Mark Of The Beast

There is coming a time when everyone living on planet earth will have to bear a mark on either their forehead or hand if they want to buy or sell at any market. If they do not have this mark, then they are subject to be arrested and executed. If they have this mark, then their chances of making it to heaven are none. Take the mark and live temporarily or refuse the mark and die temporarily.

The mark I am referring to is the "Mark of the Beast" which most of you who are reading this page have probably heard of. To help understand what this "Mark of the Beast" is, we must identify who the "Beast" is.

What does scripture say about the "Beast"? This "Beast" is mentioned only in the book of Revelation and this "Beast" is mentioned numerous times. "When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them." Rev. 11:7 This "Beast" is persecuting the followers of Christ.

This passage identifies the "Beast" as coming out of the bottomless pit. Does this "Beast" have a name? The bottomless pit seems to spew out all manner of evil beings in the period of time know as the Tribulation. One passage identifies the king of these evil spirits. "And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon." Rev. 9:11

Abaddon means the angel prince of hell, the minister of death, the destroyer, and author of havoc on earth. He sounds like a pro wrestler. Abaddon is either Satan himself or Satan's commander in chief. Another passage states "Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name." Rev. 13:1

What is this sea that the "Beast" is rising out of? In the book of Daniel, beasts are referred to as coming out of the sea. Daniel goes on to explain that these "beasts" are kingdoms which will arise out of the sea of humanity. So the "Beast" of Revelation is someone who rises up out of the sea of humanity.

Rev 13:2 states, "Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority." The leopard, bear, and lion where how Daniel described the kingdoms of Babylon, Persia, and Greece. This means this final kingdom ruled by this "Beast" will have characteristics of all the ruling kingdoms on Earth. His power comes the "dragon" which is another name of Satan.

Now we know the "Beast" is a man controlled by the spirits of hell. Now what is this "Mark of the Beast"? Before we answer that it must be noted that there are 2 people who are referred to as "Beast" in Revelation. One is the counterfeit Christ and the other is his religious leader. Now let's look at Revelation 13.

"11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or 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 it is the number of a man: His number is 666."

One beast comes out of the bottomless pit, another beast comes out of the sea of nations, and the other beast comes out of the earth. This is the unholy trinity who are a counterfeit to the Holy Trinity. Notice that this "prophet" can work miracles as long as he is in the presence of the "Beast". Apparently, there is an animated statue of the "Beast" which can speak and determine who is not bowing to it in worship. This image then orders the executions of those who refuse to worship Satan.

This passage goes on to tell us that the "Beast" controls the world's economy which means survival will be very difficult to those who refuse the "Mark of the Beast" because they won't be able to buy food. They will also be hunted for their refusal to worship the image of the "Beast".

What becomes of the people who refuse to take the "Mark of the Beast"? "Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." Rev. 20:4

Those people who refuse the "Mark of the Beast" will reign with Christ during the coming Millennial rest of planet Earth. Notice that even though they had their heads chopped off, they still lived and reigned with Christ.

How long of a period of time will it be in which the "Beast" terrorizes planet Earth? " And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months." Rev. 13:5

This reign of terror will only last 31/2 years before Jesus Christ returns and puts a stop to it. What will become of those who worshipped the image of the beast and received the mark of the beast? "9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. 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 ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." Rev 14

To put it bluntly, those who receive the mark and worship the image go to hell. They chose their god and it was not Christ.

What is the point of all this seeming madness? It is God forcing the people of planet Earth to choose whom they will serve. There is no grace period then as there are now. And there are only 2 choices: Christ or Satan. Which God are you serving?