The prophecy of Daniel declared that this power would "think" to change the times and laws of the Most High; and the change of the Sabbath commandment is set forth as the mark of the church's authority above the written law of the Most High.
Most remarkable of all, Protestant organizations are defending the unscriptural observance of the humanly established first-day sabbath in contradiction to the law of God, which declares that "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." And these organizations, in denial of the Protestant principle of religious liberty, are seeking power to enforce Sunday observance by civil law. But this is to make a very image to the Roman Papacy—a church using the power of the state to enforce religious observance.
It was all foretold in the prophetic word. The prophet was shown (Rev. 13:11-17) this likeness or image to the Papacy—ecclesiastical organizations not of the Papacy itself, but following papal principles in this matter—seeking to compel men to receive the mark of the papal apostasy.
Against the workings of both the Papacy and this image to the Papacy, the last message of the "everlasting gospel" lifts its warning cry:
"If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God."
It is the time of the judgment hour, when God was to lift up the standard of truths long trodden underfoot. In the heavenly sanctuary Christ's closing judgment work is going forward, preparatory to His coming in consuming glory to end the reign of sin. On earth the Lord is sending the last gospel message to men, warning against sin and error, and calling all men to worship God, and to keep "the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
The Sign of Jehovah's Authority
God also has His sign, or mark, of authority. He bases His claims to supreme authority upon the fact of His creative power. As Creator, His is the authority and the power.
"The Lord is the true God.... He hath made the earth by His power." Jer. 10:10-12.
And the divinely established memorial of this creative power is the holy Sabbath. The Sabbath is the mark, or sign, of the true God: