If youre a Christian hospital administrator, you must instruct all your nurses and surgeons and anesthesiologists to cease and desist from using any product manufactured by Big Pharma? View more Revelation 18:23 meaning, interpretation, and commentary "And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." Its what Revelation 18:23 says that got our attention, in context, regardless of what the Greek word means. To quote some posts directly, Jonathan wrote, I think you are completely wrong about revelations [sic] 18:23-24 and your antiquated look and view of the Bible is blinding you. In Louisiana, Attorney General Jeff Landry created a form for those who object to mask and vaccine mandates, allowing them to assert they do not consent to forcing a face covering on my child, who is created in the image of God.. Vaccines prevent complications of health deterioration. All that being said, do I think that most people will abandon this interpretation once and for all? What other word would they use to try to communicate future scenarios, than the words they had at the present time? When it comes to the beast, his mark, and the worship of the beasts image, the historical data seems to be pointing us in one direction: Its simply a reference to how the imperial cult impacted ones participation in the local economy. - And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee; of a lamp (cf. Is it making them sicker, too? So you dont need to fear getting the beasts mark by taking a vaccineunless, of course, you plan to treat the vaccine as a sort of symbolic expression or unholy sacrament (sorry for the oxymoron!) Experts worry religious exemptions could undercut mandates, similar to how theyve contributed to outbreaks in preventable childhood diseases, even though most major religions dont object to vaccines. But without all the background information, people are being tossed to and fro by endless speculations and fears. In order to interpret it rightly, we need to know its context. In order to understand the mark of the beast in Revelation 13:18, we need to see what is happening in the rest of the chapter. An outbreak of measles in California in 2014 prompted the state to end personal belief exemptions for required vaccines for students, making it one of the few states that does not offer a pass for personal or religious views. To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. The more people who are exempt, the greater the danger is to everybody who's present.. In order to avoid embarrassing interpretations like this one (and similar ones that seem to prevail in 2020), we must deal with the texts original context. It is not a denial of faith to use such remedies as God has provided to alleviate pain and to aid nature in her work of restoration. God has put it in our power to obtain a knowledge of the laws of life. Health economist W. David Bradford, one of the reports authors, said religious exemptions may be necessary to get people to go along with vaccination mandates. Big Pharma? Taking the vaccine involves registering oneself and being given a number. To take all of these things into account allows a much-needed moratorium on all the pointless anxiety and fear-mongering. For example, after Julius Caesar died, he was deified. In an article published last week on theLAB, COVID-19 and The Mark of the Beast, I claimed that the mark of the beast (666) is most likely not a physical or visible mark (Rev. They must apply if a persons beliefs are sincerely held.. As long as it's a sincerely held religious belief, it is personal and not denominational or organizational.. Multiple states have some form of prohibition on vaccination requirements and mask mandates. And so, for their sake, and for the sake of the truth, Ive written this follow-up article, as plainly and simply as I can. You don't want to go on a fishing expedition.. 20Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. Soon enough, I learn that, in fact, I have slaughtered a sacred cow without even knowing it. Clarity for Catholics: It's OK to get Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine if it's the only one available. Fetal cells were used in the early testing, though not in the production, of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Lets make Christ our focus, not endless speculations that, at the end of the day, have very little to do with the message of Revelation. Theoriginal versionof this commentary was posted by theHealth Ministries Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. And so, for their sake, and for the sake of the truth, Ive written this follow-up article, as plainly and simply as I can. Big Pharma is using sorcery and witchcraft to deceive the whole world!. She said public health experts have a legitimate concern that people will claim religious views they dont have to get out of being vaccinated, but she doesnt see that as reason for tougher scrutiny. The vaccine is not the mark of the beast. 1 Cor. This is probably the most debated verse in Revelation. Its called vaccine hesitancy, she said. Get a roundup of new Word by Word articles in your inbox each Friday. Some places are resistant to vaccine mandates altogether, he said, let alone vaccine mandates without a religious exemption., Florida Gov. To understand a letter between two people (or groups of people), you really need to know a thing or two about what necessitated the sending of the letter in the first place. Thats why the related wordpharmakos, found in Revelation 21:8 describing people who will be cast into the lake of fire, is translated sorcerer, not pharmacist. Obviously! If there wasanyconnection to drugs, it would only be in the sense of producing drug-induced magical spells,notin the sense of pharmaceutical use. According to Revelation 18:2: She has become a home for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, and a haunt for every unclean and despicable beast. Because of that, Gods people are called to flee from Babylon, so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues (18:4). Thats why its important, Martin said, for businesses to have a clear, centralized decision-making process that handles requests consistently. Ellen White wrote nothing about vaccination, but her life and practice provide good support for and confirmation of this articles reflections. They would often find it impossible to make a living and worship Christ exclusively. Various conspiracy theories terribly misapply biblical texts to create fear and dependency on false teachers. Biblical prophets do not speak against vaccinations. Vaccination rates were higher in states that required health departments to sign off on nonmedical exemptions or that had criminal or civil penalties for noncompliance. That list would include the command, Be vaccinated or Dont be vaccinated, so we need godly thinking to guide us as to whether to be vaccinated or not. Liberty Counsel, a Florida-based group that defends religious freedom cases, said it fields thousands of requests for assistance to avoid vaccinations including many from federal employees. When Jesuss Command Seems Impossible: How to Love Wholly. Ellen White admonishes, Train the people to correct habits and healthful practices, remembering that an ounce of preventive is more value than a pound of cure. The COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. were found to be safe and effective in clinical trials and real-world conditions. Be sure to read Dr. Halsteds earlier article, Covid-19 and the Mark of the Beast. Or, as expressed by Scott, not only is the world decieved [sic] into taking test drugs (for which the 'vaxpass' permissions resemble the mark restrictions and are being instituted by martial law in Austria, Greece, Australia and New Zealand), but it was brought about ALSO by pharmakaiea, being a lab creation funded by Fauci. So when I say that I have this religion, I expect them not to question me.. If youre pro-truth, you need to abandon this interpretation. All, the whole, every kind of. We are rational beings, and our Creator gives us the ability to think and know what works best for our health. For instance, we know from Suetonius that many people were at the time toying with the numerical values of Neros name (Nero 39). More: Delta variant has college professors 'freaking out' about fall 2021 semester. God commands that we protect life and care for the health of our neighbors (Lev. From the writings of Pliny, for example, we learn how professing Christians faith were put to the test by having them worship the image of Caesar (Pliny, Letters, 10:96-97).11, The emperors image was everywhere, especially on coins. Rightly understood, science and the written word agree, and each sheds light on the other. Should you get the COVID-19 vaccine? But some will. The official statement alleges vaccination is consistent with Adventisms strong emphasis on health and well-being. This position is said to rest upon biblical revelation, the inspired writing of Ellen G. White (co-founder of the Church), and on peer-reviewed scientific literature. Even if they werent, the government can infringe on religious freedom in service of a compelling interest such as stopping the spread of a deadly communicable disease. Often they are brought about in a way which looks like the natural course of events. We ask to be kept from the pestilence that walketh in darkness, that is stalking with such power through the world; we are then to cooperate with God, observing the laws of health and life. A narrow majority of the unvaccinated said the vaccine is a bigger health risk than the coronavirus. 14). 2. Several examples come to mind from the biblical material. "Given the urgency of this crisis, the lack of available alternative vaccines, and the fact that the connection between an abortion that occurred decades ago and receiving a vaccine produced today is remote, inoculation with the new COVID-19 vaccines in these circumstances can be morally justified, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops concluded in a statement in December. PO Box 5546Concord, NC 28027(704) 782-3760. But either way, unless They require you to forsake your faith in Jesus as the exclusive object of your worship, They have no relation to the mark of the beast. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. If youre pro-truth, you need to abandon this interpretation. But I can say we have very strong indication most of them are, she said. The Greek word for sorcery is pharmakeia, she noted. Why? A great one, a lord; a courtier, satrap, nobleman. Does it tie in with the COVID vaccines? His latest book isRevival Or We Die: A Great Awakening Is Our Only Hope. Thats the case with the subject of the Greek wordpharamakiain Revelation 18:23. Is it an indictment on Big Pharma? In recent months, social media users have flooded the internet with bizarre claims and conspiracies the Mark of the Beast was being rolled out as the Covid vaccine in disguise. Prayers for knowledge are not enough to bring success. 10:31 NIV). First, the historical data does not permit us to think the mark of the beast is something you can accidentally take. But only the Lord of heaven can be guaranteed to preserve and restore health when He so chooses. 24And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. 3. So there should be no religious exemption for a Catholic., Haddad estimated that less than 1% of staff has requested a religious exemption through what she called a pretty stringent process.. The 30-year-old said shes not worried about getting the coronavirus because shes worked in a hospital throughout the pandemic and has kept healthy through frequent hand-washing and boosting her immune system with Vitamin C and other supplements. A mandate with exemptions is better than no mandate, he said. Proverbs 4:18,19 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Please click here to learn how. 6. The reality is that no one would be equating Revelation 18, which speaks of the destruction of Babylon the Great, with Big Pharma if not for the wordpharmakia. After explaining to a caller last week that the word simply means sorcery, I followed up with an article that went more depth. Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular. Plural from megistos; grandees. Ellen White wisely advises: God's miracles do not always bear the outward semblance of miracles. But what do I mean by imperial cult? Its what Revelation 18:23 says that got our attention, in context, regardless of what the Greek word means.. It is immoral. WebThe number of the beast ( Koin Greek: , Arithms to throu) is associated with the Beast of Revelation in chapter 13, verse 18 of the Book of Revelation. 6. And we can thank Him and His human agents for the good they do in preserving and restoring life (Dan. If our bodies are not our own, and we are accountable to God for how we care for them, and if God will require an account of our love toward our neighbor,then caring for our own health as well as for that of our neighbor is a must. WebThe revelation then states that one like unto the Son of man (another image of the Lord) will harvest earth, that is, the grain fieldsa symbolic representation of the gathering of the righteous (compare D&C 86:16). Looking back through history, over 1,700 years ago, when the Aramaic-speaking Christians translatedpharamakiain Revelation 18:23 into their language (Syriac), they translated it with sorcery. And over 1,500 years ago, when Jerome translated this word into Latin, he translated with sorcery, magic.. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him [a beaten man]; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. The vaccine is not the mark of the beast. You. Their experience of continuous restoration to Gods image is seen in their character and lifestyle. Employers are used to dealing with accommodation requests for disabilities and handling that documentation. From en and the base of poreuomai; a tradesman. When vaccinologist John Grabenstein looked at how the worlds major religions view vaccines for a paper in 2013, he found few theologically based objections. This seal actually has an Old Testament basis, namely, in Ezekiel 9, where a mark was said to have been placed on the foreheads of Gods people (Ez. 6:19, 20, NIV; cf. Israel is almost 16 months into a deal with many nations (Dan 9:27) and the WEF is pushing a global restructuring using the pandemic as the starting point. WebHolds 11 oz. In other words, she was responsible for the persecution and death of righteous followers of Jesus, from the first century, when this was written, until today. For thy merchants were the great men of the earth, and with the magic which thou didst practise all nations were led astray.- Weymouth BibleThe light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. I think this is definitely the pharmakaiea and the 'mighty men', the merchants of the earth described. Israel is almost 16 months into a deal with many nations (Dan 9:27) and the WEF is pushing a global restructuring using the pandemic as the starting point. Thus, becoming vaccinated is an act of kindness, because vaccinations are helping to protect others from serious sickness, hospitalization, and death. Again, this would have been a particular problem for Christians in Asia Minor. This knowledge has been placed within our reach for use. If you want to reconstruct the historical context of Christian people living in first-century Asia Minor, you must take into account the Roman imperial cult. Web23. He has a passion for teaching students how to read the Bible faithfully and with careful reflection. And that would give us reasonthe fact it has nothing to do with 666, and the fact its not given in these two locations, would be signs that this really is not the mark of the beast. The general rule is plain: what is in harmony with biblical health principles and does not contradict them is permissible. This is how utterly nonsensical this whole affair becomes when you actually look at verses in context. The mark of the beast is about false worship involving spiritually poisonous doctrines that Scripture calls Babylonian teaching, reflecting the confusion of the tower of Babel. One clue is that when people are surveyed about why they do not vaccinate, they typically raise safety concerns rather than religious views. The situation was such that Domitian was everywhere hated and feared (Dom. The word vaccination does not occur in the Bible, as is the case with many other important health terms like vitamins, transfusion, high blood pressure, kidney transplant, injection, pills, and so on. We just really trust God to be our healer, she said. Does it connect in any way to the use of pharmaceuticals today? You say, You still dont get it. 9:1-6). Smith said her observance of her faith, Hebrew Roots, is known at work and she declined another vaccine. Hey, the text says you must flee from Big Pharma and not share in her sins! Paul plainly states, Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? Certainly not. Oftentimes, (there is) a claim of a religious prohibition, (but) when you get down into reading what the religions teach, it's not there.. Trying to base prophecy off of what a word originally meant is foolish. Probably from etho; a race, i.e. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. Photo by Jay Yoo. In other words, you need context. Business student Seth Crowder doesn't like how far up into the nasal cavity testing swabs go. Will religious exemptions undercut COVID-19 vaccines mandates? Such misinformation is connected to confusion about the mRNA basis of vaccinations against the coronavirus and SARS. There is no sickness or disease that He cannot heal. Letters in antiquity are much like modern letterssituational, personal, and contextual. As of last week, 85% of IU's students, faculty and staff had received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to the school. I reckon that most people in my evangelical tradition havent either. Thats the case with the subject of the Greek word pharamakia in Revelation 18:23. I do not think that this is the mark of the beast, but I absolutely think that it is part of the beasts system and that it is a precursor to what is coming in the future.. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Did you know that the National Institutes of Health (Dr. Faucis organization) believes they found the gene that is responsible for faith? However, whatever we do should spring from biblical principles. Looking back through history, over 1,700 years ago, when the Aramaic-speaking Christians translated pharamakia in Revelation 18:23 into their language (Syriac), they translated it with sorcery. And over 1,500 years ago, when Jerome translated this word into Latin, he translated with sorcery, magic.. 3. Neither God nor we always need a thus says the Lord to know what to do or not to do, because He can show, and we can see, the benefits or disadvantages of many of our decisions and actions.
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