What is the Mark of the Beast?

[boxman144]

I'm really scared of accidentally taking the mark of the Beast unaware, or being forced to take it.

What is the Mark Of the Beast? Is it a vaccine? Is it metaphorical? How can I avoid it? I really am terrified.

 

[d taylor]

More than likely it will be a tattoo or some kind of engraving on the hand or forehead. Of the name or number of the man (beast)

 

[charsan]

I'm really scared of accidentally taking the mark of the Beast unaware, or being forced to take it.

What is the Mark Of the Beast? Is it a vaccine? Is it metaphorical? How can I avoid it? I really am terrified.

The mark of the beast happened in ancient times nothing to worry about

 

[Radagast]

I'm really scared of accidentally taking the mark of the Beast unaware

Nobody knows for sure, I don't think, but you certainly can't take it "accidentally." It involves (some would say "involved") rejecting Jesus.

Is it a vaccine?

Of course not! That's just silly.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I'm really scared of accidentally taking the mark of the Beast unaware, or being forced to take it.

What is the Mark Of the Beast? Is it a vaccine? Is it metaphorical? How can I avoid it? I really am terrified.

The idea that someone can "accidentally" take the mark of the beast is a scare tactic.

As for what it actually is, there are lots of ideas out there. Some of them pretty ridiculous honestly. No, it's not a vaccine. Vaccines are good things.

Here's my take:

There are a few places in Scripture that discuss the idea of a mark or seal, often as being on the forehead and/or the right hand.

The earliest place can be found in Deuteronomy,

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk to them when they sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." - Deuteronomy 6:4-9

"You shall therefore lay up these words of Mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking to them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." - Deuteronomy 11:18-20

These commandments are why many observant Jews have worn phylacteries since ancient times, and is the reason behind the Mezzuzah, an inscription to be put on the door post with God's commandments upon it.

Thus the idea of something being a sign, a seal, a mark upon the hand and the forehead is connected with taking it to heart. The Jews were to take God's commandments seriously, to heart, so that they instruct their children in the ways of God, that they live the ways of God--when they are home, when they are out, when they lay down to sleep, when they wake up in the morning. It is God's mark upon His people.

Another place we can see mention of a seal is in Ephesians chapter 1,

"In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14

And then, even in the Revelation itself, we see the vision of those marked and sealed by God,

"saying, 'Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.'" - Revelation 7:3

What is God's mark and seal? It is the fact that we are God's people, marked, sealed, by Him--we are His and He is ours.

So then, what is the mark of the Beast? Well, it's the same thing really. It's a mark or seal that signifies that one belongs to the Beast.

Is it a literal mark? Well probably not. Instead it is allegiance to the Beast, the antithesis of allegiance to Christ.

It is my position, and the position of many who are far smarter and more educated than myself, that the Beast of Revelation 13 is likely a reference to Emperor Nero, whose name adds up to six hundred and sixty six. Something very relevant for those Christians who at the time still remembered the persecutions of Nero, as it happened only several decades before the Revelation was written.

So, in the strictest sense, you can't receive the mark of the beast because the specific historical context of what the text is talking about is two thousand years ago. Namely the oppression of the Roman Empire against the Church, as expressed and manifest in the cult of Caesar worship and the forced worship of the Roman state gods. Christians were persecuted for refusing to swear an oath to Caesar, and to offer a pinch of incense to Caesar's image in worship (Revelation 13:15).

In the broadest sense, the point that we should be taking away is very much what the Lord told us Himself, that no one can serve two masters, one cannot serve both God and wealth, God and power, God and the vain things of this world. There can be no lord except Christ, Jesus Christ alone is Lord. Our allegiance is to the King of kings, the Lord of lords, to Jesus Christ, who suffered, died, and rose again, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, who in victory has destroyed the very power of death and hell, and who holds the keys in His hands (Revelation 1:17-18).

Not to cause us fear or dread, but rather this directs us to Christ. To be found in Him, to abide in Him, the True Vine (John 15:5), He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).

Christ is our hope and our salvation, our refuge, even as the powers and principalities of this fallen present age rage; our hope, our victory, is already won and secured in Him. For He has said,

"I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ewq1938]

The fact that the mark is placed on the forehead OR the right hand means it is a physical mark of some kind. A spiritual mark isn't placed at one of two places nor is a spiritual mark placed at all. Also, the fact that only people with this mark can buy or sell proves it is literal else non-marked people would look exactly the same as anyone else and could just pretend to be part of the marked community and buy things if they wanted.

Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

They receive a mark.

The definition of mark is also fully about a literal marking:

G5480
?a´?a?µa
charagma
khar'-ag-mah
From the same as G5482; a scratch or etching, that is, stamp (as a badge of servitude), or sculptured figure (statue): - graven, mark.
Total KJV occurrences: 9

It appears 8 times in Rev about the mark of the beast. The only other time it is used is about a literal etching found on a literal piece of artistry:


Act 17:29 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.

 

[HTacianas]

I'm really scared of accidentally taking the mark of the Beast unaware, or being forced to take it.

What is the Mark Of the Beast? Is it a vaccine? Is it metaphorical? How can I avoid it? I really am terrified.

This was the mark of the beast:

Libellus - Wikipedia

 

[Radagast]

The fact that the mark is placed on the forehead OR the right hand means it is a physical mark of some kind.

As @ViaCrucis points out, the implicit reference to Deuteronomy 6:6-8 suggests exactly the opposite.

 

[Sketcher]

Nobody really knows, but the price of obtaining it will be an overt act of idolatry that no one will be able to miss.

 

[fwGod]

I'm really scared of accidentally taking the mark of the Beast unaware, or being forced to take it.

What is the Mark Of the Beast? Is it a vaccine? Is it metaphorical? How can I avoid it? I really am terrified.

1) The mark of the beast is only mentioned in Revelation which describes the events during the time of the 7 year Tribulation. It is a mark. of the beast.
There is no mark now. There is no beast now. He will only be of any influence in the world during the Tribulation.

What is 'the beast'? It is the next empire of the future national, international, world leader to come. The empire of the anti-christ. Read from reliable prophecy teachers about the next coming empire. The more you know, the less fear there will likely be.

2) No one in this timeframe before the 7 year Tribulation can know what the mark of the beast is. But for sure.. when it is the days of the 7 year Tribulation, all who are alive at that time will definitely know without doubt what the mark of the beast is.
3) To worry about it now is to be anxious about tomorrow.. and Jesus said not to do that. He said "let tomorrow worry about itself."
While we are here in this timeframe we are to say upon each sunrise "This is the day that the LORD has made, therefore I rejoice and I am glad in Him."

 

[agapelove]

The fact that the mark is placed on the forehead OR the right hand means it is a physical mark of some kind.

Not claiming to know much about the Mark of the Beast but its placement does not prove that it will be a physical mark. It could still very well be spiritual if the forehead represents your thoughts and your right hand represents your actions.

It reminds me of Jesus’ rhetoric in Matthew 5:30 where he tells people to cut off their right hand if it causes them to sin. I don’t see many Christians walking around today with missing limbs.

 

[RN111]

Not claiming to know much about the Mark of the Beast but its placement does not prove that it will be a physical mark. It could still very well be spiritual if the forehead represents your thoughts and your right hand represents your actions.

It reminds me of Jesus’ rhetoric in Matthew 5:30 where he tells people to cut off their right hand if it causes them to sin. I don’t see many Christians walking around today with missing limbs.

If that was the case, how would others know whether you are allowed to buy or sell anything? Without the mark, you will not be able to buy or sell.

 

[agapelove]

If that was the case, how would others know whether you are allowed to buy or sell anything? Without the mark, you will not be able to buy or sell.

Again, not sure but we should be careful reading anything in Revelations too literally.

Preterists believe that the “mark of the beast” was your allegiance to Caesar.

 

[ViaCrucis]

If that was the case, how would others know whether you are allowed to buy or sell anything? Without the mark, you will not be able to buy or sell.

The Christian confesses Iesous Christos Kurios, Jesus Christ is Lord. And this is demonstrated by their refusal to participate in the rites and practices of the imperial cult.

Those who followed the beast confessed Kaiser kurios, Caesar is lord; and they had proof of it by their active participation in the rites and practices of the imperial cult.

The Roman authorities didn't have the hardest time finding out who was a Christian, in part because Christians weren't shy about what they believed, and openly confessed their faith--even if it meant suffering death. Pliny the Younger wrote to Emperor Trajan about how to deal with the Christians, and Trajan responded--under Trajan Christians were not actively hunted, but rather if one was found to be a Christian they were to be forced to recant, and if they did not recant, to be punished. This was fairly standard, though at other times the Roman authorities did actively hunt Christians out, most notoriously under the reign of Diocletian.

Literally branding oneself, or getting a tattoo, or drawing with a very permanent marker wasn't necessary to make a distinction between those who worshiped the beast and those whose loyalty was to Christ.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

 

[PROPHECYKID]

I'm really scared of accidentally taking the mark of the Beast unaware, or being forced to take it.

What is the Mark Of the Beast? Is it a vaccine? Is it metaphorical? How can I avoid it? I really am terrified.

Hi Boxman. Let me try to answer your questions in a simple way.

You cannot be forced into taking the mark of the beast. You issue surrounding the mark of the beast is concerning the worship of the beast. Accepting the mark of the beast is always mentioned with worshiping the beast. So without even know what the mark of the beast is, if you do not worship the beast but instead worship God according to his word, you should avoid the mark of the beast.

Now lets go a bit deeper. The mark of the beast is not a physical mark. 70% of the language and symbolism using the Book of Revelation comes from the old Testament so to get a clue of what is being spoken about is there any instance in the OT of a mark being placed in the forehead and/or in the hand? Well in fact, there is.

Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Now here God gives his commandments and statues and tells them to bind them as a sign in the hand and on the forehead. This means knowledge and belief (forehead) and actions (hand). Its the same thing with the Mark of the beast. Accepting the Mark of the Beast in your head means believing and accepting whatever teachings and believes the Beast promotes. Accepting in the hand refers to your actions. So you can accept it either places. Maybe you do not believe but you will act in order to access food, or to save your own life. You will do what needs to be done to save yourself in the face of persecution. That is accepting the mark in your hand.

Those who do not accept the Mark of the Beast are also described as keeping the commandments of God and having the faith of Jesus. It tells me that if you keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus you cannot accept the Mark of the Beast as a by product.

Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

 

[allothernamesused]

ViaCrucis has the biblical concept correct, however Nero's name doesn't add up to 666 in Greek or in Hebrew so it was included with the title Caesar which also had to be misspelled to equal 666 (some documents even changed 666 to 616 in attempts to make things fit). In addition to the manuscript evidence, Irenaeus (disciple of Polycarp bishop of Smyrna, disciple of St John) addressed this and confirmed it was 666 not 616. He also knew the false messiah (or antichrist as most say) to be future to him.

Despite everything, numerical gematria itself is never used or endorsed in the bible and actually came from Babylon mystery religions and heavily used in the Kabbalah; the alphanumeric system numeric gematria builds on itself is not biblical and was also imported from pagan practices in the Maccabean period. The bible describes Yeshua's second coming as glorious as leading an army from heaven and every eye will see it when it happens (though the signs leading up to it will be missed by many not watching for it according to scriptural indicators), not like He came the first time largely unseen.

Peter addresses the timing of Yeshua’s return, hinting at the distant future:

But do not let this one [fact] escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2Pe 3.8-9 NAU)

Then he elaborates on what to expect when Yeshua does return, and finally a new heaven and earth:

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. (2Pe 3.10-13 NAU)

Paul also closely ties the revealing of the false messiah, the Wicked or Lawless one who sets himself up as God sitting in the temple, with the return of Yeshua to destroy him with His breath/spirit (2Th 2.8-9)

These things have not happened yet.

John wrote the book of Revelation after the 2nd temple was destroyed and indicates a future temple ministry in Jerusalem just prior to Yeshua's return (know the parable of the fig tree), the great city called spiritual Sodom and Egypt (Rev 11.8) also called Babylon (18.10), depicted as the harlot woman riding the global mongrel beast system, the great city ruling over the kings of the earth/land (17.18) arrayed in the colors and jewels of the high priestly garments (17.4) with names of blasphemy on her forehead (17.5), showing this is spiritual not physical. Compare Rev 14.1, the name of the father written on the foreheads of the 144,000 remnant in the land numbered out of the 12 tribes in 7.4-8 by angels. See also the biblical precedent set in the time of Ezekiel when he was shown what was happening when Judea had perverted the land and the temple and in the spirit he saw a remnant marked on the forehead by an angel with a writing case to be saved from the destruction (Ezk 9.2-6). The mark on the forehead was a spiritual matter.

Now Revelation 13 has the second beast, or false prophet, posing as the prophet Elijah imitating his works, shown renewing the Sinai covenant marriage as expected by the rabbis today -- in defiance of the new covenant blood when the husband was slain on the cross thus ending the old covenant marriage ratifying the new marriage of the lamb (Rom 7.2) as foretold by Jeremiah 31.31-32.

The future renewal of the Sinai covenant marriage in Judea imitates how it was in the Torah which came with sealing the tribes with the name or mark of God in the Aaronic Benediction ("And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them" Num 6.27), both hands held up giving the Holy Spirit or 'Shekhinah' as some call it, to the congregation as the bride. The bride receives the name of a husband in marriage, only this time the marriage is not to God but the false messiah set up as God. "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him." (John 5.43).

The rabbis also expect Elijah to help regather the tribes and number them in a census, which is how it was in the Torah in the book of Numbers when the tribes were numbered by their names by Aaron and Moses: "Take a census (literally "lift the head" ie, head count) of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, by their families, by their fathers' households, according to the number of names, every male, head by head." (Num 1.2)

We find another census when the Babylonian exiles returned to the land and were renewing the kingdom, sacrifice, priesthood, etc and being numbered according to the number of men: "Now these are the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city. These came with Zerubbabel, [...] and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel" (Ezr 2.1-2). Then the census lists the heads of families, or father's of households as described in Numbers 1.2, and a number next to their name (ie, the number -of sons- of their names), verse 13 even gives us as count of 666 which is spelled out in the Hebrew: "the sons of Adonikam, 666"

This is what John is referring to in Rev 13 and uses language from two historical census numberings of the tribes recorded in the bible when the Sinai covenant began and when it was renewed as it will be again by the false prophet posing as Elijah, anticipated by rabbis for a very long time.

The mark of the beast refers to the mark or signature of his name (clarified in 14.11 "mark of his name") received as if with a stamp upon a seal upon entering into covenant relationship with him being branded as his property with his name; and the number of his name refers to the number of males under his family name over a certain age as discussed further in Numbers. So in the first instance, the mark/name refers to a spiritual union or covenant, while the second use of name refers to the family he belongs to or is head of. Some translations are better than others at clarifying the sense in Rev 13.17, ESV for instance helps show the two aspects of this better: "so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name," (Rev 13.17 ESV), showing that the name of the beast is the mark of the beast, separate from the number of his name, and not the same thing - it never indicates a mark of his number or numerical mark.

Jastrow's dictionary entry for shem (שֵׁם) lists mark, name, title, nature, denomination. Mark and name are the same.

With this surrounding context of renewing the Sinai covenant with the regathered tribes (well underway with the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs in Israel, the Genographic Project collaboration between National Geographics and IBM, which worked with Hitler to number Jews, and companies like Google data-basing the DNA of the planet, ect), and reinstating the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices, we can get a better idea of how the reference to buying and selling fits in. Naturally, only those who entered the Sinai covenant could 'buy or sell' the offerings and sacrifices in the temple. Yeshua threw out the money changers and the merchants from the temple for turning the sacrificial system into a racket, "And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER'; but you are making it a ROBBERS' DEN." (Mat 21.12-13)

It looks like the con artists will be back in business. Perhaps it will be run by the banking families, I hear they are pretty good at manipulating currencies and markets, controlling the kings and ministers of the planet.

 

[Douggg]

I'm really scared of accidentally taking the mark of the Beast unaware, or being forced to take it.

What is the Mark Of the Beast? Is it a vaccine? Is it metaphorical? How can I avoid it? I really am terrified.

in Revelation 13, the 42 months of required identification to buy/sell, on the right hand or forehead will be by (1) the beast's name or (2) the number of his name 666 or (3) the mark of his name. Everything is associated with his name.

According to Christian eschatology, we are at least around 3-4 years, minimum, from that time.
_____________________________________________________________________

Where we are right now on the end times timeline is in the setup years leading up to those 7 years of Daniel 9:27 (which contain the last 42 months mark of the beast time). Several things must happen first, before the 7 years begin. 1. The ten kings of Daniel 7 come to power and then the little horn person. 2. Then the Gog/Magog event of Ezekiel 38-39.

There are startling changes taking place in the world right now. People wearing masks as daily routine, economies rattled, travel interrupted, social distancing, no assembly, countries, governments essentially calling marshal law, the world changed virtually overnight. The nations in stress.

Jesus said (paraphrased) When we see those things start to happen - we are to look up, our (Christians) redemption draws near - i.e. the rapture, the voice of the arch angel - Jesus saying "Come up hither". So it is both fearful times, and exciting times.

But you don't have worry about the mark of the beast as being imminent, like next week or something. Just maintain your relationship with Jesus, and be rock solid about it.

 

[solid_core]

I'm really scared of accidentally taking the mark of the Beast unaware, or being forced to take it.

What is the Mark Of the Beast? Is it a vaccine? Is it metaphorical? How can I avoid it? I really am terrified.

Mark of the beast is a symbolic thing. Right hand is your deeds, forehead is your thinking.

The point is that people will be marked as worshippers of the beast and of her image. They will leave the true God and will worship a man.

Also, it was about Nero. But generally, you can meet many similar situations - like Christians during catholic persecution, or like Christians living in muslim countries, or like Christians under Nazism/communism etc.

Its not a tattoo, or a chip or anything you can receive without knowing.

 

[ewq1938]

Mark of the beast is a symbolic thing. Right hand is your work, forehead is your thinking.

So why is the mark placed in one of either areas? Why is it placed if it's accomplished by the person rather than another person?

Thinking or doing things would mean the person places the mark upon themselves by doing or thinking certain things but the text does not support that since it is someone else that gives the mark to people.

The point is that people will be marked as worshippers of the beast and of her image. They will leave the true God and will worship a man.

Is "her" a type-o?