666 and the Mark of the Beast by The Audio Key!

666 and the Mark of the Beast: Bridging Past, Present, and Future By John Lyall

- http://endtimeupgrade.org

8 August, 2015 Unless noted otherwise, Scriptures quoted are from the New International Version, 1984edition

1 – Introduction P. 2 2 – How in the World will the World Ever Accept Being “Marked”? P. 5 3 – From the Ancient Point of View P. 8 4 – “Mark” Counterfeits “Seal” P. 10 5 – Modern Secular Worship Service P. 16 6 – Surveillance and Persecution P. 26 7 – What’s in a Name? P. 32 8 – Ancient Business Model and Today’s P. 34 9 – Birth of the Barcode P. 38 10 – Re-calibrating Revelation 13:17-18 P. 42 11 – The Riddle of 666 P. 47 12 – Symbolic Significance of the “Number” P. 55 13 – 666: A Key Sign of the Times P. 59 14 – Conclusion P. 62

1 – Introduction Revelation 13:16-18 He [Beast from the earth, False Prophet] also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666. For centuries, this prediction about the Mark of the Beast and the 666Number has mystified generations of truth-seekers; and to witness its

fulfillment was always regarded as a clear sign of soon-coming cataclysmic events. The search for its meaning has brought on many and diverse theories, ranging from non-sensical to shockingly accurate. Whenever the subject of the Antichrist is mentioned, then usually, he is right away associated with this mysterious number 666. In the world at large, 666 is a major signpost of the End Time that many people are aware of. And indeed, when we take a close look at recent technology, it is almost shocking to see how much this portion of Scripture has already come to be fulfilled in our modern world. There is some confusion also. And this study will endeavor to outline what the prophecy about 666 and the “mark” is supposed to mean. Some of this will be a review of old ideas, but hopefully, we can advance and break some new ground in our understanding of this mysterious message from ancient times. As John the Apostle describes his vision, it becomes obvious that the future means of exchange would be something very peculiar to the people of ancient times. The phrase “buy or sell” in Revelation 13:17 expresses what goes on everyday in the world’s market places. This has gone on throughout history; and in the modern world, of course, nothing has changed in this respect. But the manner in which we carry out commercial exchanges has changed a great deal. God revealed to John the apostle that the traditional methods of bartering and coinage, used in his day, would no longer be operating. Instead, the people of the future – us – would have a peculiar new way of conducting their buying and selling operations, via this “mark” and “number”. And this was quite beyond his comprehension in those days. Only in recent years has John’s revelation begun to make sense. For in the last 50 years the world has seen a total transformation of its means of exchange because of new inventions that use electronic funds transfer, computer technology, etc. So, have we at last come to the stage when this mysterious revelation is ready to be understood and is about to be fulfilled? For almost 2,000 years, its meaning lay hidden, but now it seems we truly are on the verge of seeing this ancient revelation reveal itself.

This study will not delve too much into the discoveries of modern technology but will focus more on the point of view of those who lived in ancient times. And this should help us to get a good perspective on how this ancient revelation is coming to pass in our modern world with its peculiar technology; it is both intriguing and faith-building to understand how the curious inventions of our age were foreseen by the Lord when nothing remotely similar to them existed back in those ancient times. In a nutshell these verses 16-18 of Revelation 13 describe the cashless, computerized credit system that will be operating during the reign of the Antichrist and False Prophet. And to some extent we are already living in that system. And what are the “mark” and “number”? No doubt, they are the products of modern technology. Scientists and computer experts are already toying around with microchips, even tattoos, that can fulfill what is said about the “mark” – a device that can be implanted in the hand or forehead and enable mankind to carry out commercial exchanges without the use of cash or bartering. The world is already accustomed to using credit/debit cards as a convenient alternative to coins and paper money. We could assume, for the purpose of this study, that the technology for the “mark” shall move out of the experimental stage and be implemented on a worldwide scale. As for the 666 “number”, there is reason to believe that it is already in use (as we shall see further ahead). So the new system has arrived on mankind’s doorstep. And eventually, it will become the norm, and even mandatory (or at least difficult not) to join this buying and selling system foretold so long ago.

2 – How in the World will the World Ever Accept Being “Marked”? New customs have a funny way of becoming accepted over a period of time. At first, they are considered outlandish; only fringe elements of the population adopt them. As time goes on, people get used to the new fad, and the shock effect wears off. Eventually, what was once deemed outrageous becomes the new normal. The use of implanted devices in the skin (microchips) will likely follow the same pattern. How this may happen is well explained in these news article excerpts: …Microchips will become progressively smaller, less invasive, and easier to deploy. Thus, any realistic barrier to the wholesale “chipping” of Western citizens is not technological but cultural. It relies upon the visceral reaction against the prospect of being personally marked as one component in a massive human inventory. Today we might strongly hold such beliefs, but sensibilities can, and probably will, change. How this remarkable attitudinal transformation is likely to occur is clear to anyone who has paid attention to privacy issues over the past quarter-century. There will be no 3 A.M. knock on the door by storm troopers come to force implants into our bodies. The process will be more subtle, couched in the unassailable language of progress and social betterment… …The first widespread use of human implanting will occur in nations at the periphery of the Western world. They will familiarize a global audience with the technology and habituate them to the idea that chipping represents a potential future… …The actual process of “chipping” for many individuals will simply involve activating certain functions of their existing chip. Any prospect of removing the chip will become increasingly untenable, as having a chip will be a precondition for engaging in the main dynamics of modern life, such as shopping, voting, and driving… In one generation, then, the cultural distaste many might see as an innate reaction to the prospect of having our bodies marked like those of an inmate in a concentration camp will likely fade… (“A Generation Is All They Need” by Kevin Haggerty, The Toronto Star, December 10, 2006).

Although older people might recoil at the notion of sticking gizmos inside themselves, younger ones tend to like the idea. In the first generation there’s been a radical change about surgery and altering your body. The resistance to having tattoos and wearing body rings is dropping. Altering your appearance through surgery is no longer a cause for amazement. The main problem most scholars agree, will be the tradeoff between lost privacy and enhanced convenience. At least initially, such chips would be voluntary. But things that are voluntary today have a way of becoming compulsory tomorrow.” (“In Future, Tiny Chip May Get Under Skin” by Jon Van, Chicago Tribune, May 7, 1996)

In the old days, to show respect in social situations, the commonly accepted custom was to bow, even fall down before the respected individual. So showing one’s worship of a deity – by falling down or bowing before it – was a simple matter, just an extension of what people were already accustomed to doing. Nowadays, people are getting accustomed to receiving chip implants, which in future will make it easier for them to show their “worship of the beast”; it will be an extension of something they have become used to. At present however, if the False Prophet tried to impose the “mark” as a sign of worship, few would go for it, simply because skin implants are still foreign to most people. But in the future, as the articles above point out, cultural norms can change. Over time the initial feeling of revulsion at having something stuck under the skin gives way to familiarity and acceptance of the new custom. In a way this is a necessary process. A person’s refusal to receive this “mark” must be a genuine decision not to “worship the beast”. Right now, people would consider receiving the “mark” to be too much of an imposition on their rights, an invasion of their privacy and their physical body. But refusing the “mark” for these reasons is not the same as refusing it because one refuses to worship the Antichrist. So it looks like the practice of using microchips has to become more of a normal, accepted part of the cultural landscape before the “mark of the beast”, which will be known as a sign of one’s allegiance to the Antichrist, can be introduced. In the meantime, it is advisable to avoid using microchips if possible. It is better to learn not to depend on them. Then when the time comes that the “mark of the beast” is introduced, for those who, with “a good conscience toward God”, decide to refuse it, it won’t be as difficult if they have already learned to live without implanted devices. (1Peter 3:21)

Following is a prophetic message that offers some wise counsel and reassurance about how to deal with the coming “mark of the beast”: (David Berg speaking from Beyond:) Now, the Lord has very clearly said that those who know and love Him should not take the Mark of the Beast. If the Antichrist or some Antichrist-linked government comes along and “causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” (Revelation 13:16), that’s when you’ll have to obey God rather than man and say, “No thanks!” But today’s microchips aren’t the Mark of the Beast. They may well be forerunners, but so far the Lord hasn’t revealed exactly what the Mark of the Beast is and how it will work. I’ve often wondered if it was a microchip and would be used to implement his cashless society, in which all financial transactions are electronic, with your chip being your little electronic wallet— as well as giving the Enemy some sort of control over you, and a symbol of you according him some form of worship… Just as the Lord makes it very clear what the consequences are for taking the Mark, when the time comes and the Mark comes along, He’ll make it very clear what the Mark is! You won’t have any doubt, and taking the Mark isn’t something that those who know the Lord will do accidentally or inadvertently. In the meantime, I still wouldn’t advise you or your children being microchipped if you can possibly help it. We’re to be in the world, not of it, and certainly not have it implanted under our skin! It could not only destroy what privacy you have, and possibly be used to locate you or track you, but it could also be unhealthy for you. The Lord made your body to be His temple, His dwelling place, and He made it to reject foreign objects. Scientists and doctors have overcome that to some extent, but there are still times when they can’t. So having a microchip implanted could make you sick, just as having the Mark will cause sores in those who receive it (Revelation 16:2). If you are faced with some sort of situation in which a microchip is mandatory, the first thing to do is ask the Lord what to do, and He’ll probably have some good advice on how to get out of it or get around it! If it turns out that you can’t for some reason, maybe He wants you to move, or maybe He’ll explain some alternative, or maybe He’ll even reassure you that this particular chip isn’t a harmful one and that He’ll keep you from any problems. The Lord has the solutions and the answers to every complex question, and He can guide you if you’ll ask Him! You can trust Him to do so. The Lord can keep His children from problems with microchips, and He can keep you despite the Mark of the Beast being imposed on the world someday. You’ll have the Mark of God, the seal of God (Revelation 7), and if

necessary, you can “flee into the wilderness” (Revelation 12:14) of the underdeveloped world and find refuge in low-tech cultures where the Mark of the Beast hasn’t made any inroads yet! (From publication of The Family International - 21 April 2007. Used by permission. )

3 – From the Ancient Point of View To get an idea of what the Apostle, and people in those days, understood by these terms “mark” and “name”, it may help to consider some different ways that “marks” are being used nowadays: a brand, for example, is the symbol for the name of a rancher who owns some cattle; a tattoo could represent the name of the man whom a slave belongs to, or the name of the religion a man has joined; a logo or trademark is the symbol for the name of a business enterprise or trading establishment. And just as we do now with brands, tattoos, logos, etc., in John’s day too it was normal to identify the “name” of something or someone with a “mark”. In fact, it was a lot more common to use symbols and marks for naming things in those days because so few people knew how to read or write. The common Hebrew word shem means “name”; but originally, it came from a root word that meant this: Shem… “I regard this word as primitive… kindred to it is the root… to mark with a sign, to designate… sign, stigma [a mark pricked in or branded upon the body], mark with which anyone is marked” (from Gesenius’ Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament, pg. 832, originally published in 1847). So in ancient Hebrew the word for “mark” eventually took on the meaning of “name” because marks were a common way for people to name themselves. Now if we look closely at the passage (Revelation 13:16-18), in verse 16 John mentions only the ”mark”; so it is natural that the next verse 17 should go on to explain what “name” the “mark” is supposed to represent. And, of course, it happens to be the “name of the beast”. The verse also explains another function of the mark – buying and selling. So, for those who have received it, the mark does two things: it enables people to carry out commercial transactions and also identifies whom they belong to.

The close link between the mark and the name of the beast is not so obvious in some translations. The original Greek with literal translation looks like this:

Note: No separation of “or” between the words “mark” and “name” So, a useful translation might be, The mark, which is the name of the beast (NIV, 1984 edition) The mark, that is, the name of the beast (RSV, ESV) The mark, (even) the name of the beast (ASV) The mark, the name of the beast (WEB, Darby) The mark, which is the beast’s name (ISV) The mark of the name of The Beast (Aramaic Bible in Plain English) The brand, which is the beast’s name (GW) It is a minor mistranslation in some Bible versions to add some undue emphasis to the “name” by inserting the word “or” between “mark” and “name”: “the mark, or the name of the beast” (KJV) Elsewhere, the King James Version translates other similar phrases without inserting the word “or”. For example, “the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem”. (Revelation 3:12) In addition, in Revelation 14:11 there is the phrase “mark of his name”, showing that the “name” belongs to the “mark” and should not be treated as something separate from the “mark”. (There is a reason why translators in the past tended to favor the “mark or name” over the “mark which is the name” translation, and that will be discussed further on.)

4 – “Mark” Counterfeits “Seal” Oddly enough, throughout the Book of Revelation we find that God’s people are also “marked”: They too are given something on their forehead called a “seal” or “name”. (See Revelation 7:3-8, 9:4 for “seal” and 3:12, 14:1, 22:4 for “name”.) The two words are used interchangeably; and the “seal” simply stands for the “name” of God the Father and of the Lamb (Christ). So interestingly, this seems to parallel what is said about the “mark” and “name”

of the beast. Following right on the heels of Revelation 13:16-18 about the “mark of the beast”, John writes, “Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1) Evidently, the Lord is trying here to bring out the other side in this matter, showing the corresponding reality in the Heavenly Realm. What an unusual juxtaposition of scenes! One moment we read about the world’s people being given this mark in their foreheads so they can buy and sell; then suddenly, John receives this contrasting vision; he views another group of people who also have a “name (of Christ and of the Father) written on their foreheads.” But these are God’s chosen people rejoicing in the

Heavenly Realm before the Throne of God. (These chosen people include, not only the 144,000, but, as Revelation 7:9 states, “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language.”) To the Apostle this next vision perhaps helped him to understand there was nothing so remarkable about this curious invention of a future age, this “mark of the beast” on the forehead. It’s only an imitation of something that God does with His own people. Evidently, this having a name written on the forehead is a reality in the Heavenly Realm that Satan is seeking to imitate in his kingdom. If God writes His name on the foreheads of His people, then why shouldn’t he, Satan, do the same with his people in his earthly kingdom? The fact that God’s people also have a “name… on their foreheads”, represented by a type of mark (“seal”), confirms for us the understanding that, similarly, the “mark” represents the “name of the beast”. In the Apostle’s mind this “mark” seemed a repulsive thing since it was to mark its bearers as having taken on the name of the “beast”. In addition, the word “mark” had some negative associations, namely, of a manmade device used for branding and identifying animals and engraving idolatrous images. Whereas, by contrast, the “seal” is God-made, noble and uplifting, representing “his [the Lamb’s] and the Father’s Name”. Seals were also used by earthly kings to make documents secure. Whoever or whatever could claim to have the king’s seal was considered to be acting in the name of that king; he would be granted high priority treatment and protection. And that is similar to what the Lord will do for His people, who are marked with the “seal”, during those days of Great Tribulation when the rest of the world will be getting their “mark of the beast”. The word “mark” was used in one instance to refer to the manufacture of idols, things that were “graven by art and man’s device”. (Acts 17:29, KJV) Or a more literal translation would say, “by the mark (same word as in “mark of the beast”) of art and man’s imagination”. The manufacture of idols requires the use of sharp engraving tools. So from that angle it is a fitting word if we understand the “mark” correctly as an injection of a computer chip into the skin by a sharp pointed instrument, a syringe. The “seal”, on the other hand, for God’s people suits the idea of something supernatural created by God. We see then that the Revelation 14 passage is a continuation of Revelation 13:16-18 and brings out the contrast between the Devil’s and

God’s people. Chapter 13 featured John the Apostle as the only one speaking, describing the remarkable vision of the two “beasts” of the Endtime. Most of the Revelation chapters contain some word of explanation or pronouncement from an angelic being or spirit guide, or from the Lord Himself. But chapter 13 doesn’t, so this following chapter 14 seems to be a continuation that is meant to give a more rounded explanation of the preceding vision. So here in chapter 14, three angels are also allowed to draw some important conclusions that were not mentioned in the previous chapter. This includes a warning to the world about the mark of the beast which was not included in chapter 13: “A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury…” (14:910) To summarize: The scene where God’s people stand around the Throne, having “his name and his Father’s Name written on their foreheads”, is connected, by way of contrast, with the previous scene depicting the Beast’s people with a “mark” in their foreheads. The “mark” enables them to gain entry into the world of buying and selling, the world’s barren utopia of materialism. And so, this peculiar “mark” system of the End Time seems to be nothing more than the Enemy’s last-ditch and futile attempt to mimic a reality that already exists in the Heavenly Realm. And for those who join his system, the following chapter 14 adds the warning of grave repercussions in the Afterlife. Examples from the Scriptures Following is a list of various examples of the “seal/name/mark” written in the foreheads of God’s people and of some who were not His people: Genesis 4:15 Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. Even Cain was afforded God’s merciful protection so long ago by means of a mark of some kind. Deuteronomy 6:4-5,8 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength… Tie them as symbols on your hands, and bind them on your foreheads. Even today devout Jews practice this custom: a band worn on the

forehead with a phylactery attached (a slip of parchment with Scripture passages inside a tiny box). Ezekiel 9:1-2,4-6 “Bring the guards of the city here…” And I saw six men [angelic beings] coming, each with a deadly weapon in his hand. With them was a man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side… and [the LORD] said to him, “Go through the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those men who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.” As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill… but do not touch anyone who has the mark.” Here, the same English word “mark” is used for God’s people, as a sign of identification to ensure their protection. Probably the Lord has done this from time to time during history as a way to preserve His people during times of catastrophic judgment. And it will happen again in the future (according to Revelation 7:3, 9:4). Revelation 3:12 Him who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God, the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. Now here it doesn’t say where the “name” is written, but several of the following examples place the “name” (or “seal”) on the forehead. Revelation 7:3 Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God. Here evidently, the “seal” provides protection for God’s people during the upcoming judgments of God. Revelation 9:4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. Again, the seal is for protection. Revelation 14:1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. Along with 3:12 and 22:4, the “name” is a sign of honor and heavenly reward and allows the privilege of dwelling in the Heavenly City and standing before the Throne of God. Revelation 17:5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (NKJV) Even this symbolic representation of a decadent world system was done with a name on the forehead; and it’s there for the purpose of identification.

Revelation 19:12,13 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. So, even Jesus has a name on His person, and it looks like it is also in the region of the forehead although it doesn’t say so specifically. He had some other names on his person too: “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”, the which were written “on His robe and on His thigh”. (19:16) Revelation 22:4 They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. So, this having a name or seal in the forehead is mentioned several times in the Scriptures – more often in reference to God’s people than to the Devil’s people. And it is evident that, whether it is the “seal” or the “mark”, both represent the “name”, either of God or the Beast. In the spirit world it seems great significance is attached to this business of having a name on the forehead – something we don’t fully comprehend – but well understood to the dwellers on That Side. Because of its importance, this may be why the Dragon is so intent on having his False Prophet engineer this system where the world’s people are given this “mark” (or “name of the beast”) on their foreheads, as well as in their hands. The Devil is trying to usurp the place of God in this, his worldly domain; and apparently, this business of having the world’s people receive the “mark” is a crucial part of that plan. If we look closely at the description of the “mark” (and what it does), we can see how it imitates what the “seal/name” does for the people of God. And this suggests that the “mark” is more than just a minor matter of practical economic necessity; it is actually a type of initiation rite into the Devil’s kingdom. As mentioned earlier, the “mark” is also the “name of the Beast”. Having the “name of the beast” means you belong to the Beast (and the Dragon), just as God’s people have the “Father’s name” and belong to Him. And that is why the “mark” (rather than the “number”) is portrayed as the sign of one’s worship of the Beast. According to ancient oriental usage, slaves and soldiers bore the name or stamp of their master or commander branded or pricked (cut) into their bodies to indicate what master or general they belonged to, and there were even some devotees who stamped themselves in this way with the token of their gods. [from Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, pg. 588 (under definition for stigma), published 1901]

So then, what does the “mark” do? Well, first of all, it identifies those who belong to the Beast’s kingdom, similar to how the “seal/name” identifies (to the judgment angels) those who belong to God’s Kingdom. Secondly, those who have the mark enjoy the Beast’s protection (against his persecution of the people of God), just as the seal/name shields God’s people from His judgments on the world. Thirdly, the mark, which probably acts like some kind of allpurpose credit card, allows those who have it to receive their sustenance, to gain access into the false utopia of the world’s market-places. By contrast, those who have the Father’s seal/name get to enjoy access into Heaven and all its eternally satisfying pleasures, far surpassing anything this world has to offer. Fourthly, the mark could be regarded as a sign of reliability and honor, in a similar way to how credit cards are viewed by the world nowadays. Perhaps there will be a difference in the level of honor shown by whether people receive the mark in their hand or, as a sign of greater distinction and dedication to the system, in their forehead. And, of course, the seal/name that God’s people receive is plainly a sign of honor and dedication for them. Another feature about the mark, as far as we know, is its invisibility, which is similar to how the seal/name will be on God’s people. Presumably, the seal is something that you won’t see with the eyes of flesh, but those in the spirit world can detect it. Similarly, the mark, if we understand it correctly, will also be invisible, detectable only by special sensing devices. Considering all these factors, it is easy to see that the “mark” system of the False Prophet is actually a kind of religious system that imitates the Lord’s own means of identifying His people. It is not unlike the practice common in many religions that use tattoos and marks of various kinds; only it takes place on a much grander scale. The mark serves as a way to initiate people into and identify them as members of his powerful new religion – one that combines Mammon-worship with worship of the Antichrist.

5 – Modern Secular Worship Service Prior to these Scriptures about the “mark”, the Revelation 13 passage depicts the Earth-Beast (False Prophet) in a “religious” way: “He causeth the earth… to worship the first beast”; “he doeth great wonders”; he deceives the world “by means of those miracles” done “in the sight of the beast” by which he is able to create a living, speaking “image of the beast”; and this seems to be how he “causes the earth to worship the first beast” (the Antichrist), through this image that the modern world will worship. (13:12-15, KJV) Then right after those Scriptures comes the passage about how the False Prophet, this supreme “religious” figure, “causes all… to receive a mark” to use for buying and selling. (13:16, NKJV) Now why would a religious figure be so concerned about how the world’s economic system is being organized? Has the passage of Scripture veered out of the “religious” realm into the “economic” realm? More likely, it’s a case of the world’s economic system getting swallowed up into the religious realm; and so, this “mark” actually has a lot to do with worshipping the Beast, which will become the world’s new “religion”. But the “mark” is needed for shopping, and we might wonder, what does it have to do with worshiping the Beast (Antichrist)? Well, nothing in a way. And that is exactly how the initial description in Revelation 13 portrays it. The modern worship system was so different to what the apostle knew that he is not able to connect the two activities of worshiping the beast and receiving the mark.

The “mark” is part of the world’s buying and selling activities and is separate from the activity of being in the presence of the Antichrist (via his “image”). This peculiar, modern form of worship is reflected in Revelation 13:14-17. No connection is made between the appearance of the “image” and of the “mark”.

Why? Because being in the hallowed presence of the Antichrist is not directly connected to the act of receiving the “mark” (whereas in olden days, being in the hallowed presence of a demagogue or idol or sacred spot and bowing to it are simultaneous activities.) In the following chapter 14, an angel clarifies what was not made plain in chapter 13 when he declares, “If any man worship the beast and his image, AND receive his mark”, thereby showing that receiving the mark is part of the worship service to the Beast. And what is so different about this new religion that John is trying to describe? In the old days idolatry was common and was based largely on superstition, the exaggerated belief in supernatural agency. Modern scientific understanding has de-bunked superstition and has even gone to the extreme of casting doubt on the existence of any kind of supernatural reality. To take the place of past religious practice, new secular “religions” have come to the fore. The modern world has seen this in the demagoguery that characterized Hitler Germany and communist regimes. The secular “religion” practiced in these states was a modernized version of the ancient practice of emperor worship. And in the near future, the world will again worship an emperor, the Antichrist and his living “image” (broadcast into every corner of the world) with as much devotion as would someone in ancient times bowing before his idol. And they will receive the computer-implant “mark” in their forehead or hand, just as any new devotee would undergo an initiation rite of some kind to become part of a certain tribe or religion. So, although the people of modern times don’t view what they’re doing from any kind of “religious” viewpoint, from a spiritual viewpoint that was just how it looked to the Apostle John – a new religion that would feature worshipping the Beast through his image and the receiving of a strange “mark” that would enable people to carry on their buying and selling activities. Even now, the modern world is in the beginning stages of getting caught up in this secular religious system. And the False Prophet Beast will be the guiding genius behind it. Although the Revelation 13 passage portrays the Earth-Beast as having great spiritual influence in the earth, the final verses 16-18 reveal that this Beast also wields great power in the economic sphere. Like the other “beasts” in the Bible, he is the head of a major empire in the world. From the description in Revelation 13:11-18, we can deduce that the world’s financial

power, media power, and its computer surveillance systems are all in this Beast’s hands. And it is because of this temporal power that he is able to guide and control the world in a “religious” way also. (More on this subject in the posts “Economic Superpower: The New Beast” and “The Final Empire: Its Spiritual Geography”) No doubt, it was easier for the Apostle to understand and relate to the “religious” side of the False Prophet Beast’s activities. John could not have understood nor explained the modern system of finances, media broadcasting, or computer surveillance in our technical terms. Since none of that existed in his day, John’s description has a bit of a spin to it, ascribing magical powers to the earth-beast for things that in reality are based more on advanced technology than anything else. And we should remember that in this Revelation 13 passage, it is not Jesus or an angel speaking; it is only John the apostle’s observations of what he saw in vision – observations based on his 1st century understanding of technology. But it is this Beast’s control over modern technology that will enable him to guide the world in a spiritual way. And because of his spiritual power, John rightfully uses the label “False Prophet” to distinguish this Earth-Beast from the other Sea-Beast who is generally known as the “Antichrist”. From John’s point of view, the term “False Prophet” gave an accurate enough description. But this can be a bit tricky for us now – centuries later in a secular culture – to understand how it applies. Still, it is not that difficult to detect the modern practical reality of what he saw in vision. For example, if the False Prophet “forced everyone… to receive a mark… so that no one could buy or sell”, then we can take it to mean that this “religious” figure has access to vast storehouses of wealth, thus giving him control over the world’s financial resources, and along with that, its computer surveillance systems. Another example is the “mark” itself. The Apostle used terms that would define it as the work of some kind of sharp tool such as that used for engraving idols; in other words, a sort of self-mutilation. Such practices have often formed an integral part of religious rites through the centuries, i.e. circumcision in Judaism and Islam, skin piercings and other more bizarre things that go on in tribal and other religions. So the modern reality, if we understand it correctly, will be similar in some ways – the injection of a needle (and computer chip) into the skin. And as in tribal societies, where members can be recognized by the marks they bear or by the ornaments they wear, so

in the Beast’s “tribe” its members can be recognized by their “mark of the beast”.

So the mark serves, not only as an efficient way to provide financial organization for the world’s huge population, but receiving it will also be an act of submission or allegiance to the Beast, a peculiar non-religious form of initiation rite nicely suited for a scientific age. Now it helps to understand that getting initiated into a tribe or religion entails more than just allegiance to a particular god or gods. It also identifies someone as a member of that tribe or religion, plus enables him to enjoy the social and economic benefits that that particular society is able to provide. Similarly, taking the mark is a sign of a person’s allegiance to the Antichrist (or worship of him), and it also identifies him as a bona fide

member of his system, one who may enjoy the social and economic benefits that system can give. And as happens in a lot of religions who go to great lengths to keep their followers, this peculiar system of financial enslavement will make an easy way for the Antichrist and False Prophet to keep their followers by coercing them into joining their regime and worshipping the Antichrist through the initiation ritual of getting “marked”. We might compare this to the old days of communism; Soviet citizens were expected to profess belief in atheism, and the incentive to do so (for anyone who didn’t like the new regime and its “religion”) came in the form of being maligned, deprived of economic opportunity, jailed, or even executed. It is because of this “religious” significance of the mark that the warning is made rather strongly in the next chapter against receiving it: “If any one worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury…” (14:9-10) For those conscientious persons who wish to keep their hearts right with God, this passage serves to advise and warn them which is the better path to follow, difficult as it may be. Even without this passage, by the time the “mark of the beast” arrives, the world will be aware of what it stands for. Through the media, the Antichrist’s blasphemous speech and actions will bring him forward as a strong symbol of someone who defies the true God. (Revelation 13:5-6, 2Thessalonians 2:4, Daniel 7:25, 8:12, 9:27, 11:31,36) When people decide to receive the “mark, which is the name of the beast”, they’ll know they’re deciding against God because of this great awareness of what the Antichrist stands for. At present it is not altogether clear how it will transpire, but somehow the act of receiving the mark will mean a conscious turning away from God; it’s not as if people are merely tricked into it or will take it unknowingly. Otherwise, the “mark” would not serve any religious purpose, and receiving it would be no cause for negative consequences in the Afterlife. Now, regarding this warning message in Revelation 14:9-11, it is interesting to note that receiving the “mark” is ranked along with worshipping “the beast and his image” as being worthy of condemnation in the Afterlife. Why? Because the “mark” is an integral part of the worship service of the Beast. The one cannot do without the other. Whenever one is mentioned, the other has to be mentioned as well. They’re like two sides of the same coin:

Worshipping the Beast means receiving the mark; and conversely, you wouldn’t receive the mark unless you worshipped the Beast. However, there may be an in-between category of people who in their heart don’t worship the Beast but take the mark out of economic necessity or other reasons. This would be true of Christians who have at some point in their lives come to Christ but, because of a weakened faith, cannot overcome the pressure to compromise at this time. Christ promised, “the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (John 6:37, NKJV) These “in-between” folks will not be cast out of the Kingdom of God. But they will probably have to endure some “shame and everlasting contempt”. This is spoken of in Daniel 12:2 about the First Resurrection. The apostle Paul once stated, “If any man builds on this foundation [of Christ] using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” (1Corinthians 3:12-15) This and other statements in the New Testament make it plain that those who have come to Christ shall have a judgment, and, yes, may experience a troubling time of correction, yet will at the same time be blessed to have their place in the Kingdom of God. And for those who are outright enemies of God – who not only receive the “mark” but worship in their hearts – they are thrust out into the Lake of Fire to be “tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and… the Lamb… forever and ever”. (Revelation 14:10-11, NKJV) The wording here sounds a little drastic, and indeed, it is a mistranslation. Rather than the “tormented… forever and ever” version, a better translation would get across the understanding that these souls, instead of enjoying a place in the Kingdom of God in the Age to come, will land in the Lake of Fire – there to be purged and tried, not just for the sake of punishment, but for the purpose of bringing them to repentance and if they so choose, back into God’s favor. (Refer to an upcoming post, “Hell in Heaven? Heaven in Hell?” for more information.) To conclude, this “mark” system seems to answer the question of how will the world “worship” the Antichrist in this secular age. Worship, of course, is a spiritual thing, but usually in any religion, there is some outward, physical

way of showing that worship. In ancient times it would have been easy to picture this as some form of physically bowing to a demagogue or his image. But the secular world of today does not practice that custom any more. But if we understand that initiation rites are also a form of worship, that makes it easier to conceive of how “worship” can take place in this modern age. A new ritual will take over as the outward show of worship – that of receiving the “mark”.

This is easily understood if we look at how the Bible uses the word “worship”: Whenever this word comes up, if there’s an additional phrase, it is always “fall down” or “bow down” before the Lord or the idol, the altar, the person, sacred spot, or whatever it is. That was the customary way to show worship in ancient times. But what do we see in the Revelation Book? Since it’s about modern times, the worship style is portrayed differently. Here is our clue. Whenever the phrase “worship the beast” or “worship his image” comes up, it is accompanied by the phrase “receive the mark” (instead of “fall down” or “bow down”). Receiving the mark then is the outward show required in this modern day form of “worship”. Most of the Revelation Book is set in modern times, and this is one of those peculiar phrases in it that alludes to the future

historical reality. And because it will be lauded as a “scientific” advancement, the “religious” act of receiving the mark will appeal more easily to the people of modern times. In Ancient Times: “WORSHIP“ accompanied by “FALL DOWN” or “BOW DOWN” “All this I will give you,” he [Satan] said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:9) Enter the hallowed presence of a respected person or divine being or sacred spot, and you immediately “bow down” to show your worship In Modern Times: “WORSHIP (beast/image)“ accompanied by “RECEIVE THE MARK” “If any one worships the beast and his image and receives his mark…” (Revelation 14:9; also 14:11, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4) Enter the hallowed presence of the Antichrist, whether in person or while viewing his broadcasted image (via TV, Internet, holographic image, etc.), and you afterwards “receive the mark” to show your worship There is another clue to show that the “mark” is part of a religious system, and it is found in the phrase the “mark of the [first] beast”. How is that? Well, why call it the mark of anything? Why does it have to be linked with the Antichrist-Beast at all? By rights it should be the mark of the False Prophet since he’s the one behind it. But it’s the Antichrist and his (broadcasted) image who are the objects of worship. And the False Prophet’s job is to promote that worship. “He causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast.” (13:12, NKJV) So, rather than set up the new economic system of the “mark” under the False Prophet’s name, it is designed

as a way of driving the world into making a religious commitment (to the Antichrist). The Antichrist is the one whom the world naturally fears and adulates, or worships. In the eyes of the world, he’s the great and mighty king. But the False Prophet, who is also quite powerful, maneuvers and pulls the strings from behind the scenes. As far as the Devil is concerned, it is advantageous to attach the Antichrist’s name to the new “mark” system. For one thing, the world is going to be a lot more afraid or worshipful of him, the “first beast”, than of the False Prophet, and this is an enticement in itself. And for another, as mentioned above, the world will knowingly accept the Antichrist as a symbol of someone who defies the ways of the true God. And many will quickly forget what he stands for when it becomes a question of having no more livelihood or of suffering other forms of persecution. So then, considering all these factors, who better to promote as the object of worship than this “first beast” of Revelation 13, who is known as the Antichrist? And that’s why the “mark” is called the “mark of the [first] beast”, rather than the mark of something or someone else. Even though it may seem out of place in this section about the False Prophet’s activities, it is very much in line with the Devil’s purpose of creating a big counterfeit religion for the world to follow. And thus, the Devil inspires his False Prophet Beast to set up the world’s new economic system in such a way (in the name of the Antichrist) that it will drive people to undergo this peculiar initiation rite. And that will make them, not only part of his world system, but will commit them to stand against any kind of worship of God. Of the Antichrist, the apostle Paul stated that “he will oppose and exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped.” (2Thessalonians 2:4) Along with the False Prophet and the Devil, the Antichrist doesn’t want any belief system around that cannot be controlled or made to cave in to their new anti-God religion. So this “mark” system will serve their purpose of causing much of the world to give up their own religious beliefs, whatever they may be, and capture them in this materialistic brand of anti-God demagoguery.

6 – Surveillance and Persecution Prior to the passage about the “mark” in Revelation 13, we learn that the two Beasts of the End Time will persecute those who refuse to worship the Antichrist: (13:7) “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them.” (13:15) The “image of the beast” will cause those who don’t worship it “to be killed”, referring probably to the Antichrist’s broadcasted image and propaganda war against God via the False Prophet’s media empire. (See post “Destructive Power of the Image” for more information.) As we now know, the “mark” has everything to do with worship of the Antichrist. But now what about the non-worshipers? How would the “mark” fit in with them? The answer lies in that vital aspect of persecution known as surveillance. Besides being the kind of initiation ritual that can appeal to the people of modern times, the “mark” also makes it easy to detect who is a “worshiper” and who isn’t. To bow down, or to use a hand salute (as in Hitler Germany), can be avoided, or even faked if need be, and would be hard for the authorities to observe effectively. But having the “mark” leaves a permanent record of one’s allegiance or “worship”. It can’t be faked. Once in forever in. And that record cannot be erased very easily. It resembles the religious practice common in various tribes and societies who use permanenttype marks and incisions for their initiation rituals. In order to carry out organized persecution, the Antichrist and False Prophet and their forces will have to know who is not engaging in their version of religious worship. And the easy way to do this nowadays is through computer surveillance. In a way the world is being prepared for this already through the use of credit cards (which are like a forerunner to the “mark”). In commercial exchanges they are convenient, true, but it is easy for computer networks to track such transactions; using cash, on the other hand, allows buyers and sellers to remain more free of the prying eyes of “big brother” computer networks. In the future, these networks will have become so extensive and all-knowing that it will be a simple matter to observe who has failed to get registered with the “mark”. By refusing to get initiated into the False Prophet’s credit system of Mammon-worship, conscientious believers will also be expressing their refusal to “worship the beast or his image”.

It will be impossible then for a person’s non-participation in the Beast and False Prophet’s new secular religion to go unnoticed, to escape the watchful eye of those Beasts’ surveillance system. In this way then we can understand how the “mark” ties in with the persecution of God’s people which is mentioned in Revelation 13:7,15. It provides the means of surveillance to know who is or is not worshiping the Beast.

Modern computer surveillance is the much-superior equivalent to old methods of surveillance – such as Nebuchadnezzar’s spies watching to see who would refuse to bow to the king’s golden image

There are some other features about the modern system that will make things easier for the new regime. In previous times, if people didn’t have any great love and devotion for their demagogue, their allegiance could be gained through simple fear of persecution. The advantage of the “mark” system is that persecution will include the fear of losing the privilege of buying and selling. No doubt, the same happened in previous times. But because the market system today is so much more controlled and extensive, that fear can be used more effectively and broadly as a means of coercion. People are not so self-sufficient as in days past but have become heavily dependent on the market system to take care of their needs for them, especially in the more developed, industrial nations of the world. Another modern advantage that will facilitate worship of the Antichrist is the type of image he uses. The use of broadcasted images has far greater potential to inspire the world’s allegiance to this modern demagogue

than any of the lifeless images of the past (statues, paintings, crafted images of one kind or another). Instead of having to depend on superstition, the Devil now has the advantage of using a real live-presentation type of image. So, in our modern secular world, the “image” to be worshiped will take on the form of the Antichrist’s broadcasted image. (This is a big subject, by the way, and is covered more fully in another post, “Unraveling the Mystery of the Image”.) And the modern day initiation rite will take on the form of receiving the “mark”. The same old pagan idolatry returns, disguised in the garb of modern technology. And with one other major difference: The supernatural will be thrown out. There will be nothing left but a barren utopia of Materialism, the world of man and his Antichrist. Briefly then, here is the practical reality of the Antichrist’s worship: It’s not a matter of bowing, or some similar action. But it’s an initiation rite, or at least the modern scientific version of it. In the religious realm, initiation rites signify deeper commitment than the act of bowing or hand salute. Receiving the mark carries with it this act of commitment, and along with that, the “blessing” of being able to receive material sustenance from the world’s marketplaces; and of course, it brings the privilege of being spared from the Antichrist’s persecution. These social benefits are not unlike those enjoyed by anyone who has been initiated into a certain tribe, religion, or club. Regarding the concept of worship of a political hero, this naturally happens when people doubt or belittle the role of God as an object of worship; then they are easily driven to replace faith in God whom they cannot see with the worship of some man whom they can see and whom they admire. In the secular world of modern times, this kind of substitute worship has befallen the world with peculiar intensity; Hitler Germany and some Communist nations have experienced this, for example. In a patriotic setting like Hitler Germany, it was easy to insist on the repeated use of slogans and hand salutes. The Antichrist’s empire, however, will be more international; plus, it will have the advantage of electronic surveillance, which did not exist in Hitler’s generation. The world is also skeptical of that style of demagoguery that characterized Hitler’s and other totalitarian regimes. To have wider influence, it will be advantageous for the dual government of “earth” and “sea” Beasts to place a good amount of emphasis on the grand new system and to enforce a one time once-and-for-all

act of submission to it – an initiation rite (receiving the “mark”) – rather than insisting on a perpetual show of worship by hand salutes, slogans, or whatever. People may not mind showing patriotic allegiance to the leader of their own country in this way. But a distant conqueror may not arouse the same kind of adoration. In view of all this, it may be advantageous for the Antichrist and False Prophet to place a good deal of emphasis on promoting their glorious new system. In Germany of the 1930s and 40s, Hitler promoted, not only the worship of himself, but also promoted the glory of the Third Reich – a coming German utopia which he and his armies thought they were fighting for. Communist societies also looked forward to a coming utopia – a belief that was part of their atheist “religion”. In like manner, the Beast symbolism is the same kind of package, representing the two sides of empire and emperor. (See Footnote.) Thus, when the phrase “worship the beast” appears, it can mean worship of the person who heads the system as well as worship of the system itself. In most nations pledges of allegiance are made to the nation itself, not its leader. But when there is a strong leader, then worship of the state tends to combine with worship of its ruler. Worship in the Kingdom of God shows a similar combination: “I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God.” (Revelation 3:12). The “name” written on a person identifies whom he or she belongs to, and according to the above Scripture, that includes, not only God Himself, but also the Kingdom that His followers will dwell in. This coming worship of the Beast is not all adoration, it would seem, but comes with a strong element of fear: “They worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:4) And there is also the fear that if they don’t show their worship by getting the mark, they won’t be able to buy or sell. Anyway, whether people give their allegiance out of fear or adoration, and whether they give it to the Antichrist or to the glorious new system, the form of worship – receiving the “mark” – will serve the purpose of showing allegiance to the “god of this age” instead of the true God of all ages. (2Corinthians 4:4) We could suppose then that the Antichrist and False Prophet will promote their system as a glorious “new world order” of mankind which will

be opposed to the influence of “religion”. Receiving the “mark” is the “initiation ceremony” into this openly anti-God system headed by these two powerful figures. So whether it’s the Antichrist himself who is worshiped, or the system of which he is the head, in either case, it requires taking a stand against God. ***

Footnote: Head = Beast? King = Kingdom? The Scriptures in Daniel and Revelation use the terms “beast” and “kingdom”, “head” and “king” in several places. A point worth mentioning about these terms is that they are used interchangeably. That is, it’s hard to tell if “beast” also means “head”, or if “kingdom” also means “king” – or viceversa. For example, in the original Hebrew, Daniel 7:17 states, “Those great beasts… are four kings;” but then in verse 23 we read, “The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom.” Furthermore, those “beasts” of Daniel 7 are later referred to as “heads” in the Revelation Book; Revelation 13 speaks of one of the “heads” (the Antichrist) being “mortally wounded” in verse 3 but in verses 12 and 14 he is referred to as the “first beast whose deadly wound was healed”; also in Revelation 17, the seventh “head/king” is called the “beast that was, and is not”. (Daniel 7:3-7, Revelation 13:1,3,12,14, 17:9-11, NKJV) As for the other “beast, coming up out of the earth”, he is later called the “false prophet”, and this portrays the Earth-Beast as both a system and the person who is at the head of that system. (Revelation 13:11, 19:20, 20:10) Perhaps using both terms to describe the same thing was the Lord’s way of showing that a “beast” (which we would normally think of as a system, a government, or empire) must include the “head” of that empire, the person. A body without a head isn’t going to get very far; an empire needs to have a dynamic and strong leader to unify and give it direction, plus be the head that people can look up to, or even worship. And vice-versa, a head without a body won’t get very far; an emperor cannot call himself that unless he has an empire behind him.

7 – What’s in a Name? “So that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.” (13:17) In some Scriptures appear the phrases “mark of his name” and “mark of the beast”. (Revelation 14:11, 16:2, 19:20) The phrases are interchangeable and refer to the same thing. Thus, the Beast’s “name” is about the same as the “beast” himself. Likewise, the phrases “number of his name” and “number of the beast” appear in a few places, again suggesting that the “name” is equivalent to the “beast”. (Revelation 13:17-18, 15:2) And this agrees with the original Greek rendition (explained earlier) which should have been translated “the mark, which is the name of the beast”. It is true that we often equate a person’s name with the person himself. For example, the name of Christ carries great power and influence. Jesus doesn’t materialize and manifest Himself to us in the way He did to His original followers. But His Name is real enough that we can choose to receive Him via His Name, and that is sufficient. (John 1:12) In fact, the Name itself is so powerful that we can even exercise power and miracles through it. Those who bear the Name of Christ carry His love, authority, and protection as His representatives (and this reality will some day be marked by a “seal” in their foreheads). And those who bear the “mark of the beast” in their foreheads will carry the power and influence of the Antichrist, and by having his “name” will receive certain benefits. The Greek word for “name” – onoma – besides its normal usage for proper names, has this very common secondary meaning: “By a usage, chiefly Hebraistic, the name is used for everything which the name covers… one’s rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellence, deeds, etc.” (from Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, pg. 47). So, the ancient word for “name” had this extra dimension of meaning, and to some extent our modern languages have it as well. The “name” of someone can be influential, just as his personal presence is influential; but a “name” is not something tangible; it requires some kind of concrete symbol. For example, a king’s messenger might bear the king’s seal on the documents

he is carrying, or he might have some other means of identifying himself; and this would guarantee him protection and respect wherever he might travel. Thus, the “seal” (for God’s people) and the “mark” (for the Beast’s people) act as the tangible means of transferring onto individuals the intangible power and authority (or “name”) of the higher power (of God and the Beast respectively). So, the term “name” stands for the Antichrist’s domain of influence and authority. For this reason the “name” and the “beast” are pretty much synonymous. And the “mark” (which allows people to partake of the Beast’s power) is also synonymous with the “name”: “the mark, which is the name of the beast”. (13:17) Thus, a simple formula: Beast = Name = Mark. To further illustrate, let’s say you are working in the IBM company as a janitor. If you wear the company’s identification badge on your shirt, then it identifies you and makes it easier for you to do your work, and even gain access to certain privileges that non-company people couldn’t have, such as using the staff lounge, let’s say. But if you refuse to wear the IBM badge, then there is no way to identify you as a bona fide employee. There’s no tangible manifestation of your membership in the huge entity known as IBM. No matter how big IBM’s “name” may be, it won’t do you any good unless you wear their logo, which represents the “name” of the company. But wearing it brings acceptance into the company and certain privileges. Similarly, receiving the “mark of the beast” is the same as bearing the “name” of the beast and brings with it acceptance into his “company”, the sooncoming world economic system. Refusing to receive the mark then means you’ll be thrown out of the “company”. You’ll be a castaway – ejected from the world market system. The important feature about a “name” is that it substitutes for the person himself, and it can go where the person himself cannot go. Now in the realm of the Beast, what can his “name” do? Remember, the Antichrist is supposed to be the head, or figurehead, of a worldwide economic system. But he can’t himself be standing at the checkout counters to distribute goods to the people or be the policeman to check on them to see if they’re loyal to him or not. But that is something his “name” can do. It’s that extra-dimensional aspect that is able to multiply the Antichrist’s influence and carry his authority and protection and benefits far and wide to every person in the world.

But a “name” is an abstract entity; so it needs, as it were, a device which can effectively transmit that power. And that’s what the “mark” is for. This amazing little device (a microchip?) will not only identify its bearer as such-and-such follower of the Beast, but also serves as each man’s personal bank teller or electronic wallet. And those who don’t have the “mark”, they also will be identified, thanks to the computer data bases nowadays that seem to keep track of everything and everyone. In times past, a person who didn’t want to show allegiance to a demagogue had a better chance to slip by unnoticed. He could even make a false show of allegiance. But when the mark comes into force, it will be impossible to do that. Receiving the mark is a type of initiation rite, which means a permanent commitment to the Beast and his system. If you don’t show your loyalty by performing the initiation rite, then you automatically identify yourself before a vast computer surveillance network as one of those who has refused to worship the Antichrist. And to trace your whereabouts, in the highly computerized society of modern times, will be fairly easy. But not absolutely so. God will surely have some tricks up His sleeve that will enable His people to escape the all-seeing eyes of modern means of scrutiny. In primitive societies a person might decide to leave his tribe for some reason. He might cast aside then whatever ornaments or talismans that marked him as a member of that tribe. Probably this kind of thing happened a lot in the early days after the Flood as tribes journeyed into different parts of the earth. In those days there were plenty of open spaces and virgin territory to migrate or flee to. Nowadays, the circumstances are different, and to leave the “tribe” of the Beast won’t be so easy. Nevertheless, we do learn in Revelation, chapter 12, that “the woman (symbolic of God’s people) fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God… where she is nourished… from the presence of the serpent.” (12:6,14 – NKJV)

8 – Ancient Business Model and Today’s In ancient times, this nebulous thing called a “name” was more of a reality and had greater impact in social and business interactions than it does today. Business depended a great deal on word-of-mouth transactions. Without much in the way of printing or paper or literacy, business was conducted more on the basis of trust and social pressure. It was less easy to keep records to verify or legalize business transactions. Thus there existed a system the Bible refers to that used such things as pledges, vows, tokens, etc. – something we don’t understand too well. But these customs were part of the trading system of that time. And they served as guarantees that the different parties in trading deals would fulfill their obligations. However it worked, we may not fully understand now. But to be sure, our modern systems of trading and exchange have become a lot more effective and efficient than those customs of the past. Related to this, we find the occasional mention in the Bible of people swearing with an ”oath” or “curse”; these semi-superstitious customs were important features in older cultures, and it’s difficult for us to grasp what this is all about. For in today’s world, the viewpoint of science has largely dispelled these ancient practices. To us it seems they took this sort of thing far too seriously – invoking curses on themselves and so on. What we do nowadays is draw up a printed legal contract, sign it, and it’s done with. Although far from perfect, our modern systems of verification, surveillance, and law enforcement are work just as well to prevent fraud. And our secular society no longer has to rely on the semi-superstitious customs of old: pledges, curses, oaths, and the fear of divine retribution and the dreadful things that might happen if one were to break them. Nowadays, if someone reneges on a deal, then we resort to the written legal contract to enforce compliance through law enforcement. But if the contract was based only on an oath, from today’s secular viewpoint, that would be insufficient grounds to legally insist that someone keep his end of the deal. In olden days people in small communities could carry out business amongst themselves without having to worry too much about official receipts, contracts, etc. The concept of maintaining one’s “honor” was a very real thing in those days. In their communities everyone knew each other, so it was

harder to get away with fraud and misconduct in business. Everyone had a “name”, or reputation, that was known in the community. But outside of that community, because of the lack of means of verification or surveillance, it wouldn’t matter how honest he was, a person would not have much of a “name”. But travel was difficult then, so there was less need for individuals to have a widely known “name”. The leader of a community might have an influential “name” in the outside world. So if anyone could go off with some kind of official letter or token from him in the “name” of that person, it would make travel easier and safer since he would be borrowing the “name” of someone of greater influence or power. The same practice goes on today for business representatives or ambassadors who must travel abroad in the name of their company or nation. And we have a new version today; it’s called a credit standing/rating. For example, let’s say you obtain a VISA credit card. That’s like getting the “name” of a higher, more powerful authority than yourself. That little credit card is the token (or mark) of VISA’s powerful “name”. And with that “name”, even if you don’t have any money – that is, cash or money in your bank account – you can still buy from total strangers, something that would have been very difficult in olden times, and for which the Book of Proverbs warns, “Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.” (11:15, ESV) But in our modern world, it’s a little different – at least on the corporate level. The VISA corporation doesn’t mind extending credit (that is, covering you with its influential “name”). It is powerful enough and its earnings through high interest rates are large enough and its reach into our bank accounts is extensive enough that it never has to worry about putting up “security” for the countless number of “strangers” under its umbrella. It doesn’t have to worry about losing its money – at least not nearly as much as do its cardholders who often get into financial difficulty through buying too much on credit. So that little card not only gives you a powerful “name” – VISA’s name is added to your name – but also, it’s a practical means in itself for carrying out your buying operations. This is a remarkable system; and one that is, of course, very useful in a populous world where travel is so quick and easy, and you’re therefore dealing with total strangers all the time. It makes it a lot easier for you to get around, do business, etc.

Now, if we understand the “mark of the beast” correctly, it too will be similar to our present day credit cards. Having it will make it a lot easier to get around in this world. As in ancient times, it is like borrowing the “name” of someone important to make your life easier. For which reason, the world will go on a mad stampede to take on the “name” of the Antichrist via the “mark”. With his “name” (authority, power, reputation) people will be entitled to get whatever they want that they can afford wherever they’re able to go. To conclude, we actually do use this ancient concept of a “name” in our day and age, but perhaps we’re not so serious about it. In our world, money has become the all-pervasive measure of wealth, status, and power. And we have lowered the honorable term of “name” into something more related to money. Nowadays, a person’s credit rating seems to have become the equivalent of the olden day concept of having a “name”. In former days, adopting the “name” of someone implied a strong bond with that master or company or whatever it was. (And this was a useful cultural concept in those past eras when slave ownership was a major feature of the social order.) As already mentioned, those who take the “mark” belong to the Antichrist, not just as slaves, but in a religious sense also. And in the Revelation Book, that’s how seriously his “name” is meant to be taken. Similar to how the practice of making oaths and vows, or taking pledges, was considered very serious business, so also was the importance attached to adopting a person’s name. Whether you have the “Father’s Name” in the “seal”, or the “name of the beast” in the “mark”, you belong to one of the other; you worship one of the other. And that is what the term “name” is meant to convey. When a person adopts the Antichrist’s “name” by taking the “mark”, he becomes a slave to that rapacious beast. But this is a new type of slavery, the most seductive bondage of all – one where people think they are free agents when in fact they’re actually plugged into a system that keeps track of their every move. In addition, they are bound to the quest for material fulfillment inside the Antichrist’s barren utopia – which will turn out to be nothing but a dead-end as far as any spiritual satisfaction or reward is concerned. It can never compare to being a love-slave to the One Who rules in Heaven. This is where real freedom and true riches abound – happiness that lasts forever.

So, what’s in a name? A lot more than we might have thought. As mentioned earlier, the “name of the beast” is equivalent to the Beast himself, and the “mark” is equivalent to having the “name” of the Antichrist. Both the “mark” and “number” enable the world’s citizens to access his “name” with all the benefits and privileges that he and his system are able to provide. These followers of the Beast are part of his earthly domain. And that distinguishes them from those who have the “seal”, which God gives to His loyal servants; and they belong to the Heavenly Domain of Christ.

9 – Birth of the Barcode “This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.” (13:18) So far, much attention has been given to the “mark” and its significance. But now, how does the “number” fit into the upcoming economic system? Well, one way it fits is, it’s already here! And where? On the barcodes we see every day imprinted on almost every item we purchase. Some might dispute this assertion because the point-of-sale computers in shopping markets don’t actually read the code as 6-6-6. But our human eyes do read it that way. Anyway, after considering the following explanation, the reader can decide for himself whether or not barcodes, with their apparent 666-number, fulfill the ancient prediction in Revelation 13:18 about the “number of the beast”. Manufacturer Codes are maintained and assigned by the Uniform Code Council (UCC). Every product the manufacturer makes, carries the same code. Product Codes are numbers that the manufacturer assigns for its particular products. Every different product and every different packaging or size, gets a unique product code. In the above example, 6004 is the Manufacturer Code for Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd., while 62045 stands for one of its products, “Dhara Refined Sunflower Oil”.

And what about the price? That is not in the barcode but is kept in a store’s centralized computer database. When the item is scanned, the point-ofsale computer reads the barcode and links the item to the store’s “item database“; it then retrieves the price from the “item database”. When a price changes, all the store has to do is update it in the store’s centralized database. Notice the 3 longer unmarked “guard bars” (colored RED) at the beginning, middle, and end. Notice the same pattern (bar-space-bar) for the marked number 6 (colored BLUE). Notice also that the labeled 6 on the left side is different from the labeled (blue) 6 on the right side. This is because the numbers on the left-hand side (the Manufacturer Code) are coded differently to the numbers on the right-

hand side (the Product Code). However, the three guard-bars follow the rightside coding. These represent the hidden 6-6-6 number. Most of the bar codes used in retail stores have this pattern in them that looks like 6-6-6; there are other versions (usually local varieties or those with specialized uses). But those barcodes designated as “worldwide retail, GS1-approved – International Standard” all have the 6-6-6 pattern; they are in general use internationally for most shopping items, even in less technologically advanced nations. Although there are different variations of these “worldwide retail” barcodes, they all have this peculiar set of guardbars in them. And their function is to enable a scanning machine to read the barcode. Although they are not interpreted by a shop’s computer as numbers, to our human eyes they look like 6-6-6. (More on this later.) ***

A little background history: The inventor of the UPC barcode was an employee of the IBM company, a Mr. George J. Laurer. Because of the large number of items passing through grocery stores, a new method was sought for that could speed up the check-out counters and eliminate “human” cashier errors. Mr. Laurer explained how the barcode invention was developed in his article “Development of the U.P.C. Symbol” . Following are some excerpts: About 1970 McKinsey & Co. (a consulting firm) in conjunction with UGPCC (Uniform Grocery Product Code Council, a corporation formed by the grocery industries leading trade associations) defined a numeric format for product identification. A request was made to many companies to make a proposal of a code, a symbol incorporating the code, and specifications for both… Most of the other companies had optical codes and scanning equipment in the market place already. IBM did not. Therefore, in 1971 I was given the task by IBM management to design the best code and symbol suitable for the grocery industry… In May of 1973, IBM’s proposal was accepted… Later U.P.C. developments: Following the acceptance of the original U.P.C. specification, I was asked to find a way to add another digit. The symbol already held twelve, the eleven required by UGPCC and a check digit I added to achieve the required

reliability… The extra digit would allow for “country identification” and make the U.P.C. world wide. Again I found a way to accommodate the requirement and the EAN (European Article Numbering system) symbol was born. Many countries are using the same symbols with their identifying “flag” (the 13th digit), but chose to call the symbol by other names. An example is JAN (Japanese Article Numbering system), the Japanese version. The symbol has truly become world wide. In the years since 1973, I have proposed, and the Uniform Product Code Council, Inc. (formerly UGPCC) has accepted several other enhancements. Among those enhancements is a price check digit for domestic and another for European markets… And that is the story of how the UPC barcode has become an entrenched feature worldwide in the market places of most nations in today’s world. The number 666 is quietly “hidden” in every barcode in almost every product we buy. And without the UPC barcodes, very little can be bought or sold.

10 – Re-calibrating Revelation 13:17-18 Before going any further, it will help to do a little finetuning of the last two verses in Revelation 13. So that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:17) Starting with verse 17, there seems to be a parallel structure here, and this may help us to better understand how the wording applies to the future commercial system. The first part of the verse has the phrase “buy or sell”, and this seems to parallel the phrase “mark… or… number” in the second part of the verse.

In commercial exchanges, a person is either buying or selling, meaning he/she is using either the “mark” or the “number”. Depending

on what their part in the exchange is, they’re using one or the other, not both at the same time. Of course, if you’re buying with the mark, it is likely that the seller will be using the number, and vice-versa. But strictly speaking, the buyer only needs to have the mark, and the seller only needs to use the number. So it says “mark or number”, to correspond with “buy or sell”.

Two Basic Components in the Commercial System So, if you want to BUY or SELL Then use the MARK or NUMBER Or to put it another way:

“No man might buy, save he that had the mark, which is the name of the beast, OR no man might sell, save he that had the number of its name.” In previous sections, we considered how the “mark”, because it is the “name of the beast”, will allow the masses to avail themselves of many benefits and privileges. But what about the number 666? It also is called the “number of his name” in 13:17 and so must have something to do with the “name” (the power and authority) of the Beast… but to a lesser extent it would seem. So what does it do for a person, and how does it tie in with the “name of the beast”? Regarding the “mark”, we generally understand that it works like a credit card; it can be used in the buying side of commercial transactions. What is not so clear, though, is how the “mark” could be used for selling. If you had to, let’s say, have the “mark” for both sides of the exchange, then it would have been worded “buy and sell”. Of course, in the new system a seller may not be able to sell to anyone who does not have the “mark”. But otherwise, it doesn’t seem to be directly connected to the selling side of commercial transactions. But now, here is where the 666-number comes in. Unlike the “mark”, it is not found on people’s hands or foreheads. Instead, it is stamped on all the material goods that those who have the “mark” are entitled to buy. As mentioned before, the bar codes used by marketers on all their goods and products have been encoded with the 666-number. And that number is needed in the selling side of commercial transactions, while the mark is needed for buying. Both buyer and seller make use of the number, of course. But the onus is on the seller to have the “number” available. Likewise for the mark, the onus will be on the buyer to have the “mark”. *** This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666. (Revelation 13:18) Now regarding verse 18, many translations use the phrase “number of a man” instead of “man’s number”. The phrase “number of a man” suggests that it is the number of a particular man (like the Antichrist), but more likely it should refer to mankind in general. In the New Testament

the Greek word used here – anthropos - usually refers to “man” in a general sense: mankind, men and women, etc. This is especially true in the Book of Revelation. Of the 22 other times that anthropos appears, it is always used in the general sense. Even in phrases like “a man”, the idea is that no particular man is intended, i.e. Revelation 4:7 – “face like a man”, or 21:17 (KJV) – “measure of a man”. In these examples, the term “a man” is talking about the appearance or size of men and women in general. Anyway, this translation (“number of a man”) found in many Bibles has given rise to much speculation about the numerology of the Antichrist’s name. But probably, we should avoid the temptation to get specific in this way about the name of the Antichrist. In the ancient Greek and Hebrew alphabets, there were no special symbols for numbers; instead, the letters of the alphabet could represent numbers. And it was common, especially among the Jews, to represent a person’s name with a number, according to how the sum of the letters of his name would add up. So it is not surprising to see this custom coming to the surface here in this verse 18. As a result of this practice, early Bible scholars were convinced that the “beast” was Rome because the words “Latin kingdom” and the name of the emperor Nero in Greek added up to 666. Later on at the time of the Reformation, the designation of Latin kingdom was transferred on to the Catholic Church and the Pope. Translators were likely influenced by the prevailing historical milieu, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they tended to favor certain wordings, such as “number of a man” instead of “man’s number”. Especially among Protestants, such a translation would more easily implicate the Pope in the role of the Antichrist. Well, that’s an old doctrine that might have held some relevance in bygone days, especially during the days of the Catholic Inquisition. But in today’s world, it would not be possible for the Vatican to conquer the world by force of arms or by financial means. It should be easy enough to see that the ultimate fulfillment of the Antichrist won’t have anything to do with today’s peace-loving Popes who, even if they wanted to, would not have the kind of temporal power needed for such worldly conquests. So, all that to say, we don’t want to continue laboring under this old conception, or misconception, and the resulting translation, allowing it to influence our understanding of what this verse means.

Certain translations do give what is probably, in this case at least, a more accurate version of Revelation 13:18 than the KJV translators were able to: “it is a human number.” (RSV, GW, MSG, NOG) “it is man’s number” (NIV-1984, LEB, NET, French Louis II) “it is the number of man” (WYC) In ancient Greek grammar construction, definite articles (the word for “the” in English) were used a great deal. For example, in a sentence like, “Mark was the apostle of God”, the literal translation into Greek would be, “The Mark was the apostle of the God.” So if a word (a noun) in Greek did not have a definite article before it, then it was definitely indefinite. And in verse 18 there is no definite article before the words “number” and “man”, and so the better translation would be “man’s number” or “number of man”.

11 – The Riddle of 666 Earlier it was mentioned that a store’s computer does not read these unmarked lines as 6-6-6. The right-side 6 registers as “bar-space-barspace-space-space-space”; this is the true 6 as far as the computer is concerned. The beginning and ending guard-bars are patterned differently – “bar-space-bar” only, and the middle one is “space-bar-space-bar-space”. The thing to keep in mind here is that, out of the 20 possible patterns for the numbers 0 to 9 (10 for the left side and 10 for the right side), there is only one pattern that contains bar-space-bar, and that is the number 6 on the right side. So to our human eyes (not the computer’s), these guard-bars look like they are representing 6-6-6.

What our eyes actually notice in the unmarked Guard Bars is the bar-spacebar pattern of the Right Side 6. Thus, the barcode appears to be “bookended” by three sets of guard bars resembling the code for a 6.

Why was this particular pattern for the guard-bars selected, or why was the number 6 attached to this pattern, we may wonder? Mr. Laurer could have chosen a different pattern or different number for this pattern. Well, maybe that’s just how God wanted it – not only to fulfill what was revealed so long ago, but also because this number 666, which to our human eyes appears to be there, is usually acknowledged as “man’s number”; it is even the “number of the beast”. In the Beginning both man and the beasts were created on the “sixth day”. (Genesis 1:24-31) So a number like 666 acts as a helpful signpost or clue as to where we are in the long journey of human history under its Beast-like regimes. Human history, as we now know it, is coming to a close, while God’s history will keep on going, taking with it those “humans” who have been trying to follow His plans for their lives and the future of mankind. It should be kept in mind also that this passage appears to be a type of riddle. (Telling riddles was a commonly enjoyed pastime in olden days.) Even today we enjoy guessing games, but in ancient times such games were played with peculiar intensity, sometimes with life-and-death consequences. Samson’s riddle to his Philistine guests is a good example. Likely then, this verse about the 666-number was meant as a riddle, styled somewhat along the lines of those of ancient times. It sounds like it anyway, judging by how John expresses it. He is challenging us: “If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast.” At least one Bible translation expresses it this way: “solve a riddle: Put your heads together and figure out the meaning of the number of the Beast. It’s a human number: 666.” (Lexham English Bible) The answers to such riddles were simple enough, yet at the same time they were difficult to figure out. In the example of Samson, his guests were baffled by the riddle until they cheated – forcing Samson’s brideto-be to give them the answer. By definition, a riddle is “an obscure description of something”; riddles often lead one to think the answer is something different to what it really is. For example in the riddle, “What invention lets you look right through a wall?” the word “invention” misleads the hearer towards thinking of some kind of advanced technology; it might be difficult to come up with the simple answer – “a window” – because we don’t normally think of the window as an “invention”. The riddle of “how do you calculate the 666-number?” is similar. Because of the wording, we may think it is something extremely complicated or mysterious, but the answer, like the “window”, appears to be rather ordinary: look in the barcodes.

Here is a rather silly one: “What has 4 eyes but can’t see?” The answer is “Mississippi”. In this riddle the word “eye” only sounds like the letter “i”, and according to dictionary rules, they’re not the same thing. But according to the flexible rules of riddle-telling, it is permissible to overlook those normal boundaries. Similarly, the 6-6-6 pattern in the barcodes are not real 6’s (according to a point-of-sale computer). But, in the riddle genre that doesn’t matter; to our eyes they look like 6’s (just as the “i” in Mississippi sounds like “eye”). “The foolishness of God is wiser than men.” (1Corinthians 1:25, KJV) Then there is the famous legendary riddle of the sphinx from ancient Greek mythology: “What goes on four legs at dawn, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?” Travelers on their way to Thebes in ancient Greece would, according to the legend, be killed by the sphinx monster if they couldn’t answer. One person, Oedipus, solved the riddle: “Man, who as a baby crawls on four legs, then walks on two legs as an adult, and in old age walks with a cane as his third leg.” Like our riddle of the “666-number”, there are a few conditions that the answer has to meet. One might argue that the sphinx’s riddle is misleading because dawn, noon, and evening are spread over a day only, not a lifetime. But that is part of the nature of riddles; especially the ancient ones seem to make more use of these misleading metaphorical devices. And finally this riddle: “A man leaves home and turns left three times, only to return home facing two men wearing masks. Who are those two men?” The answer here is “a catcher and umpire”. A riddle like this, however, is limited to a certain culture (American) where baseball is a popular sport; to guess or even understand the answer, would be too difficult for most people from a different culture. And similarly, we could imagine that the “666-number” riddle, coming as it does out of a vastly different culture, might be difficult to grasp for us who come from a modern, scientifically oriented culture. So if the 6-6-6 pattern in the barcode seems to us to be an inaccurate way of explaining the number of the Beast’s name, we could probably allow for that, knowing that John was writing in this “riddle” style. And riddles, as we know, tend to use flexible boundaries for the rules of reality, rather than strict adherence to them. How then can the different aspects/conditions of John the apostle’s “riddle” lead us to the conclusion that the answer is the 666-encoded barcodes? First of all, this “number of man” phrase seems to point to the fact

that the “number” belongs to the earthly realm, the world of man, and not the heavenly. In the very next verse and chapter, God’s “video camera” makes an abrupt scene change, and John gets a dramatic view of those in the Heavenly Realm who have received God’s “name” in their “foreheads”. So, by way of contrast, this phrase – “for it is man’s number” - is like a way of categorizing the number, emphasizing the fact that it (and by extension, the rest of the system) belongs merely to the earthly realm of mankind. And since it’s in our realm, the number can therefore be calculated or computed. Even if it’s a bit mysterious, it’s not unknowable. If the number were not of man, then presumably, one would not be able to figure it out since it would be existing in a different realm, the spirit world – beyond the reach of our earthly senses. So the passage reads, “Calculate the number of the beast for it is man’s number.” So, two reasons why the number can be “reckoned” or “explained”: Firstly, it will manifest as 666; secondly, it’s part of the earthly realm, not some other-dimensional spiritual realm. The “beast” and his “name”, his power and influence, are limited to the earthly realm. This kind of “name” is an intangible reality, not an actual proper name. So, instead of trying to think of some proper name that adds up to 666, we could understand the “name of the beast” as meaning his power, influence, and authority which are confined to the realm of mankind. Thus, his number must exist in the earthly domain and should be known as “man’s number”. And how do you attach a number to a nebulous thing like the Beast’s authority, reputation, etc.? Well, you can’t. But like the “mark” (which is a practical device that can access the Beast’s buying and selling system), the “number” also is a practical device (or rather, attached to a practical device, the barcode), and it enables the world’s people to avail themselves of the Beast’s authority and to participate in buying and selling activities. One odd thing about John’s statement here is that he first challenges the reader to “calculate the number of the beast” but then seems to give the answer: “his number is 666.” So what is he really saying here, we may wonder? A helpful hint can be found in the definition of the Greek word “calculate” (psephizo). Apparently the fine-tuned meaning for the Revelation 13:18 version of it is “explain by computing”.

Psephizo: to count with pebbles, to compute, calculate, reckon… to explain by computing, Rev. xiii.18.” (from Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, pg. 676, originally published in 1901) Rather uncanny that the author worded his definition as “explain by computing” long before the dawn of the computer age. So, in this riddle John is not challenging the reader to find out what the number is; rather the challenge is, how do you find the number? To re-word this “riddle” then, it might go like this: how do you explain or find (by reckoning or calculating) a number that satisfies the following conditions: 1) It shows up or appears as 666. (“His number is 666.”) 2) It belongs in the human or earthly realm. (“It is man’s number.”) 3) It represents and accesses the Beast’s name/authority. (“the number of his name”) 4) It must be used for shopping activity, especially in the selling side of commercial transactions. (“No one could… sell unless he had… the number.”) Well, in the old days it was premature trying to figure it out then (although many tried to anyway). But now we have a lot more information at our disposal – a knowledge of new methods of commercial exchange, unheard of in olden days. Former scholars tended to put too much emphasis on a numerological connection to a literal, proper name and ignored the connection to the buying and selling system. But now that we know about the modern market system, that diminishes somewhat the importance of trying to tie in the number to some proper name of the Antichrist. It has taken many centuries for the historical conditions to arrive that would give us an easier-togrip handle onto this baffling riddle passed down to us from ancient times. Despite this crucial information, our own modern cultural mindset makes it difficult to interpret what is meant by this ancient passage of Scripture, mainly because we’re not geared to thinking of this as a riddle. That is, it has a simple answer; but the description for it is expressed in elaborate, almost misleading, terms. For example, the “name” is not a real proper name. It’s a nebulous thing – the Beast’s power and authority. Strictly speaking then, a “number” cannot be attached to it. But this is a riddle, so the number 666 is attached to it anyway because that number belongs to a practical device that can represent the Beast’s “name” and be used to access his buying and selling

system. According to riddle-writing rules, this would be sufficient to qualify it as the “number of the beast”. And the “mark” works the same way; it also is a practical device granting access to the Beast’s power and authority and allowing access to his buying and selling system. Here the emphasis probably should be on the “system”, rather than on the man who heads the system. In the Book of Revelation the word “beast” refers both to the empire and to the head of the empire. (See footnote.) The term “beast” symbolizes a compound reality – the empire (which includes the economic system) and its emperor (the Antichrist). In Greek the word for “beast” is in the neuter gender, which is why the Beast is often referred to by the word “it” in many translations: “it causes all… number of its name”. (13:16-17 in several Bible versions) This neuter gender puts some emphasis on the “beast” as an impersonal entity – like a system of commerce or government. Since the number is supposed to tie in with the buying and selling system (according to the previous verse 17), then the best answer to the riddle appears to be the barcodes found on the world’s merchandise, in which are hidden the 666-numbers. (And already, without these barcodes and its 666number, it is difficult in many countries to buy or sell in their market places.) Perhaps something else will come along that better fulfills what is said about the “number”, but if it doesn’t, we can understand that the barcodes, encoded with their 666 numbers, would fit nicely as the final, ultimate fulfillment of what verses 17-18 say about the “number of the beast”. As the wording of the Scripture says, it takes a little “wisdom” and “insight” to detect this number. It won’t be too obvious; one has to “calculate” it somehow; the thing is a bit hidden. And according to how the bar codes work, it is indeed true that these numbers are rather hidden. But they’re there and can be found with a little “reckoning” (as some translations put it). Earlier it was mentioned that the apostle John, because of his ignorance of modern technology, attributed magical powers to certain features of the False Prophet’s ministry, regarding the “image” especially. (This subject is explored in more depth in the post “Unraveling the Mystery of the Image”.) As with his description of the “image”, John can’t help but embellish the description of the 666-number according to the cultural milieu of his time, in line with the other factors mentioned: those in ancient times had a custom of representing names by numbers; and they also had a predilection

for telling riddles. Neither of those customs is followed much nowadays. But that was John’s “style”, suited for an ancient time. The Lord had revealed to John that this number had a useful function in the False Prophet’s buying and selling system. It’s a feature or highlight in the system that the Lord chose to reveal and use as a “sign of the times”. In reality, it seems to be nothing more than a convenient number we use in computerized shopping activity – something that has become part of our everyday life. But for John that everyday aspect of the number was lost to his mind and way of thinking. John couldn’t see it in a mundane fashion. And so, he can’t help but embellish the description, which may lead us to think there’s more to this “number” business than meets the eye. And that is, after all, how riddles are designed. True, it is the “number of the beast”, that is, the number the Beast uses in his/its buying and selling system. And true, it is also “man’s number”, that is, it exists in the human, earthly realm. (In addition, mankind, having been created on the 6th day is often associated with the number 6.) So, it’s not wrong what he said, but perhaps, because of that little extra “spin” (based on ancient customs), this has given rise to much speculation about the numerology of the Antichrist’s name. As a result we in our day may struggle to realize that the number has, in fact, become an ordinary feature of modern life. Ordinary to us, but to John the Apostle, it was something quite extraordinary. And his viewpoint translates a bit into his description of the “number”. The “number” is coded in the barcodes on the goods that we buy, and they help to make shopping more efficient. But the Scripture, as a “riddle”, indulges in some exaggeration, calling it “the number of the beast” and “man’s number”. These statements are true enough, but they do make a somewhat embellished description of something that, in reality, is quite ordinary. But that’s just how riddles are framed. As a “sign”, the 666 in the barcode is quite startling. Everyone knows about this famous, or infamous, number. And now here it is, already upon us, an indispensable part of our everyday living. And it was foretold 2,000 years ago in the Book of Revelation. And that, of course, is a difficult-toignore “sign” to point us towards realizing how close we are to the end of our present Age.

*** Footnote: Head = Beast? King = Kingdom? The Scriptures in Daniel and Revelation use the terms “beast” and “kingdom”, “head” and “king” in several places. A point worth mentioning about these terms is that they are used interchangeably. That is, it’s hard to tell if “beast” also means “head”, or if “kingdom” also means “king” – or viceversa. For example, in the original Hebrew, Daniel 7:17 states, “Those great beasts… are four kings;” but then in verse 23 we read, “The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom.” Furthermore, those “beasts” of Daniel 7 are later referred to as “heads” in the Revelation Book; Revelation 13 speaks of one of the “heads” (the Antichrist) being “mortally wounded” in verse 3 but in verses 12 and 14 he is referred to as the “first beast whose deadly wound was healed”; also in Revelation 17, the seventh “head/king” is called the “beast that was, and is not”. (Daniel 7:3-7, Revelation 13:1,3,12,14, 17:9-11, NKJV) As for the other “beast, coming up out of the earth”, he is later called the “false prophet”, and this portrays the Earth-Beast as both a system and the person who is at the head of that system. (Revelation 13:11, 19:20, 20:10) Perhaps using both terms to describe the same thing was the Lord’s way of showing that a “beast” (which we would normally think of as a system, a government, or empire) must include the “head” of that empire, the person. A body without a head isn’t going to get very far; an empire needs to have a dynamic and strong leader to unify and give it direction, plus be the head that people can look up to, or even worship. And vice-versa, a head without a body won’t get very far; an emperor cannot call himself that unless he has an empire behind him.

12 – Symbolic Significance of the “Number” Now, regarding these 666-encoded barcodes, there is nothing sinister about them. They have become an indispensible part of the modern buying and selling system. But it is the “mark” which will become its centerpiece, while the “number” is like a bit of additional information tagged on to show that buying and selling operations would not be complete without it. In Revelation 14:9-11 and 20:4, we learn that receiving the “mark” is the main thing that can jeopardize a person’s standing in the next life (along with worshipping the beast and his image). But nothing is said about the “number” in this connection. As we have learned so far, both “mark” and “number” are the tangible devices that empower the followers of the Beast to avail themselves of the Beast’s authority, which grants them freedom from persecution and the privilege of buying and selling. But the “mark” is the more important, for it is the badge of identity and the sign of those who have decided to label themselves with the “name” of the beast as one of his worshipers. The “mark” is something people have to receive; and therefore, an element of choice and commitment is involved. Whereas the “number” is different, more on the sellers’ side of commercial transactions, and something we use without even being aware of it. One does not have to take it on his person. Instead, as part of the sellers’ side of commercial transactions, the goods sold to us have to receive a “mark” of sorts – these 666-encoded barcodes; and this seems to be nothing more than one of the commercial system’s mechanisms of convenience. For this reason the Revelation Book doesn’t attach a great deal of importance to the “number”. Whereas the “mark” has a high profile and comes with a stiff warning about having to “drink of the wine of the wrath of God” – applicable to those who receive the “mark”, not those who use the “number”. (Revelation 14:10) So there is nothing wrong with using the 666 “number”. For it is the “mark” that will be the sign of allegiance to the Antichrist, not the “number”, as is clear in the following Scriptures from the Revelation Book: (14:9) If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark (14:11, NKJV) They… who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name (16:2) The people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image (19:20) Those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his

image (20:4) The souls of those who… had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands None of those verses tie the “number” in with the worship of the Beast. But, as Revelation 13:17 makes plain, the “number” is tied in with the buying and selling system. Now there is one verse which refers to “those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name.” (Revelation 15:2) No mention of the “mark”; and the “number” is counted as something to be “victorious over”. Perhaps we can take this as a reference to overcoming the false worship system of those last days, which is like a two-sided coin: on one side emperor-worship (“the beast and his image” of which the “mark” is an integral part) and on the other side mammonworship (the entangling commercial system with all its material goods labeled with the 666-encoded barcodes). To stay free of this doubly enticing religious system will be a great test of men’s faith and battle for survival in those days. Looking ahead a bit, we can foresee that it will take no small struggle to stay free from this worldwide net that is even now being prepared to catch the allegiance of this world’s citizens. As God’s children who are separate from the world, we do not want to get entangled in this net. We want to be among those who will be “victorious over the beast and his image and over his number”. (Revelation 15:2) But as that system gains more and more control, any entanglement with it at all, even the purchase of a 666-encoded item by cash or check rather than with the “mark”, may lead to trouble. Although using the “number” is not synoymous with joining the Beast’s system, it does mean participating in it, which, in the future might be risky. Either a person will have to compromise and receive the “mark” eventually, or suffer persecution if he doesn’t. (In response to this state of affairs there will likely spring up a large underground market in those days.) At this point it should be understood that great multitudes of people are not going to take the “mark” – but not because of any religious or moral conviction, but simply because their nation is opposed to the rise of the Beast. Revelation 17 speaks of a terrible war between the “great harlot” and the “beast” (with his “ten horns”). Those who are citizens of the “great harlot” are not likely going to be taking the “mark” of the enemy of their nation, the “beast”. This “harlot” symbolizes a greedy commercial power whose “merchants were the great men of the earth”, by whose “sorcery all the nations

were deceived.” (Revelation 18:23, NKJV) Obviously, many of these citizens who won’t take the “mark” are, nevertheless, caught up in the pursuit and worship of Materialism; they are indulging in Mammon-worship, and it can hardly be said of them that they will be “victorious over the number”. The 666-number system is already operating worldwide, and there is nothing wrong with using the number. But what counts here is the degree of one’s attachment to (worship of) the 666-numbered merchandise. And even if a person hasn’t taken the “mark”, it is this attitude towards Materialism that will have a great bearing on his or her destiny in the Afterlife. The following passage provides some helpful insight: “And another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’ Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God.’” (Revelation 14:8-10, NKJV) “Babylon [also called the ‘great harlot’] is fallen” at the hands of the Beast and his ten horns (as outlined in Revelation 17). God will allow her to fall and suffer terrible destruction because of her promotion of the worship of Materialism (“because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication“). But this is followed by the warning to those who are part of the Beast’s kingdom that they too won’t escape if they worship the Beast. They “shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God.” As mentioned before, those who use the “mark” will have many advantages: they can avail themselves of the Beast’s authority to buy things and be protected from his persecution campaigns. Likewise, those who sell are greatly advantaged if they use the 666 bar-codes; they can sell in all the markets where the official computer POS (point-of-sale) terminals are used. People who use electronic funds transfer frequent those markets and will purchase their goods. Refusal to use the 666-encoded barcodes would signal to the authorities that someone is operating outside the official marketing system, distributing goods independently and not in the “name of the Beast” (that is, not under the authority of the established buying and selling system). Without using the number, there will be few people left to sell to, or barter with. And this is not in the future. The 666-encoded barcodes have

arrived and become an entrenched feature of modern shopping activity. Already in developed nations, it has become difficult, if not impossible, for any merchant to operate profitably without using the barcodes on his merchandise. And in some nations, where the “name of the beast” exercises strong control, it may even become illegal to sell merchandise without using 666-encoded barcodes. Although the 666-encoded barcodes are harmless in themselves, they do seem to play an important role in paving the way for the Mark of the Beast. The use of barcodes internationally has opened the door to the “digital world” in the world’s marketplaces and planted the technology that could be useful in the future when the “mark” comes into more common use. It could very well be that the same Electronic Eye and Point-of-Sale terminals which scan the UPC numbers (barcodes) now can be used also to scan the marks implanted on or in the hands or foreheads of great multitudes of people in the future.

13 – 666: A Key Sign of the Times The existence of the 666-encoded barcodes in the world of commercial exchange presents us with a startling sign that the long-awaited End Time period of history is upon us. In times past, researchers have tried to identify this number with the events of their own day. And indeed, there are numerous 666-type of numerological configurations to be found in various words, names, and events – especially those that pertain to things of an antiGod nature. In ages past, no one could possibly have understood this usage of a 666-number in a worldwide computerized market system. But we, having the benefit of a little hindsight, can see that the “mark” and the 666 “number” will be linked in a very practical way with the buying and selling operations of the modern world. And to some extent, in fact, that has already come to pass. And this we could acknowledge as the literal, primary fulfillment of the ancient prophecy. Or if not that, it is certainly close to it and leading towards its fulfillment. Nowadays, we see 666 splashed around quite a bit; and it’s puzzling why the forces of Darkness would want to advertise it so much. Likely, it’s a tactic designed to create confusion and to keep the world from taking seriously this remarkable warning sign and fulfillment of this ancient prediction. Evidently, since they can’t deny the existence of the number, the forces of Darkness are doing all they can to confuse and prevent people from recognizing the warning signals. The last thing the Devil wants is for the world to realize that the present economic system will eventually turn into a giant trap – one that is meant to herd them into his control and worship system. Thus he throws out a bewildering array of 666 variations to muddle the picture, while the real 666-number is swept away under the rug of doubt and disbelief. This camouflage of advertising of other versions of 666 acts as a sort of decoy to avoid clueing people into noticing this sign and understanding where the course of history is headed. Jesus warned of this kind of confusing tactic of the Enemy in Matthew 24. Referring to His Coming, He said, “Wherefore if they shall say unto you, ‘Behold, He is in the desert;’ go not forth; ‘behold, He is in the secret chambers;’ believe it not.” (24:26, KJV) The Devil knows he can’t deny the Second Coming to many Christians, but he does try to confuse them, in order to disarm them by coming to premature conclusions about it. But we have only to read and believe what the Scriptures say. There’s nothing mysterious

about His Coming; it won’t be “in the secret chambers”, or out “in the desert”. But the Scripture says plainly His Coming shall be as the “lightning shining from east to west.” (24:27) Likewise, there’s nothing so mysterious or hidden about the “number” (except perhaps for John’s elaborate, 1st century, riddlelike description). In spite of the sinister spin one often hears about “666”, in reality it’s nothing more than a number that is needed for the everyday business of shopping. But without giving heed to what the Scriptures say, then a maze of decoys can distract us into thinking this “man’s number” is some weird kind of thing, not related to ourselves or the real world in any way. As a result people get inoculated against the shocking realization that 666 has actually become an indispensable part of their everyday life for quite some time now. The forces of Darkness prefer that the world drift along without getting wise to their plans. Once, when teaching about conditions prior to His Second Coming, Jesus made a comparison to how it was prior to the Great Flood: “For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:38-39) In spite of the signs, the world has become oblivious to the reality to which the signs are pointing: the soon-coming end of the Age and the Return of the Savior to rescue mankind from self-destruction. Regarding the advent of the “number”, it is easy to see that an astounding set of factors have come together with the arrival of these mysterious barcodes. (And when mysterious coincidences like these occur, we often see them as pointing towards the hand of Divine Guidance.) Following is a summary then of how our modern bar codes seem to fulfill that mysterious, ancient prediction about the 666-number: 1) The “mark” is for “everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave… so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark… or the number.” The “number” is included along with the “mark” and, like the “mark”, is intended for worldwide use. As its name, Universal Product Code, implies, barcodes are being used all over the world. And most of the barcodes used in retail stores have 666 encoded in them; they are in general use internationally for most shopping items, even in less technologically advanced

nations. In olden days, to have such a universal application of a means of exchange, would have been impossible. Each nation, each district, had its own way of buying and selling things. 2) As John’s revelation suggests, the “number” is something tangible that has a very practical use in the buying and selling operation. Without this 666number in the bar codes, point-of-sale computers could not read the information, and buying or selling would become difficult. So the “number” has become a vital aspect nowadays in shopping – without which “no one can buy or sell”, exactly as John predicted. It’s not an overnight fad, but an engrained and permanent feature in the supermarkets of the world. The number 666 may show up elsewhere in our computerized world; but as far as buying or selling goes, there doesn’t seem to be any better fulfillment other than the 666 patterns found in the product barcodes. Maybe something new or better will come up, but it doesn’t have to. For all intents and purposes, this aspect of John the apostle’s prediction can be taken as already fulfilled. 3) The 666-encoded barcodes fit nicely with the wording; the phrase “mark… or number” parallels the phrase “buy or sell”. The words “sell” and ”number” should correspond with each other. And indeed they do. The bar code “number” pertains more to the selling side in commercial transactions. 4) Although the unnumbered guard-bars in the barcodes are not read by a shop’s computer as a number, yet as far as we are concerned, they resemble the bar-space-bar pattern of a 6 repeated three times. The fact that it takes a little “wisdom” to “calculate the number” suggests that it is not supposed to be very obvious. And this is true; one has to do some searching or figuring to find it in those bar codes. The “number” is hidden so that you cannot see it at a casual glance. And this hidden feature of the “number” seems to be why John posed this last verse 18 as a challenge or riddle; and as a riddle, the answer should be something unexpected and not in accordance with a rigid standard of adherence to reality. That is, just because the computers don’t read the guard-bars as 6-6-6, that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. Our human eyes do read them as 6-6-6. And as far as riddles are concerned, that’s good enough. 5) The bar codes are something that people have to use nowadays; it’s been forced on the world, but in a rather subtle way. The Scripture suggests this too, that the False Prophet Beast “causes” the world to accept the “mark” and

the “number”. The approach is gradual enough so that people have time to get familiar with the new system and rather oblivious to where it is all heading. Once upon a time these barcodes with their hidden 666-numbers were thought of in mysterious terms and as a dreaded forewarning of things to come. But isn’t it remarkable that nowadays, 40-plus years since their inception, here they are and we hardly give them a second thought?

14 – Conclusion Through this revelation in chapter 13, verses 16-18, the Lord was giving John the apostle a peek into the workings of the modern commercial system, revealing to him certain aspects of it – the “mark” and “number”. These are like tips of the iceberg of the vast commercial system that runs on computer technology to better monitor and expedite all buying and selling operations. To understand the whole “iceberg” would have been impossible for John. But it’s not difficult for us. With the benefit of some hindsight in this technological age, we can understand the complex machinery that works behind these outwardly visible manifestations of “mark” and “number”. We can understand what these key features in modern buying and selling activity will be, and already are to some extent. Furthermore, they are aspects that will be personally experienced in everyday life. Thus, they stand out well as “signs of the times” – obvious markers that people are faced with and can recognize if they want. And that may be why the Lord revealed these particular features of the modern system to John the apostle – both as a forewarning and an inspiration to our faith to know that God knows what’s going on and has a plan for the future of mankind. A question that may arise: Could the 666-number show up somehow in the “mark”? Perhaps. But it doesn’t have to, to fulfill the prediction. That is, we don’t have to look for a “mark” with the number 666 in it. The prophecy’s wording makes this distinction between buying or selling, mark or number. So, the bare bones of what we have to see is a “mark” that can be used for buying and the 666-number for selling. It looks like we’ve already got the “number”, that part of the prophecy; and presumably, we’ll see soon enough the part about the “mark” fulfilled as well.

The important conclusion now is that the description given in these Scriptures seems to fit very well the modern day reality. The degree of importance attached to “mark” and “number”, their respective usages, these aspects given in the Scriptures, jibe rather well with the actual reality of what is already happening in the world of commercial exchange. And furthermore, because we are seeing these signs coming to pass, it provides us with some forewarning of things to come: the rise of the final Beast, along with the False Prophet’s “mark” initiation-rite worship service to the Beast (Antichrist). And how might one prepare for these future events? First of all, by making Christ the center of one’s life. Through Him, we are better connected to the spiritual realm and gain a certain amount of helpful guidance and protection that can be useful in this life, along with the assurance of joy and peace in the Afterlife to come. Secondly, regarding practical considerations, one may prepare by aiming to become more self-sufficient and less dependent on the commercial system. It’s amazing to think the future could be so clearly foreseen 2,000 years ago. Like some kind of all-purpose camera, this revelation about the “mark” and the “number” gives us a wide-angle view of an enormous, cashless, computerized, commercial system; or an in-depth view of a materialistic religion sweeping the world during an age of scientific skepticism; or a microscopic view that brings to light such hidden details as the number 666. Who could possibly make this kind of long-range forecast of things to come? Only a loving, all-knowing Creator could possess such insight. This intriguing revelation is also verified by some real down-to-earth evidence, offering solid proof that we can trust God as the One ultimately in control of history and the world’s destiny, and of course, of our own lives as well, for which He has a beautiful future in store. Through this remarkable message at the end of chapter 13 in the Book of Revelation, we can see ever so clearly that some of those End Time events are already upon us, while others are about to come. It thrills us to see these things coming to pass, and we realize the awesome reality, even privilege, of being able to witness this climactic period in mankind’s history. We look forward with eager hearts to the grand transition of our earthly domain from a world dominated by the forces of Darkness into the soon-coming Age of Peace, the Kingdom of God on Earth. ~ THE END ~