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Some teach that the Mark of the Beast is a tattooed number, a bar code, a computer chip, or the Covid-19 vaccine. What does God’s Word teach about it?
The apostle John in the Book of Revelation chapter 13 writes, “It (the beast) also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. 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” (Revelation 13:16-18).
So we know this beast power forces all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead. However, according to Revelation 13, the Mark of the Beast is not a literal brand but some sign of allegiance. This sign identifies the bearer as loyal to the power represented by the beast. In order to know how is the Mark of the Beast received in the forehead or the hand, we must first identify the following:
Who Is the First Beast of Revelation?
Revelation 13:1-10 says, “… And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.”
“The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
“And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.”
“And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.“
The Bible identifies the first beast of Revelation 13 as a religious entity that fits the descriptions of the papacy. 666 is the number of this beast. This religious entity is also presented as the little horn that rises from the Roman Empire or the fourth beast of Daniel 7.
Who Is the Second Beast of Revelation?
Revelation 13:11-13 says, “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs…”
The Bible identifies the second beast of Revelation 13 as the United States of America.
What Is the Image of the Beast?
Revelation 13:14-15 says, “(the second beast) telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.“
What Is the Mark of God?
God says, “I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them” (Ezekiel 20:12). “It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth” (Exodus 31:17). God’s sign or mark, the seventh day Sabbath (Genesis 2:2,3; Exodus 20:8-11), represents His holy power to rule as the Creator and the Savior.
What Is the Mark of the Beast?
The symbol, or mark, of God’s authority and power is His holy Sabbath day. It seems realistic that the symbol or the Mark of the Beast might also involve a holy day. And since the papacy was identified as the beast (see above link), then the papacy must have another day of worship. To find that day, examine the following section from a Catholic catechism:
“Question: Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept?”
“Answer: Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her – she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.” Stephen Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism [FRS No. 7.], (3rd American ed., rev.: New York, Edward Dunigan & Bro., 1876), p. 174.
Here, the papacy is declaring that it changed the observance of the seventh day Sabbath (Saturday) to the first day of the week (Sunday). And it claims Sunday as the mark, or symbol, of her authority. But the Bible declares that the end time saints, whose names are in the book of life, will keep God’s commandments (including the seventh-day Sabbath). “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12 also Revelation 12:17).
Warning Against Receiving the Mark of the Beast
The third angel’s message warns people against the reception of the Mark of the Beast (Revelation 14:9–11). And the Lord alerts His faithful of the evil unholy trinity of religious powers, which will constitute latter-day “great Babylon.”
“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” (Revelation 16:13, 14).
The dragon (Satan) of Revelation 12:3, 4, and the false prophet (apostate Protestantism) of Revelation 13:11-14; 19:20 will form an alliance with the beast (Papacy) of Revelation 13:1-10. These three powers will become allies in Armageddon, the final war against God, His law, and His loyal followers. The Bible calls this coalition “Babylon the great” (Revelation 18:2).
When religious leaders and their followers worship the first beast and choose to observe its laws and its man-made day of worship (Sunday) and disobey God’s Commandments and His seventh day Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11), they will receive the mark of the beast.
Therefore, the Lord calls His faithful children out of Babylon or the churches that break God’s commandments. “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities” (Revelation 18:1–4). As God’s chosen in the past came out of literal Babylon, so His chosen today are called out of mystical Babylon that they may join the family of God.
The Mark on the Forehead or the Hand
The Mark of the Beast will be put on the forehead or the hand. The forehead represents the mind (Hebrews 10:16). A person will be marked in the forehead by a decision to keep Sunday holy. The hand is a symbol of work (Ecclesiastes 9:10). And a person will be marked in the hand by working on God’s holy Sabbath or by going along with civil Sunday laws (Blue Laws) for practical reasons. The sign or mark for either God or the beast will not be visible to people.
Then, the beast will take stern action against God’s children, whose names are in the Book of Life, and orders that “no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark” of the Beast (Revelation 13:16-17). This law of not buying and selling will be taken in an effort to secure compliance with the dictates of the image of the beast (Revelation 14:1, 12). This law will lead to the death decree against the faithful (Revelation 13:15).
The Lord declares, “he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations” (Revelation 2:26). This implies that the overcomer will have victory over the false apostles and teachers, who had been teaching man-made doctrines. And the reward for the overcomer will be eternal life (Revelation 3:5). “If anyone has an ear, let him hear” (Revelation 13:9).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
Disclaimer:
The contents of this article and website are not intended to be against any individual. There are many priests and faithful believers in Roman Catholicism who serve God to the best of their knowledge and are seen by God as His children. The information contained herein is directed only towards the Roman Catholic religio-political system which has reigned in varying degrees of power for nearly two millennia. This system has established an increasing number of doctrines and statements that directly go against the Bible.
It is our purpose to lay the clear Word of God before you, the truth-seeking reader, to decide for yourself what is truth and what is error. If you find anything here contrary to the Bible, do not accept it. But if you desire to seek for Truth as for hidden treasure, and find herein something of that quality and feel that the Holy Spirit is revealing Truth to you, please make all haste to accept it.