I don't know but this may have a hint in it? We worship God by following His commandments. I had studied on this years ago but forgot much of it. xodus 13:9,14 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt…
It’s kind of a stretch but maybe there is some relevance Marie. Per the scripture you’re bringing to the table, we have the Lord giving the newly freed Israelites His edicts regarding the sacrifices they will have to make when they get to the promised land. Jesus was indeed the first born male and He was sacrificed that we may receive that which is promised to those who would follow His commandments. A sort of “Canaan” or “the promised land” as it were. Now, we are no longer under the yoke of such sacrifices because Jesus was and is that sacrifice. The price has been paid in full before we get to that promised land. There is one thing though which might bring things back into the context of what your scripture denotes: When and whatever the Mark of the Beast is, we, the followers of Jesus Christ will literally have to give up the things of the world by not taking that mark which is by itself, a sacrifice of sorts.
along with accepting the possibility that we will be putting ourselves in harms way by not taking it. we may be put to death like many martyrs before us. i figure if Jesus died for us, we can die for Him. this is drink the Kool Aid talk it's just how I perceive it.
I was reading an interesting article today about covid and the vaccine being related to the mark of the beast, from the Bible. This is an interesting , and totally different way of looking at it, and maybe worth considering. This is not the whole article (it was fairly long), but I took a screenshot of the part that explains about the 666 definition .
I see major parts of Revelation happening but my biblical understanding is not up to judging whether Yvonne has got something here. I'm a beginner Christian. It's a constant surprise to learn how advanced virology and microbiology have become under the sponsorship of the military, so who knows what they can do? Even when I wasn't a Christian I followed events as they related to Revelation.Consider this verse: And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. Guess what Germany calls their main battle tank? The latest version of the world's leading battle tank ... The LEOPARD 2 A7+ was developed and qualified for the new tasks of the German Bundeswehr ... Leopard with feet of a bear ... huge treads? Mouth of a lion ... huge main gun? I'm reaching, probably.
I pretty much just accept what anyone’s interpretation of some portions of Revelation is. To me, it is akin to the dream Peter had of the sheet of food. (ref. Acts 10). By reading it, the interpretation is pretty clear but yet Peter decided to make his own declaration of what it meant which has set the debates going for all the centuries since. Who is right? When it comes to Revelation, who can indeed rightly divide the word of truth? One thing I am sure of though is that we are told that a whole slew of people will not recognize the interpretations even when they are in the midst of the fulfillment of it.
The more I read the bible, the better I see why the world is in the shape it is. It's both comforting, and a frightening for me. I still am a beginner because there's a spiritual battle going on, both in me, and the world. It's hard for me not to give into worldly ways, and words. I want to fit in where I have no business being, I want people to like me and it's hard for me to remember that "I can't do it" without God's Spirit living in me. I can't deny that the bible to me is man's history, from beginning to end. We can take it or leave it. I believe good bloody luck to me if I leave it.
I belonged to the Jewish religion for a short time, and from my understanding of course, Jews think being unhappy is a sin. Most are non-religious today and a few others are very much so, won't even answer their phone on the Sabbath. The Bible is not meant to be understood, We are told our minds can't handle the whole truth. So I just pray and hope for the best, which isn't good but I can't live like a hermit. And it seems almost everything is sinful now a days.
What I'm learning from the bible is that self-lessness, and helping others is way to true full-fillmant in life. I wouldn't know because I'd led mostly selfish, it's all about me and what I can do for me. Yes there were lots of times I was giving, helping, sharing with others, really was enough to know I felt best when I was doing so. I wonder sometimes how it would be to truly give rather than to take as a way of life. Would God really provide? Some of the happiest people I've ever met are or listened to are givers. Not perfect, not saying that, but take Corrie Ten boom. She could be super ornery in a book of hers I read, but she kept going when she was called, and didn't have her own place even until I think probably late in life when she couldn't go on. I'll never be like Corrie but what an example to people if we all opened our eyes and hearts.
Denise, I used to be a giver although we had little to give at the time, but I never was good at receiving, the elders in my life were of the opinion "never a beggar or a borrower be" yet they were all givers. So not sure how that works out. Sometimes it is cruel to be kind, as evidenced by all the ghettos in the hills of whites and blacks in the cities. So many addictions, death and illness. I think the major religions that tell us to give to the poor mean poor thru no fault of their own, not because they refuse to work. The Bible tells us " if a man doesn't work,he should not eat" then it tells us to give to the poor, i take it the poor who can't help themselves. Of course now we have poor whos work has been taken from them. I don't know really about much anymore I just vent and rant.
It also says to pray you escape the things coming. And the word 'watch' is mentioned 44 times [if I recall] in the Old Testament alone. Lots of parables too about preparing. Death isn't easy the will to live is strong, even Jesus ask to live then ask, why He was forsaken. As I said the Bible is not easy to understand and according to what I read God will answer some of those questions in the after life.
Oh yeah, we could make a whole new thread on where and when to give, and taking care of ourselves so we have something to give, even if it's just our time
You could start a thread on that id you like. Since this one has been highjacked, we seniors aren't good at staying on topic, our minds wonder more than before. The Mark of the Beast is as interesting topic as it is mysterious.