The Mark of the
Beast
COPYRIGHT ©2019 -
James M. Frye
All scripture
quotations are taken from the Authorized King James Bible. Any deviations are
not intentional. All underlines, bold and words within brackets are the
author's.
For more articles on other issues, please visit our
website at: www.seekingfortruth.com
.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article may be duplicated (or printed) for distribution provided that
no changes are made to it and the
Above copyright remains intact. It may be distributed only in its
original form, unedited, and free of charge.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is the mark of the beast?
Many in our day tell us that it is a microchip which
will be implanted under the skin. Is that what the Bible teaches, or does it
teaching something else? Before we look to the scriptures to find the answer to
this question, we must understand one thing. Whatever the answer is, it will be
found within the pages of scripture and scripture alone. Scripture alone
interprets scripture. We will not find the answer to this question in this
morning’s newspaper, or in a science journal, or any other place other than the
scriptures themselves. The Bible contains, within itself, everything we need to
understand and interpret it correctly (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 2:13). With this
in mind, let us look to the scriptures for the answer to this question.
The mark of God upon believers
The Bible tells us that there is not only a mark
placed upon the foreheads of those who are lost, but that there is also a mark
of God placed upon the foreheads of those who are saved.
Revelation 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the
temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the
name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my
God: and I will write upon him
my new name.
Revelation 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed
the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an
hundred forty and four
thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Revelation 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his
name shall be in their
foreheads.
Those who are saved and belong to God have His mark
written upon their foreheads, and that mark is God’s name. This marking with a
name implies ownership. We write our name upon things which belong unto us to
identify them as our own. God does the same.
The mark of Satan upon unbelievers
Just as God places a mark upon those who are his,
the devil does the same with those who belong to him.
Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich
and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in
their foreheads:
Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man
worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Also notice that this mark of the beast is
the same as the name of the beast.
Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day
nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
So the mark of the beast is his name. God writes His
name upon those who are his and the beast writes his name upon those who are
his.
How should we interpret these things?
Since the book of Revelation speaks of both the mark
of God’s name upon believers, and the mark of the beast’s name upon
unbelievers, however we interpret the one - we must also interpret the other.
In other words, we cannot say that the mark of the beast’s name is a literal,
physical mark, and then say that mark of God’s name is a figurative, symbolic
mark. If we interpret one to be a literal, physical mark, we must interpret the
other in the same way. Or if we interpret one of them to be figurative and
symbolic, then we must interpret the other in the same way.
So which is it? Are these marks literal or figurative?
Everyone agrees that the mark of God’s name upon the foreheads of believers is
a figurative, symbolic mark. It is obvious that believers do not literally have
God’s name written on their foreheads. When God says that He writes His name
upon believers, it is merely a symbolic expression saying that they belong to
Him. Since we must interpret God’s mark as being figurative and
symbolic, therefore, we must also interpret the beast’s mark as
figurative and symbolic as well. Therefore, the mark of the beast is not a
literal mark. It is a figurative and symbolic mark. And since this mark is not
a literal, physical mark, it most certainly cannot be a literal, physical
microchip implanted under the skin.
What then is the mark of the beast?
Since the mark of the beast is clearly not a
microchip, what is it? From we have learned so far, we know two things. First,
whatever the answer is, it will be found in scripture. Second, that answer will
be figurative and not literal. So what does scripture say about figuratively
and symbolically writing things upon men’s foreheads and hands?
Deuteronomy 6:6 And these words, which I command
thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deuteronomy 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of
them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest
down, and when thou risest up.
Deuteronomy 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign
upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
God’s word was to be written and placed as a sign
(symbol) upon his people’s hands and between their eyes (upon their foreheads).
God’s word says that they were to do these things as a sign. In other words
these things were symbolic. Therefore, we must understand the meaning of this
symbolism. Writing God’s word upon their foreheads indicated that they
were to think according to the word of God. And writing God’s word upon
their hands symbolized that their actions were to be according to
the word of God. These things are seen in the consecration of Aaron and his
sons as priests.
Leviticus 8:23 And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right
ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of
his right foot.
Leviticus 8:24 And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of
their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and
upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood
upon the altar round about.
Under the Old Covenant (we are no longer under the
Old Covenant) blood was placed upon the right ear, right hand, and right foot
of priests. Marking the right ear, symbolized that they were to hear
what God’s word says. Marking the right hand, symbolized that they were
to do what God’s words says. And marking the right foot
symbolized that they were to walk in all of the ways of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your
soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be
as frontlets between your eyes.
Once again we see the sign (symbolism) of these
things in scripture. God’s word is to be written upon His people’s hands
(controlling their actions) and between their eyes (upon their foreheads)
– controlling their thoughts.
Putting it all together
Now, we need to put these things which we have
learned from the Old Testament together with what we have learned from the book
of Revelation so that we might understand what the mark of the beast is. As we
saw earlier, God places a mark, which is His name, upon the forehead of those
who are His (believers). God’s people are those who have His word written upon
their foreheads (they think according to the Bible) and upon their right hands
(they act according to the Bible). These things are confirmed elsewhere in
scripture.
Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in
their minds will I write them;
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed
to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord,
that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
James 1:22 But be ye doers
of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith
unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
The devil also puts the mark of His name upon those
who belong to Him (unbelievers). This mark is symbolized as being upon their
foreheads because the devil controls the way they think. It is also symbolized
as being upon their right hands because the devil controls their actions. These
things are also confirmed in scripture elsewhere.
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world
hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God
…
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts
of your father ye will do …
Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to
the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience:
Those who do not receive the truth of God’s word
now, will be sent a strong delusion from God during the Great tribulation.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of
the truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2 Thessalonians 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed
not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
These people are described symbolically in the book
of Revelation as those who receive the mark of the beast. Since they did not
want God’s word to control their thoughts and actions (mark of God), they will
be given over to deception (Satan is the one deceiving them and controlling
their thoughts and actions) – mark of the beast.