The buccaneer of the universe pulls of another counterfeit.
“He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. Wisdom is needed here…” – Revelation 13:16 -17 NLT
Hebrews in the Old Testament had been commanded; “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.” Deut4:6-8.
Here is the buccaneer of the universe pulling off another counterfeit. People of all social classes will be pressured to receive the mark of the beast on their right hands or their foreheads. Just as the seal in the forehead identifies those whom God regards as His (Rev.7:3,4; Rev.14:1), so the mark of the beast identifies the worshipers of the beast. The mark of the beast and the seal of God are two opposites.
The mark of the beast is not a visible sign of any kind. Its placement on the right hand or on the forehead counterfeits the instruction that Moses gave the Israelites to bind God’s law as a sign upon their hands or their foreheads (Deut. 6:8). The right hand has to do with behaviour and cooperation, while the forehead has to do with the mind or mental agreement. Some will choose to receive the mark of the beast to escape the threat of death, while others, in their minds, will be fully committed mentally and spiritually to this apostate system of worship.
The central issues in the final crisis will be worship and obedience (see Rev.14:12). Read through Revelation 13 and 14 and mark every time the word worship appears.
The seal of God is received only in the forehead because God’s people have made that choice. The word ‘worship occurs 7 times in Rev 13 & 14.
If the Seal of God is the opposite of the Mark of the beast, then it would be a good thing to know in detail what they are.
“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 13:18. NASB.
Both the NLT and NIV translate ‘man’ as humanity, which is consistent with the numerology of the number 6.
Over the centuries teachers of prophecy have forced many names to come out at 666. Nero Caesar was a popular choice in the early centuries of Christian thought. Hitler was certainly a character that many sought to tie to this prophecy.
One creative suggestion was Ronald Wilson Reagan because he had six letters in each of his three names. After leaving the presidency, he moved to a home in Los Angeles. Evidently the numerology bothered him enough that he had the address changed from 666 St. Cloud Drive to 668!
One recent favourite is the allegation that 666 appears on some international product codes. Since this relates to buying and selling (Rev 13:16-17), some think this is significant. If we adapt the rules to make names conform (say multiply by seven, add four, then divide by three) we can eventually make any name fit 666.
As previously noted, the statue of Nebuchadnezzar where worship was commanded in Daniel 3 was constructed using the Babylonian base system of 6. Sixty cubits by 6 cubits (Dan 3:1) and 6 instruments of worship were listed in v5.
Through the centuries many Christians suffering intense persecution supposed that they were experiencing the final tribulation before the Second Coming. It is not surprising that they wondered if Stalin, Hitler or some Muslim ruler might not be the final Antichrist. While they may have been wrong in thinking they were the last generation, they gained courage from grasping the larger principles of the Book of Revelation. And in quality, if not in time, they tasted in part the final struggle with the forces of evil. 6 is the number of men, and rebellion. 666 is the last day trinity of evil, the dragon, the Beast, the false prophet – the final rebellion. Don’t be part of it.
The last week of our Lord’s life typifies the events of His body, the church at the end of time. He had a small time of trouble in Gethsemane, where the sin of the world was upon Him. Then the greater time of trouble on Calvary – it was the church of the day using the power of the state that put Him there. The women of Revelation 12:17 (not a denomination) will experience the wrath of the devil. When the church is going through its good Friday; remember Sundays coming!