THE BEAST IN THE SIGHT OF GOD

 If religion is from the Almighty Creator, it should be comprehensible and simple so as to make sense to persons of all ethnic group and intellectual levels. Therefore, for religion to have its natural and proper place in one’s spiritual and everyday life, it must be founded upon facts – though many will dislike the truth. In this discourse we venture to explain the meaning of the Biblical term “mark of the beast”. And on this note we will agree that when interpreting scriptural allegorical expressions, interpretations should be supported by rational and irrefutable logical facts.

First, what really is the beast in the sight of God? Answering this question, God states in the Qur’an:

 “Surely, the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are the disbelievers, who will not believe” (Qur’an 8:56).

 The question now arises; how can we recognize the Biblical Beast? Who are they? What physical signs identifies them?

To start, we must first clarify the meaning and origin of the Seal of God as mentioned in the Holy Books of Jews and Christians; the Bible. Accordingly, the Seal of God was established after the period of the Prophet Noah (peace be upon him), at which time polytheism had once again become widespread in the Middle Eastern regions. God condemned polytheism and re-established monotheistic faith through the establishment of a Divine Covenant with a Prophet after Noah’s time whose name was Abraham, the patriarch of monotheism (peace be upon him).

It’s been said that the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) lived in Chaldea located in the eastern part of the Fertile Crescent which extends from the areas of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. At the time of Abraham, Chaldeans believed in several Gods and used to worship idols and images. It is for this practice that the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) denounced his people and revolted against their religious practice and belief.
Abraham (peace be upon him) now being a prophet belonging to no nation or tribe received revelations from Almighty God, and during one of these revelations God made a Covenant with him. God chose Abraham (peace be upon him) as the hallmark of a believer in the One True Almighty God. The Constitution of the covenant is that, till the end of time, when a people claim to be believers in the One True God of the Patriarch, the male population amongst them will bear a physical mark testifying to their belief. With highlight emphasis, the Constitution of the Covenant as stated in the Old Testament reads as follows:

1. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.  

2. And I will make My Covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.  

3. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 

4. As for Me, behold, My Covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.  

5. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a Father of many nations have I made thee.  

6. And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.  

7. And I will establish My Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an EVERLASTING COVENANT, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.  

8. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.  

9. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep My Covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.  

10. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; every man child among you shall be circumcised.  

11. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a TOKEN OF THE COVENANT between Me and you.  

12. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.  

13. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and My Covenant shall be in your flesh for an EVERLASTING COVENANT.  

14. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; HE HATH BROKEN MY COVENANT…  

23. And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.  

24. And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.  

25. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.  

26. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.  

27. And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him. (Genesis 17: 1-27). 

These are the Biblical passages which clearly and abundantly articulate that circumcision of the flesh is the Seal of God; the Token of the Everlasting Covenant. It is here the foundation of the three great religious nations of the world is build. While Jews and Christians are from the descendants of Isaac; Muslims on the other hand are from the descendants of Ishmael. Thus Orthodox Jews or Old Testament Jews as commonly called observe circumcision to this day. Likewise, Muslims (followers of the Prophet of Ishmael’s notable descendant) also observe circumcision. The Arab tribe from which the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon him) was born in the seventh century continued observing circumcision as it was the tradition of Abraham and Ishmael. Thus, Muhammad (peace be upon him) was circumcised at his time of birth as customary to his tribal Abrahamic tradition. Muslims follow not only commands of the Qur’an, but also the ways of their Prophet as well; so Muslim males circumcise as traditionally observed by their Prophet Muhammad, Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them).

What is understood in the Constitution of the covenant—to start with is that, the Covenant is EVERLASTING and according to verse fourteen, from henceforth till the end of time, the Abrahamic religion will triumph over uncircumcised religions. So, it is here we consult our conscience and ask questions. How is it possible that after the word Everlasting is expounded and emphasized so strongly in the Constitution of the Covenant that today, New Testament Bible users preach circumcision of the flesh a thing of the past — an Old Testament Law no longer valid. This gives rise to the question: did the God of Abraham changed His mind and terminated circumcision which He Decreed to last forever?

Before answering these questions, let us not be hasty; but be rather careful and with certainty that the imposter whom the Bible prophesied of who would come, and would speak great words against God and change timeless laws is not mistakenly exalted as a man of God. Again, the Covenant is transcribed in words that cannot be mistaken—it is to last forever in the monotheistic religion of Abraham. If however, it is mentioned in the Bible that one authorized by God would come to end the timeless commandment of circumcision, then caution has to be applied in accepting the authorized one and not the imposter whose coming is foretold in the book of Daniel 7:25 who, when he comes would change laws.

No doubt, having identified the origin and meaning of the Seal of God, the mark of the beast naturally unveils itself. Certainly, from the inception, when circumcision became the sacramental Seal of God, uncircumcision inevitably became the mark of the Beast—the abominable sign of obedience to Satan. So, when the Bible speaks of beast, figuratively it is a way of referring to disbelievers. And among such mentioned in the book of Daniel and Revelation, emphasis is placed on the fourth beast—meaning an uncircumcised religious group that was to emerge after the advent of Jesus claiming to be followers of Christ Jesus (peace be upon him).

It is possible that some Christians may take offence at this. However, one will not take offence if one is realistic and have true understanding that the uncircumcised school of thought began at the advent of Paul who joined the movement of Jesus some years after the disappearance of Jesus. Every person who is not prejudiced against truth would agree that uncircumcision became the mark of the Beast at the time of the establishment of the Everlasting Covenant with the Patriarch Abraham, and was so at the time of Jesus.

It is a well-known fact, that during the advent of Jesus (peace be upon him) there was no association between Jesus and the uncircumcised people of his time. During Jesus’ three year ministry with his disciples in Palestine, he commanded his disciples that they should not preach to the uncircumcised; and up to the conversion of Paul, some years after the disappearance of Jesus (peace be upon him), the circumcised followers of Jesus did as Jesus commanded:

“Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5-6). 

Moreover, in Matthew 7: 6 and 15:26, Jesus expresses contempt towards uncircumcision when he categorized the uncircumcised as dogs and swine. Such pronouncement tells that Jesus (peace be upon him) did not abolished the Everlasting Seal of God as he is reported to have said:

“Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets. I have not come to do away with them...” (Matthew 5:17)   

According to the New Testament, remaining uncircumcised as a follower of Jesus, caused much confict and disharmony among the initial followers:

“And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.” (Acts 15:1-2   

Thus, every disbeliever is referred to as Beast and the worst in the sight of God are those who will not believe even after truth is made manifest to them. And so, the battle between belief and disbelief, truth and falsehood, Christianity and Islam became unavoidable. The Bible foretold of a false prophet who would rise from among the uncircumcised followers of Jesus and engage in battle with truth of his time:

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty … And he (false prophet) gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” (Revelation 16: 13-16)  

For details of fulfillment of this prophecy read: ARMAGEDDON - Truth over Falsehood - The battle of that great day of God Almighty - A Prophecy Fulfilled .