Article by: Kenneth J. Ester
The Mark of the Beast
There are two main scriptures from which we learn the most about the mark of the beast. It is important to read them in context, so I give the important verses that surround them as well....
Revelation 13:13-18 (NASB)
13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the presence of people. 14 And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who *had the wound of the sword and has come to life. 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 all who do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees 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. 18 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 14:9-11 (NASB)
9 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 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.”
There are many these days who are trying to say that the Covid vaccine that is being pushed is the mark of the beast. Let me be very clear on this. The vaccine is NOT the mark of the beast! The simple fact is, two different things can have similarities, but two of the same thing cannot be different. Especially when it comes to the Word of God. The Bible will never contradict itself. So if two things in the bible have any clear differences, they cannot be the same.
1) Where the mark is placed.
The scriptures I listed say the mark of the beast is taken in the hand (specifically the right hand) or the forehead. The vaccine is given in the shoulder. Since they are paced in different locations, to believe the vaccine is the mark of the beast, is to believe the Word of God is wrong.
2) It is the False Prophet who pushes the mark.
The false prophet throws his support in for the antichrist. The antichrist is revealed at the beginning of the tribulation. So until the antichrist is revealed, and the false prophet throws his support in for the antichrist, the mark of the beast cannot happen. Since the antichrist nor the false prophet are yet known to us, it is impossible for the vaccine to be the mark of the beast.
So it is absolutely clear, without any doubt that the vaccine is not the mark of the beast.
Will Christians take the mark of the beast?
First let me make something clear here. There are no believers alive today who will even see the mark of the beast. IF you read my article "The Rapture", you will see that not only does it prove the rapture is indeed biblical, it also proves out that the rapture cannot possibly be after the tribulation. It shows how and why the rapture is in fact pre-tribulation. After the rapture, there will be many who know the Bible who did not believe who will recognize the rapture happened. They will see the rapture as proof that the Bible was true all along and they will turn to Christ and become the new Christians. These are often referred to as the Tribulation Saints. They are the ones who will need to refuse the mark.
However, even if you do not believe in the rapture. Even if you believe todays Christians will have to deny the mark of the beast, you still should not worry about it.
A common teaching I am seeing lately is that Christians will be deceived into taking the mark. However, if you read the scriptures above, that is not what they say. It says that the false prophet deceives people to worship the beast or his image. Not to take the mark.
Revelation 19:20 (NASB)
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.
This clearly says that he deceived those who had received the mark. Not that he deceived them to take the mark. They took the mark first.
When you pay attention to what it says the mark does, you realize that people are not deceived into taking the mark. They are cornered into taking it. They make it so nobody is able to buy or sell anything unless they have the mark. This will include food.
There will come a point in time when the Christians will be forced to choose. Take the mark or starve. When they are truly faced with starvation, there will be plenty of Christians whose faith will crumble and they will take the mark. When some are faced with either taking the mark, or watching their children or other loved ones starve to death, they will take the mark. They will not be deceived into taking the mark. They will be cornered into it. Take the mark or die a slow agonizing death. Die or watch your loved ones die a slow agonizing death.
Should we focus on worrying about the Mark of the Beast?
No! It should not even be something you think much about right now. Every Christian, whether they believe in the rapture or not, should be focused on two things and only two things. Their personal relationship with the Lord, and telling others about the gospel of Christ.
If you ever do have to refuse the mark, all the knowledge about the mark in the world will not change your decision when faced with starving to death. Knowing it means hell will not change much. You will need to have your faith as strong as possible in order to refuse it. If your faith is weak and you allow room for doubt, you will cave in. Those with weak relationships with the Lord will convince themselves that if they take it to save their children, they are doing a noble thing. As noble as it may be, it will still send you to hell. How happy will that make their children? They had just set an example for their children that it is okay to deny God to save a person. To deny the mark, you wont need knowledge of it. You will need faith in Jesus! You build that faith through building your relationship with the Lord. By focusing on Jesus. Not the mark of the beast or some vaccine.
What will it be?
Many try to figure out what the mark of the beast will actually be. The truth is, nobody knows yet and will never know until it comes out. My belief is that it will be something to do with the microchip they are already beginning to implant into the backs of peoples hands. This chip replaces their debit cards and bank cards. Just wave their hands in front of a scanner and the transaction is made. If the world went to a cashless society, this would literally make it so nobody could buy or sell without it.
However, that does not mean the chip out there now is the mark of the beast. It only means that it is the same technology that will be used.
Currently I am beginning to hear stuff about tattoos that have chip information in them. This could end up being the mark of the beast in the end because then it would not just be an embedded chip but it will also be an actual mark with an image or word.
The important thing however is that it really doesn't matter. God is a fair and just God. A loving God. He is not going to tell you that if you take it you will go to hell, then let it be slipped in so you can take it and not even realize it. He also doesn't want you to live paranoid over everything that might be a mark of the beast. When the mark of the beast is issued, there will be no doubt what it is. Every single believer will know it is the mark of the beast and they will go to hell if they take it. Every believer will have to choose to take it or die, or watch loved ones die, but they will know what it is. Guaranteed!
Revelation 13:13-18 (NASB)
13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the presence of people. 14 And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who *had the wound of the sword and has come to life. 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 all who do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 and he decrees 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. 18 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 14:9-11 (NASB)
9 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 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.”
There are many these days who are trying to say that the Covid vaccine that is being pushed is the mark of the beast. Let me be very clear on this. The vaccine is NOT the mark of the beast! The simple fact is, two different things can have similarities, but two of the same thing cannot be different. Especially when it comes to the Word of God. The Bible will never contradict itself. So if two things in the bible have any clear differences, they cannot be the same.
1) Where the mark is placed.
The scriptures I listed say the mark of the beast is taken in the hand (specifically the right hand) or the forehead. The vaccine is given in the shoulder. Since they are paced in different locations, to believe the vaccine is the mark of the beast, is to believe the Word of God is wrong.
2) It is the False Prophet who pushes the mark.
The false prophet throws his support in for the antichrist. The antichrist is revealed at the beginning of the tribulation. So until the antichrist is revealed, and the false prophet throws his support in for the antichrist, the mark of the beast cannot happen. Since the antichrist nor the false prophet are yet known to us, it is impossible for the vaccine to be the mark of the beast.
So it is absolutely clear, without any doubt that the vaccine is not the mark of the beast.
Will Christians take the mark of the beast?
First let me make something clear here. There are no believers alive today who will even see the mark of the beast. IF you read my article "The Rapture", you will see that not only does it prove the rapture is indeed biblical, it also proves out that the rapture cannot possibly be after the tribulation. It shows how and why the rapture is in fact pre-tribulation. After the rapture, there will be many who know the Bible who did not believe who will recognize the rapture happened. They will see the rapture as proof that the Bible was true all along and they will turn to Christ and become the new Christians. These are often referred to as the Tribulation Saints. They are the ones who will need to refuse the mark.
However, even if you do not believe in the rapture. Even if you believe todays Christians will have to deny the mark of the beast, you still should not worry about it.
A common teaching I am seeing lately is that Christians will be deceived into taking the mark. However, if you read the scriptures above, that is not what they say. It says that the false prophet deceives people to worship the beast or his image. Not to take the mark.
Revelation 19:20 (NASB)
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.
This clearly says that he deceived those who had received the mark. Not that he deceived them to take the mark. They took the mark first.
When you pay attention to what it says the mark does, you realize that people are not deceived into taking the mark. They are cornered into taking it. They make it so nobody is able to buy or sell anything unless they have the mark. This will include food.
There will come a point in time when the Christians will be forced to choose. Take the mark or starve. When they are truly faced with starvation, there will be plenty of Christians whose faith will crumble and they will take the mark. When some are faced with either taking the mark, or watching their children or other loved ones starve to death, they will take the mark. They will not be deceived into taking the mark. They will be cornered into it. Take the mark or die a slow agonizing death. Die or watch your loved ones die a slow agonizing death.
Should we focus on worrying about the Mark of the Beast?
No! It should not even be something you think much about right now. Every Christian, whether they believe in the rapture or not, should be focused on two things and only two things. Their personal relationship with the Lord, and telling others about the gospel of Christ.
If you ever do have to refuse the mark, all the knowledge about the mark in the world will not change your decision when faced with starving to death. Knowing it means hell will not change much. You will need to have your faith as strong as possible in order to refuse it. If your faith is weak and you allow room for doubt, you will cave in. Those with weak relationships with the Lord will convince themselves that if they take it to save their children, they are doing a noble thing. As noble as it may be, it will still send you to hell. How happy will that make their children? They had just set an example for their children that it is okay to deny God to save a person. To deny the mark, you wont need knowledge of it. You will need faith in Jesus! You build that faith through building your relationship with the Lord. By focusing on Jesus. Not the mark of the beast or some vaccine.
What will it be?
Many try to figure out what the mark of the beast will actually be. The truth is, nobody knows yet and will never know until it comes out. My belief is that it will be something to do with the microchip they are already beginning to implant into the backs of peoples hands. This chip replaces their debit cards and bank cards. Just wave their hands in front of a scanner and the transaction is made. If the world went to a cashless society, this would literally make it so nobody could buy or sell without it.
However, that does not mean the chip out there now is the mark of the beast. It only means that it is the same technology that will be used.
Currently I am beginning to hear stuff about tattoos that have chip information in them. This could end up being the mark of the beast in the end because then it would not just be an embedded chip but it will also be an actual mark with an image or word.
The important thing however is that it really doesn't matter. God is a fair and just God. A loving God. He is not going to tell you that if you take it you will go to hell, then let it be slipped in so you can take it and not even realize it. He also doesn't want you to live paranoid over everything that might be a mark of the beast. When the mark of the beast is issued, there will be no doubt what it is. Every single believer will know it is the mark of the beast and they will go to hell if they take it. Every believer will have to choose to take it or die, or watch loved ones die, but they will know what it is. Guaranteed!