The Mark of the Beast (what it really is explained)

[Renniks]

Generation of mankind. -- I.e., we won't destroy ourselves, Jesus will return for a 1k year reign, and then the end.

Whew,
Bobby Jo

That's probably the weakest interpretation of all of the ones out there. You sure you want to go with that one? Somehow generation suddenly becomes all future generations?

Or maybe the signs and events prophesied by Jesus in verses 4-31 happened in 70 A.D. when the Romans came and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, when the current generation had not passed away.
Yes there's some figurative language used when Jesus quotes "Shall the sun be darkened"...
not in a literal but in a figurative sense...
Old Testament passages like Isaiah 13:9-10 use this kind of language to prophesy against the Babylonians. It's a common mode of speaking in OT prophecies.

 

[Bobby Jo]

That's probably the weakest interpretation of all of the ones out there. ...

Second "weakest", -- second ONLY to the wacky preterist dogma.

But if you like believing fairy tales, then be my guest.
Bobby Jo

 

[Renniks]

Second "weakest", -- second ONLY to the wacky preterist dogma.

But if you like believing fairy tales, then be my guest.
Bobby Jo

I like believing what scripture plainly states. If it's not plain, I'll try the next plainest interpretation. I'm willing to say I could be wrong about it, but it's not any more wacky than the secret rapture for example.

 

[Reggie Belafonte]

The Mark is just as it is in the OT, a marked man as to God, or rejects God and does mans work, simple as that ?
Man is the number 666 such is a beast, a Human number ? like a beast lacking in Grace of Jesus Christ. so they are condemned in fact. the number 666 represents the perfection of Man one short of 777 that is of God. one can not cut it without God. such will fail because such does not abide in the Vine. it's that simple in it's foundations.
The mark to do with in the Hand or the Head and this has to do with your position within the deal.
Satan does deals.
Gods Laws are set solid regardless, so you abide or you don't. you get the mark and you are dealing with Satan.
Jesus never made any deals.

 

[Bobby Jo]

I like believing what scripture plainly states. ...

Correction: "literally states".

And you have NO IDEA who/what the "mark of the beast" is.


Bobby Jo

 

[michaelvpardo]

While everything in scripture obviously can't be interpreted literally, you should understand that Satan mocks God with scripture. He did this during the temptation of our Lord in the wilderness and He does the same to us, but we don't get it if we're not familiar with the whole book.
Moses spoke of a mark and a sign on the hand and on the forehead to identify the children of Israel as God's chosen in at least two different texts. One was about blood sacrifice, the other about the law itself. Satan mocks God by setting up a kingdom on Earth that imitates the heavenly kingdom and forces men to wear a mark on the hand or forehead to prove that they are members of his kingdom. In the case of the law delivered by Moses we see:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Satan's manifestation in the person of the antichrist must be familiar with the law of Moses and in declaring himself the only god, also insists that all should be dependent on him and wear his law (or mark) on their hands and forehead. The mark represents something spiritual or it wouldn't be condemning, but it remains a physical sign just as the Hebrews wore tefellin.
I always laughed when people said the mark would be something like an RFID chip or barcode, but today I'm not so sure. I saw a news story a few hours ago about some countries using software from Israel that allows your cellphone to track your location and gives a green for go signal if you're not infected to allow you entrance to stores (to buy). Since some people will just leave their phones home, the next logical step would be RFID implants for tracking purposes and identification so that people can't just leave them home. I don't think that this is the mark of the beast, but it's a step in that direction if it's implemented world wide and accepted by the general public.

 

[Bobby Jo]

... The mark represents something spiritual or it wouldn't be condemning, but it remains a physical sign just as the Hebrews wore tefellin. ...

The right hand and the forehead are associated, -- which doesn't work for the "heart"/"soul"/"strength"/"tefelllin" -- which is worn on the FOREHEAD and the LEFT ARM. However the Right Hand works for a Palm Scan and the Forehead works for the Retinal Scan -- identification verification.

And at the same time, some type of Barcode/RFID may explain the Rev. 16:2 loathsome sores, where the human immune system reacts to a foreign substance.

Bobby Jo

 

[michaelvpardo]

The right hand and the forehead are associated, -- which doesn't work for the "heart"/"soul"/"strength"/"tefelllin" -- which is worn on the FOREHEAD and the LEFT ARM. However the Right Hand works for a Palm Scan and the Forehead works for the Retinal Scan -- identification verification.

And at the same time, some type of Barcode/RFID may explain the Rev. 16:2 loathsome sores, where the human immune system reacts to a foreign substance.

Bobby Jo

One way or another, it does appear that we're seeing the world being set up for the big events. For years I'd read these passages and was unable to imagine how people could get to such a point, but the pandemic has shown me how much the fear of death can influence people's behavior and get them to simply relinquish their rights and freedoms. I would hope that Christians would take it to heart and develop trade relationships to circumvent the impositions of the anti Christ.

 

[Bobby Jo]

One way or another, it does appear that we're seeing the world being set up for the big events. For years I'd read these passages and was unable to imagine how people could get to such a point, but the pandemic has shown me how much the fear of death can influence people's behavior and get them to simply relinquish their rights and freedoms. I would hope that Christians would take it to heart and develop trade relationships to circumvent the impositions of the anti Christ.

I fully agree, but PLEASE take Jesus' final instructions to heart (Lke 22:35-36) because whatever and however things transpire, we need to be wise stewards for ourselves, for our families, and for our "neighbors"!

And if I might add, -- according to my best understanding, we're already 24 months into the 42 month (Rev. 13:5) tribulation. So if you act, please act soon.
Bobby Jo

 

[michaelvpardo]

The right hand and the forehead are associated, -- which doesn't work for the "heart"/"soul"/"strength"/"tefelllin" -- which is worn on the FOREHEAD and the LEFT ARM. However the Right Hand works for a Palm Scan and the Forehead works for the Retinal Scan -- identification verification.

And at the same time, some type of Barcode/RFID may explain the Rev. 16:2 loathsome sores, where the human immune system reacts to a foreign substance.

Bobby Jo

The right arm represents strength in scripture. I haven't a clue what the Talmud says about the left, but most cultures associate the left hand with evil, and binding it with the law makes some sense.

 

[Bobby Jo]

The right arm represents strength in scripture. ...

What does WATER and BOAT have in common?
What does a BRAIN and THINKING have in common?
What does the RIGHT HAND and FOREHEAD have in common?

... apparently none are related,
Bobby Jo

 

[michaelvpardo]

I fully agree, but PLEASE take Jesus' final instructions to heart (Lke 22:35-36) because whatever and however things transpire, we need to be wise stewards for ourselves, for our families, and for our "neighbors"!

And if I might add, -- according to my best understanding, we're already 24 months into the 42 month (Rev. 13:5) tribulation. So if you act, please act soon.
Bobby Jo

I'm too old for the road, and I'm just doing what the unction of the Spirit is telling me to do (except attend worship services and currently I don't know of any happening anywhere near me anyway.) Very little of it makes any sense to me, but I stopped trying to figure that out when my wife forced me out of our home and later divorced me. I'm glad He had me choose a house in the Pennsylvania woods though. I closed and moved at the end of November and was still moving when they were seeing the first outbreak in Wuhan. I don't feed the deer. I just put corn on the ground and a few herds just come around and eat it. There's lots of wildlife. I could probably develop a taste for the wild turkeys (they compete for leftovers like the squirrels). Only problem is that the ground is too stony to plant corn (and most vegetables) and the herbivores would eat it all anyway. I can't even compost scraps and mouldy food as it disappears within a day or 2 and my compost fencing is getting crushed. The Lord leads step by step, so I just have to try to keep up.

 

[Bobby Jo]

... He had me choose a house in the Pennsylvania woods ...

In the 20's deer were nearly hunted to extinction, as most wild game, -- and you don't want to be "out" for others to get the jump on you. So if you don't have a 6-month food pantry within a year, typical of "Augason Farms" products available on-line from Augason or W/M, life might be challenging.

Lke 22:35-36 says that we have to "prepare". I pray GOD opens those doors for you.

Bobby Jo

 

[michaelvpardo]

In the 20's deer were nearly hunted to extinction, as most wild game, -- and you don't want to be "out" for others to get the jump on you. So if you don't have a 6-month food pantry within a year, typical of "Augason Farms" products available on-line from Augason or W/M, life might be challenging.

Lke 22:35-36 says that we have to "prepare". I pray GOD opens those doors for you.

Bobby Jo

Well, the Lord provided for Elijah in the wilderness, so I suspect He's able to provide for me. I've never really been anything more than a messenger boy in His church (didn't have the biblical qualifications for much else) and I've been prepared to go home for quite a while, but I've gotten the impression that I have to stick around for the long run and then some. It's not my desire, but apparently it's His, so it's up to Him to make it happen. I've got two herds of deer that visit pretty much every day, but I don't think I could bring myself to do them any harm even if I was hungry, they're too sociable and entertaining. (The turkey however are somewhat obnoxious) Maybe the Lord will send me a bobcat or panther to bring fresh kills like my old cats did. In any event, the Lord has always provided for me, recently in abundance, so I trust that he will. Preparing isn't necessarily the same for everyone. The Church is a body, not a bunch of folks running around the mountains like lost sheep. We either stand together or fall alone.

 

[Brakelite]

We must remember that John a 1st century human was looking at life going on today. He had to use symbolism to explain to 1st century Christian. To call today symbolism to us is sorta being blind eyed. What is happening now is the literal acts John was trying to explain to those in his time.

Revelation is the literal things going on today. What did John see today that we refuse to accept?

Was John writing for those of his day... Out was he writing to warm us who are reading him now?

 

[Brakelite]

That is completely false, since the Bible says it is a physical mark. That cannot be allegorized or spiritualized away.

REVELATION 13
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark* in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 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.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

REVELATION 14
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark* in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall 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 ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark* of his name.

Strong's Concordance
*charagma: a stamp, impress
Original Word: χάραγμα, ατος, τό
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: charagma
Phonetic Spelling: (khar'-ag-mah)
Definition: a stamp, impress
Usage: sculpture; engraving, a stamp, sign.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 5480: χάραγμα (charagma)

χάραγμα, χαράγματος, τό (χαράσσω to engrave);
a. a stamp, an imprinted mark: of the mark stamped on the forehead or the right hand as the badge of the followers of Antichrist, Revelation 13:16; Revelation 14:9, 11; Revelation 15:2 Rec.; (πυρός, the mark branded upon horses, Anacreon () 26 (55), 2).

b. thing carved, sculpture, graven work: of idolatrous images, Acts 17:29. (In various other senses in Greek writings from Sophocles down.)

When people start controverting what is plainly stated in Scripture, then there is no end to false doctrines. And we have a host of them on Christian forums.

Please explain why receiving this particular mark is any different from the millions who have tattoos all over their bodies. Why is this particular mark so offensive to God more than any other sin that men have been committing for centuries if it is just a physical mark on the skin? And why is this beast singled out over any other individual or organisation that has been making their members for centuries?
Instead of only saying nah, it's physical, you need to explain why and fill us in on the real ramifications. You could also explain why those who choose not to accept the mark are n noted for their commandment keeping... Is receiving the mark an act of rebellion against God in some way...a flagrant violation against His commandments perhaps?

 

[Enoch111]

Please explain why receiving this particular mark is any different from the millions who have tattoos all over their bodies.

Revelation 13 provides us with the reason why this Mark is so unique, so damnable and so damning. The Greek letter stigma is used for the last 6 in 666, to shown that this Mark is a brand of Satan, and stigmatizes its receiver for eternity. It's a sign that not only does Satan own that person's ability to survive, but he also owns that person's soul.

Why is this particular mark so offensive to God more than any other sin that men have been committing for centuries if it is just a physical mark on the skin?

Because it is associated with the blatant worldwide worship of (a) Satan, (b) the Antichrist, and (c) the Abomination of Desolation (the image of the Beast). All idols are an abomination to God, since they are extremely offensive to God. But this Abomination is associated with the Man of Sin, who will as sit in the temple at Jerusalem, not only claiming to be God, but blaspheming God beyond all blasphemies, and demanding the worship of his image while attacking the worship of the true God. As the prophecy of Daniel shows, the Antichrist (the Little Horn) is the Arch Blasphemer, and because this idolatry is so extreme, it triggers the desolations of the Great Tribulation (the 7th seal judgments). Hence the Abomination which maketh desolate.

And why is this beast singled out over any other individual or organisation that has been making their members for centuries?

"Beast" is a metaphor for the beastly nature of the Antichrist -- he is merciless, vicious, wicked, and predatory. The reason he is singled out is because God has allotted Satan and the Antichrist total control of the unbelieving and ungodly world for 3 1/2 years (42 months). At the same time God sends strong delusion upon the inhabitants of the world, so that they will believe the Satanic lies of the Antichrist, and the deceptive signs, wonders, and miracles to bring about Satanic worship, and will be damned through the idolatrous worship mentioned above.

Instead of only saying nah, it's physical, you need to explain why and fill us in on the real ramifications. You could also explain why those who choose not to accept the mark are noted for their commandment keeping... Is receiving the mark an act of rebellion against God in some way...a flagrant violation against His commandments perhaps?

That's correct. The supreme act of rebellion by human beings is to worship the Devil instead of God, a flagrant violation of all His commandments. Those who refuse to take the Mark are beheaded because they are faithful to God. Those who take the Mark are eternally damned because they loved not the truth. It is all there in 2 Thessalonians.

 

[Timtofly]

Please explain why receiving this particular mark is any different from the millions who have tattoos all over their bodies. Why is this particular mark so offensive to God more than any other sin that men have been committing for centuries if it is just a physical mark on the skin? And why is this beast singled out over any other individual or organisation that has been making their members for centuries?
Instead of only saying nah, it's physical, you need to explain why and fill us in on the real ramifications. You could also explain why those who choose not to accept the mark are n noted for their commandment keeping... Is receiving the mark an act of rebellion against God in some way...a flagrant violation against His commandments perhaps?

Since Revelation was to prepare the church, and since the church was not told it would be 2000 years later, it was for all ages in between. But only the last generation would know and understand fully. Well maybe. Some still are thinking tomorrow. We should be thinking today.

Just like all lost people who die in their sins, rejecting Christ, the mark is total rejection. It was God who cursed and Marked the fallen descendants of Adam. Since the Holy Spirit was given to seal all of humanity to "cover" this mark, when the Holy Spirit is removed, the mark will no longer be sealed. When the Lamb's book of life is finally opened in heaven, humans will be able to proudly present this mark in Solidarity with Satan who wanted men to have this mark since Adam. Those with the mark in full view, will have their names removed from the Lamb's book of life.

 

[101G]

Since the Holy Spirit was given to seal all of humanity to "cover" this mark, when the Holy Spirit is removed, the mark will no longer be sealed.

Greeting,
not saying that you're right or wrong, but where is that found in the bible?

PICJAG.

 

[Bobby Jo]

Well, the Lord provided for Elijah in the wilderness, ...

You can assume whatever you can imagine/justify/rationalize, but Jesus gave SPECIFIC NEW FINAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Lke 22:35 And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” 36 He said to them, “But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one.​

... and if you don't OBEY what HE SPECIFICALLY said, then Good Luck. And remember, the government will be looking for anyone who isn't registered (Mark of the Beast) to either kill or throw into a concentration camp. So I don't plan on gardening or hunting. I'll be keeping my head down, and blinds closed.

Bobby Jo