Marked for Judgment

The so-called “Mark of the Beast” has ignited the imagination of Bible scholars, pundits, common folk, and writers over the centuries. It’s the stuff of witches’ brews and green eyes in the dark. It reeks of Nero and Hitler, boots in the street, and glass breaking in the night. Apart from folklore and myths, the beast – and his mark – are real features of the events of the seven-year “day of wrath” upon the earth that we call the Tribulation.

Chapters 12 and 13 of the Revelation of Jesus Christ describe the casting out of Satan from heaven, the persecution of the Jewish people, and the rise of the beast, or Anti-Christ, who will briefly rule the nations. All those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will worship this man. He will have a second beast, the false prophet, described in Scripture as having the bearing of a lamb but the speech of a dragon. This false messiah will order the deaths of those who refuse to worship the beast.

And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. “Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.”

-Revelation 13:16-18

What does it mean to “calculate” the number of the beast?

In some of the languages of the ancient world, letters are associated with numerical values. The Greek practice of assigning a number to a letter is called gematria. The first letter of the Greek alphabet, Alpha, equals one. The second letter, Beta, equals two. And so on through the Greek alphabet.

Though there is some dispute among scholars, this mark, or designation, is usually calculated to be 666.

People try to plug in the numerical values to the names of their favorite villains to see who might be equal to that fateful number. A couple of things, however, are noteworthy.

• The Anti-Christ won’t be revealed until the Restrainer, understood to be the Holy Spirit, is removed (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Since Christians in the age of grace are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22), He won’t be leaving Earth without them. It’s a waste of time to try to guess who the beast is or if he is living now. We’re not going to know.

• The number 666 means more than just an identification number. The number of God is 7, the number of perfection or completeness. The Holy Trinity is associated with 777; the perfect expression of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Tribulation will be associated with the unholy trinity; the imperfect and twisted trio of beast, false prophet, and Satan: 666.

• Receiving the mark on either a hand or the forehead will identify a person as belonging to Satan,  a deliberate act of worship and submission to his authority. Those who refuse the mark will pay with their lives.

• Some people will wear the name instead of the mark on their right hand or forehead.

• All commerce will be controlled by this system. It’s easy in today’s world to see that happening.

The Bowl Judgments: The Winepress of the Wrath of God

The last verses of Chapter 14 proclaim the harvest of the earth. 

Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,  he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

– Revelation 14:9-12

From the Temple in heaven a loud voice announces the fearsome bowl judgments upon the earth. These judgments are described in Revelation 16:

• The first bowl judgment: Loathsome, Malignant Sores

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

– Revelation 16:2

• The second bowl judgment: Sea Turns to Blood

The second angel poured out his bowl onto the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.

– Revelation 16:3

• The third bowl judgment: Rivers and Springs Turn to Blood

Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters, and they became blood. 

– Revelation 16:4

• The fourth bowl judgment: Men Are Scorched by the Sun

The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire.

– Revelation 16:8

• The fifth bowl judgment: Kingdom of Darkness and Pain Descends upon Mankind

Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain.

– Revelation 16:10-11

• The sixth bowl judgment: Euphrates Dries Up

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.

– Revelation 16:12

Between the sixth and seventh bowl judgments, the kings of the east join the nations arrayed on Tel Megiddo for the final battle, known as Har-Magedon, or Armageddon. 

• The seventh bowl judgment: Great Earthquake Alters the World Topography

Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty.

– Revelation 16:17-18

Christ Himself will arrive to defeat His enemies in the plain of Tel Megiddo. Note that Scriptures also speak of war in the valley of Jehoshaphat at the end.

What will this “mark” be?

As technology evolves, so do theories as to what constitutes the mark. It may be a chip, a tattoo, or some technology not yet developed. All we know for sure is that receiving it seals a person’s doom in an eternal place of torment separated from the presence of God. It represents the final decision of a rebel heart against its Creator. Conversely, those who are sealed in Jesus during the Tribulation will never accept the mark. Most of them will be martyred and ushered into a place of rest to await the Second Coming of Christ. As God brings justice for those who love Him, a horrific end awaits the beast and those who worship him.

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

– Revelation 19:19-21

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