Then someone quipped, “This is like the Mark of the Beast.” The young woman paused, then exclaimed, “I know about the Mark of the Beast!”
Most of us have heard the term. It comes from the Bible and has to do with a future world leader who will rule with an iron heel, and will require that everyone take his mark.
In his book, “World News and Bible Prophecy,” Charles Dyer gives a biblical composite picture of the “beast” as follows:
“The Bible describes an individual who plays a major role in God’s end-time program for the world.
He goes by several aliases, including the ‘ruler who will come” (Daniel 9:26, 27), the “man of lawlessness’ (2 Thessalonians 2:3), the ‘Antichrist’ (John 2:18), and the ‘beast’ (Revelation 13:2).
Dyer continues, “The Bible paints a complex portrait of this individual who will take the world by storm — and lead the final rebellion against God.”
In Revelation 13 the Beast is discussed, and the term Worship is mentioned five times in the chapter. Satan, whom the Beast (Antichrist) will personify (see vv. 2, 4), has always desired worship, for he even tried to get our Lord to pay homage to him (Luke 4:7).
Today worship of Satan is becoming widespread in the world, and during the last half of the Tribulation, (three and a half years) Satan worship will be the state religion (Revelation 13:15).
After his “abomination” act in the Temple (Matthew 24), Antichrist will pass a universal law by which he will demand worldwide acknowledgment of himself.
Hear his decree: “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark which is the name of the beast or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:16, 17).
Quite probably, the badge of allegiance to worship Antichrist will be the mark of the beast. Since people cannot buy or sell without the mark, his ultimatum may be, “Worship me or starve!”
In these days of modern technology, we can understand how people will receive the mark. It may be an electronic chip in the back of the hand. With scanning machines placed at cash registers in supermarkets, drug stores, service stations, and all other places where things are bought or sold, proof of the mark could be checked.
A few years ago the National Geographic magazine carried a startling article titled “Watching You,” and the lead paragraph read, “The future is here, where cameras can film you wherever you go, where your cellphone can signal exactly where you are, where one glance can reveal exactly who you are.”
The article continued: “Sometime soon — in an airport, in the lobby of your office, in your bank — a scanner might get a glimpse of your eyes and a computer reveal your identity. We are hurtling toward electronic scrutiny — of the enemy and of ourselves.”
We do not know just how the mark will be evident; but we do know “that no man could buy or sell unless he had the mark” (v. 17).
An unsuspecting person may ask, “Why bother. Why not go ahead and take the mark?” God’s Word is very clear in answering: “The smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name” (Revelation 14:11).
Therefore, when a person takes the mark of the Beast, they will have sold their soul to Satan, and their doom will be forever sealed.
On the other hand, they cannot purchase food, drugs, services or anything else without the mark. Those will be awful days.
This means, of course, that many good people who will have turned to Christ after the Rapture will die during those terrifying days. John wrote, “All who refused to worship the image [will] be killed” (Revelation 13:15).
Such persecution is reminiscent of the reign of Hitler — but much worse. See the Christian mother refusing to take the Mark, standing in prison. Having been often assaulted, her daughter was earlier attacked and then killed before her eyes.
Her husband was murdered last week, and she will die tomorrow. But when death comes, things will completely change for her. The Beast will no longer control her. Instead, she will be escorted through heaven’s gate by holy angels.
Likewise, all the persecuted Tribulation saints will one day have peace. The Scriptures state: “Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. ... For the Lamb ... will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16, 17).
