Gerald E. Weston

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Losing Touch With History

Canada’s National Post carried this headline: “Lost without a map: Despite a globalized society, university students can’t locate the Atlantic Ocean” (January 15, 2013).

Professor Judith Adler at Memorial University in Newfoundland had a hunch that her students lacked basic geographical knowledge, knowledge fundamental to understanding the world around them—thus she decided to examine her hunch by testing her students.

“I used to ask if they could identify France, England or Ireland—which is the background of a lot of students here, or Spain or Portugal, which is important for this part of the world, but I’ve stopped asking that” (January 15, 2013).

Over time, she simplified her questions.

“I asked them to indicate where on the map South America is, where Africa is, and Antarctica, the Arctic, and to circle Europe, label Australia and show where Asia is and label the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans and Mediterranean Sea—and I’ve become much simpler in what I have asked over the years.”

How did her students fare? I think you can see ahead that they didn’t do very well, but why is this important?

Overlooking Obvious Historical Warnings

A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow’s World. Professor and sociologist Judith Adler of [the] Memorial University of Newfoundland, began giving her students geography quizzes when she perceived that their understanding of the world in which they lived was lacking. So how did they do?

“A sizeable proportion of the class would reliably have no idea where the Mediterranean is. Some students would circle Africa and indicate that it’s Europe, and if asked to locate England and Ireland, they would put them in Africa. I have had students that aren’t able to correctly label the Atlantic Ocean, even though we are on it” (NationalPost.com, January 15, 2013).

Man on the street interviews in the United States indicate Americans are equally ignorant of the real world around them. Some confuse cities as states, and show virtually no understanding of geography, much less history. We now live in the richest information age in history, but also the most poverty stricken when it comes to understanding where we are, where we came from, and how we got here. Is there any wonder why we have so many “flat-earthers” amongst us?

But geography and history are vitally important, as brought out in this Virginia Tech comment on repeating history:

Variations on the repeating-history theme appear alongside debates about attribution. Irish statesman Edmund Burke is often misquoted as having said, “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” Spanish philosopher George Santayana is credited with the aphorism, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” while British statesman Winston Churchill wrote, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it” (“History Repeating,” LiberalArts.VT.edu).

One lesson of history is that empires rise and fall. The fall of the Roman Empire is one of the most studied lessons of history, and has important warnings for America in particular, and the West in general, because one lesson of history is that power abhors a vacuum. When America falls, as it surely is in the process of doing, unless it turns and goes a different direction, another power will fill the vacuum; and it may not be, in fact will not be, so benevolent, according to Bible prophecy.

Whole books have been written about the collapse of the Roman Empire, and historians agree that its collapse had no single cause. Instead, it was the result of a series of internal and external forces occurring over decades which pulled the fabric of the Empire apart, ending a power that ruled for more than five centuries. Mass migrations from outside the Empire is often cited as a primary cause.

One of the most obvious reasons for the downfall of Rome was the relentless and seemingly endless waves of migration and invasions from the Barbarian tribes that bordered Rome’s northern frontiers. In the early days of the empire, Roman legions were able to repel Barbarian tribes with relative ease, but this started to change towards the end of the 2nd century CE (“7 Reasons Why Rome Fell,” WorldAtlas.com, November 8, 2022).

A particularly destructive migration took place in the late fourth century when Eurasian Huns invaded Europe—driving Germanic tribes to the borders of the Empire.

The Romans grudgingly allowed members of the Visigoth tribe to cross south of the Danube and into the safety of Roman territory… (“8 Reasons Why Rome Fell,” History.com, January 9, 2019).

The parallels of mass migration into the Roman Empire from the north, and the literal invasion of illegals on the U.S. southern border, ought to be a wake-up call for America, but politics is apparently more important than preserving the country. In fiscal year 2020 (October through September), there were more than 458,000 border encounters with illegals. These were those who were caught or who simply crossed illegally into the country and turned themselves in, claiming asylum. In 2021, this number rose to nearly 1,735,000, and in 2022 to a staggering 2,378,944. In October and November, the first two months of fiscal 2023 (the latest figures available at time of recording), there were 231,294 and 233,740 respectively! (“Southwest Land Border Encounters,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection, CBP.gov/newsroom, December 14, 2022).

This goes beyond politics. It strikes at the heart of the question of whether a country can survive with what is clearly an open border policy.

History holds many lessons for modern man, but if history teaches us anything, it is that we never learn from it. Sadly, today many don’t even know history. How many understand how the Roman Empire has been revived six times since its fall in 476 AD, and according to Bible prophecy, it will revive one last time. And that final restoration is destined to bring the world to the edge of cosmocide.

False Knowledge Leads to Lost Knowledge

History.com lists other reasons for Rome’s collapse in addition to mass migration. Some of these reasons were: Overexpansion and military overspending, government corruption and political instability, and Christianity and the loss of traditional values

That last reason may surprise you. How could Christianity be an empire killer? In a high school and college history book first published in 1909, P.V.N. Myers explains how Christianity (falsely so-called) contributed to the loss of respect for the institution of the Roman family and the resulting decline in birth rate.

Another cause of the decline in population was the singular aversion that the better class of the Romans evinced to marriage. We meet during the period of the empire with a crowd of imperial edicts dealing with this subject. Penalties and bounties, deprivations and privileges, entreaties and expostulations are in turn resorted to by the perplexed emperors, in order to discourage celibacy and to foster a pure and healthy family life. But all was in vain. The marriage state continued to be held in great disesteem (par. 313). And Christianity instead of correcting the evil, rather made matters worse; for just now the teachings of the monks were persuading vast multitudes of the superior sanctity of the solitary or the monastic life, and thereby filling the deserts of Egypt and the monasteries of all lands with men who believed they could best live the higher live (sic) by freeing themselves of all family and social cares and duties (Myers, Rome: Its Rise and Fall, 1900, pp. 447–48).

Now America has few men running off into the desert to live a monastic life, but far too many prime aged men in America, Canada, the U.K. and elsewhere, are sitting on the sidelines instead of going to work, getting married, and raising families. Even before COVID-19, participation in the labor market by 25–54 aged men was a troubling concern for policy makers, and their concerns point directly to the health of the family. In 2019, during what has been described as the longest economic expansion in U.S. history, with historically low unemployment, Senator Mike Lee of Utah admitted:

“I’m concerned that if more men can’t find stable, steady work, the result is likely to be fewer marriages, in the first instance, and more divorces, in the second instance….” It’s also likely, he said, that as marriage rates fall, men will feel less of a need to be breadwinners and involved with their children, which in turn would lead to more unemployment and less stable family lives (“Why are men dropping out of the workforce despite a strong economy?,” Deseret News, Deseret.com, November 23, 2019).

Manhattan Institute senior fellow Oren Cass agrees—there is a downward spiral regarding work and the stability of the family unit. When one is negatively impacted, so is the other.

Work, especially for men, helps establish and preserve families…. Where fewer men work, fewer marriages form. Unemployment doubles the risk of divorce, and male joblessness appears to be the primary culprit, he said.

“These outcomes likely result from the damage to both economic prospects and individual well-being associated with being out of work, which strain existing marriages and make men less attractive as marriage partners,” according to Cass.

Without regard to the specific cause, the effect of low birthrates and disrespect for the institution of the family brings about the same result—a nation in decline. In modern America, Canada, Europe, Russia, and elsewhere, birth rates are at historic lows, well below replacement value, and there’s a connection between low birth rates and unchecked illegal immigration.

Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York called on Republicans Wednesday [that was November 16, 2022] to join in passing a pathway to citizenship for “all undocumented” [read: illegals] in the United States, citing the fact that Americans were “not reproducing.’’

(https://dailycaller.com/2022/11/16/schumer-daca-amnesty-immigration/)

Why are Americans and others not reproducing? One obvious reason is unrestricted abortion, a major platform on which Sen. Schumer’s party proudly ran in the 2022 midterm elections. In the last 50 years, Americans have aborted approximately 64,000,000 of their children. That amounts to a loss of approximately 64,000,000 “legal” workers in the country. As fellow Tomorrow’s World writer Wallace Smith has pointed out, the womb is unmistakably the most dangerous place for an innocent child.

World Atlas lists seven causes for the decline and fall of the Roman Empire and then gives this summary. Do any of these problems sound familiar to us?

The fall of the Western Roman Empire can teach humans many things about societal collapse and regression. Most shortcomings of a civilization in decline come from within rather than without. Incompetent leaders, government corruption, a weak economy, and social dissolution all contributed to the downfall of Rome (WorldAtlas.com).

America’s economy, and America is not alone, is a house of cards. Can anyone comprehend a national debt of $31,000,000,000,000? As one pundit pointed out, if you spend a million dollars a day, it will take just short of 3,000 years to reach one trillion dollars!

During the COVID lockdowns, the United States, Canada, and many other countries gave away “free money.” The result? The self-inflicted wound of inflation. We were all too happy to receive it, but what people fail to realize, is that we will pay back every penny, and more, through inflation. And who does inflation hurt the most? The poorest among us—those that governments claimed they were trying to help! But too much “free” money is not an American problem only. According to InflationData.com:

It’s not just the United States that is suffering from high inflation, countries worldwide are experiencing higher than average inflation. This is partially due to the global pandemic but even more the result of the actions taken by central banks in response to the pandemic (“Worldwide Inflation by Country 2022,” InflationData.com, June 21, 2022).

Why is it that mankind never seems to learn from the past? Part of the answer is that nations become complacent, self-indulgent, and, frankly, are too uneducated to know the past.

The Most Important Book of History

As Nicholas Clairmont wrote for BigThink.com,

“History shows that both those who do not learn history and those who do learn history are doomed to repeat it.”

He went on to explain:

“According to Santayana’s philosophy, history repeats. The phrasing itself certainly is catchy. It’s a big one, not only because it is so common, but also because if it is true and if history, driven by human nature, is ugly (hint: it is), then this saying ought to guide our public and private policy” (“‘Those Who Do Not Learn History Are Doomed To Repeat It.’ Really?,” BigThink.com, July 31, 2013).

Now I’ll add, more importantly, understanding that history is “driven by human nature,” ought to guide more than public and private policy—it ought to guide behavior. For as Clairmont rightfully implies, knowing history and acting on that knowledge are not the same, and the reason we fail to learn from history is human nature. And that brings us to a different kind of history book—one that deals with human nature.

The Bible is fundamentally a history book. It gives us wise and loving instructions from our Creator. It records how mankind has rejected those instructions and the tragic results of that rejection.

One of the great lessons is that when people hurt badly enough, they often turn to God for relief; only to turn back to the old ways once relief comes. It’s the soldier’s foxhole prayer that is quickly forgotten.

Two world wars should have sobered mankind, but sadly, as the late Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev wrote in an opinion piece for Time magazine:

Politicians and military leaders sound increasingly belligerent and defense doctrines more dangerous. Commentators and TV personalities are joining the bellicose chorus. It all looks as if the world is preparing for war (“Mikhail Gorbachev: ‘It All Looks as if the World Is Preparing for War’,” Time Magazine, Time.com, December 16, 2016).

This was published January 26, 2017—five years prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Will this generation of Americans, Britons, Canadians, Australians, and New Zealanders learn from the past? What about the French, Belgians, the Dutch, and the Swiss? It’s difficult to see how any can, when some are consumed with re-writing their past, and when all possess the same rebellious nature as those who have gone before.

The speed with which mankind reverts to his old ways is astounding. This is shown in the biblical golden calf incident. After God brought a slave people out of bondage by great and powerful miracles that could not be rationally explained away, the Israelites turned back into idolatry. A mere 40 days was enough time for the people to pressure Aaron, who was left in charge while Moses was gone, to make a golden calf idol and hold a licentious festival to celebrate it. In the aftermath, God commanded Moses the following:

“Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin” (Exodus 32:34).

Dennis Prager makes this observation about this verse and humanity’s shallow understanding of the God of the Bible:

“In modern times, with its psychological and therapeutic mindset, many people tend to think of God as a loving therapist Who is always there to listen, to understand, and most importantly, not to judge us. This verse reminds us that above all, the God of the Torah is a moral judge. He demands certain behavior, and holds people accountable when they fail to live accordingly” (Prager on Exodus 32:34, The Rational Bible: Exodus, p. 454).

The Bible is the greatest and most important history book ever written, but as with history in general, far too many in this generation are devoid of historical perspective. Winston Churchill sums it up in one sentence:

“Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong, these are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history (Winston S. Churchill, His Complete Speeches, 1897-1963, Vol. 6, ed. Robert Rhodes James, Chelsea House Publishers, 1974. P. 5592).

Bible Prophecy and the Future of Modern Nations

In addition to being the most important history book of all time, the Bible does something no other book has credibly done. It gives history in advance—what many people think of as prophecy. Before the break I said I would show you what this remarkable book says about our near future, so let’s get started.

Speaking of the end time, the time just ahead of us, Jesus explained:

And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed (Luke 17:26–30).

What was it like in the days of Noah? Here is what we read in Genesis 6, verses 5 and 11:

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…. The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence (Genesis 6:5, 11).

Our day has far more in common with the days of Lot than we could ever imagine, even a few years ago. Dust off your Bible and read for yourself about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the reasons for it. The account is found in Genesis 19. But let’s also notice how God inspired the prophet Ezekiel to write about the pride of Sodom:

Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit (Ezekiel 16:49–50).

The Bible shouts loud and clear in chapter after chapter that destruction is coming on our world because we have never learned from the past. Just as the Bible predicted in easy to understand language the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, as well as its seven revivals, so the Bible predicted thousands of years in advance the rise and fall of the British and American peoples. Our choices today will bring our downfall, just as sure as that of Rome.

If you found this video helpful and want to learn more, be sure to order your own free copy of our study guide—The Beast of Revelation. Just click the link in the description and we’ll send it to you. It’s that easy.

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We here at Tomorrow’s World want to help you understand this world, through the pages of the Bible.

Thanks for watching! See you next time.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

What Kind of Church Would Jesus Want?

If Jesus came back today, which church would He choose? Would He go to one of the mega-churches with thousands of members who meet in a majestic building? Would He choose a small country-church, or one meeting in a strip-mall? And more importantly, would He choose your church? I hope such a personal question doesn’t offend you, because we will all do well to ask ourselves this question.

Moreover, how would He make that choice? As confusing as it may appear, the answer can be found, and it’s not as complicated as it first appears. On today’s Tomorrow’s World program, I’ll be giving you five signs to look for in locating the Church Christ is building. So, if you want to know the answer to the question of whether or not Jesus would choose your church, stay with me. I’ll be back in five seconds to give you five identifying signs of the Church Jesus built!

Five Identifying Signs to Look For

A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow’s World where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. On today’s program I’m asking an important question. If Jesus were to return today, would He choose your Church? After all, He did say that He would build His church and the gates of the grave will not prevail against it.

Do you, dear friends, believe that? If Jesus failed to do so, then He is a liar and cannot be the Savior of the world! It’s just that simple. But if He is building His Church, and it continues to this day, wouldn’t you want to know for sure where it is?

Many think that all churches who profess that Jesus is the Christ are His and all we must do is “go to the church of our choice.” But, is His Church, as these people think, found in believers scattered through contradicting denominations and doctrines? Think about that! Not all churches even remotely believe the same things.

On today’s program I’ll give you five signs—and there are many more found in Scripture—that identify the church Christ is building, so let’s get started.

#1: Jesus said He would build His Church on a symbolic Rock.

Who or what IS that Rock? One large denomination alleges that their first leader was that rock, and they turn to Matthew 16 for proof. Let’s take a close look at that passage and see if they are correct. In verse 16, Jesus asked His disciple who they thought He was, and Peter replied:

You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16).

Jesus explained that it was the Father in heaven who revealed this answer to Peter. Then in verse 18, Jesus said:

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).

This passage has been used for centuries to validate the Roman church, but did Jesus say He would build His Church on Peter, as many believe? The New Testament scriptures were originally written in Greek, and there is a play on two Greek words found in this passage. Both mean rock, but they are not the same. Let’s read verse 18 again:

And I also say to you that you are Peter [Petros], and on this Rock [Petra] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades [that is, the grave] shall not prevail against it.

Why two different words? What difference does that make? “Petros” is the masculine form of the word and means a small rock, or “a piece of rock.” It is translated into the English word Peter 161 times in the New Testament. Only once is Peter translated from a different word, and it has no relationship whatsoever to the word rock. “Petra” is the feminine form and refers to a larger rock, “a mass of rock.” You may have heard of the great rock outcropping in Jordan known as Petra. In effect, Jesus was telling Peter, that he was a small rock, or a piece of rock, but He would build His Church on a massive Rock—Himself! When petros is used for a person, it is translated Peter (161 times in the N.T. as already mentioned). But petra, when referring to a person, refers only to Christ. Notice this example in Romans 9:33:

As it is written: “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STUMBLING STONE AND ROCK [that is, petra] OF OFFENSE, AND WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM [that is, Christ] WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.”

There is this passage, written by Peter himself, which shows that Peter knew who the real Rock was. Referring to Christ, he wrote in 1 Peter 2:7–8:

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE,” and “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK [that is, petra] OF OFFENSE.”

Both Paul and Peter used the same word when referring to Christ. And, in 1 Corinthians 10:1–4, Paul leaves no doubt who the Rock is that worked with Israel when they came out of Egypt:

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. [Notice this] For they drank of that spiritual Rock [petra] that followed them, and that Rock [petra] was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1–4).

The evidence is overwhelming. Jesus said He would build His church on a petra, a massive rock, a word reserved for Jesus.

There are numerous Old Testament references to the Rock, but let’s notice Psalms 18:46:

The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.

Yes, Jesus, not Peter, is “the Rock of our salvation.” Could anything be clearer? So, the idea that Christ built His church on Peter is flawed.

Following Christ’s Exact Teachings

#1: Jesus said He would build His Church on a symbolic Rock.

Scripture after scripture attests to the fact that Jesus, not Peter, is that Rock, so let us look at what He taught His Church. But before I give a second sign, let me emphatically state that we here at Tomorrow’s World believe that Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty for our sins, and that it is by grace that we are saved. That’s a given, and I doubt many of you would disagree. Therefore, I’m concentrating on signs found in the Bible which may not be understood by all. Christ appeared to His disciples after His resurrection and gave them a command that you can read of, in Mark 16:15. And this is sign number 2:

#2: The Church of God will preach to all the world the same gospel Jesus taught.

But don’t all churches do that? Sadly, most never preach that message. The word gospel means good news, so what is the good news Jesus proclaimed for three and a half years prior to His crucifixion? Shockingly, most don’t know! Do you? Is it the message of His death, burial, and resurrection? That certainly is good news! But what was His message that He proclaimed to His followers for three and a half years prior to the crucifixion? Mark tells us in chapter 1:14–15 about the beginning of Christ’s ministry:

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel [note this] of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14–15).

Many scriptures show us that whatever this message is, it was the message both Jesus and His disciples continued to preach. Notice how important it was for Christ to proclaim this message—let’s go to Luke 4, beginning in verse 42;

Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Luke 4:42–43).

In our free resource Do You Believe the True Gospel, the late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith asks the following:

Exactly what is that kingdom? There have been many ideas. The Jews of Christ’s day thought that a Messiah figure would lead their physical nation to militarily subdue other governments until they reigned supreme over all men. Later, the concept emerged that the Church made up the Kingdom. Others have believed that the Kingdom of God is an ethereal realm set up in the hearts of men. Others see it called “the kingdom of heaven” in Matthew’s gospel account and conclude that it must refer to eternal bliss in heaven. Some also maintain that the Kingdom is the person of Jesus Himself (p. 11).

How can a church be the Church Jesus built if it does not proclaim His same message? Please, dear friends, don’t assume you know what that Kingdom is! It’s shocking, but most professing Christian churches have never preached the true gospel that Jesus brought. But YOU can know it, if you order our free eye-opening resource Do You Believe the True Gospel? So, our second sign is that

#2: The Church of God will preach to all the world the same gospel Jesus taught.

Number 3 is:

#3: Christ’s Church will teach and practice God’s law.

Note these statements by the One who said He would build His Church on a Rock—that Rock being Christ.

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:17–18).

There’s the example of the rich young man who asked Jesus what he must do to enter the Kingdom of God. Notice His reply;

So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17).

Jesus went on to name several of the Ten Commandments. He also chided the people of His day for calling Him Lord, that is, Master, but not obeying Him.

But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46).

He followed with a well-known parable. Children even sing a song about it and how it contrasts building on a rock, or on sand.

Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock [and the word there for rock is petra—a clear reference to Christ] (Luke 6:47–48).

The Apostle John tells us in 1 John 3:4:

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4, King James Version).

Without the law there is no sin. Without sin there is no need for forgiveness. Where there is no need for forgiveness, there is no need for a Savior. Therefore, the Church Jesus is building will be striving to keep the law.

Repentance is More Than Just a Feeling

#3: Christ’s Church will teach and practice God’s law.

This is far more important than people realize, because the whole subject of grace is dependent upon law. We encourage you to not just believe us, but prove these things for yourself in your own Bible! As Paul asked and answered in Romans 3:31:

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

And this leads me to point #4:

#4: Christ’s Church will teach repentance from sin.

Notice again the beginning of Christ’s gospel as noted in Mark 1:14–15:

… Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Here we see two commands from the Rock—Jesus Christ. We must believe the Gospel, the good news Jesus and the Apostles taught; and that is not the same message taught in most churches today. No wonder Paul expressed concern for the church of God at Corinth where we read in 2 Corinthians 11:3–4:

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes [#1] preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or [#2] if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or [#3—note this] a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

In addition to believing in the same gospel Jesus taught, we must repent. But repent of what? Why sin, of course! But what is sin? As we have already read, it is the transgression of the law. Now see what John tells us about who knows God and who does not—1 John 2 beginning in verse 3:

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked (1 John 2:3–6).

The true Church of God will be preaching a message of repentance from sin, which the Bible defines as the violation of God’s law.

More Than Religion—A Way of Life That WORKS

Let us now look at the fifth sign.

#5: The Church that Christ built will be organized.

Many people today have given up on what they call “organized religion,” and I get that. There is far too much hypocrisy, insincerity, greed, and corruption in today’s churches. And this is not new. A history of professing Christianity is a sad history indeed. Bloody wars with swords and guns have been fought between major denominations. Predatory priests have abused thousands over the years. How can anyone believe that God is working in such churches? We understand sin is found everywhere on earth, but wars and institutional abuse is another matter. And how can one subscribe to a church that teaches the opposite of what Jesus taught? But does this mean all organized religion is wrong? Consider. What is the opposite of organized? Is Jesus the author of disorganization and confusion?

Jesus said He would build His church. The word He used for church comes from the Greek ekklesia. In simple terms, this word refers to an assembly, any assembly; but in the context that Jesus used it, it refers to an assembly of called out followers of His. It means the people, not the building.

One chapter from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians brings great clarity to this subject. In no way does he describe a disorganized body of believers scattered through multiple organizations. Quite the opposite. Beginning in chapter 4 and verse 1, Paul pleads with the Ephesians to maintain the unity of the faith:

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1–3).

But was he promoting a compromising ecumenical movement between contradicting organizations? On the contrary, he spells out the fact that there can be no compromise when it comes to doctrine. He goes on to say,

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Ephesians 4:4–6).

That doesn’t sound like Paul considered it okay to attend the church of your choice! But is the Church Christ is building organized? Or is it, as many believe, scattered believers found in all denominations? Churches have different thoughts about baptism. What age—an infant, an adult, a teenager? What mode? Is He talking about sprinkling, or putting under the water entirely? And if it is even necessary at all. Yet, Paul says there is only one baptism. How does that work?

And not all churches have the same hope. Some believe in going to heaven, where the greatest joy is something called the “beatific vision”—staring into the face of God for eternity. Others believe the reward of the saved is here on earth. Some think you must keep the law while others profess love is all that is necessary. So how can there be…

One body and one Spirit… one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism….

Here is more of what Paul told the church at Ephesus, beginning in verse 11 of this same fourth chapter:

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:11–16).

I challenge you to dust off your Bible and read Ephesians 4 for yourself.

If you found this video helpful and want to learn more, be sure to get your free copy of our study guide Do You Believe the True Gospel? Just click the link in the description to order. It’s that easy.

And remember to like and subscribe to our channel so you can watch more videos on different Bible topics.

We here at Tomorrow’s World want to help you understand this world, through the pages of the Bible.

Thanks for watching!

See you next time.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

An Infamous Mark That Will Affect Your Future

The Mark of the Beast is a subject that fascinates people and generates many speculations—most of them totally wrong.

Yet, this special mark will, one way or another, affect your life and that of your loved ones. In fact, unbeknowst to you, you may have already accepted it.

I’ll show you what that Mark is on today’s Tomorrow’s World program. Today’s program is for the courageous, but it carries with it great reward.

Not A Barcode, Chip, or Implant…

A warm welcome to all of you from those of us here at Tomorrow’s World. On today’s program, I’ll be discussing the famous Mark of the Beast. Exactly what is that misunderstood Mark?

Erroneous ideas abound. Some think the number 666 will be tattooed on the forehead or the back of the hand. Others once thought the U.S. Social Security Number was that mark, but that speculation has faded with time. Could it be Canada’s Social Insurance Number, the acronym of which is S I N (or SIN)? What about bar and quick response codes?

Most of these have fallen out of favor and been replaced by a more up-to-date computer chip, the size of a grain of rice, that can be inserted in the hand between the thumb and forefinger. Such computer chips are indeed being used to track lost animals and also for worker identification. Is it possible that everyone will be forced to accept an implanted chip as a mark of identification?

Could this, or any of the other discarded ideas, be the mark?

The answer is, no—none of them! And here’s why.

Let’s read about this Mark from the biblical book of Revelation 13:16:

He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666 (Revelation 13:16–18).

Above all else, the mark of the Beast is, “the mark of… the Beast!” And that brings us to a more fundamental question: Who or what is the Beast?

The Beast spoken of in these verses has a long history with several revivals. The final revival will be in Europe, as with previous revivals. It will be made up of ten nations or groups of nations that do not naturally cling to one another, but they will be allied for a short time, and become a great military and economic power. Furthermore, we learn that the Beast is ridden by a great false church. Notice briefly, Revelation 17:12:

The ten horns [on the Beast] which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast (Revelation 17:12–13).

I won’t take time to cover more about that on this program, as we’ve covered this many times here on Tomorrow’s World telecasts and also in our literature. If you would like to learn more, just go to our website (TomorrowsWorld.org) and in the search bar, type in “Beast” or “Mark of the Beast.”

Whatever the mark of the beast is, it must be his mark, not that which arises from some other source. Now notice once again the importance of his mark:

He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name (Revelation 13:16–17).

The Mark of the Beast—A Form of Worship

The Mark of the Beast is first and foremost a biblical doctrine. That source tells us that you will not be able to buy or sell without this mark. So why would you not take that mark if it means carrying on business, and maybe even feeding your family?

What is different about this form of identification from a driver’s license, a passport, a national insurance number, a fingerprint, or an eye scan? Why should you not receive it?

The Bible, which predicts this mark, gives a very good reason NOT to receive it. Revelation 14:9–10:

Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”

The “wrath of God”—why? Why is God so angry? Revelation 16:1 and 2 describe how God will pour out His wrath in seven last plagues at the time of Christ’s return. Notice the first of these seven plagues.

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. (Revelation 16:1–2)

That shows God’s attitude toward those who receive the mark, but it doesn’t explain WHY. What’s the problem? Why is God so angry with those who receive this mark?

Other scriptures explain to whom God’s wrath is directed—the disobedient. Notice it in Romans 2:5:

But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

This is clearly a reference to a time in the future.

Colossians 3:5–6 also indicate God’s coming wrath in the future. Notice the words, “is coming”:

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.

But there is a flip side to this. Those true Christians who reject the mark are rewarded. They are seen standing before the throne of God;

And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God (Revelation 15:2).

After Christ returns, He is going to give out rewards to His servants who put it all on the line. These are willing to obey God no matter the consequences, but the reward is rulership with Christ to bring peace on this troubled planet. We read of that in Revelation 20:4:

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Whatever this mark is, it is nothing to take lightly. Everyone is forced to take a stand one way or the other. Without it, one will be prohibited from buying and selling. Yet, taking it brings upon you the wrath of God. Whatever it is, it is a mark of disobedience to God, and it is associated with the Beast and a religious system that “rides” the Beast.

The Symbol of an Unholy Empire?

The book of Daniel pictures four great Gentile empires that rise up. The story of these empires begins in Babylon and ends with the return of Christ to set up His Kingdom on earth. The book of Daniel describes a dream King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had, where he saw a giant image of a man. It’s described in Daniel 2:32–33:

This image’s head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

But what does this mean? Speculations abound, but most biblical scholars agree with what the Bible clearly says, and history confirms. The answer is found beginning in verse 37:

You, O king [that is, Nebuchadnezzar], are a king of kings…. you are this head of gold. But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others (Daniel 2:37–40).

The Chaldean Empire of Nebuchadnezzar was the first. The Medo-Persian Empire was next, followed by the Greco-Macedonian Empire—and the Roman Empire being the fourth. Daniel 7 and 8 give amazingly accurate details regarding these empires. And then, Revelation 13, which was written during the time of Rome, gives details for the future of the Roman Empire. Revelation 17 sees the Empire during the time it is ruled by a great religious system—hence the term, the Holy Roman Empire.

Revelation 17 also shows this Roman system will have seven revivals while ridden by an immoral woman. And prophetically a woman refers to a church. This union between church and state will continue all the way to the Second Coming—even fighting against Christ at His return. We read about the seventh and final revival of this Beast in Revelation 17:12–14:

[The] ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings.

The reference to “the Beast” applies to both a man and a kingdom. When one reads from Daniel 2, 7, and 8, along with Revelation 13 and 17, can there be any doubt as to its identity?

It’s none other than the Roman Empire.

Some become confused, however, because in Revelation 13, there is a reference to another Beast. Notice it in verses 11–12:

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

This Beast looks like the Lamb of God, but speaks like a dragon, or Satan the Devil. It is a counterfeit Christian religious system.

The next few verses corroborate this as a Beast that performs miracles, it is also this image of (or a beast patterned after) the Roman system, and it commands people to worship itself or be killed. Speaking of this second Beast, we read in verses 13–15,

He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down on the earth in the sight of men. And he decieves those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

It’s this image of the Beast, this false religious system, that causes people to receive this famous mark, as shown in verse 16:

He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads (Revelation 13:16).

The Sabbath Will Divide True Christians from the Marked

Now that we have identified the Beast as the Roman Empire with a great false church riding, or directing it, it is now time to identify its Mark. This Mark is not just any sign of identity.

It is not the Social Security System. It is not a barcode, quick response code, or a computer chip. It is above all, #1:

1. It is the Mark “of the Beast.”
2. This Beast began with Rome and ends at the return of Christ (Revelation 13 and 17)
3. At the end of the age, ten nations or kings give their power to the Beast (Revelation 17:12)
4. An immoral Church rides this Beast (Rev 17:1–7)
5. This Beast has a Mark or identifying sign (Revelation 13:16–17)
6. This Mark will be forced on the world (Revelation 13:16)
7. You cannot buy or sell without the Mark (Revelation 13:17)
8. God’s wrath will be poured out on any who take the Mark (Revelation 16:2)
9. True Christians who refuse the Mark, because they follow Christ, will be greatly rewarded (Revelation 20:4)
10. It’s the violation of God’s commandments that bring about God’s wrath, as we saw in Colossians 3:5–6

This last point is the key. Those who accept the Mark violate the commandments of God in some way. To understand the Beast’s Mark, we must understand that God also has a sign that identifies His people, just as the Beast’s mark identifies those who are his. Don’t believe me just because I say it, but because you read it in your own Bible.

If you have your Bible, turn to Exodus 31, or write this down and read it for yourself. I’ll begin in Exodus 31:13:

Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you [or “sets you apart”]…. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed” (Exodus 31:13, 16–17).

Yes, the seventh day Sabbath is a sign between God and His people. Some would argue that this only applies to the Jews, failing to remember some key New Testament verses, such as the statement that Jesus made to the Gentile woman at the well, found in John 4:22:

You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.

Or Paul’s statement to the Romans, as found in [Romans] 2:28–29:

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Does God have one standard, one day of worship for the Jews and another for Gentiles? Think about that! Is Christ divided? So why do most Christians meet on Sunday instead of the only day the Bible sanctifies?

Some say it’s because Sunday is the “Lord’s day” taken totally out of context in Revelation 1:10. There, it is referring to the Day of the Lord, the time of God’s wrath upon rebellious mankind, as seen from the context of the entire book of Revelation.

But if someone wants to argue that the expression “the Lord’s day” refers to a day of the week, let’s see which day Jesus tells us is His day. Mark 2:27–28:

And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

Could anything be clearer than that? This is repeated in Matthew 12:8 and Luke 6:5. Three times we are told that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. How many times do we read that He is Lord of the first day of the week?

Zero, nada, never! It just isn’t there.

Now what about the fact that it is to be placed on the forehead or on the hand? Let’s not speculate, but let’s let the Bible answer that question. Regarding God’s commandments, including the Sabbath command, we read in Deuteronomy 6:8,

You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

And referring to one of God’s annual Sabbaths, we read in Exodus 13,

It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt (v. 9).

Yes, God’s law, and specifically His Sabbaths are to be written on our foreheads—symbolic of thought and decision making—and on our hands—symbolic of our actions).

The same is true of the Beast’s Mark.

So who changed the day? The answer is found in history.

Many sources record that it was Emperor Constantine who enforced Sunday as a day of rest and worship, and Rome commanded punishment for any who observed the biblical seventh day Sabbath. That mark has continued down to our time, but not always so strongly enforced. Constantine was Emperor of Rome and the religious system that patterned itself after Rome followed suit. The Mark of the secular Beast, and the spiritual image of the Beast, that substitutes their day over God’s day, is none other than a counterfeit of God’s sign identifying His people.

Millions of professing Christians are taking that mark, without realizing it, even as I speak. But when the final restoration of the Beast soon rises, in cooperation with that same religious system, it will no longer be voluntary. It may be enforced by a passport, chip or other means, but this would only be the means of enforcement, not the Mark itself.

Even now there is a push to bring into being Central Bank Digital Currencies (or CBDCs). These government controlled digital currencies would give power to governments around the world to control the behavior of their citizens. Will this be the means of enforcement? Time will tell, but the means of enforcement are not as important for us as what the actual mark is.

Thank you for watching. If you found this video helpful and want to learn more, be sure to get your free copy of our study guide Which Day is the Christian Sabbath? All you need to do is click the link in the description to order. It’s that easy. And remember to like and subscribe to our channel so you can watch more videos on different Bible topics.

We here at Tomorrow’s World want to help you understand this world, through the pages of the Bible. Thank you for watching! See you next time.