The Mark of the Beast is something that always seems to be a discussion in the back ground. Dispensationalists looking for it to be a physical entity, a view that gained a lot of popularity after the Left Behind series got big in Evangelical circles. But let's ignore fiction novels and take an honest and open look at what the bible says about the Mark of the Beast and then try to figure out what it could be from that foundation.
The primary text for the Mark of the beast is in Revelation 13, which I encourage you to read in it's entirety so you understand more of the context. For the sake of simplicity I will bullet form the qualifications we see. First however let's take a quick view at why it is so vital to know what it is and what to stand against.
While a few verses tell us this, Revelation 14:11 seems to put it so straight forward and well put. Saying, and the smoke from their tormenting goes up forever and ever. They have no rest, day or night, those who worship the beast and it's image and those who receive the mark of it's name.
Fairly serious results. This is why it is always so important that we keep an eye out for the true Gospel, to be following the Living God, lest we be deceived and walk into following the beast instead. So what does Revelation 13 say?
- Verse 4 tells us that they are worshipping the Dragon and the Beast.
- Verse 8 says that every living thing except those written in the Lamb's book of life will worship.
- Verse 16 shows that it is the second, lesser beast, the false prophet which causes all non-believers to receive a mark on their right hand or forehead.
- 17 continues that this mark will prevent anyone from buying and selling unless they have the mark.
- Verse 18 is where so many go really sideways, simply stating that the mark of the beast is the same number which represents humanity, 666.
That can feel like a lot of information to process all on it's own, but it isn't complete information. When we take passages without allowing scripture to interpret scripture we are always going to get a faulty outcome to what we think it is actually saying.
So for any good scripture study we always start with the footnotes. The first spot my CJB sends me to is to examine Daniel 7. In doing so we learn that the Beast is not a single entity at all! The one we see in Revelation is the amalgamation of four beasts we see in Daniel 7. It is explained for us in this chapter as well that those beasts are each a ruling government, a kingdom. The fourth kingdom will be worse than all the others, it will trample down the whole earth and crush it according to 7:23. In this government we will see ten rulers take part, although the text is not specific if these ten will be one after the other, or ruling together. It does specify however that following these ten will be one even worse than they. He will speak against God and try to destroy God's people. He will attempt to alter the seasons and the law, and the holy ones will suffer under him for a time, time and half a time. His rule will be extinguished by the return of our True King.
Now I know this seems odd to so many, but to me the more I look at chapters like these the more I come to a conclusion that this last king is the false prophet pointing to a government which has almost been defeated (the injury to the head) but has taken over the world. Not that the beast is any singular human being.
Now don't get me wholly wrong. Scripture does speak of anti-christs as singular people, people who speak against the Christ or the true Christ. I firmly remain in the camp that believes the seat of the Pope is among this station. I simply do not think The Anti-Christ is inherently a person. But let's remain on track as to how this applies to the mark of this beast.
The reality is if we view this as a physical mark we are already in trouble. If the beast is indeed even a part of the three governments before the world wide one, you have already taken that mark by simply sitting here and reading my blog on your screen. I have taken the mark by writing it on the internet. My husband has taken the mark by holding a job.
Sound shocking? If you live in North America or the majority of the world you already have a special number code applied to you by your government. Here in Canada we call them our Social Security Numbers. You're a number to them, not a person. Next, you are already carrying a debit card, which is to carry a microchip that tracks quite a bit about you. You more than likely have a cellphone, tracking you and your personal information. You use the internet, and did you know that the numeric value of www is 666? Even the barcodes we use to purchase things comes out really weird when we dig into it. We can find oddball things like this all over the place if we begin to look. Honestly it's enough to be able to drive you crazy! But take heart, remember the first stipulation to the mark of the beast? That it would be willing. That it would be knowingly received as a sign of worship to the kingdom you were serving.
That doesn't fully get us off the hook though either. I fully believe that these things are a form of conditioning. Even the issues currently with temperature scanning, following the lines on the floors, keep your distance, facial recognition etc; I absolutely hold that we as a people are being conditioned for something. We are being programed to look at the world a certain way, to hold certain views, to submit. And for the majority, it's working. Stand Fast Believer! Hold to the Word as your only authority!
So when can this mark be if it isn't all these things? Could it be this microchip that's been going on for a few years now and growing in popularity? What about the rumours of microchips, digital certificates or nano tech in the Covid vaccinations?
This leads us into another stipulation given as we understand the mark and what scripture says of it. The right hand and the forehead. Firstly, an injection is neither of those. Secondly, the microchip is usually done into the left hand. Thirdly and most importantly, I don't think these a physical locations at all!
To allow scripture to interpret scripture then we must look at other references of the right hand and forehead being used, what was the context and understanding of those terms? Deuteronomy 6 tells us firstly to put God's work on our right hands and foreheads, but it is Deuteronomy 11 which gives us even more detail.
Deuteronomy 11:18 says, Therefore, you are to store up these words of mine in your heart and in all your being; tie them on your hands as a sign; put them at the front of a headband around your forehead.
This tells us a few things, while Deuteronomy 6 and the end of 11:18 seems very physical we must allow the context to speak. How can the first part of verse 18 be physical at all? Other places in the bible speak of figurative and spiritual references of 'on the forehead' or 'on the right hand' or 'at the right hand'. This is because it was culturally understood, cultural context can always be helpful, that these were not a physical statement. The forehead is a marker to show our thoughts. The right hand for our actions.
Thus I hold that the mark of the beast is Not in fact an inherent object, but the thoughts and actions we put forward because of the worship of this series of governments taking power upon our earth. We have gone through many points in time in which this has been a serious issue. One powerful example was Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who would not bow before the statute. Their thoughts remained pure to God and their actions showed this as they remained standing.
Today we also face risks. What are our own thoughts so weak upon that we are willing to disobey the Word of God to keep working, to keep taking part in terrible systems?
As a Torah Observant believer this is a large part of my drive behind a few things that my husband and I have taken a stand on. We don't send money to Netflix, Disney+, or Starbucks for not only their corporate stances on things like abortion or philosophy but that they send money to support their anti-biblical stances. We don't want our money to be a part of that. We don't support Nike for the known entity of slave labour in their manufacturing. We try to buy products from ethical labour and this even effects our grocery shopping. My husband doesn't work on Sabbath, and I even try to be careful what I am doing on the Sabbath. In this we strive to have our actions consistent to our thoughts which we strive to conform to the Word of God.
These days there is a new threat to this front. Vaccinations have been growing in force more and more. Nurses have already had to fight to be able to avoid the flu vaccine and still work their jobs. These vaccinations violate the Torah on many fronts, being from aborted fetal cell lines or unclean animal cells like pork, monkey and insects.
So in that train of thought, are the new covid vaccinations the mark of the beast? Not inherently. But they could easily be construed as a symbol that you are willing to take something, breaking God's Laws, to submit to the system we are all in until the return of our King. It could be a sign that your thoughts and actions, your forehead and right hand, are not bearing the mark of the Lamb. This is why we have chosen that even if the vaccines become mandatory, and religious exemption is removed, we will not be taking part in this covid vaccination. Perhaps at the cost of more than my husband's job.
Stand strong. Read your bibles for yourself. Watch for the signs and keep your lamps full of oil. Be wary, but overall trust that in all things God has you in the palm of His hand and His will will be done.
Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai, Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yehovah.