Many people believe that a microchip will be the Mark of the beast. RFID is an identification process in which a person, an animal, or a thing is tagged with a specific ID number. This technology gained much attention in recent years because of the conveniences it offered. Today, it helps people pay for services, turn on devices, access amenities, locate lost humans, animals or things, get access to information….etc.
Despite the clear advantages, this technology raises concerns over individual freedoms, privacy violations, and the improper use of personal information. The idea of “Big Brother is watching” makes people uncomfortable and many today wonder: is the microchip the Mark of the beast?
It is very possible that digital implants could play a role in last-day events, especially in the persecution of God’s children. However, the issue surrounding the Mark of the Beast and end-time events goes much deeper than a mere piece of technology. The apostle John in the book of Revelation chapter 13 reveals that the Mark of the Beast is not a literal brand but an issue that would involve “worship“: “and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast” “and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed” (Revelation 13:12,15).
God’s word in Revelation 13:18 calls for wisdom to understand the prophecy’s meaning. “He 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. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666” (Revelation 13:16-18). The Bible declares that 666 is the number of the beast.
In order to know what the “mark” is, 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… 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 which fits the descriptions of the papacy (the little horn of the fourth beast of Daniel 7 that rises from the Roman Empire).
Who Is the Second Beast of Revelation?
Revelation 13:11,12 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.”
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 (the first) 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 (the Sabbath) 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.
The observance of the seventh day does not rely upon a mere division of time into the weekly cycle but upon the clear command of God (Exodus 20: 8-11), and belief in the infallibility of His Word (Matthew 5:17,18; 1 Peter 1:25). People may reason that the good purpose of keeping the Sabbath could be given to another day. However, God has specified that the seventh day Sabbath is His holy day for in it He has rested (Genesis 2:2,3). And He has commanded us to keep it holy, and abstain during its hours from worldly pursuits and personal pleasures (Isaiah 58:13).
The prophecies of Revelation 12–14 make it clear that the seventh day Sabbath will be the point especially controverted in the end of days before the second coming of Christ (since it is the only commandment that has been broken by both Catholics and most Protestants). But God’s people will be identified by their keeping of all of His commandments including the Sabbath command. “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).
What Is the Mark of the Beast?
And since the symbol, or mark, of God’s authority and power is His holy seventh day Sabbath, 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 has changed the observance of the seventh day Sabbath (Saturday) to the first day of the week (Sunday) and claims Sunday as the mark, or symbol, of her authority. But the Bible declares that the saints 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).
The third angel’s message warns against the reception of the Mark of the Beast (Revelation 14:9–11). And the Lord calls His faithful people out of Babylon or the churches that break God’s commandments (Revelation 18:1–4). When men choose to support the institution of the beast by observing the first day of the week instead of the seventh day Sabbath of God’s commandment (Exodus 20:8-11), they will receive the Mark of the Beast.
This mark 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 the first day of the week holy. The hand is a symbol of work (Ecclesiastes 9:10). A person will be marked in the hand by working on the seventh day Sabbath or by going along with civil Sunday laws (Blue Laws) for practical reasons. The Mark of God or the Mark of the Beast will be invisible to people.
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 first beast (Papacy) of Revelation 13:1-10. This unholy trinity will become allies in Armageddon, the final war against God, His law, and His loyal followers. Jesus calls this coalition “Babylon the great” (Revelation 18:2).
And 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 obedience to the dictates of the image of the beast (Revelation 14:1, 12). This measure will without a doubt bring the death decree upon God’s children (Revelation 13:15).
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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.
