever, agnostic, atheist, pagan, idolater, and heretic.

Here are passages from the Koran that teach Muslims to kill infidels (note: a sura is like a chapter reference):

“But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem [of war]; but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful” (Sura 9:5).

“Fight those who believe not in God nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, [even if they are] of the People of the Book [Christians and Jews], until they pay the jizya [tribute] with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued” (Sura 9:29).

“Prophet! Make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal sternly with them. Hell shall be their home, evil their fate.” (Sura 66:9)

Two surahs could potentially be used to provide a justification for beheading in the context of war:(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beheading_in_Islam#Beheading_in_Islamic_scripture)

When the Lord inspired the angels (saying) I am with you. So make those who believe stand firm. I will throw fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Then smite the necks and smite of them each finger. (8:12)

Now when ye meet in battle those who disbelieve, then it is smiting of the necks until, when ye have routed them, making fast of bonds; and afterward either grace or ransom 'til the war lay down its burdens. (47:4)

There is much more than this, but I am trying not to bore you.

This idea that outsiders cannot work freely in an Islamic-controlled land is not a new concept.

Look at what the Qur'an says:

"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." Qur'an (9:29)

So, if you submit or are subdued and pay the Jizya tax, then you can live in relative freedom; otherwise, no.

Having been told by a “brother” at church that he was NOT interested in extra-biblical literature, and I have shoved a good deal of this type of literature down your throat, then let me show how this applies and aligns itself with scripture.

“And he (He is the false prophet. Islam believes this to be their version of Jesus, and they believe that he will be of the lineage of Aaron and, therefore, entitled to be the high priest in the Jewish temple.) causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves (With the arrival of the vaccines do you believe that people like Bill Gates had that deadly concoction injected in their bodies? Of course not, after all, they have to run this great reset, that Klaus Schwab refers to as the fourth industrial revolution where humans become bio machines due to the ingredients in the vaccinations and further upgrades,) to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.”
(Revelation 13:16-17 NASB) (Emphasis mine)

I never would have guessed that even the great and rich will have to comply.

But what if this mark is not that high-tech, and Islam, who may have control at this point, may have their own simple idea of a mark.

The Jews, forced into the ghettos of Poland, were

given marks, and they were not allowed to do anything without the yellow star that said Juden on them. Few realize that there were many colors used to denigrate people groups under the direction of the Nazis.

 

A puzzling aspect of this prophetic word is the reference to this 666 indicator and how it is the number of a man. For a moment, I thought Walid Shoebat sounded good, as he described how it looked like the Arabic symbols meaning there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. I am not sure, and I am not willing to play with Gematria. So if there is one thing in Revelation that throws me for a loop, it is this 666 stuff. We already know it is a man; I am confident that it will be someone fulfilling the role of the Mahdi; they will head the restored Islamic caliphate, but who it is, is anybody's guess. For a few minutes, I thought Principe Erdoğan of Turkey was going to take the lead in this role, but I now lean toward former President Barack Obama. We should not rule him out.

The passage reads:

“This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

Contextually, John had just finished speaking about the image of the beast being set up, but as I said, we have too many options to define this as yet.

Your best bet is to stay ready on God's side. Start by having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You do that by turning your life over to Him and asking Him to come to be the center of your life. Then work on trimming off the bad fruit you have grown. Jesus Christ knows how to do that.

You cannot lose your salvation because you are sealed. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22.

 Contrary to the religion I grew up in, many have been talking about NOT being able to lose your salvation. The context of this conversation should be obvious, what do you believe, and does it line up with the Word of God? 

If your beliefs, no matter where they came from, such as the faith movement, do not line up with the Word of God, dump them! While the terminology may not be precise, the idea that we are eternally saved is found in multiple locations throughout the Bible. Here is one of those places.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NASB (21) Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, (22) who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

Here, Paul is doing the talking, and he is referring to a "He", who establishes us, ("us" here has to be referring to those with Paul and the early church body in Corinth.)

To Establish is to confirm, render constant, strengthen, make firm, ratify, or establish by arguments or proofs.

Paul goes on to say, that this "He," has anointed the believers, the church body.

Anointed, according to the Word Study Dictionary, tells us that "Anointing had the significance of dedication to God;" "Priests were set apart by anointing;" "Kings were designated by anointing, and we see this with David and Saul;" and, "This act was accompanied by the gift of the Spirit. So when David was anointed, the Spirit descended on him and departed from Saul."

Jumping forward to 2 Corinthians 5, we get this.

2 Corinthians 5:1-6 NASB (1) For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2) For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, (3) inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. (4) For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. (5) Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. (6) Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--

The bottom line is that this "He" is God. Never forget that God, the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, is one. But pay attention to the fact that God gave us the Spirit as a pledge.

But a pledge of what?

The context of this secondary conversation shows you a conversation about how we long to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven. Notice verse four as it says, while dwelling in these mortal bodies we feel unclothed and long to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven; while we feel unclothed, we can KNOW that these mortal bodies will eventually, be swallowed up by life - God is life. And finally, God, gave us the Holy Spirit as a pledge. 

For those who fear as Christians, not knowing where their home is, I give you verse six.

"Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--"

Come back to 2 Corinthians 1:22 for a moment.

2 Corinthians 1:22 NASB (22) who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

Sealed is the Greek word sphragizo which means to seal, or stamp with a seal for the purpose of finalizing or to close up a transaction.

According to the Word Study Dictionary sealed also implies:

• to mark distinctively as invested with a certain character, John 6:27;

  Whose character are we talking about, Paul's? Not hardly; we are talking about God's character.

• to set one’s own mark upon, to seal as one’s own, a mark of acceptance, 2Corinthians 1:22;

  God has accepted us, sealed us, and marked us as His own.

• to deliver over safely to someone, Romans 15:28;

  And it is the Holy Spirit that will deliver us over, safely to the Father; this is a logical action considering that He paid for us.

Jesus made the final payment on our behalf and God closed the books, indicating ownership when we accepted that Jesus died and rose again for us. At this point, God sealed us, and He did it with the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is that mark upon our lives.

And note how 2 Corinthians 1:22 tells us that the Holy Spirit is in our hearts as a mark of God's pledge.

When did that happen?

On the day you accepted Him.

• Romans 16:25 says that you were established according to Paul's gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.

• 1 Peter 5:10 tells us that He is always working to perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

• King David, in Psalm 37:23-24, states that we won't be hurled headlong because the LORD is the One who holds your hand.

• Psalms 89:4 says, that He will establish your seed forever.

• And in Isaiah 9:7 We are told that it is the zeal of the LORD of hosts which will accomplish this in us.

How do you come to Jesus?

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NASB (1) Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, (2) by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you unless you believed in vain. (3) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

That Gospel is simply this. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was buried, dead, and raised again, to life, on the third day by the Father. Romans 1:16-17 tells us that this gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. And that we continue to live in this salvation through faith.

Perhaps this might help.

Jesus, I admit that I am broken and I need a savior. I understand that you died for me so that I could live eternally, with the Father, in heaven. I have nothing to offer you but my life and so I give that to you now. Thank you for forgiving my sins and accepting me into your kingdom.