666 – The Mark of the Beast

 

Introduction

Revelation 13 | 14:9-11 | 16:13-14 |16:2

The crazy cultural usage of the ‘666’ Mark of the Beast is mostly tongue in cheek or deemed a conspiracy theory. All biblical references to this are found in the Book of Revelation.

As we’ve seen on Endtimes.org, some things that people think are fairy tales, like the Devil or the Antichrist are based in reality and are literal in the Bible. The Mark of the Beast is woven into a small section in the Endtimes narrative, but it is very instructive on the objectives of Satan for the people of the Tribulation.

  1. He is called The god of this world
  2. His main objective –  “I will raise my throne above the stars of God”
  3. His main desire – “I will Make myself like the Most High”
  4. The Mark of the Beast demonstrates how brutally he will gather his followers into his kingdom.

 

Read Revelation 13:1-18 for the full introduction and Satan in the Endtimes page for background.

Before going into the 666, by way of reminder, this part of the book of Revelation unfolds the Satanic power structure that we must understand first. 

 

These are all Demonically or Satanically controlled

And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs

 

Satan’s time is limited

Revelation 12:12 – Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.

 

The Timeline of Revelation

As detailed in the Book of Revelation Overview, there are chapters in Revelation that don’t fit chronologically into the main timeline that we have seen. Revelation 12-14 is one such example. It gives unique details about Israel, the Antichrist, the False Prophet and the Mark of the Beast. The chronological timeline continues again in Revelation 15. (timelines)

Initially, in the first half of the Tribulation (3.5 years) the Antichrist comes to bring peace, on a white horse, like Satan, the angel of light. It seems that the False Prophet is revealed after the Antichrist sits in the temple and demands worship, at the midpoint. That is the start of the second half (3.5 years) – The Great Tribulation. This is why the prophecy says that the Antichrist is given authority to act for 42-months. This is Scene II – The Reveal!

 

The Mark

The False Prophet (the satanic evangelist) is the one that will instigate the worldwide Mark of the Beast.

Revelation 13:16 – 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

Another example: Revelation 14 – the Lamb (Jesus) was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads

In Ancient Rome, tattoos or writing were used on the forehead to indicate status or ownership, such as for slaves. Whether the hand or forehead in this case is literal, it’s hard to say, but it does seem clear that it indicates an allegiance to the Antichrist, and by association, to Satan. The Mark demonstrates the choice to follow the Antichrist, as we will show.

 

The Purpose

The purpose is to control Commerce at every point of sale in order to demand allegiance, or worship. Without that Mark (ID), people cannot buy or sell anything. This assumes the prophesied final One-World Empire during the Tribulation, otherwise people could just move to escape. (Daniel Intro)

…he (The False Prophet) 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.

The Antichrist, empowered by Satan is the Head of the final One-World Kingdom (Confederacy or Alliance). That is how he has this kind of control over the currency. 

 

Finally, the Number

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.

Forever there have been speculations about who or what the ‘666’ refers to.  Anytime there is a maniac on the scene people apply the label ‘666’, and then later … on to the next one.

One speculative possibility stems from the fact that there are 3-digits, 3-negative attributes, and 3-persona’s in the Unholy Trinity of Satan-Antichrist-False Prophet. The number 6 in the bible can represent ‘man’, as imperfect compared with God – 7.

Is the Unholy Trinity the ‘666’ in some way? Still, that doesn’t help us right now to identify the Name or Number of Antichrist, but during the tribulation it may. Based on our framework of the Endtimes, the Antichrist is the one that makes a 7-year peace treaty with Israel at the start of the Tribulation, so at that time he will be identifiable. Now we know the power structure and motives.

(Daniel 9:27) – And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

 

The True Meaning of the Mark of the Beast – Allegiance

Revelation 14:9-11 and 16:2 make it clear three times that the people that take the Mark are “those who worship the beast and his image”

  • “If anyone worships the Beast and his image, and receives a mark” (Revelation 14:9)
  • “Those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark” (Revelation 14:11)
  • …malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image

 

Contrary to what I’ve heard many times, usually from people speculating about some new technology, this Mark is an allegiance to Satan and his power structure. It is not a misunderstanding Hollywood style where no one reads the contract before signing with the Devil. Motives aside, it is a willing and permanent choice. This is not to say that it doesn’t include deception – it does. The Antichrist and the False Prophet can perform signs, empowered by Satan.

Revelation 13:14 – And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform

 

The Consequences 

The next reference to the Mark of the Beast is in Revelation 14, where God’s judgements (the consequences of the mark) are being announced, and it’s not good for those people who bowed down before the Antichrist. Revelation 14:9-11

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,10 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. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up 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.”

 

Does Modern Technology help to fulfill this prophecy?

Speculating a bit here, it is hard to imagine how it is not enabled by modern technology, considering that the technology already exists. The prophecies don’t say how people get the Mark, and the how part is secondary. This goes back to how we interpret prophecies such as this in a book that, as we explained here, uses imagery for the Apostle John to be able to understand and write down what he was seeing. Either way, this is an image that explains a literal truth or event. Culturally, John would have understood the meaning of the mark on the forehead.

The CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) or something similar is a good example of something that would allow for that kind of control over where and how people can buy and sell – thus the Mark, or ID. Earlier, people thought that the digital credit cards, with the chip were the obvious fulfillment of this prophecy. Regardless of how it is done, at least technologically this prophecy can be fulfilled today. We wait for the arrival of Antichrist’s Empire, the final Gentile Empire of history.

 

The Doom of the Antichrist and False Prophet

Revelation 19:20 – 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.

2 Thessalonians 2:8 – Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;

 

Conclusion

The mystery of the ‘666’ can distract a bit from the main point, that Satan, through the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be attempting a coup against heaven. To be like God he needs followers, and he will get those followers by any means necessary – bribery, deception or murder. Thus the Mark of the Beast.

To be clear, the Tribulation is portrayed in the Bible as God’s wrath, the Time of Jacob’s trouble. (Israel) And yet, the Bible also says the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time. Both are true.

There are at least three themes in God’s purposes for the Tribulation, and this adds to the complexity of the book of Revelation.

  1. A large remnant of Israel will be saved (Daniel 9, Jeremiah 31:31, Revelation 12)
  2. The Judgement of unbelievers and the Nations (Revelation 17, 19, Matt 25 )
  3. The Judgement of Satan and his fallen Angels (Revelation 20)