The book of Revelation tells of a time when all of humankind will be forced to take a mark upon their hands and forehead that will signify their final rebellion against the Lord God. This is to be a deed that will never be forgiven. The mark has been a subject of much speculation over the ages. This little study contains some reflections on the subject
Relevant Scriptures are:-
(Rev 13:16-18 NIV) 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, {17} 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. {18} This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.
(Rev 14:9-10 NIV) A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, {10} he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.
THE MARK
The word “mark” used here is “charagma” = an impressed mark or engraving. This word is used ten times in the Bible.
9 times in Revelation as the mark of the beast.
Once in Acts as an engraved or carved.
(Acts 17:29 KJV) Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
Graven = “charagma”
There are overtones of something permanent in the idea of engraving. It is more than writing. There seems also to be something done by man’s devices implied.
WORSHIP OF THE BEAST.
The mark is associated with the worship of the beast and his image. This idea of giving worship to someone or something other than the Lord God is a great deception of this latter time. Man has always had a tendency to give worship to something he has himself made. In early times it was blatantly to idols formed as statues of imagined gods, of animals, even of other men and women but today the idea is more deceptively concealed. Now mankind builds a system of worship in the form of ideas and activities and then gives adoration to these less obvious latter idols. Humanism, materialism, cult ideologies, cult figures from music and T.V. and even simple activities like sport can turn into examples of this kind of idol worship.
The condemnation of Scripture is plain, “those who worship the beast and his image and take the mark”
LINKED WITH THE LAW OF THE LORD
(Exo 13:9 NIV) This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.
This observance being spoken about was to celebrate the release from the bondage of Egypt. A sign that the law of the Lord was to be continually with His people. Little wonder that going into the bondage of the devil should also involve the hand and forehead A symbolic rejection of God’s promises to His people. It is also a rejection of the law of the Eternal. This sign was not literal but symbolic and a reminder of of the keeping of the law both in practice and in the heart. Out of the heart the mouth speaks.
IN THEIR RIGHT HAND.
The right hand has important meanings in Scripture.
` i The right hand of fellowship.
(Gal 2:9 NIV) James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognised the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.
ii The hand of blessing
(Gen 48:17 NIV) When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.
iii. A place of rest, power and authority.
(Psa 110:1 NIV) Of David. A psalm. The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
(Exo 15:6 NIV) “Your right hand, O LORD, was majestic in power. Your right hand , O LORD, shattered the enemy.
By giving up the right hand a person acknowledges they are submitting to the beast and giving to him all authority over them
IN THEIR FOREHEADS.
The forehead is a place of sealing and of signs.
(Rev 7:3 NIV) “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
(Rev 13:16 NIV) 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,
. As shown here both good and the evil can involve the forehead.
The Forehead……..
i. The forepart of the brain, the seat of the higher functions of the brain, conscience, morality, ethics.
ii Where Aaron placed a plate reading “Holy to the Lord”
(Exo 28:36 NIV) “Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.
(Exo 28:38 NIV) It will be on Aaron’s forehead , and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD.
iii. The conscience
(1 Pet 3:21 NIV) and this water symbolises baptism that now saves you also–not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge[1] of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
iv. The place of the Lord’s protection
(Ezek 9:4 NIV) and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.”
(Ezek 9:6 NIV) Slaughter old men, young men and maidens, women and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were in front of the temple.
These Scriptures shadow the way in which the Lord will mark His people for their protection in the last days.
(Rev 7:3 NIV) “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS SHOWS THE EXAMPLE
The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness was a foreshadowing of the events of the end times as well as an ongoing lesson to the church. In the wilderness Jesus was tempted in body, soul and spirit.
i. First…
(Luke 4:9-12 NIV) The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. {10} For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; {11} they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'” {12} Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”
First deeds and actions and care for the physical were questioned in terms of faith towards God. (i.e. has not God said He would take care of you?). Note Gen in this regard.
(Gen 3:4 NIV) “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman.
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test. “That is to say we do not check up on God since our walk is one of faith and trust.
ii. Then came another attempt to bring down Jesus .
(Luke 4:3 NIV) The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
(Luke 4:4 KJV) And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
This temptation was concerned with the soul nature. There is great power in the unconsecrated soul of man. Many of the so called unexplained powers such as ESP, hypnotic influence, suggestion of various kinds have beginnings in this area. We are not to seek after or use powers of this nature. We are to have the mind of Christ. He rejected the devil’s suggestion that he use “magical” powers.
iii. One other area was to be involved.
If any man WORSHIP theevil one. . This is the ultimate blasphemy….to worship Satan (the deceiver.). e.g. This belief is the final end of the Masonic movement in the 33rd degree of their lodges. If you are involved with this group, get out of it. In the Masonic doctrine they speak of Lucifer and are deceived, for they do not realize who Lucifer really is in this world. The final irony of the 33rd degree is the discovery that the central thought of Freemasonry is Adamic worship and the exaltation of ego.
Notethe reward for this kind of worship.
(Luke 4:5-6 NIV) The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. {6} And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendour, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
All the riches and money of the world!! But remember what Jesus taught us………..!
(John 8:44 KJV) You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
So in the temptation of Jesus we can see portrayed in three areas. We can be tested in this way also.. (body, soul & spirit.) Submission to the devil in all three is involved in the receiving of the end time mark of the beast.
(Rev 13:17-18 NIV) 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. {18} This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.
Note:- the number for man throughout the Scripture is six.
The same thought of three areas of our makeup is shown in Deut.
(Deu 6:5 NIV) Love the LORD your God with all your heart ( SPIRIT) and with all your soul (MIND) and with all your strength . (BODY)
THE NUMBER SIX.
Consider these examples of the use of the number six in Scripture.
(Gen 1:27-31 NIV) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. {28} God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” {29} Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. {30} And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground–everything that has the breath of life in it–I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. {31} God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning– the sixth day.
Fleshly Man created on the sixth day of creation..
He will finish on the sixth day of redemption.
(Gen 7:6 NIV) Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.
(1 Sam 17:5-7 NIV) He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armour of bronze weighing five thousand shekels[1] ; {6} on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. {7} His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels[2]. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
Six pieces of armour and weapons were used by Goliath
(2 Sam 21:20 NIV) In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot–twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha.
.This giant defied Israel.
(Deu 17:17 NIV) He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
(1 Ki 10:14 NIV) The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents[1],
(Exo 14:7 NIV) He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them.
Note the number of chariots that pursued Israel
(Exo 20:9 KJV) Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
This was the punishment upon man. Six days of labour.