the mark

Ezekiel 9:4
And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

the bible is very logical. in fact, it is supreme logic. it is simple and unbreakable. the problem is that one almost has to know what it means before it can be understood, because once it is understood, it is plain as the nose on your face.

the hebrew word translated "mark" - tahv - is defined by gesenius as: a mark, or brand, used to denote ownership(like with a camel), usually in the form of a T or a cross. interestingly, tav is also the name of the letter tav, which is like an english T.

from strongs: 8420 tav tawv from 8427; a mark; by implication, a signature:--desire, mark.

# Revelation 13:16
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

from strongs: 5480. charagma khar'-ag-mah from the same as 5482; a scratch or etching, i.e. stamp (as a badge of servitude), or scupltured figure (statue):--graven, mark.

then there is the ultimate logic problem:

18Here 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.

this number, 666, is transliterated thusly: chi-xi-stigma. both in greek and hebrew, letters also have a numerical value. chi is 600 and appears in the greek like an X. xi is 60 and it is written with a "chi"(X) in the name of it. in classical greek, the letter used for 6 was obsolete so the word hex was used. most people are familiar with this word for it is used today in words like hexagon.

here is one of those sesame street moments - one of these things dont belong here... because the obsolete letter that used to be used for 6, digamma(an F character and meaning two 3's in the case of the numeral)was not used, nor the common word "hex", but another obsolete letter, stigma(looks like an S with the bottom curve flattened).

from strongs: 5516. chi xi stigma khee xee stig'-ma the 22nd, 14th and an obsolete letter (4742 as a cross) of the Greek alphabet (intermediate between the 5th and 6th), used as numbers; denoting respectively 600, 60 and 6; 666 as a numeral:--six hundred threescore and six.

and the word stigma: 4742. stigma stig'-mah from a primary stizo (to "stick", i.e. prick); a mark incised or punched (for recognition of ownership), i.e. (figuratively) scar of service:--mark.

and this brings us full circle through the hebrew and greek and spanning hundreds and even thousands of years to the present day. the 666 is not a hard one, really. it is XXX or XXT or TTT. this is surely a discription of a triple cross, which is seen in many places in the world today. the cross is a perversion of the crucifiction stake upon which jesus was crucified. in fact, the word translated "cross" in the greek scriptures is the word "staros", which is an upright stake or pale. the venerable w. e. vine did, in my opinion, the definitive work regarding this word. also, the X is the sign of constantine which banner he and his armies also carried and is a symbol of christianity due to chi(X) being the initial letter of the word christos.

but there is more at play here. these signs are signs of ownership. in fact, an X was used up until quite recently as a persons mark, his signature as it were. it identified that it was he who was mentioned in a document who was signing it. it speaks to identification, the owner of a freeman and his word being himself. signed instructions from an authority were called letters of mark.

and what does this signify? the opposite of a freeman is a slave. it signifies who one serves. it signifies who's direction one takes. and without identity, no one can transact in this world. the banking system and lending have made it so. what say jesus of this?

Matthew 16:24
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

and paul:

Romans 13:8
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

what does it mean to deny oneself? how can a man live without identity? yet this is the position of the true follower of christ.

the words of our lords brother ring ever truer to this hour:

Jude 1:4
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

and the preacher has said what is right:

Proverbs 23

1When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:

2And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.

3Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

4Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

6Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:

7For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

8The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

9Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. Tweet