What in the World?
The Pinnacle of Technology (part 4)
What is all this talk about a mark? And why is it called the Mark of the Beast? To answer these questions, we must turn to the Bible. So, what does the Bible say about the reason for the Mark of the Beast?
The origin of the mark
The Bible has a great deal to say about the end times of the human race. In fact, so much information is provided that it becomes obvious that one of God's primary goals in Scripture is to explain to the human race what will transpire at the close of the age. One of the explicit points God makes in Scripture is the person of the Antichrist. Mark Hitchcock explains it like this:
…the greatest human being, apart from Jesus Christ Himself, has yet to make his appearance upon our planet. The Bible predicts this satanic superhuman will splash unto the world scene and rule the world for the final 3 1/2 years before the return of Christ. He plays a central role in the events of end times prophecy. More than one hundred passages of Scripture describe the origin, nationality, character, career, conquest, and doom of the final world ruler known as the Antichrist. Clearly, God wants His people to know something about the coming prince of darkness (THE END, p. 253)
The Bible attributes the Mark of the Beast to the Antichrist ‒ more specifically, the Scriptures attribute the mark to Satan himself. Why give the credit to Satan? Because Satan gives power and authority to the Antichrist and says (italics added),
And I saw a beast [Antichrist] rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast [Antichrist] that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon [Satan] gave his power and his throne and great authority (Revelation 13:1-2 ESV).
The ultimate power behind the Antichrist and his world-wide position and authority is Satan. As previously mentioned, the beast will be the second most influential human being to ever live, second only to Jesus Christ. The Antichrist, a mere mortal, can only attain such power from a higher source and power. Because of his world-wide authority, the Antichrist will be in a position to institute the mark and issue an universal edict requiring all persons to adhere to his new law.
Why institute a mark?
As we have previously mentioned, the mark brings all persons (those who accept that mark) under his control ‒ a control that extends to the ends of the earth. Many men have desired to rule the world; many have tried to rule the world; but not until the Antichrist's short period of power will such an accomplishment be realized.
Satan's ultimate goal has always been to be like God. More specifically, to be worshipped like God. There is a remarkable passage in Isaiah that describes the sin and fall of Lucifer (Satan).
How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God; I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High (Isaiah 14:12-14 ESV Italics added).
Satan's goal is to be worshipped world-wide, particularly during the last seven years. To this end, his representative, the beast, will appear as a savior to the world. It seems he will be capable of bringing peace and stability to a world thrown into chaos because of catastrophic economic or military conflict, or both. The world's inhabitants will be deceived and the beast will appear as a god-send to the world. And what will be the response of the inhabitants of the earth? The Bible describes it in this fashion: "And they (peoples of the earth) worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?'" (Revelation 13:4 ESV italics added).
Clearly, the world's population will be deceived. Their adoration and thanks will be directed towards the dragon and his beast, and people will worship them both. In fact, the majority of the world's inhabitants will not be capable of recognizing the deceit that will exist during those days. They will apparently only recognize the greatness and capabilities of the person of the Antichrist, and the power behind him (Satan), and both will be worshipped. But their end will not be good ‒ not the dragon, not the beast, nor those who worship them. The Bible tells us their ultimate and final end (italics added):
And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur" (Revelation 19:20 ESV).
And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name (Revelation 14:9-11 ESV).
The Bible gives ample warning to avoid the mark at all cost.
How is everyone to be forced into taking this mark?
Can a person be forced to accept the mark of the beast? The answer is yes and no. Yes, because no person will be able to buy or sell anything across the entire planet without the mark. So, in effect, if a person refuses to accept the mark, there will be no purchasing of any sort. Anyone who refuses to accept the mark, and the Scripture is clear that some will not, will be excluded from the system of buying and selling as Revelation tells us "…that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark" (Revelation 13:16 ESV). This will most certainly be sufficient to persuade most of the world's population to accept the mark.
And what about those who refuse the mark? The Bible is clear on this matter as well.
There will be many people who will come to Jesus Christ during the extraordinarily tumultuous period of the Tribulation. Those persons will come to the Lord for forgivingness of their sins and eternal life because of the gospel message. While there is not room here to discuss the matter in detail, suffice it to say that God will declare the gospel message to the inhabitants of the world through multiple means during the tribulation period. As a result, many will come to a saving knowledge of the Lord and be granted the gift of eternal life (Ephesians 2:8-9). Nevertheless, those who come to God's grace and forgiveness during that period will be killed.
Revelation 13:15 states that anyone who does not worship the beast nor take the mark will lose their life: "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." This is an explicit statement that some will not accept the mark, and they will be killed for their refusal to comply. In fact, the book of Revelation provides a scene in heaven that takes place during the Tribulation and pictures those who refused the mark as they are gathered with God. Notice how those persons lost their life.
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. (Revelation 20:4 ESV Italics added).
Frankly said, if a person is not a Christian at the time of the tribulation, the only alternative for eternal life is the refusal to accept the Mark of the Beast and a repentant turn to Jesus Christ. Each of those persons must face the Antichrist's retribution for refusal to accept the mark. There is a passage that should be carefully considered as it speaks to those who are saved during the tribulation: "If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints" (Revelation 13:10 ESV).
Back to the starting point
The importance of the world's advanced technology in light of biblical prophecy cannot be overstated.
Why? Because it proves the Bible correct when it states that in the end times such a scenario and purchasing system would exist. This system allows for all tracking and control of everything that is purchased ‒ all purchases. This technological system grants access to people who are deemed to be given access. This system will exclude people from the purchasing system who will not comply. This system will exist only through an unprecedented technological infrastructure that fulfills Daniel's statement and would be revealed in the end times:
"But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" (Daniel 12:4 ESV italics added).
We conclude with a comment from Mark Hitchcock who quotes Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins who write,
Thinking people who read revelation 13 have long wondered how the Antichrist could exercise such total control over billions of people. How could it be possible that they could not buy or sell without this mark? For the first time in two thousand years, it is now technologically possible to enforce such a system. Microchips have already been invented that can be placed in the body to enable others to track that individual. (Such systems are already in place to track family pets.) We are all familiar with the scanner at the checkout counter of most stores. All it would take is a computer that required the "666" number of people's accounts (or hands and foreheads) in order for them to "buy or sell." Mark‒of‒the‒beast technology is already here! (The End of Money, p. 77).
And since the time of this statement, astounding and world-changing advances in technological infrastructure have been made and put into place. And, maybe as important, politicians and world leaders are not only interested and willing to develop such a system, but seem bent on its implementation at a pace that is astonishing by any standard. Are we seeing the final pieces of the end-time system coming together? It certainly does seem like that is the case. It seems we are being dragged, pushed, even driven, to fulfill the Bible's declarations of the end-times. Consider what God says about his own intentions to fulfill his will as declared in the Bible (italics added):
…I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose, calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country.' I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it (Isaiah 46:8-11 ESV).
I encourage you to read Mark Hitchcock's books, The End of Money (2013), and The Great Reset (2022). In fact, I will send you a free copy of The Great Reset, free of charge, to anyone interested.
Let's move on to our closing discussion and some links for resources to learn more.
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