So … can the mark actually be required earlier than mid point? I'm inclined to think not. Here's why. The Beast is spoken of as assuming full power at the mid-point. The mark is a deliberate decision to give one's allegiance to him and reject God. There are a number of reasons why that situation does not emerge until Satan is cast down to the earth in Revelation 13:5-8. 5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. Yes, the man is around before then, yet does not come into full global authority until the last 42 months. I do recognize that some things are not strictly chronological in Revelation, with a lot of backfilling to complete the storyline. It just seems more likely here that the mark is more than economics; it is the "final answer" to the question of whom will you serve, God or Satan. I see that as withheld until the final 3 and 1/2 years. Agreed! TR Good point, David. :good: I’m going to make a snap shot copy of what you wrote and keep on hand to refer back to ... because every time I read some comment about “the mark of the beast is here yada yada yada” I will refer back to what you said to remind me ... nope, it isn’t ... not yet. Also we have this timeline after the 2 witnesses get martyred and I guess the 144,000 job duties are over-with? Or do the 144,000 continue their ministry to the very end of the tribulation or only up to mid point? We have this scene in Revelation 14:6 ... the Lord assigns 4 angels to warn the inhabitants on the earth so they aren’t left in the dark: 6And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: Interesting point about the 144,000?! But if they were to be killed or taken out I think it would have been mentioned. For if God to give the immediate disposition of the two end prophets, I have to believe He would have also with them. Their witness however will probably end at mid point. TR The switch as you refer to it IMHO is simply watching God moving from one glory into another. As He implements His determined plans, we can only stand in awe and wonder. TR
