Articles of Faith | CafeLogos.org
The fourteenth chapter of the book of Revelation contains a chilling warning for humanity. –
Copyright 2020 by H.D. Shively
Related Content - The Medical Mark of the Beast
The Mark of the Beast
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
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:
And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name (Rev. 14:9-11).
The previous chapter thirteen reveals the emergence of the last world empire and its PR man, the antichrist, who instigates the “marking” that God has warned will cause those who take it to come under His wrath.
And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six – 666 (Rev. 13:16-18).
Some Christians believe that they are immune from taking this mark because it is associated with the worship of the beast (Rev. 13:4,8). The claim is made that if they are worshipping Jesus, then they cannot be marked by the beast. That is true; if a believer is faithful to Jesus, then that believer will not submit to the antichrist and will refuse his mark. These ones we are told, are targets for elimination (Rev. 13:15).
We are shown that this beast empire is demonic in origin. It is similar in its construction to the depiction of the devil in Rev. 12:3. The “heads” (intelligences operating this system) are marked with the “the name of blasphemy” (Rev. 13:1). This system or empire is satanic and is openly opposed to God (Rev.13:6).
We are also shown that this beast operates through the use of deception (Rev. 13:14). In other words, the masses will not understand that this beast is inherently evil and the majority of the populace will be enamored of the “great wonders” the beast is able to produce (Rev. 13:13).
Because many Christians have access to the word of God, these ones have the advantage of being forewarned for their protection and preparation for the day when the signs the Bible gives concerning the beast are coming to pass. Therefore, it is important for all Christians to be aware of those signs and be wise enough to recognize when they are starting to make their appearance.
For the first time in history the technology exists that can literally embed a mark in someone that can allow them to buy or sell without cash.
Many years ago when I was visiting a church in New England, a member of the congregation told me about another member who had been in Arkansas. He was standing in line at a check out and the cashier asked the man in front of him how he would like to pay. The man replied, “With this” and he swiped his hand over the scanner.
Apparently the technology has been around for quite some time, even though when this event took place that technology was not being publicized. Today, many corporations are “marking” or embedding their employees with computer chips that are linked to their bank accounts enabling them to purchase items from the company vending machines and to replace the need for keys. These chips are the size of a grain of rice and are injected into the skin with a hypodermic needle in the space between the thumb and forefinger; the spot where Satanists tattoo their allegiance to Satan.
I think any Christian who is really astute, would take these events as a warning that we are approaching the fulfillment of the prophecy in Revelation’s pages.
In spite of the similarities to the warnings in scripture, some Christians reject the chip implant as the mark of the beast, asserting that the chip cannot be the mark because it has nothing to do with “worship,” which is the real mark. The marking to them is a spiritual mark, not a physical one, even though the scriptures states specifically that no one will be allowed to buy or sell without it. It has to be a literal mark. Worship or the willingness to worship the system that produces it precedes the actual literal marking. But, if a believer is serious about avoiding the consequences of being marked, which will be forced at some point in time, then anything that could be even remotely associated with the warnings in the Bible concerning the mark should be avoided, and at the very least viewed with caution.
These Christians also claim that getting a chip has nothing to do with denying Jesus, which would cause them to lose their salvation and come under God’s wrath (Matthew 10:33). But allowing oneself to be unified with the beast by accepting the mark, is a denial of Jesus. The mark enables the one who accepts it to be linked to a Jesus denying system controlled by Satan.
In the initial stages of the emergence of this system, the demonic elements will be concealed, wrapped in an attractive packaging labeled “technology.” While one may not be obviously worshipping the beast, many can be deceived by developing attachments to those computerized “wonders” that are based on the number of man’s inventions - 666. Any minimum amount of research into the subject reveals how this number is related to modern technology, especially the computer's chip-sized offspring.
A Christian who allows himself to be branded digitally, even though he is not consciously worshipping the beast, is breaking God’s commandment to not take the mark produced by this evil system. Anything that even slightly resembles a mark that can be linked to a bank account and can eventually be used to prevent buying and selling should be rejected.
Those who argue that the mark is only spiritual, when the technology exists today that can literally mark someone, connect them to their bank accounts and prevent them from functioning in society, is blatantly naïve. I suspect also, that many Christians who are in this camp are also experiencing elements of denial. In spite of the evidence, for some, the events in Revelation are seen as happening in some far distant future and will not concern them. But the principle behind the beast and his mark has been present in every generation; the Lord’s people are never to compromise with evil no matter what form it takes.
If someday an app containing the corporate name of the beast or the number of his name, is inserted into your smartphone, and it is the only means by which you can make a purchase, then it’s time to toss your smartphone into the trash. If you can’t do that, well, idolatry has many forms. What is idolatry? The worship of something else other than God.
The book of Daniel reveals that in the future iron will be mixed with clay (Daniel 2:33). The iron can represent the satanic being unified with human “clay.” Currently there are attempts being made to literally merge humans with machines. This iron merging with clay science is called “transhumanism.” Elon Musk has successfully implanted a computer chip in a pig’s brain, a mark that could someday soon be used to brand humans. The goal of that experiment is to eventually connect the human mind to the internet.
The devil is trying to duplicate himself as God through the use of technology. He is a created being and is not omnipresent, a characteristic that only belongs to God. But through the use of Wi-Fi that can be almost anywhere at the same time, the devil can attempt to mimic the Holy Spirit, by literally connecting people to the “internet of things.”
Microsoft’s “Mining Crypto Currency” patent is for a device that is designed to keep track of all the physical activity in the human body, which can also generate a crypto currency. The patent also includes a network that enables a human to receive instructions from that network, a computerized caricature of the Holy Spirit’s ability to communicate with humans. The patent is published as WO/2020/060606.
The Bible shows us that Jesus will return after the beast and his marking expedition have come into their fullness. In Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), He returns for His church, but He rejects those who were able to go and buy. Obviously these ones who thought they were worshipping Jesus, had disobeyed the Lord’s commandment and allowed themselves to be unified with the devil’s organization.
They had allowed the truth of the gospel to dwindle in their lamps, and while they never overtly denied their faith in Jesus specifically, they had permitted their faith to be compromised. They no longer felt the need to assert that Jesus is the only way, accepting the beast’s mantra that all religions are valid. They never saw themselves as obviously worshipping the beast, after all, they were waiting for Jesus, they were professed Christians. And they had obviously never made the connection that the mark they took that enabled them to buy, was the mark that the Bible had warned them about. There was no point in their minds to deny themselves the necessities of life over the wonders of being able to purchase goods through the use of the beasts’ technical marvels.
They were wrong. There’s a very good reason why Jesus labeled these ones as “foolish.”
God warns, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). That knowledge of course, is God’s word. And His word is designed to prepare us for a time in the future that just might be tomorrow.
A Christian who heeds God’s word, will remain alert, and will reject anything that even faintly resembles the devil’s attempts to unify himself with humanity.
Return to Articles of Faith | Cafe Logos Homepage