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Chapter 21: The Mark Of The Beast
The mark of the beast will be instituted by the False Prophet. He will force the world to take this mark. Revelation 13:16-17 "He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name." This mark will be required during the reign of Antichrist. It will probably be invisible to the naked human eye. Whenever anyone with the mark needs to make a financial transaction the number will be scanned and their bank account will be credited or debited as needed. We will become a cashless society. Those who refuse to take this mark will not be able to make legal financial transactions. everyone who refuses to take the mark will have to live by their wits and by the grace of God until they are killed or until the first resurrection takes place. Do not fear the wrath of Antichrist or Satan, or worry about your family starving to death during this time. The Lord knows how to take care of his people. (see 1 kings chapter 17) Psalms 37:23-29 If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed. Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off; the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. The mark of the beast is another example of Satan’s desire to imitate the works of God. God invisibly marks his saints and commands the angels to protect them during times of trouble or judgment. The book of Ezekiel gives us an example of God commanding the angels to invisibly mark his people for protection during a time of punishment on the nation of Israel. Ezekiel 9:2-5 And I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. Then the LORD called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side and said to him, "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it." As I listened, he said to the others, "Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary." So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple. In this case all those who were marked by the angel were spared from death during this time of punishment. Notice also, that the judgment of God began at his temple. Satan, through the Antichrist, will promise his protection to those who will receive his mark on their bodies, but, his promise is a lie. Revelation 13:18 "This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666." Six is the number of man because he was created on the sixth day. The triple six symbolizes the unholy trinity; Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet. Jesus said that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached to all nations before the end comes. Those who reject the gospel when they hear it will be without an excuse for being deceived by the False Prophet and accepting the mark. If they had received Christ when the opportunity was available to them, the Holy Spirit would have made sure that they understood that it was wrong to take the mark. Accepting the mark of Antichrist is to reject Jesus Christ permanently, without remedy. The bible has already warned us not to receive the mark. The penalty for taking the mark is far worse than the temporary suffering that one will incur by refusing it. Revelation 14:9-11 "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." The penalty for taking the mark will be to miss the first resurrection and suffer God's wrath which will be poured out upon the Earth. Notice, that the wrath of God is first poured into a container, called here a cup. The containers of God's wrath, whether translated vials, cups, or bowls, all refer to the seven last plagues that will be poured out when chapter sixteen of Revelation is fulfilled. Eternal damnation will follow death, for those who have accepted the mark. In the book of Daniel God has given us an example of how we should react when being commanded to worship an idol or an image. Daniel 3:14-18 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my Gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what God will be able to rescue you from my hand?" Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your Gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Revelation 14:13 "`Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. `Yes,' says the Spirit, `they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them'". Death will be a blessing for those who believe in the true God and follow the example given in Daniel, and refuse to worship the Antichrist. Not everyone will be killed. There are some who will live and be caught up in the first resurrection without ever experiencing death. |