Good day dear friends.
There we are! We made it! On page 107 of the January, 2006 Texas Monthly. Well, we do find ourselves twice in the Bum Steer Awards, but our town is mentioned! For those of you not native to the state or who do not know about Texas Monthly or the BSA, TM is a thick monthly shopping catalogue with some articles thrown in from time to time. And the Bum Steer Awards is their way of poking fun of those missteps, misquotes, dumb moves, etc. that occurred in our fair state during the past year. The caption usually is a further slap of the content of the BSA entry. Ours reads, "We Always Said It Was Hell to Live in San Marcos." (their choice of words not mine). And the graphic is one of flames over the city limit sign and a rose growing out over the sign. The entry says, "Members of the clergy in San Marcos appealed to the U. S. Postal Service to change the city's major zip code, 78666, stating their concern that, according to the Book of Revelation, the last three digits had satanic connotations." I don't remember being a part of that delegation or meeting. The second entry is on the same page, where a photo of the two presidential Bushes and first lady Laura are shown, the little Bush and Mrs. Bush holding up the hook 'em horns hand sign and the entry reads, "Norwegian commentators expressed shock when President and Mrs. Bush flashed hook 'em signs to the University of Texas Longhorn Band during Bush's inaugural parade, because they interpreted the gesture as a satanic salute." The caption reads, "The Eyes of San Marcos Are Upon You." LOL. That's "Laughing Out Loud" for the nouveau net browsers.
I have to admit I used to tease Reverend Bill Henderson when he was senior pastor here at FUMC. He asked me to send him something and when he told me his zip code I said, "that's easy to remember, 7-8-Beast!" He laughed and said it was a good one. A former staff member would say, "7-8-Satan!"
The reference comes from an interesting chapter in a very complex and interesting book, The Book of Revelation, the closing book of our Bible. The chapter refers to a "beast" coming out of the earth. Here is that whole chapter for your reference:
And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads; and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have received a death-blow, but its mortal wound had been healed. In amazement the whole earth followed the beast. 4 They worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?" 5 The beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. It was given authority over every tribe and people and language and nation, 8 and all the inhabitants of the earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slaughtered. 9 Let anyone who has an ear listen: 10 If you are to be taken captive, into captivity you go; if you kill with the sword, with the sword you must be killed. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. 11 Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of all; 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to perform on behalf of the beast, it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived; 15 and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast could even speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred sixty-six.
The beast in question has two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. It has the same authority as the first beast and it makes all of the inhabitants of earth worship the first beast who although had a mortal wound had been healed. It performs great signs even making fire come down from heaven to earth. It deceives the inhabitants of earth even making them make icons for worship of this first beast. Those who did not obey and worship this beast were killed. All had to be marked with a sign on the right hand or forehead with this mark of the number of the beast (666).
Actually, I think the 666 is the price of stamps the US Postal Service will be charging in a few years. What this message is intended to tell us varies from scholar to scholar and televangelist to televangelist. Some have referred this past to the Roman Empire and the way it dealt with believers during those reigns of emperors opposed to the Way. Others have said this is yet to come when the earth will lose all true believers to the Rapture, who are to be taken up into Heaven, leaving the marginal and nonbelievers behind who are to endure this test of obedience to God or the beast.
I personally believe the best solution is to be ready at all times to go before the Lord. You and I don't know the hour of our death and most of us want to be pleasantly surprised if not taken in our sleep. But a life lived in Christ Jesus eager to meet him in our service to others and in our dealings with others is the best and only way to live. Do I believe Jesus is coming back? Yes! When? Send me $29.95 and I'll tell you! (just joking!) No one knows, Jesus said, but after sharing that He would return He did talk about what we needed to do in the meantime: Clothe, feed, quench, visit, love, do for others (See Matthew 25-26). We've got so much to do for Jesus' sake we'll never die!
PRAYER: Come, Lord Jesus to the busy-ness of my life and make me be busy for You! Let me seek to show You to others as I imitate You in my love and actions for others. I pray that You would let me see this is more important, to be in service to you and helping meet the needs of others than it is to be concerned about our zip code. Let the mark on my right hand be that of love and the mark on my forehead be that of Your knowledge and presence in my life. I pray in Your name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
