Page 80 - The Mark of the Beast

comparison with his neighbor.
(Amplified Bible)

The nature of God is humble and it seeks the welfare of others. Observe how Christ
left His place of honor and glory and condescended to rescue man from his slavery to the
beast nature, and to lift him up that he might bear the image of God. Even so, we should
seek to lift up men and women and to direct them to their high calling in Christ to bear the
image and likeness of God. Should we find a brother or sister acting as a beast, let us remind
them that they were called to bear the image of the divine.
At the same time we must be discerning of those who willingly give themselves to
sensuality while refusing to acknowledge the debauched nature of their behavior. Our Lord
cautioned His disciples to not cast their pearls of truth before swine, for the swine would
only turn and rend them.
Once the Lord has opened one’s eyes to see the great struggle between the beast nature
and the divine nature, it is amazing to learn of the symbols of this conflict that are present
everywhere throughout the pages of Scripture. From the opening chapter, to the closing
book, we find in the Bible types and shadows, and even plain speech, all revealing God’s
design for man to bear His image, and the adversary’s plan for man to be imprinted with
his own likeness.
These three men, Cain, Esau and Nebuchadnezzar, stand as illustrations of the peril
that threatens all who will not avail themselves of the great grace that is available through
Yahshua the Messiah. The distance between God’s image and that of a beast is great, and
great has been the fall of mankind. Yet God, in His mercy, would lift us up to heights
previously unknown. He would have all men to be partakers of His own divine nature.