'The Mark of the Beast': Characteristics

Here is some excellent information on The Mark of the Beast. So good, in fact, that I have little to add, so I have simply cut and pasted it. I will include my own comments as well, in parentheses { }. The original document can be found here.  *

{The NIV translation of Revelation 13:16 says: "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."}

THE 8 CHARACTERISTICS OF “The Mark”

Revelation 13:16-18; 14:9-11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4
EadsHome Ministries; www.eadshome.com

1) Likely a physical implant or detailed scarification.
The repetitive nature of John’s description of The Mark lends itself to the interpretation that the Mark is to be taken as literal, rather than figurative.

It has been theorized that The Mark refers symbolically to the belief in [forehead] and support of [right hand] the Antichrist, rather than to a literal mark. However, if this were the case, it would be difficult to imagine how consumers could be easily identified as not having The Mark, since John says that those without The Mark will not be able to buy or sell.

The Mark is described as something that is “received”. Faith in Antichrist and service to the Antichrist is not “received”, it is ‘appropriated’ and ‘given’. The fact that The Mark is received highlights the fact that it comes from an outside source, not from within the person.

2) This physical Mark will be on the right hand/wrist or the forehead. (Rev. 13:16)
The fact that the left hand is not mentioned as a possible site for The Mark is intriguing, and could shed some light onto the future purpose of The Mark from a practical standpoint. With large numbers of people receiving this mark in a very short period of time, the choosing of the right hand may be for convenience purposes. New military recruits often stand in line to receive their vaccinations, which are given into the same arm as the line advances. The same may be true for The Mark. The location on the right hand may also serve as a quick means of identifying a person for commercial reasons.

The option of receiving The Mark on the forehead may be for practical purposes [such as with amputees] or to identify those who cooperate with the beast on another level. Marking of the forehead would, under normal circumstances, be less desirable than marking an extremity for physical, surgical, and cosmetic reasons. Thus, those with The Mark on the forehead could serve to identify a “special” class of people who are more deeply involved with the beast’s kingdom.

3) The great majority of people on earth will receive The Mark.
The usage of the word “everyone” in Revelation 13:16, cannot mean literally everyone on planet earth will receive The Mark. We know that there will be Christians who will not receive The Mark, and they are specifically mentioned in Rev. 20:4. But, apparently all types of people will be represented as bearers of The Mark [small, great, rich, poor, free, slave].

4) It will be impossible to engage in common commerce without The Mark, but there will likely be an “underground” currency and commerce system amongst those without The Mark.
The statement that “no one” could buy or sell without The Mark is not intended to mean that literally no one on earth will be able to buy or sell from anyone else on planet earth. If that were so, then most, if not close to all, Christians would die of starvation or dehydration during the final years. Since many elect will be left until the end to be gathered to Jesus [Matt 24:29-31], these will need to find a way to survive during the final 3 ½ years of oppression [Rev. 12:17, 13:7; Daniel 7:25]. Sustenance farming and lake water purification will not be immediately available to most, so an underground commerce system will likely form. Again, the usage of “no one” in Rev. 13:17 parallels the usage of “everyone” in Rev. 13:16, detailing that the entire world common market will be governed by the beast and will necessitate having The Mark to participate in it.

{The Bible does not speak of this, but common sense would show it to be true.}

5) The Mark will consist of two types.

1. The name of the beast
2. The “number” of his name

It is important to remember that not every Mark will correlate to a number. We cannot be sure whether the majority will be related to his number or his name. The fact that even today a vast majority of people are familiar with 666 makes one wonder if the majority of “Marks” will relate to his name rather than his number as many will never imagine that they have the “dreaded Mark of the beast” because it is in no way related to a number.

6) The relationship of The Mark to the number of the beast will not likely be immediately apparent. Insight and wisdom will be necessary to make the connection.
Rev. 13:18 says that the correlation of The Mark to the number of the beast requires: 1) wisdom 2) insight and 3) calculation. The Bible says this despite the fact that a few words later the number 666 is given to us. For these reasons, The Mark will likely not be a large “666” tattooed on the back of the hand. We are encouraged to keep our mind and eyes open to recognizing The Mark. It may be prudent to avoid ANY marking or implantation of the right arm or head to avoid taking a device which is later transferred to the power of the beast.

It will be easier for those who have a marking or implant for innocent reasons to conform their pre-existing device to the name of a man, than it will be for first-time receivers of the marking or implantation.

{Very good points. With all the concern and mistrust for the government today, it will be hard to 'sell' people on anything resembling The Mark of The Beast.  Listen to your instincts-don't second guess yourself!

Here are my thoughts on tactics that will probably be used to get people to comply:

• Embarrass & Correct. We will probably be ridiculed for our suspicions and shown, probably by people who seem to be experts on the Bible, how what they are proposing couldn't possibly be The Mark.  Listen carefully to exactly how things are worded!  For instance, I received an email update from my state representative, presumably to show how hard he was working and to justify his (sellout) position.  Here was his argument: "The rising cost of health care is stretching family budgets and hurting American businesses. And if we do nothing, our health care system will explode our national debt."  It's hard to argue that--it's probably true.  BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THE DEBATE IS ABOUT!  I don't think I've heard anyone suggest that we should do NOTHING!  The devil likes to play with words.
  
• Lies. We will probably be lied to.  Self explanatory, but not so easy to spot.  We have to learn to let people's actions do the talking and not put too much trust in the words they utter.  Listen to your instincts!
• Shame & Shun. Piling on the guilt.
• Downplay & Justify. Minimizing the consequences, but inflating the benefits.  Make the reasons to do it look big, and the reasons  not to do it look small, silly, unimportant, outdated, superstitious, uneducated, misinterpreted, evil, etc.
• Possibly: pleading. If the above methods aren't working.
• Threatening. If all else fails--to induce compliance based on fear.
• Punishment. To frighten others into compliance.}

7) 666: What we know about it.

1. The number is six-hundred and sixty-six, not six, six, six. Six, six, six is three separate numbers, whereas six-hundred and sixty-six is one number. The ramifications of this difference cannot be completely known at this time, but the Scriptures are clear that the number is a singular number, not three separate side-by-side numbers. Let the reader remember this important distinction.
2. 666 is “the number of his name” meaning that it is connected, though calculation, to the beast’s name. The tying of this number to the name of the beast may mean that a literal Arabic number will not be visible on The Mark.
3. 666 is also “that of a man”. The NIV translation of “man’s number” implies that mankind has a “number” which is known and can be used for our calculations. However, the structure of the Greek is properly denoted in the NASB and KJV. The number is “the number of a man”. Let no one be deceived into thinking that this name, or its number comes from heaven in anyway. This number comes from a man. And anyone who follows man instead of God [Galatians 1:10] is destined for an eternity apart from God.

Note: three interesting textual variants should be mentioned with regard to the number of the beast. We are very certain that the original Greek stated six-hundred and sixty-six, but a few documents give another number. They are:

1. 665
2. 646
3. 616

8. Those who receive The Mark will be tormented with burning sulfur without rest forever. [Rev. 14:10-11]

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{Here are a few easy things to remember, to help you have discernment in life, and to judge things by:

• God adds & multiplies; Satan subtracts & divides.
• God absolutely gives you free will; Satan seeks to control you, often through fear.
• God is in charge; Satan is trying to unite men to himself to stir up enough psychic energy to unseat God.  (It won't work).
• There is only One God, creator of all;  Satan is one god (not capitalized) that goes by many names.
• There is one way to God (Jesus Christ); many ways to Satan.
• God and Satan are not equals--God created Satan. God is superior; Satan is inferior.

*(Although I agree with what I have posted here--unless otherwise noted--I have no affiliation with the owners of said website, nor can I say whether or not I support their positions or agree with any of their other postings since I have not had adequate time to familiarize myself with their entire site.)}

A 'Sleeper Doctrine'
Just Another 'Blue Light Special'?