German World War II soldiers managed to tattoo numbers on the arms of every Jewish prisoner, but there will be a time in this world when everyone on earth will receive a mark on their right hand or forehead, how could that be?
Within my generation, what seemed like an impossibility in Revelation, written in about 90 AD Christ, today’s technology has become a reality.
Jesus, during the last Passover meal with his disciples, told them: “From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens, you can believe that I am He” (John 13:19 NAS).
He instructs us to read, listen and pay attention to the signs of his coming, to be ready, right?
1.- Who is this beast that requires a mark?
The book of Daniel tells us that there will be several beasts. But the angel Daniel saw preceded all this information with a single comment: “And he said: Behold, I will teach you what is to come at the end of wrath; because that is for the time of the end”(Daniel 8:19).
“And at the end of their reign, when the transgressors come to the end, a king will arise who is proud of countenance and understanding of riddles. And his power will be strengthened, but not with strength of its own; and he will cause great ruins, and will prosper, and will do arbitrarily, and will destroy the mighty and the people of the saints. With his sagacity he will make deceit prosper in his hand; and in his heart he will magnify himself, and without warning he will destroy many; and he will rise up against the Prince of princes, but he will be broken, though not by human hands.”(Daniel 8: 23-25).
Daniel’s beast, according to Revelation 13:1-3, is Beast #1, the antichrist. Y Beast #2 is identified in Revelation 13:11 as the false propheta religious leader who has the full power of Beast #1 as long as he is in the presence of this first beast.
2. Where does it come from?
God left a message in Daniel 7 for us to know that a fourth beast/kingdom will devour the entire earth and crush it. And out of this kingdom will arise one who is different from all the others and will subdue three kings. Keep your bookmark on Daniel chapters 7, 8 and 9 and go to Revelation chapters 13-20.
“He said thus: The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will be different from all other kingdoms, and the whole earth will devour, thresh and tear to pieces”(Daniel 7: 23-25).
Then, where did Daniel’s beast come from? Outside of the end times, a world government, where he will rise up over many kings, but ultimately subdues the last three. Revelation gives us a final preview of what’s to come, not to scare us, but to help us connect the dots…and be ready.
When Jesus speaks to the churches in chapters 2 to 4 of Revelation, he repeats seven times: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” And that’s our people. We better listen!
3. When does beast #1 appear?
The angel Gabriel gave Daniel the message of what is called the 70 weeks of Daniel, a countdown on God’s clock of the ages, the clock began ticking the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. And that decree was issued by Cyrus in 538 BC
Daniel 9:26-27 tells us: «… And after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off, but not for himself; and the people of a prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and its end will be with a flood, and devastation will last until the end of the war. And for another week he will confirm the covenant with many; in the middle of the week he will cause the sacrifice and offering to cease. Afterward with the multitude of abominations will come the desolator, until the consummation comes, and what is determined is poured out on the desolator.”
Revelation chapter 13 offers a more detailed description. But we know that this beast is the antichrist and God gives him power to rule over all the earth for 42 months. And he brings another beast with him.
4. Who does beast #1 bring with him?
Why Beast #2, of course. He looks like a lamb, but he talks like a dragon. This beast is identified as the false prophet, the religious leader of this end times prophecy. He has no power of his own, but in the presence of Beast #1, he has all the power of the first beast. And he commands all the earth to worship Beast #1.
He makes signs… even making fire appear to come out of the sky. He is a deceiver who builds an image that all who are alive on this earth must worship him. He is even given power to make this image breathe and speak. And if the people do not bow down and worship this image, he is beheaded. (Revelation 20:4)
And Revelation 13: 8-9 tells us: “… And all the inhabitants of the earth worshiped her, whose names were not written in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain from the beginning of the world. If anyone has an ear, let him hear.”
5. Who gives power to the beast?
Revelation 16:13 adds information about these two beasts by informing us after God’s judgments begin, the power source behind the two beasts joins them in a desperate attempt to defeat the Sovereign God of all Creation. And this third party is none other than the serpent, the dragon of old, Satan.
We see the image of unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouths of these three ungodly: spirits of demons who go out to gather the kings of the earth for the war of the Great Day of God.
6. What is the “mark of the beast”?
Beast #2 who caused the image of Beast #1 to be built has issued an order that everyone, small or great, rich or poor, free or slave, receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. A few years ago, a chip was invented that contains all of a person’s information. Alarm bells were screaming in my head when teenagers were urged to put these chips in their hands, so when they decided to party up, their information couldn’t be stolen, and to persuade parents, if their son was in danger, they could do it often.
During this 42-month period, a person without the name of the beast or the number of his name will not be able to buy or sell. Revelation 13:18 says: “… Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of man. And his number is six hundred and sixty-six.” Think for a moment what that indicates. Probably a cashless society. Those who reject the brand will not be able to buy groceries, gasoline, medicine, nothing. They will have no way of earning what they need, because without the mark of the beast, there will be no banks and no places to store the wealth earned.
And with the technology of our time, what should that do to each of us? Urgency! An immediate need to share the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone within our sphere of influence.
7.- Why the brand?
From the beginning, the serpent, Satan, has desired to be like God. His impious being mocks the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit of God. God’s Word tells us, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Embedded in Leviticus 19:28, we find these words: “You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourself: I am the Lord.” But God gives everyone the choice to trust Him or not. But receiving the mark ends all choice.
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives the mark on his forehead or on his hand, he too will drink of the wine of God’s wrath, which has been emptied pure into the cup of his wrath; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy angels and the Lamb; and the smoke of his torment goes up forever and ever. And they have no rest day or night, those who worship the beast and his image, nor anyone who receives the mark of his name », (Revelation 14: 9-11).
8. What happens to those who reject the mark?
Many will come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ during these tribulation years, but the cost of that choice will be their lives.
Revelation 6:9 gives us a glimpse of those who have been martyred for their faith in Jesus. God has locked them safely under the altar, where they ask him: “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of their testimony. And they cried out with a loud voice, saying: How long, Lord, holy and true, do you not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?
Revelation 7:15 tells us: “For this reason they are before the throne of God; and they serve him day and night in his temple… they will no longer hunger… because the Lamb… will be their shepherd… to guide them to the fountains of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from his eyes.”
9. What about the beasts?
And now the good news! Revelation 19 and 20 record the closing hours of this time. I invite you to read these final chapters to visualize the great victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Beasts 1 and 2 are captured by the mighty angels and thrown alive into the lake of fire and brimstone.
Then another angel descends from heaven, holding the keys to the great deep. He grabs and binds Satan and throws him into the abyss. This angel closes and seals this bottomless pit on Satan, where he is bound for 1,000 years so that he can no longer deceive the nations of the earth.
But after 1,000 years, this old devil needs to be released for a short while…and I’m not going to tell you the rest of the story. Revelation 20-22 is worth the read! These chapters are easy to understand and God promises a blessing to all who read, listen and heed the words of prophecy in Revelation. Jesus warns, “For the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).
10. What is God’s message to you and me about this brand?
“However, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His’ and ‘Let all who name the name of the Lord refrain from evil'” (2 Timothy 2:19 NAS ).
I know that the messages of Revelation and Daniel make the eyes of unbelievers roll and turn us off with a giggle. But those who choose to turn from God in no way invalidate his instructions for us to go and make disciples. We must share what our Lord has and is doing in our lives.
The study of the Apocalypse will become clearer as the Day draws near.
In my life, I have seen the development of technology that allows us to see what is happening around the world in real time. In Chapter 11 of Revelation, God told us that the whole world would look at the dead bodies of the two witnesses and rejoice. When I was a little girl, he used to ask me: Lord, how can that happen? Now I know. I wondered how anyone or anything could track the…