What do you think the "mark" will be, and will it be obvious?

[zeke37]

Don't you see the "buying and selling" as a pretty physical thing? How will people recognize those who have the spiritual mark in order that they can legally sell stuff to them?

i picture a world wide union..a political faction...the multiheaded beast
i believe that each of us is going to be given the choice
to join that system, individually...
i believe that some of us won't sign on the dotted line....so to speak,
because those some will know the truth of who is who.

but most will accept the system and it's leader, and use the "currency" to buy and sell.

but those who do not sign on the dotted line can
barter/trade,
storehouse supplies,
trust God for provision,
whatever it takes,
but don't use the money that comes with Satan's false kingdom,
as that is acceptance.

IMO the time has been shortened for the elect's sake, to the 5 months of the 5th trump.
this makes it possible to not use the NWO currency and stil survive during the trib

 

[ViaCrucis]

An RFID microchip for medical purposes and "security purposes" elicited by the US government and later world government. Also joining with the Catholic Church at the end times after the vatican takes over.

You forgot to mention the alien mothership and our reptilian Rockefeller overlords who, fortunately, can't read our thoughts if we wear tinfoil.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ViaCrucis]

Don't you see the "buying and selling" as a pretty physical thing? How will people recognize those who have the spiritual mark in order that they can legally sell stuff to them?

While I don't believe the Revelation is describing a future period, even assuming I'm on wrong on that point (and naturally I could be) if the mark is understood as allegiance, it's pretty simple: in a society dominated in such a fashion, one must swear allegiance to the powers that be in order to function in even the most trivial and mundane of activities, described here as "buying and selling", the simple act of going into the market to buy and sell is dominated here.

While I believe what is being described is allegiance to Caesar during the first century between Nero and Domitian, not a future Antichrist figure, the simple fact is that in a society that required allegiance and swearing an oath to the "divine" Caesar made functioning day-to-day a great difficulty for those who refused to do so.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Gnarwhal]

While I don't believe the Revelation is describing a future period, even assuming I'm on wrong on that point (and naturally I could be) if the mark is understood as allegiance, it's pretty simple: in a society dominated in such a fashion, one must swear allegiance to the powers that be in order to function in even the most trivial and mundane of activities, described here as "buying and selling", the simple act of going into the market to buy and sell is dominated here.

While I believe what is being described is allegiance to Caesar during the first century between Nero and Domitian, not a future Antichrist figure, the simple fact is that in a society that required allegiance and swearing an oath to the "divine" Caesar made functioning day-to-day a great difficulty for those who refused to do so.

-CryptoLutheran

Exactly. If I may expand ever-so-slightly, I believe St. John was exhorting the Christians he was writing to not to take the mark (which would mean confessing 'Caesar is Lord') because to do so would be to align themselves with Caesar's kingdom and not the Kingdom of God. The former operated on a philosophy of violence and coercion: "peace through victory", while the latter manifests through loving acts of compassion and generosity.

At any rate, I am (as usual ) in agreement with you that the mark itself was instituted around the time Nero was emperor of Rome in the first century. The Imperial Cult demanded worship of the Caesars as the 'Son of God', upon entering a marketplace one would have to pay homage to Caesar by confessing 'Caesar is Lord' and making a sacrifice with the priest present. After the requirements were satisfied the priest would place a mark on the individual indicating they had 'paid their dues to Caesar' and thus they were free to move about the marketplace and conduct business as they desired.