The thirteenth chapter of Revelation opens with the description of a remarkable beast. John, the disciple who Jesus loved sees “a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.” Revelation 13:1
A Dreadful BeastThis dreadful beast power has a “mouth speaking great things and blasphemies.” Vs. 5. “It was given him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.” Vs. 7. “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life.” Vs. 8
A Second, Lamb-Like BeastIn verse 11 another beast is seen “coming up out of the earth” with two horns like a lamb. This second beast is in league with the first, causing “the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast.” Vs.12. This second beast is a miracle-working beast that deceives the earth’s inhabitants by its miracles.
A Forced MarkThis second lamb-like beast is treacherous. It makes an image to the first beast and forces all to worship the image or be killed. (See verses14, 15.) It is this second beast that “causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast or the number of his name.” Verses 16, 17.
In this context is given the number of the beast, which is “the number of a man”, 666.
Awful ConsequencesTerrible consequences accompany the receiving of this mark, for the third angel’s message (Rev. 14:9, 10) is “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” This group is ultimately lost for eternity.
But terrible consequences fall upon those who in one way or another avoid receiving the mark of the beast, also. Economic sanctions and the death penalty come to the resisters. (See verses 15 – 17.)
People get excited when they hear that a microchip has been developed that can be implanted under the skin to identify individuals and be used in commerce, somewhat like a credit card. Could this be the mark of the beast? Revelation is written in symbolic terms. Will the mark be real or symbolic?
God's MarkInterestingly, the mark of the beast has its opposite in the mark of God. Back in Revelation 7: 3, an angel is heard to say, “Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.”
Other scriptures refer to God’s signs upon the forehead and in the hand. They are as follows:
- Keeping of the Day of Atonement was to be a sign in the hand and a memorial between the eyes (in other words, upon the forehead) “that the Lord’s law might be in thy mouth” (Exodus 13:9)
- High priest Aaron, wore a gold plate upon his forehead upon which was engraved the words “HOLINESS TO THE LORD”
- Keeping the Lord’s Sabbath was to be a sign “that I am the Lord that sanctify you” (Exodus 31: 13 – 17) and “a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God” (Ezekiel 20:20)
- The commandments of God were to be a sign “upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.” (Deuteronomy 6: 6 - 8)
These scriptures signify obedience to the commands of God in contrast to lawless living. If the mark of the beast is to be avoided, then one must have the mark of God instead. It’s obvious that there will be no other choices.
