And he causes all, the small and the great
And the rich and the poor
And the free men and the slaves
To be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead
And he provides 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
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 13:16-18

Many worldwide have either read about, or heard of the opening Scripture passages (Rev 13:16-18). And there have been many who have erroneously speculated, and then taught what they believe “the mark” to be. Without understanding, they have distorted GOD’s WORD, The BIBLE (2 Pet 3:16); caused many to be disturbed (Gal 1:7); misleading them (Mat 24:11), and causing their focus to be wrongly turned away from our Precious LORD JESUS (Heb 12:1-2).

Where should one’s focus be concerning the mark? It should be on why a person will take the mark, their spiritual condition, understanding the purpose of the mark, what the mark is and is not, the consequences of taking the mark, and the spiritual condition of the person who will refuse the mark.

Why would someone take the mark? Those taking the mark lack knowledge of the true and living GOD. They rejected this knowledge, by dismissing, declining, or refusing to know HIM, HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, and HIS WORD as spoken of by the prophet Hosea:

MY people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
Because you have rejected knowledge
I also will reject you from being MY priest
Since you have forgotten The LAW of your GOD
I also will forget your children
Hosea 4:6

How does lack of knowledge lead to destruction? Lack of true knowledge leads to destruction. True knowledge, only comes through knowing GOD, WHO knows all things (Pro 15:3, Heb 4:13, Jhn 16:30, 1 Jhn 3:20). Our Beloved LORD GOD is intimate with us (Pro 3:32), discloses things to us (2 Chr 20:13-18, Jhn 16:13-15), forewarns us (Mrk 13:23, Act 20:22-23, 1 Ths 3:3-4), and keeps us safe (Psa 121:7-8, Pro 1:33, Jhn 10:27-30). When a person rejects GOD, and relies on self (Pro 3:5), it was always lead to destruction (Pro 16:25).

In what way does one reject knowledge by rejecting GOD? As previously mentioned, by dismissing, declining, or refusing to recognize the sovereignty of GOD, the sacrifice of JESUS, or the truth of HIS WORD, the BIBLE. And since they:

1. refuse to know GOD’s WORD, they will never come to know and understand neither HIM nor HIS SON JESUS (Jer 9:24, Exd 33:13, Psa 103:7, 1 Jhn 2:3-6).
2. refuse to trust HIM, they will never experience HIS goodness (Heb 11:6, Psa 34:8, Psa 119:103, Heb 6:5, 1 Pet 2:3)
3. will only listen, but not obey the WORD of GOD, they will never experience the truth of HIS WORD (Luk 6:46-49, Jam 1:22-25). And they will never grow to spiritual maturity (Heb 5:11-14).

How does one forget GOD’s Law? There are at least two ways, first, by failing to remember HIM (Deu 32:16-18, Psa 106:21, Jer 2:32), HIS NAME (Jer 23:27, Job 21:14-15), and all the things HE has done for you (Psa 78:11-20, Isa 5:12-13, Heb 3:7-12). Second, by not taking HIS WORD to heart. When one does not consider GOD’s WORD as significant or important to them (Jer 6:10, Jer 36:4-32, Luk 7:30), they fail to remember it, by ceasing to think of or consider it (Psa 50:17, Neh 9:26, 1 Kin 14:9, Heb 12:3-11). And they will not yield to the prompting of HIS Holy SPRIT (Jer 6:16-17, Eph 4:30, 1 Ths 5:19).

Who is GOD’s priest mentioned in Hosea 4:6? It is everyone whom our Precious LORD JESUS has redeemed with HIS blood (1 Pet 1:18-21), purchased for GOD, sealed and anointed by HIS Holy SPIRIT, made the people of GOD, and appointed to royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9, Rev 5:9-10, Eph 1:13, 2 Cor 1:21, 1 Jhn 2:20, 1 Jhn 2:27).

How is one without knowledge convinced to take the mark? Deception. The false prophet will come looking like a lamb or one belonging to GOD, though he speaks like Satan (Rev 13:11, Jhn 8:44, Rev 12:9). He will perform the miracle of Elijah and Elisha (Rev 11:13-14, 1 Kin 18:37-39, 2 Kin 1:1-14). Many will be deceived by his appearance and his miracles, but when you know Truth, you cannot be deceived (Jhn 14:6, Mrk 13:22-23, Jhn 10:3-5, Jhn 18:37, 1 Jhn 2:20-21, 1 Jhn 4:1-6). Only those who know their GOD and SAVIOR will not be deceived (Jer 9:24, Jer 31:34, Dan 11:32, Jhn 10:14).

Who will take the mark? Those who do not know JESUS (Jhn 16:2-3), and those who only profess to know HIM (Tit 1:16). Each one of us must carefully consider our brother the apostle Peter. He emotionally loved JESUS, and declared he would die with JESUS rather than deny HIM (Mat 26:31-35). But in the hour of facing death, he denied knowing JESUS (Luk 22:54-62). If you are confident you would never take the mark, because you regularly attend prayer meetings, group BIBLE studies, and even Church, we ask you to honestly do the following self-assessment:

1. Do you love yourself most? As an example, do you place your will above GOD’s? (2 Tim 3:2); does your interests often take priority over CHRIST’s interests? (Php 2:21); do you seek your own welfare above others? (1 Cor 10:24).
2. Is what men think of you, more important than what our invisible GOD knows? (Mat 6:1-6, Gal 1:10, 1 Ths 2:4-6)
3. Do you truly believe that GOD exists, HE is Good, and will to respond to those who sincerely seek HIM? (Deu 1:30-33, Psa 78:22, Psa 136:1, Mat 19:17, Heb 11:6)?
4. When it’s just you, do you seek GOD’s presence? (Zep 3:2, 2 Chr 12:14, Psa 10:4), because HIS nearness means so much to you? (Psa 73:28, 1 Chr 16:11, Psa 27:8)
5. Do you truly believe in the truthfulness, and faithfulness of GOD’s entire WORD? (Psa 106:24, Jhn 6:64, Jhn 8:45-46, Heb 4:2)

If you answered “yes” to the first two questions, or “no” to the last three questions, you will take the mark. You will always protect what you love most. If you are not willing to live for GOD now, you will not be willing to die for HIM later. If you are not willing to put your trust completely in HIM now, you will not know that HE is indeed trustworthy later.

What is the purpose of the mark? The purpose of the mark is simply to identify those who belong to the beast, the wicked global leader, also known as the antichrist (Rev 13:16). Those who take his mark, have chosen to worship him as their God & Savior (Rev 13:15), and accept temporary security (Rev 13:17), because they fear those who can kill only the body (Mat 10:28, Heb 10:31).

What is the mark? In Revelation 13:16-18, the English word “mark” is transliterated from the Greek word “charagma” (NT:5480) and it refers to something that is engraved, stamped, or etched. It is a physical mark that is either a brand (stamped on through a burning process) or a tattoo (engraved or etched on through the insertion of ink into the skin). This physical, visible mark will be used in conjunction with RFID able to regulate day-to-day activity including buying, selling, etc. (Rev 13:17).

The mark doesn’t go under the skin? No, the mark is not placed under the skin, nor is it placed within the human body. The English word for “on” used in Revelation 13:16 is transliterated from the Greek word “epi” (1909) which literally means on or upon. It is not “hupo” (5259) which means under. Which means it is not microchips that have willingly been injected into the body between the thumb and forefinger. Nor is it microchips that have been secretly injected into the body through vaccinations. Nor is it RFID. It should be noted that in December 2019, engineers at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) developed a “quantum dot tattoo” a microneedle patch that delivers a specialized dye, vaccine, and storage of medical information. The dye is invisible to the naked eye, but can be seen with use of a specially adapted technology. It was developed for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to be able to easily track who had or had not been vaccinated among the world’s poorest most vulnerable people. Could this well-meaning technology someday be used to apply “the mark” as an invisible tattoo on the skin?

What is RFID? According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, RFID (radio frequency identification), technology uses radio waves to identify people, pets, objects, etc.; via a tag or wireless device. It has been commercially available in one form or another since the 1970s (the last 51 years). RFID is on credit or debit cards, driver licenses, car keys, employee id, medical history billing, highway toll tags, security access cards, pet chips, etc. There is no personal information stored on the RFID tag or wireless device. It only contains a number, allowing that number to point to secure databases which store personal information. Finally, RFID uses vicinity or proximity technology; it can be scanned more than 30 feet away (such as passing through an airport), or just a few inches (running your card through a card reader at the market). It should also be noted, in September 2015, all the member states of the UN (United Nations) adopted the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. As part of this agreement all these member states agreed to provide “legal identity” for every person on the face of the earth by 2030. The mandate to legally identify every person, would be carried out through the UN based ID2020 program. On May 2016, a nongovernmental organization known as ID2020, held an inaugural summit at the UN Headquarters to create an alliance of domestic and global governments, worldwide institutions, nonprofit organizations, philanthropies, businesses, banks, and medical organizations. This alliance would set a technical standard for identifying  1.1 billion vulnerable people globally. So that this vulnerable population would gain access to basic services -education, healthcare, voting, opening a bank account – and other fundamental human rights; each one of them would be uniquely identified through “authenticated digital identity.” In reality the 1.1 billion vulnerable is the test group, for solving issues that will come up with Identifying the world’s remaining 6.8 billion population (as of May 2021).

What are the consequences of taking the mark? We cannot overemphasize how dire the consequences are, for those who take the mark. The consequences are severe, irrevocable, and eternal. Those who turn to worshipping the antichrist instead of GOD, because they prefer to be secure in wickedness than suffer affliction (Job 36:21), they will experience:

• the wrath of GOD (Rev 14:9)
• the judgments of GOD (Rev 16:2)
• the second death, which is:
  • an eternal place of suffering for Satan, antichrist, false prophet, death, hades, the ungodly (Mat 25:41, Mat 8:28-29, Rev 19:20, Rev 20:10, Rev 20:14-15, Rev 21:8)
  • a place where the fire is not quenched, and the worm does not die (Mrk 9:43-49)
  • a place of eternal torment with fire and brimstone (Rev 14:10)
  • a place of no rest day and night (Rev 14:11)

Who is the person who will refuse the mark? The person who know their GOD (Jer 9:24, Psa 20:7, Dan 11:32), who know JESUS their Shepherd (Jhn 10:2-5), and through obedience have come to fully know and understand GOD’s WORD (Psa 111:10). They will not be deceived by the antichrist or the false prophet. They are those who:

• love GOD with their entire being, not just emotional, but unconditional (Mat 12:29-31)
• love GOD most (Job 23:12, Luk 14:26, Php 3:8)
• trust GOD no matter the circumstances (Gen 37:1-36, Gen 39:1-23, Gen 50:15-21, Psa 105:17-18, 1 Sam chptrs 16-31)
• do not trust in themselves (Jos 9:3-15, Isa 11:3)
• do not love their own life, even when faced with death (Rev 12:11)
• keep the commandments of GOD, and their faith in JESUS at all times (Rev 14:12, Rom 8:35-39, 1 Cor 4:9-13)

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
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
And the smoke of their torment goes up 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
Revelation 14:9-11