Dear Vigilant Watchman:


I've been thinking about your comment about believing that people would be
deceived into taking the mark as if they didn't really know what they were
doing.  They will know EXACTLY what they are doing when they get the
mark--they will be accepting the beast & dragon AND denying God.  They will do this
because they will have rejected the truth and therefore God will give
them strong delusion
to believe a lie.  They will accept a certain message that they will be told.  
I believe that that the message is--

                   that there is a better life in disobedience to God.

This is the message that Eve believed.

God told Adam and Eve that they would die if they ate of the forbidden fruit.
The devil said that not only would they not die, but that God knew they would
be as gods.

Between the devil's words and Eve's thoughts we have--

"I won't die from eating this."
"God is trying to hold back my potential"
"I can be like a god knowing everything good and evil"
"This fruit is good for food, it is edible and nourishing"
"This fruit looks good, it is pleasing to my eyes."
"This is desireable fruit that is going to make me wise."

After reasoning it out in her own head, she decided that God was wrong. 
She accepted that and then went on to her treasonous act.  She
deliberately ate the fruit.  But that was not enough, she also gave to her
husband and he ate of it too.

Their eyes were opened, but it was too late.  They had to die and all of
us have to die.  They could not undo what was done.

At the time of judgment, Eve said "the serpent beguiled me."  He tricked
me, he deceived me, he made me think that I could disobey God
successfully.  I only did it because I believed the serpent."  Paul
confirms that the serpent beguiled Eve from obeying the command.  But the
kicker is that she had the command.  The devil did not make her do it.
Eve firmly decided that it was good
to disobey the command and relegate God to less than her and the devil.

People today are more and more forward in their boldness against God.  
I can remember when I
worked how people reacted to being told God's righteous requirements.  In
the face of "thou shalt not" I heard, "I shall and there is nothing wrong
with it!!!!!!!"  That is what is happening.  When those people take that
mark it will be an acceptance of Satan and Sin and a total rejection of
what thus saith the Lord and the Lord himself.  Sin is the law for them
and righteousness is the crime.  They are so full of sin that they don't want
to see one lawful person.  It is reminder of God that makes them mad.  
People get
mad because you homeschool or have a lot of children.  It is already
happening.  In a newspaper article, some non-Christian homeschoolers 
were complaining about Christian textbooks
not teaching evolution--if they are not Christians let them get their
textbooks elsewhere.  At the end of the article, there were comments. 
People were outraged that homeschoolers didn't teach evolution.  One
person said they feel so sorry for homeschooled children.  Another was
like, "What?????  How dare they not teach facts in their schools!"  One
woman came to my door, a neighbor previously unknown (she's been here 20
years and I've been here about 12 years) and when she found out I
homeschooled she started talking about schools where I could send my
child.  People HATE homeschooling.  THAT IS BECAUSE THE DEVIL HATES
HOMESCHOOLING.  Somebody complained to Bob Jones (BJU) about their textbooks.
One BJU textbook was quoted as saying something like people are not going 
to heaven if they do not believe the Bible.  Bob Jones responded, 
"That line was an editorial error."

Do you see why I am often mad and sad?  But you are better than me.  There
are not too many people in this world that are worse than me--and I mean
that statement to the very last drop.  I mean it and have believed it for
years.  Eyes of perception do not just work outwardly, they work inwardly
too.

Daniel talks about "the indignation"--indignation is a noun meaning anger
or extreme anger mingled with contempt or disgust or abhorrence.  This
final indignation is against God himself.  The man of sin has a big mouth
full of blasphemy to express his indignation against God and the holy
covenant.  He will speak so many words against the most high.  He will
blaspheme God, his name, his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 
But that won't be enough, he (along with his fellow dogs) is going to make
war with the saints and hunt us down, a people without weapons.  He is
full of hatred and indignation and his big mouth makes it known for a long
3.5 years.

Revelation 13:5   And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great
things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and
two months.

  Revelation 13:6   And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to
blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

  Revelation 13:7   And it was given unto him to make war with the saints,
and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and
tongues, and nations.

  Revelation 13:8   And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,
whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world.

And with all his blaspheming and indignation, all the people are going to
worship him.  It will be by peace that he will destroy many.  Remember,
that will take away your "peace"?  People want peace to pursue their
interests.  That includes church people.  We had better wake up because if
we don't we'll find ourselves on the side of the devil himself while we
hold a Bible in our hands.  Concerning the rebellious, for years I've told
my daughter to remember the Lord's three words,

Let them alone.

When I was in the church system I wasn't allowed to do this.  You have to
sit in church with hereticks and fornicators and "show love".  You can't let them
alone.  They are your fellow churchmembers.  To obey the
Bible you have to come out of the visible church today.

Mephibosheth