This is a long post, but hang with me because I have arrived at an understanding which most people will automatically reject…unless they stop to think about it. I think.
Revelation, the last book in the Christian Holy Bible, is a fascinating narrative and many people find themselves lost, bogged down, confused, unable to understand it. Some, probably not a few, simply refuse to explore it for the reasons listed above and may not even try because it leaves them terrified. However, since it is part of the Bible and God expects us to gain knowledge through the written, revealed word, we should, at the very least, make an attempt to sort it out, always thinking about it, always moving ahead, never afraid to discard one theory, opinion, or belief we might have held for a long time as long as we have something better to replace it with. It is my intention to try to shed some light (feebly, of course, on the scale of a flickering candle) on one of the most anticipated events of the book, e.g., the emergence of the mark of the beast, the explanation of which consumes an enormous amount of time in Christian circles today.
A little background here: I grew up in a family which held to Baptist, evangelical, and dispensational viewpoints and subscribed to the Rapture theory of pre-millennial eschatology. I learned that the world is going to become increasingly evil as time goes on. The only thing which believers can truly hope for to stop the total destruction of the world is the physical return of Jesus Christ, Who will snatch (rapture)1 His true followers out before He sets up a physical throne in Jerusalem from which He will rule and reign for a thousand years. According to this teaching, that thousand year reign (millennium) will be a time of peace like the world has never known, but at the end of it, Satan will once again be able to exercise power over mankind and this will end in the final battle between the forces of Heaven and Hell. The result will be that Jesus and his followers will prevail, Satan and his followers will be thrown into the Lake of Fire to burn for eternity, and time and history will cease.
The doctrine also teaches that a “great tribulation” will fall on the Earth in which God’s people will experience massive suffering. This is split into three different categories: Pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, and post-tribulation, depending on whether the Rapture happens before, during, or at the end of the Great Tribulation. In the pre-trib belief, the true believers in Christ will be removed from Earth and will not experience it, but the mid-trib and post-trib believers will have some or all of the full weight and fury of the Anti-Christ (different topic, future date) thrown at them. My family held to the pre-trib view and I can remember a couple times when I was young and afraid that I had missed the “blessed” Rapture because I didn’t see anyone else around for a few minutes.
Then my momma called me and relief flooded my soul.
This is a pretty simplistic explanation. I could go into much deeper detail, but most of you probably have some understanding about the details and there is no end to the topic in bookstores, podcasts, and online. If you’re interested, research it for yourself.
Full disclosure: I abandoned the “faith” when I was about 18 or 19 after I learned about post-millennial doctrine, specifically the dominion branch of it as espoused by Christian Reconstructionism. I have never looked back and never will. I might have some sympathy for really honest pre-millennial thought, but I have none at all for the Rapture variant and will be happy to see it ended. The sooner, the better. Jesus is not going to take us out of the mess we have created so that we don’t have to be responsible for it. I am more than willing to engage in conversations and debates with anyone who shows an interest in learning, but will not discuss it if an arrogant, stubborn, willfully blind attitude is displayed. There are many people out there who live by the saying, “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.” Well, multitudes evinced that mindset during the Covid years as well, except that they elevated Anthony Fauci to the place of God and we can see in hindsight where that got us.
End of discussion. Settled science. Except that science, like accrued knowledge, is never settled and there is always more to learn. Even when we think we know it all. Let’s move on.
Mark of the Beast.
If there is one thing about Revelation which stirs more debate than anything else, it would be the identity of the Anti-Christ. Unless it might be the Mark which the Anti-Christ forces everyone in the world to get, carried on their foreheads or back of their right hands. Redundancy, you know, just to be sure. No one knows what this “mark” might be or how it will be implemented, but it is usually assumed that it is a secure and certain method of identification of individuals. Maybe Elon Musk’s vision of chip implants will do the trick. Maybe laser tattoos which can be read with a scanner. Maybe, this, that, or another thing. Who knows what technological marvels will be used against us tomorrow?
I can remember the hysteria among Christian groups of my youth (before I went my own way) when bar codes emerged and became ubiquitous. Similarly, those long lines of numbers, all computer generated, at the bottom of checks which are used to route money the check represents to the proper account. QR codes? Everywhere, and everyone is being encouraged to sign up for one, especially if you are in business in any form of selling to the public. And I have probably only scratched the surface. Add in facial recognition and retina scan technology, the increasing use of AI and quantum computers to instantly sort through millions, billions, and trillions of data points, and the propensity of human beings to follow the crowd, which is being told to “stand over there so we can snap your photo” and to shop in the direction the arrows are pointing. Doesn’t look good for privacy of any kind, does it? Especially the financial kind and, with the up-and-coming CBDC digital currency which is programmable and will be used to “socially control” populations, it really looks like personal individuality is screwed. Oh, and don’t forget the American system called Social Security numbering, which is implanted instantly when a new baby arrives on the scene.
So, what is this “mark”? Here are some scriptures from Revelation which mention it.
- “He [the second beast] causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name…His number is 666.” — chapter 13:16-17
- “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” — chapter 14: 9-11
- “So the first [angel] went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image.” — chapter 16: 2
- “And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” — chapter 17: 5
The first scripture says that he [the beast] causes all, that is everyone to get the mark, meaning that this will be universal. No one will be exempt, no one will be left out. Yet, the next quote lays out the possibility that acceptance of it is not universal, using the word, if, which implies that there is at least some measure of choice, some resistance, in receiving the mark. And, when the first angel poured his bowl over the earth, it was only those who had the mark of the beast who were affected, not those who had refused it. Clearly, there is more here than just a simple, “this means that”.
Revelation also has scriptures which describe those who had not submitted to the marking.
- “Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.” — chapter 15: 2
- “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” — chapter 20:4
Evidently, the system of beast-marking could be overcome and resisted, although it may mean death to those who travel that road. Which means that although the beast ordered universal acceptance of the mark, he was not able to fully implement it. And, then, there is this scripture which shows the mark from a completely different perspective.
- “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.” — chapter 14: 1
What are we to make of all this? Wouldn’t it be wise and prudent to examine where all this symbolism and imagery originated instead of just throwing speculative guesses about its meaning? Yeah, I thought you might agree with that, so let’s get into it.
Note: I am not a scholar nor highly educated in this field. I do not know Hebrew nor Greek. I am only taking what I can read and have considered, then developed this thought logically. I could be completely off base and am open to differing opinions and any correction which might be necessary.
“It [an annual ceremony to celebrate and remember the deliverance from Egypt concluding in the Exodus] shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes…” — Exodus 13:9a (full context, 13:1-15, or more narrowly, 13: 3-10)
“You shall bind them [laws, statutes, commandments, ordinances of God] as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” — Deuteronomy 6: 8 (full context, 6: 1-25)
Sign on your hand, frontlet between your eyes. These were meant to be reminders that the people would not forget the manner in which God brought them out of slavery in Egypt and gave them a new code of conduct by which they were supposed to live in a state of freedom and liberty. As long as they followed the rules, they would be blessed, but if they abandoned this law, they would reap the consequences of their sinful behavior.
Furthermore, according to Exodus 28:36-38, Moses’ brother, Aaron, who was the first high priest of Israel, was to wear a plate of pure gold tied to his turban so that it rested on his forehead. This plate was engraved with the phrase, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. He (and all other high priests following) were to wear this continually while ministering to the people. It was always there, always prominent, and could not be missed nor mistaken for anything else. A sign, a mark, visible for everyone to see.
The High Priest was to wear the “mark” continually as part of his uniform, but the common people were only required to manifest it once a year, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, although they were commanded to keep the commandments of God in their hearts and minds throughout the entire year. If I am reading Exodus 13: 9 properly, the feast itself was to be the mark of their remembrance and obedience. “It shall be as a sign…” As a symbol, a representation and reminder of the exodus event, perhaps not dissimilar to the practice in Christian churches today known as Communion, which signifies the Last Supper of Jesus and his twelve disciples.
“Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” — Deuteronomy 11:18
Side note, short detour:
It is interesting, but not surprising, that Jewish tradition and rabbinical rules have corrupted this beyond the point of original meaning. Today, men and boys over the age of 13 wear phylacteries with scraps of parchment inside which have the relevant scripture verses written on them. They wear these daily during morning services, but never on Sabbath or holy days. In addition, instead of binding it on one’s hand (John mentions the right hand), they tie it to their upper arm, on the bicep facing the heart, their left arm if they are right-handed, but on the right arm if they are left-handed. As soon as the morning service is over, they are taken off and put away until the next morning. The rules regarding phylacteries, their manufacture, and their use is mind-boggling and Jesus referred to these when he called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites who were more concerned with enlarging their own phylacteries so others could more easily see them.2
What is even more interesting is that these same men can wear their phylacteries as a part of their morning worship to Yahweh, take them off, pick up a weapon, and two minutes later kill an innocent person who is not Jewish, without ever batting an eye. This shows how closely they hold the commandments of their god in their hearts and minds, especially the one which says, “Thou shalt not murder”, which they have contorted to mean that they are only forbidden to kill fellow Jews. The goyim are fair game and no meaning is attached to their murder. These are, according to too many Christians, God’s Chosen People and everyone else plays second-best. Jesus loves us all, but He loves them more than He does me.
What a shame!
IF the concept of the Mark of the Beast, as so many understand it today, would not be viable nor possible for more than two millennia, then it seems quite odd to me that John would have written Revelation and sent it out expecting his colleagues to read and understand it. The people alive at that time and for many centuries afterward, right up until the last 100 years of so, would not have had a clue IF the “mark” was dependent on computers, electronics, telecommunications, digital surveillance and banking, etc. Yet, John wrote this at the very beginning, clearly expecting that they would understand it.
“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” — Rev. 1: 3
What good would it do if they read it and heard it read, but couldn’t understand anything about it because it didn’t apply to them, but to generations two thousand years and more into the future? However, people at that time would have instantly known what he was referring to. They were thoroughly steeped and trained in the Hebrew tradition and would have understood that the “mark” he mentioned was to be taken in a symbolic and spiritual sense, not necessarily in a physical one. Those 144, 000 believers who had the name of the Lamb’s Father written on their forehead were seen as HOLY TO THE LORD, faithful to His Word, and “marked” as off limits3 to the Anti-Christ Beast. It is not that they carried an actual, physical marker on their head, although they may have done so, but that their lives were sealed in the service of the Lamb.
Likewise, those who “took” the mark of the Beast did not necessarily submit to a physical brand, tattoo, implant, or other device, but they were sold out to the anti-Christian system which worshipped power and control over the lives of others. The ones who receive the mark of the Beast believe fervently in the statist system of satanic government which views people as nothing more than something to be used in furtherance of a political program, to change society to a specific mindset, to gain wealth, to gain social significance, etc. In John’s day, they would have been those who bowed before the Roman authority, not because they were afraid, but because kowtowing had advantages and blessings. They would have been those who actively worked, not to love their neighbors and enemies, but to subjugate them to the “rule of law”, as interpreted by those who hold power. More importantly, however, they were the ones who would have put their faith and trust wholeheartedly into the system of the day, believing that salvation and life spring from it.
In other words, the “mark” is not so much a physical or electronic means by which a person can be identified, supervised, surveilled, and controlled, as much as it is a spiritual attitude. It is one in which loyalty, fealty, submission, and worship is given to an anti-Christ figure and/or system. Those who receive the mark are true believers in the system and will not tolerate any other. They are totalitarians who insist that everyone participate in the system whether they want to or not. They embrace it from the heart, voluntarily, and demand that those who won’t must be forced to accept it.
They don’t have a clue.
I have barely scratched the surface here, but this is enough for now. Therefore, in conclusion:
- The “mark” is universal, always has been, always will be, and those who wear it (everyone) must make a choice to worship Jesus the Christ as Messiah and Savior OR worship the anti-Christ false messiah and ungodly, worldly system.
- The “mark” is, more than anything else, an attitude and belief from the spiritual depths of our hearts. It may be forced on us as an outward sign, but God looks at the heart, not the tattoo or one of Elon Musk’s chips.
- There may be a governmental order and drive to “mark” everyone on Earth, but it is not guaranteed that this will be successful. It is not a fait accompli and resistance to it is not futile. In fact, the more people who push back, the less likely it is to reach its goal.
Looking at it from this perspective, there is no reason at all to be afraid. Even if (and it is entirely possible) that the entire world population is ordered to “line up and get the mark”4, we need to keep in mind that a physical system does not overrule a spiritual one. Granted, even though it seems that we are being overwhelmed by a godless state which wants to control every aspect of our lives and is speedily developing the means to do that, it is not what the body is “marked” with, but what the content of the heart is.
“For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7
If our heart is focused on God and aligned with His Spirit, we are secure even if every square inch of our body were to be covered with man’s marks. An apt analogy would be the concentration camps in Nazi Germany at which every prisoner was tattooed with a number for identification purposes. Many of the people gave up and died there, but there were some who refused to let their circumstances dictate how they should live and die. One of these, Viktor Frankl, wrote that,
“…everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms–to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”5
As Christians, we should be living in faith, believing that God will take care of us no matter the circumstances, and working to bring our lives into conformity to His Word. We should NOT be driving ourselves crazy trying to swallow the crap which some deluded or deliberate preacher, teacher, and cab driver tells us is the coming future.
- Remember Star Trek? “Beam me up, Scotty.” Get me out of here. ↩︎
- Matthew 23:5 ↩︎
- The first time this happened in history according to Genesis 4: 15, tells of the Lord setting a mark on Cain so that no one would kill him, i.e., putting a supernatural personal shield over him to protect him. See also Ezekiel 9: 4, 6. We could go back even further to the Garden of Eden when Adam was told by God that he would earn his bread by the “sweat of his brow”–a mark on his forehead to remind him of the bad choice that he had made. ↩︎
- Remember Covid? “Mask up and get your shot!” ↩︎
- Frankl, Viktor: Man’s Search for Meaning, 2006, Beacon Press, page 66 ↩︎
Poor Roger's Almanac 