SPECIAL Bible Verse of the Day Sunday October 3rd 2021

 At Bible Study this past Wednesday I was asked to comment on the Mark of the Beast from Revelation. This Essay is in response to that request.  

Revelation 13:18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

The main entry in the Bible that refers to the "mark of the beast" is Revelation 13:15-18. Different references can be found in Revelation 14:9, 11, 15:2, 16:2, 19:20, and 20:4. This "Mark" represents a seal for the devotees of the Antichrist. The false prophet (the second beast) is the person who makes individuals take this mark. In a real sense, the mark is put on the hand or brow and isn't just a card somebody carries.

The recent breakthroughs in medical implant chip and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technologies have increased interest in the mark of the beast spoken of in Revelation chapter 13. The Corona Virus and the differing political views surrounding this plague have also brought the "Mark of the Beast" to the forefront of false teachers who want to misrepresent God's Word.

There is a possibility that the technology happening in this day and age symbolizes the early stages of what may ultimately be the beast's mark. It is critical to realize that a medical implant chip or a vaccine against any disease or plague is not the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast will be something given only to those who worship the Antichrist during the seven years of the Tribulation. The beast's mark will be an end-times identification required by the Antichrist during the seven-year Tribulation to buy or sell, and it will be given only to those who worship the Antichrist. (See Bible References in First Paragraph)

Some contend that the Antichrist is already here today. It is feasible to argue that the Antichrist will be alive when the Rapture occurs, and the Tribulation begins. Since God in His infinite wisdom has not shared the exact date of this occurrence with us mere humans, we do not know when this will occur. Some say they feel like the time is near because of all the unrest in the world today. The Apostle John felt the same way and wrote about it with the leading of the Holy Spirit of God (Revelation 1:1-3). We are here today over two thousand years later, and the time is still near. We must keep in mind that when the Word of God says the time is near, that is in God’s time, not our time (2 Peter 3:8). In God’s time, it has only been seven days since the Apostle John wrote the words “The Time is Near” (Revelation 1:3) in the year of our Lord AD 70.

Many good expounders of the Book of Revelation have different views on the precise character of the mark of the beast. Over and above the chip implanted in our bodies through some vaccine or other methods, some say it is in an identification card or medical vaccine card. Spending our time speculating on exact details of the hypothesis or theory of anyone will rob us of valuable time studying the complete Word of God.

The specific meaning of the number 666 is a mystery of God. The term Mystery in the Word of God typically indicates a truth previously unknown. There have been some that have attempted to connect this number (666) to a specific date. One theory that was popular some years ago was June 6th, 2006 (06-06-06). However, that day came and went, and nothing has changed; the term 666 is still a mystery of God. A mystery unknown to us today that God will one day reveal. During the Centuries we have been on this planet, many Bible speculators have attempted to connect the number 666 to a specific person. 

The Bible tells us that the number requires wisdom. Since the Bible tells us that the number 666 is the number of a man (Revelation 13:18), many have attempted to connect 666 with specific people. For example, during the Second World War and the time leading up to the War, many speculated that Hitler was the Antichrist. However, the War came and went, Hitler, killed himself, and day and night continued. Here we are eighty years later, and people are still attempting to connect 666 with some specific person. Revelation 13:8 also tells us that this calls for wisdom. This theory does not mean that we must identify the “man” connected with 666 because all attempts at this will be unsuccessful, ineffectual, and a waste of time. During the Tribulation, there will be a one-world government and a one-world religion, operated by Satan and his chosen representative, the “Antichrist.” 

The Beast will share Satan's hostility towards God for being removed from paradise (Revelation 12:7-9; Revelation 12:12). He will take up arms over all individuals of the world that do not take the mark of the beast and kill them (Revelation 13:15). Since the Beast has authorization over all nations after coming out from the sea, any scripture concerning enmity or conflict among kings in the "end times" (Daniel 7:8; Daniel 7:24; Daniel 11:40-44), will refer to a time before this worldwide rule of the Antichrist, and thus occur in the First Half (the first three and one-half years) of the Tribulation. The unbelievers living on the earth during the "Great Tribulation" (The second Three and one-half years) will worship the Beast, but the believers, those saved during the Tribulation, whose names are in the "Lamb's Book of Life," will refrain from worshipping the Beast.

Satan has brought fear into some people’s lives that they may have already taken the Mark of the Beast. The evil one will try to make followers and believers in Christ Jesus think they may have committed blasphemy against God and aligned with the antichrist. Today, some are afraid to take the coronavirus vaccine because of some elements in the vaccine or the Vaccine card itself is the mark of the beast. There is one significant reason why it is impossible to get the mark of the beast now: The mark of the beast does not exist yet.

An understanding of Revelation and all end-times prophecies in God's Word clearly states a timetable for the last day's occasions. For example, in the prophecy of Daniel's seventy weeks that speak of the time God will once again deal with Israel, sixty-nine of the seventy weeks have already passed. The seventh (70th) and final week is the seven-year tribulation when the Antichrist will rise to power. The "mark of the Beast" cannot exist until the Beast of Revelation is in total world power, which will occur during the tribulation. 

Additionally, Followers and believers in Christ Jesus do not have to fear receiving the Mark of the Beast because of the fact of the Rapture of the Church. All believers living and those that have passed away will be raptured from this earth to be with Christ Jesus for eternity (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54).  Although people will still come to know Christ after the Rapture, all those who trust Jesus before the Rapture will be taken to be with the Lord. Believers who live and die in the Church age will never have an opportunity to receive the Mark of the Beast. 

There isn't anything we can do today to get, take, or receive the "mark of the beast." Electronic chips embedded in our bodies, some ID card, a vaccine, a tattoo, or proclaiming to the world "I am a follower of the Antichrist" will not give you the "mark of the beast" even if you wanted it. The Mark of the beast will not exist until the beast, the antichrist is in total world power

There have always been many sincere and outwardly seemingly truthful people that will tell you differently. Some of these people will be influential preachers of the Gospel, who Satan has unknowingly influenced to wreak fear in the hearts of those in their sphere of influence. There is only one being that wants us to live in fear of anything, that is Satan (Psalm 34:4-5; Plasm 23:4; 27:1; Psalm 46:1-3; Isaiah 41:13; Luke 14:27; Psalm 91:4-5; Deuteronomy 3:22; Psalm 27:3; Psalm 115:11; Isaiah 35:4; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 10:26; Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:32; 2 Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 13:6.

Taking the Mark of the Beast is literally and intentionally taking his mark upon ourselves. It is a “pledge of allegiance” to Satan and his crony and coconspirator, the Anti-Christ. There will be no one taking the Mark of the Beast accidentally or unintentionally. Those that take on the “Mark of the Beast” will do it willfully, knowingly, and gladly.

In closing, the Book of Revelation is only one book out of 66 books in the Bible. Therefore, getting too engrossed in Revelation will keep us from studying the lion’s share of the Word of God. This is not to say that we should not study the Book of Revelation but that we should not get so bogged down in Revelation that we miss valuable time in studying the rest of God’s Word.