NO MAN MIGHT BUY
Revelation 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
My Words Are Spirit
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. One of the rarest things in religion today is the spiritual insight and preaching of the precious word of the Lord.
Few seem to realize that the constant intellectual declaration of a system of ‘doctrine’ esteemed by man is damaging to the soul’s of the hearers. 2Cor. 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
And no where does this manifest itself, to the damaging of the spiritual content of the truth than in the Book of the Revelation! The religious realm is filled with ignorance, misconceptions and soul destroying errors, concerning the intent and the content of this blessed Book, due to the legal and intellectual approach to it! The ignorant conjectures that are tolerated here, would never be allowed in the interpretation of other books in the Holy Writ! Men who are adamant in their defense of the message of such Books as Romans, Ephesians, or the gospels, have made the statement, ‘everyone’s got their own opinion concerning the Revelation!’ That’s terrible! For this book is not a revelation of a program, or a schedule! It is, as the inspired record states, “the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him.”
No Man Might Buy
Then what is meant here in this mysterious thirteenth chapter concerning all these, so often misinterpreted verses? The Greek word translated, “buy” in English is the same exact Greek word translated, “redeemed” in Revelation 5:9. There it states, “for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” So we are speaking of the purchase made in the atonement, and not the buying of eggs and bread down at the supermarket!
In fact, this Greek word is also translated, “ye are bought,” in 1 Corin. 6:20, and 7:23! And here again we are speaking of the believer having been redeemed, or purchased, by the atoning blood of the holy Lamb of God!
This very concept is even used as the Sovereign communicates to the Laodiceans in 3:18. For there he commands, Since you feign yourselves to be rich, then I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich! Here again we are seeing this word used to signify man’s faith in the completed redemption of Christ on the cross. For the gold tried in the fire is in reference to the tried and tested gift of faith in the believer’s heart! See 1 Peter 1:7.
And we see this same matter of instruction in Matthew 16:25-26. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? It is like the man seeking goodly pearls. Of whom we read, Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Matt. 13:46. He was selling out his self centered life and buying into the life of Christ centered devotion. This is a taking up of one’s cross and denying self in order to enter into the kingdom of God!
Read these passages. Prov. 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. Read Isaiah 55:1-2
Without Sin
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. In what way do we understand the words, without sin? It certainly cannot mean that the Lord Jesus shall, upon his return to earth, become sinless! For although he was in all points tempted, he was always without sin! It can only mean that upon His return to earth, at the end of the age, he shall have no more provision for the forgiveness of sin! There shall be no more mercy and long suffering as in the gospel age!
In fact, even in an age of spiritual evangelism there can be, after a hearing of the gospel truths, an individual loss to the benefits of salvation! Listen to Hebrews 10:26. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Therefore, one will no longer be afforded the opportunity to sell all and buy the pearl! None will be allowed to count all else dung that he may “win Christ”! And this will most certainly occur when the testimony of God is finished (Rev. 10:7, 11:7), and the beast from the bottomless pit is released to go out and deceive the nations again, (Rev. 20:1-3,7,8), as he did in the four Gentile kingdoms (Daniel 7), before the Lord Jesus came and set up his eternal kingdom at his ascension! {Dan. 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.}
The Word “Sell”
But what of the word, “sell”? According to Mr. Strong’s Concordance, it means, “to be busy to trade, to barter.” It is used in Matthew 25:9 as, “them that sell.” This is another passage that gives us light into the responsibility of individuals to seek first the kingdom of God! Matt. 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
In fact, in the passage in James 4:13-16, we clearly see that buying and selling are sovereignly controlled! Remember also the black horse in Revelation 6:5-6.
“Save He That Had the Mark”
But it seems to also state that one who obtained the mark could then buy or sell! How do we see this? They buy into Satan’s blinding them by their unbelief! 2Cor 4:4. In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
The legal, letter-killing gospel applied apart from the effectual working of the Holy Spirit is damning! 2Cor. 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
After one has heard the truth, and turned from it, it is impossible to renew them again! Heb. 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
2Pet. 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Once he is a dog, or she is a sow, they can never become a sheep!
Therefore, with the gospel testimony finished, and the church in her Goshen, hidden in her chambers, with the door of gospel opportunity shut, the Lord will come out of his place to punish them who have not received the love of the truth. And he will do so by releasing his ‘buzzard,’ the Devil, to clean up the dead! He will do so by sending forth to these truth haters his lie of strong delusion by the Father of lies!
Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
2Th. 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Pastor Gene Breed
01-29-06
