Page 29 - The Mark of the Beast

appetites of the flesh, are all characteristics of the beast nature. The beast nature is marked
by its consumption and it is never satisfied. This consumption is evident everywhere in our
society, but we really do not see it. We have become so lost in this conspicuous consumption
that it is no longer conspicuous to us.
Saints are called to be conformed to the image of Christ, and Christ is called “the Light
of the world.” He is totally selfless and giving. He laid down His life for the very ones who
hated Him. We are told that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” even when we
were His enemies. We read in the first chapter of Genesis that on the fourth day that lights
were created in the firmament of the heavens, and we saw how the saints correspond to
these lights. Light is selfless. Light does not consume, rather it radiates outward. It goes
forth and brings warmth and life and energy to all that it shines upon. All saints are called
to be such selfless, giving lights, radiating the life and love of Christ in a darkened world.
It has occurred to me that even as God has given us a representation of the saints in
the heavens, so too has He given us a representation of those who are marked by the beast
nature. Much has been spoken in recent years about black holes. Black holes are said to be
areas of super dense matter that are caused by a star collapsing in upon itself. These areas
of super dense matter begin to pull all things into themselves. They are such powerful
attractors that they will not even allow light to escape from them. They just suck in more
and more matter.
Scientists cannot actually see black holes, for they give off no light. Rather they have
determined that they exist by observing the effect that occurs on matter around them. They
can observe matter being pulled powerfully to a certain location, and light being
extinguished, and by observing this activity they are made aware of the existence and
presence of black holes.
See now how perfectly these black holes typify those men and women who have given
themselves over to the beast nature. Mankind was created like the stars to show forth the
light and life of the Creator, but many have collapsed back in upon themselves, having
turned inward and begun to seek things for self. Many, even among the saints, have failed
to be content to express the light of Christ and to live to do the will of the Father. Rather,
they want things for self. They are attracted to the matter of this world, and they crave it,
being filled with covetousness and lust and selfish ambition.
As these ones begin to work to gain the things their souls desire they cease radiating
the light of God and they become as big vacuums attracting material things to themselves.
They reason that it is only right and proper that they should have a fair portion of the
world’s goods and they begin exerting tremendous energy to gain those things around them.
They begin attracting matter to themselves. The Bible calls this activity “serving mammon”
and the saints are warned that no man can serve both God and mammon.
Now here is the difficult part of what I desire to convey. Almost all saints are
attempting to serve both God and mammon, though they do not recognize it. Most saints
are marked by the influence of the beast nature on their lives, and a great number are even
riding upon the beast with no admission of what it is they are doing. Though all saints have
been called to give forth the light of Christ, an alarming number of them have turned
inward and have become voracious consumers of matter. They are in peril of being cast back
down to the earth as unripe figs, of being given over wholly to the pursuit of their selfish
appetites.
One reason that the saints fail to recognize the influence of the beast nature upon their
lives, the great selfishness and covetousness that is present within them, is that they