Daily Scripture Reading Revelation 13:11 - 14:7

One of the well-known facets of future events is the mark of the beast and the number 666. Christians know that having the mark of the beast is wrong. Some Christians worry that social security numbers and the prominence of credit cards is a step towards taking the mark of the beast.

However, today, we will read the passage that tells us about the mark of the beast. A careful observation of what the passage actually says shows us that modern life does contain foretastes of the mark, but the concern is not social security numbers or credit cards.

The 12th chapter of Revelation tells us about a dragon, which represents Satan. Then the opening verses of chapter 13 tells us about a beast which receives power from the dragon.

Rev. 13:11 ¶ Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and he was speaking as a dragon.

Rev. 13:12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.

Rev. 13:13 And he does great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men.

Rev. 13:14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which were given to him to do in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.

Look at the word “deceive”. Those who dwell on the earth will be deceived.

Rev. 13:15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

Rev. 13:16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, that they be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,

This is the passage that tells us about the mark of the beast. The mark is either on the right hand or on the forehead.

Rev. 13:17 and 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.

Pay attention to what the Bible actually says about the mark. Look at the word “either”. The mark is either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Some people think social security numbers or credit card numbers are the mark of the beast, or a foretaste of the mark of the beast. However, a social security number or a credit card number differentiates one person from another person. That is not the purpose of the mark of the beast.

The purpose of the mark of the beast is to identify with the beast. Verse 17 says anyone without the mark of the beast will not be able to buy or sell.

Imagine you go to a ball game, and you are not allowed to buy food or drink unless you are wearing the logo of the home team. That is how the mark of the beast will work. If you wear the home team’s logo, you are identifying with the home team and expressing loyalty to the home team. When people take the mark of the beast, they will be identifying with and expressing loyalty towards the beast.

Covid was a foretaste of the mark of the beast. During Covid, some cities had a rule that you could not eat in a restaurant unless you proved you were vaccinated. Many athletes and employees had to get vaccinated in order to keep their job. People were not required to have a mark on their hand or forehead proving they were vaccinated, so in that sense Covid was different than the mark of the beast, but the underlying mentality was similar.

Rev. 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of man; and his number is 666.

Rev. 14:1 ¶ Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.

In contrast to those who follow the beast and put his name or number on their hand or forehead, the 144,000 will have the name of the Lamb and His Father on their foreheads.

Rev. 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.

Rev. 14:3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth.

Rev. 14:4 These are the ones who are not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

Rev. 14:5 And NO LIE WAS FOUND IN THEIR MOUTH; they are blameless.

Out of every quality that could have been mentioned here, honesty is mentioned. This indicates that honesty is very important.

Rev. 14:6 ¶ Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who inhabit the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.

Rev. 14:7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”

It will be wrong to take the mark of the beast. Some Christians worry that social security numbers and the prominence of credit cards is a step towards taking the mark of the beast. However, those numbers are designed to differentiate one person from another.

In contrast, the mark of the beast will blur individuality and force people to declare loyalty and obedience to the beast. Just as people wear the logo of their favorite team, during the tribulation people will be forced to put the name or number of the beast on their body in order to buy or sell.

Besides the Covid vaccine, what are other ways modern society is forcing people to identify with a certain belief system in order to buy or sell?

In what ways are the homosexual and transgender movements trying to use economics to force people to accept their beliefs?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”