Note well that God first commanded freedom by creating for humans a safe space for life and growth (general rule), and then put clear boundaries: no eating from one tree, from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was a specific command. 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. But without all the background information, people are being tossed to and fro by endless speculations and fears. - 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. Did you know that they also believe that they can use their gene therapy technology to turn off that gene? In the same way, the Spirit would not tell you that a Greek word means something very different than what it actually means. May He graciously grant us discernment and power to act unselfishly according to His will so that we can be blessed by Him and be a blessing to others. 24And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. The vaccine is not the mark of the beast. Re 18:23 For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. As often happens on radio, I unintentionally stir up a hornets nest by giving a straightforward, factual answer to a question that, to my knowledge, is not controversial at all. One clue is that when people are surveyed about why they do not vaccinate, they typically raise safety concerns rather than religious views. All such were included in the general statement of freedom to eat from any tree in the garden. However, the specific prohibition had to be stated explicitly. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence,3 and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, jwhose mortal wound was healed. Keep in mind that most scholars believe Revelation was written during the reign of one of these two tyrants. Big Pharma who killed Christians in the Muslim world in the 13thcentury? Of the 30% of U.S. adults who had not been vaccinated for COVID-19 by the middle of July, about half said they would definitely not get a shot, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Oftentimes, (there is) a claim of a religious prohibition, (but) when you get down into reading what the religions teach, it's not there.. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular. From numphe; a bride-groom. Thats the case with the subject of the Greek wordpharamakiain Revelation 18:23. Ellen White wrote nothing about vaccination, but her life and practice provide good support for and confirmation of this articles reflections. In that regard, being vaccinated is an unselfish act aiding the well-being and protection of others. The cult itself presented clear challenges to early Christians. Applying this thinking to vaccination, we can see that this product, a result of capacities God has given to humans to think and be creative, is a life-saving product. We are rational beings, and our Creator gives us the ability to think and know what works best for our health. A great one, a lord; a courtier, satrap, nobleman. Being vaccinated will give glory to God by helping us and others to have a safer life. God promised to heal him, yet the very prophet who brought the good news directed that the bandage of figs be applied to his wound. Vaccination: A Biblical and Theological Reflection. 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. There are a lot of people suspicious about the flu vaccine. Assn., 1871), 2:377. God created humans in His image (Gen. 1:27) as intelligent beings, to use their minds to reason and acquire knowledge and discern what is right, good, and profitable. If youre a Christian doctor, you must never write another drug prescription, even if it will save your patients life? Though the Civil Rights Act requires employers to reasonably accommodate a workers religious beliefs, that cant have more than a minimal cost or burden. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole. White was herself vaccinated, and encouraged others to do so for at least two reasons: (1) personal health benefits enable us to efficiently serve others; and (2) vaccination prevents transmission of disease and contamination to others. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. These questions (and answers) could help you make a decision. Interesting Implications & Questions: Employers can ask employees to discuss their beliefs and how theyre followed and to provide written materials about the tenets of their faith and statements from others who have observed the employee discussing or practicing the beliefs, according to the law firm's guidance. Is my purpose defined by what I do or who I am? Certainly not. Plural from megistos; grandees. Lets read what the Bible says. Big Pharma? At this point, someone will doubtless say, Youre missing the whole point. Its a mark of loyalty and worship, which requires full cognitive and heart-felt awareness of what you are doing (otherwise its not worship). I know it seems far-fetched, but all the research data is there and available on their website.. The vaccine is not the mark of the beast. Why die prematurely simply because we neglect remedies that are available to protect and prolong our lives, thus enabling us to be a blessing to others? You say, You still dont get it. But some will. On Sept. 20, Pfizer BioNTech released data that its vaccine was safe for children ages 5 to 11. Ellen G. White, Counsels on Health (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1923), 142. It was Big Pharma who killed Christians in Neros day? After all, Nero was infamous for murdering his own mother, as well as killing innocent Christians by turning them into tar-covered human candles to light up the night. That's just a statement, a term that you can pull out of Scripture, Haddad said. Humans also need to apply common sense to lifes problems. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him [a beaten man]; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 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. We can pull anything out of Scripture, but if you cant apply it to your own life experience and what it means for you and articulate that in a way that is able to communicate a sense of full understanding on your part, that doesn't hold a lot of weight for me.. 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. Though he thinks the VA should have immediately told health workers they could seek a religious exemption, Staver said the departments process to opt out is probably one of the easiest ones out there.. 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. If we completely detach our modern-day applications from a texts original, historical context, we risk misapplying the textsometimes in embarrassing ways. Still, for those who are genuinely confused (and sadly, there appear to be many), lets take another minute to set the record straight. Employees offering as justification general beliefs about their body being a temple for the Holy Spirit wont get one. While our current events, centered around such an evil thing as this vaccine, are very troublesome it is an opportunity to witness to the lost souls in a fallen world. How is it that people who cannot read a word of Greek know better? It kind of makes sense when the scripture says that the lamp went out and all nations were deceived because of a pharmaceutical and they could no longer hear the voice of the bride and the bridegroom. For those who claim that the Spirit is opening their eyes to the real understanding of the word, would the Spirit tell you that up means down or black means white or truth means lies? Smith pointed to Revelation 18:23, a passage that declares all nations were deceived by sorcery. Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Singular. And we can thank Him and His human agents for the good they do in preserving and restoring life (Dan. He notes how the mark of the beast in Rev. Paul emphatically states that whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor. What's relevant is what the individual's religious belief is, he said. Right now, in my own country (and its been this way for a long time), a person might find it very tricky and difficult to operate within our local economies without a government-issued social security number. Revelation 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. 33. Bodies in good health and physical condition are a glory to the Creator. The anti-abortion Catholic Church said the vaccines are morally acceptable.. This is how utterly nonsensical this whole affair becomes when you actually look at verses in context. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in you; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in you: for your merchants were the great men of the earth; for by your sorceries were all nations deceived. From en and the base of poreuomai; a tradesman. Though low rates of exemptions can be absorbed, she said, "there's at least a decent chance that it'll be at a rate that puts people at risk.. Thats the kind of personal religious objection voiced by most of the people who reach out to Liberty Counsel for help. Although the coronavirus is not mentioned by name in the Bible, the Book of Revelation speaks of terrifying plagues descending on Earth in the end times. (How odd that John wrote in such a way that only a person who was familiar with both the English language and modern American politics could rightly interpret his message!) But if you have some objective, reasonable basis for questioning the sincerity, then you can ask for additional information, she said. I'm looking at Quantum Dot Tattoos as the physical mark.. 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.. Yet, the moment you realize it isnotrelated to pharmaceuticals in the New Testament, then the whole connection disappears. 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. This is how utterly nonsensical this whole affair becomes when you actually look at verses in context. Employees self-certify that a deeply held religious belief prevents them from receiving a vaccine. So it's very vulnerable to abuse.. The general rule is plain: what is in harmony with biblical health principles and does not contradict them is permissible. Theoriginal versionof this commentary was posted by theHealth Ministries Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The mark of the beast is about the distortion of Gods character of love by accepting the non-biblical teachings of Sunday sacredness and the immortality of the soul, including eternal torture in hell. You don't want to go on a fishing expedition.. 13:15; 20:4). In 2012, a federal court in Ohio said that veganism, in some circumstances, could plausibly be considered a religious belief, rather than merely a social philosophy or dietary preference. In my country, images of former national leaders are on our money. At this point, someone will doubtless say, Youre missing the whole point. Such permission slips are not welcomed at the hundreds of hospitals and health facilities of the Catholic Health Association, the largest group of nonprofit health care providers in the nation. God is the only Healer, the true Physician, who can heal all our diseases (Deut. Some people say that their body is the temple of God and that they don't want to put anything in it that would harm their body, said Staver, the groups chairman. When you take Neros name (Neron Kaisar) and transliterate it into Hebrew, the result is the number of the beast: 666.10, Recall that in Revelation the mark of the beast is tied closely to the worship of the beasts image (Rev. How many people have been vaccinated in the US? Beyond individual health, staying safe and keeping family and community safe are sound Christian motivations. One scholar observes that, One could do little in commerce . PO Box 5546Concord, NC 28027(704) 782-3760. If the gene is shut off, there you go. Revelation 18:23 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. Connect with him onFacebook,Twitter, orYouTube. Vaccination is not a universal obligation and a person must obey his or her own conscience, the letter says. When vaccinologist John Grabenstein looked at how the worlds major religions view vaccines for a paper in 2013, he found few theologically based objections. 4. When you take his full name, Ronald Wilson Reagan, you can see how each name contains exactly six letters. But I can say we have very strong indication most of them are, she said. Thats why its important, Martin said, for businesses to have a clear, centralized decision-making process that handles requests consistently. This accounts for the fact that all nations poured their treasures into her lap. It is a gross misuse of Scripture to claim that taking a vaccination against COVID-19 is receiving the book of Revelations mark of the beast, and that it will change your DNA. Together they lead us to God by teaching us something of the wise and beneficent laws through which He works.. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. 11). Is it a computer chip? The rest have received exemptions or haven't reported their status. Sadly, some peoplemany of them sincere Christiansare terrified that they will be forced to take the mark of the beast (no, its not Bill Gates) in the near future. Growing up, I never heard any of this stuff. Simply because he could (Dom. 301-680-6563. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." 14). Ignorance may try to support skepticism by appealing to science; but instead of upholding skepticism, true science contributes fresh evidences of the wisdom and power of God. 6. The more people who are exempt, the greater the danger is to everybody who's present.. Perhaps akin to etos; 'yet, ' still. WebBabylon Deceives All Nations by her sorcery / pharmakeia. Revelation 18:23 and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. 7. That last part is key. Thats why the related word pharmakos, found in Revelation 21:8 describing people who will be cast into the lake of fire, is translated sorcerer, not pharmacist. Obviously! 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. I am one of the people that respect the tenets of religion, Fauci told USA TODAY's Editorial Board. From an obsolete phao; luminousness. Introducing the All-NEW APP >> DOWNLOAD TODAY. What other word would they use to try to communicate future scenarios, than the words they had at the present time? 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. 7:3-4. Biblical teaching can help to counter mis- and dis-information on health issues, even though it is not a medical textbook on health. First, we must remember that Revelation is a first-century letter to seven churches in Asia Minor (Rev. Create an account or log in to get started. They must apply if a persons beliefs are sincerely held.. 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. It's more contagious for children. Religious exemptions for school immunization requirements began in the 1960s to accommodate Christian Scientists and other similar minorities, according to legal scholar Dorit Rubinstein Reiss. Multiple positives overwhelmingly outweigh their minimal negatives and health risks. 10:31 NIV). Having done all that we possibly can, we are to keep asking in faith for health and strength. God gives us no encouragement that He will do for us what we can do for ourselves.. The evidence of science is transparently clear: vaccines save lives. DeSantis to school official: Enforce mask mandate, get your salaries withheld. No wave of the wand or hat-trick was needed to see how that dreaded, mysterious number was embedded in the presidents name. 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! Luke 10:33-35. Bodies in good health and physical condition are a glory to the Creator. With these questions in mind, let me offer a few remarks about modern-day application. Vaccination requirements are the epitome of such neutral laws, Chemerinsky said. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Singular. If the gene is shut off, there you go. 13:17)? Prayers for healing and vitality do not annul the use of different remedies, surgeries, medicines, or vaccinations. You would like the policies to be driven strictly by public health considerations, but that's not the real world that we live in, said Bradford, who teaches in a university system where vaccines are not required and he cannot insist students in his classroom mask up. White encouraged others to take a smallpox vaccination, and took it herself, according to eyewitness D. E. Robinson, one of her secretaries: Ellen White was vaccinated and urged her helpers, those connected with her, to be vaccinated. She was aware that it would protect her as well as others: She also recognized the danger of their exposing others if they failed to take this precaution. She wisely advised, Those who seek healing by prayer should not neglect to make use of the remedial agencies within their reach. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist. Does it tie in with the COVID vaccines? Knowing how to apply them all depends on lifes situations. 18:23 For thy merchants were the great men of the earth - A circumstance which was in itself indifferent, and yet led them into pride, luxury, and numberless other sins. Here are several reasons why: The seal of God, on the other hand, is heavens confirmation of the believers experience of true rest in Jesus Christ; such rest, in its fulness, involves living and keeping the biblical Sabbath as a sign of God as our Creator and Redeemer, expressing faithfulness to the comprehensive range of biblical doctrines centered in the Triune God. Serious side effects of the vaccine are rare, and the unvaccinated account for the majority of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. Light, a source of light, radiance. Seriously? The more despotic emperors of the first century sought to be recognized as gods while they were still living. Only when that gathering is done does another angel begin his work, the harvesting of the vineyards.
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