Technology Behind the Mark of the Beast

By Nathan Jones

What will be the possible technology behind the Mark of the Beast?

On the March 25th edition of the radio program Prophecy Update, I was interviewed by Bill Salus, author of the popular Psalm 83-themed book Isralestine and evangelist on the end times website Prophecy Depot. Bill and I spent much of the interview discussing how technology plays a role in end times Bible prophecy

Technology Behind the Mark of the Beast

Bill Salus: Concerning another interesting technology, 2,000 years ago the Apostle John wrote in Revelation 13 about a cashless society that would come forth in the last days. He said that there will be a point during that time when the False Prophet and the Antichrist will put together a cashless system because he reveals in Revelation 13:16-18, "He 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."

Now, of course, mostly everybody has heard about 666, although they don't understand what it is related to. From these verses we know 666 has something to do with this prophecy concerning a cashless society.

Almost 2,000 years ago, John trafficked in monetary currencies of denarius, right? But, here he is talking about money that you know you can't transfer such as a denarius. You can't put a denarius inside of your hand or in your forehead. John is talking about something entirely different. He's talking about a mode of currency and monetary exchange that is apparently cashless. Mark Hitchcock wrote a book about this recently called Cashless.

Do you think John was possible trying to describe a technology that could facilitate a cashless society, and would that technology potentially be biometric which we currently have at this point in time?

Nathan Jones: You can certainly control a person by their money. There is no doubt, no doubt, that we are moving towards a cashless society. I barely use cash myself. I use credit cards for everything and then pay them back each month via electronic transfer.

Right now there is a big push to have something that you can swipe that can't be stolen. Maybe it will be implanted in you. There are even reports where certain stores have been testing this cardless system out to just see how it works. So, we are moving into that direction, and I agree it is a smart move. After all, I don't want thieves stealing my credit cards and my identity. I don't want crooks stealing my wallet. If there is something built into me that I can wave or is biometric that scans my fingerprints or something like that, that that would be a great thing. It would all have to be managed by a large database with lots of connectivity and networking, so there is definitely a huge technological component there.

I won't be the first to say that the Mark of the Beast will be an RFID chip or that we are all going to be running around with chips even before the Rapture. There are a lot of people panicking out there who believe that if the serial number on their computer chip or if a barcode on their Cracker Jacks has a 666 somewhere they'll declare, "Oh, no, I can't buy this product." I once wrote an article about this hysteria called Stop Panicking Over the Mark of the Beast.

There is just no way during the Church Age that we have to worry about taking the Mark. It is something that the Antichrist institutes at the mid-point of the Tribulation, and since the Tribulation is clearly not going on right now, we don't have to worry about taking it.

John was pretty specific in his description of what he saw concerning the Mark. For one, we are talking about a First Century man who actually could see the Mark ON the forehead and the right hand. John was not talking about it being IN the forehead or the hand. He could see it as plain as the nose on your face. So, unless it causes a big bump which would be pretty obvious, it's not implanted. These little RFID chips that have come out are encased in sliver thin glass to protect the component inside. So, I don't think they will be visible as they aren't even visible now. We put them in animals and we don't see them on the animal, right?

I believe the Mark will be a tattoo or something etched onto our skin. Maybe it could incorporate magnetic inking so it could be scanned.

Customers during the Tribulation will walk into a store, and unless the clerk sees the Mark, they know not to sell them something or they'd probably be killed themselves by the Antichrist for helping those who haven't declared their loyalty to him. While I believe there is probably technology behind the Mark, I lean more on the side that it won't be a RDIF chip.

Bill Salus: Those types of technologies if this is what John was trying to describe are in themselves not necessarily a bad thing.

Nathan Jones: Not at all.

Bill Salus: Like, for example, when you put a chip inside of your poodle's neck and if Fifi gets lost, you can use their GPS to find them. Or, let's say little Johnny gets kidnapped, you could find him if he had some tracking mechanism. You know that even your cell phones tend to have a ping that they generate so you can find someone. Our smart phones actually have these RFID-like locator chips where you can locate them through GPS. So, the technology in itself is not a bad thing.

The usage of tracking chips to monitor all of humanity like as you said with a large database is when technology can be used for evil. The Antichrist bids to be omnipresent, which he can't be because only God is, and he can't search the hearts and minds or men and women. But, to appear omnipresent, he will be able to track people's every footstep if they have a technology inserted that he can monitor through GPS or things like that. But, like you said, the Church won't be here for that. We will be raptured prior to this, so it is not a threat to us.

The Mark is more then just a technology, it is a form of worship?

Nathan Jones: Yes, it is a loyalty mark.

Bill Salus: The Mark will be a loyalty thing, as well as it also facilitates people's ability to buy and sell.

In the final segment of this interview with Bill Salus concerning Bible prophecy and technology, we'll look at the eventual decline of technology in the last days.

666: The Mark of the Beast

By Chris Schang

One of the most electrifying and fascinating end times issues centers around the diabolical 666 - the mark of the beast. This number, 666, brings immediate fear to many people as a result of the books and movies that portray the satanic design and influence behind it. The Bible tells us that the number 666 is the number of a man, who in fact is the evil Antichrist who will rise up in the last days to rule the world and make war against the Lord Jesus Christ. The number of the future Antichrist is given to us in Revelation 13:18.

Rev 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six.
The Antichrist will use this diabolical mark of the beast to make mankind choose between him and God. In order to buy and sell during the Tribulation period, once must take this mark of the beast. We are warned about this in Revelation 13:17.

Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
While the number 666 is the number of the beast or Antichrist, it is not the Antichirst that gets men to worship him. Instead it is the Antichrist's evil side kick who is referred to as the False Prophet who introduces this diabolocial mark of the beast. This is foretold in Revelation 13:11-17.

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Rev 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:
Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Rev 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six.

The interesting thing to note about this mark of the beast is that people will not be able to buy or sell unless they have the mark. This means that in order to buy groceries, gas, medicine, etc. one will have to have the mark of the beast or the number of the beast which is 666. How this mark is implemented is subject to much speculation here in the last days. For example, there exists the technology today called the "Verichip" which is about the size of a grain of rice and is placed under the skin, usually on the forehead or the hand. The chip is able to store detailed financial, medical, and other kinds of information about the person that it is placed in. Some businesses these days where security is paramount have already incorporated the Verichip into their security plans. For example, a bank may require that individuals who have access to the bank vault be chipped in order to keep detailed records of who went in and out of the vault, which can be used later to narrow down suspects in the case of money shortages. These chips are read by a scanner which would be placed perhaps on either side of the vault door so that detailed records about a person such as what time they entered the vault, how long they were in the vault, etc. might be recorded. Many hospitals in some areas are using the technology to help track patients and to help store their medical records. While the Verichip is a possible forerunner to the actual mark of the beast, it is impossible to know what exactly will be the mark of the beast until it is revealed in the future Tribulation period when it is unveiled by the False Prophet.

On the other hand, some people believe the mark of the beast will not be a chip like that of Verichip, but instead a visible "tattoo" like mark that is visible to all. The tattoo will be the number 666 and not a representation of it. That it will be on the forehead or right hand, not in the forehead or right hand. Whichever the case might be, only time will tell. But for the first time in history the technology has existed whereby mankind can be controlled to the point that no one may buy or seel unless they have the mark of the beast or the number fo the beast which is 666.

The most significant aspect of the of the mark of the beast is that a person who takes the mark is pledging allegience to the Antichrist as his supreme ruler, which in this case will be Satan indwelling the Antichrist. This is why those who take the mark of the beast during the Tribulation period will be forever condemned to the lake of fire. Scripture also makes it clear that those who do not take the mark of the beast will be killed. The Bible also notes that no one will be able to escape the mark as stated in 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". People will have to make a conscious decision on whom they will serve, will it be God or will it be the Satan? Mankind has over the past 2,000 years since the Lord gave us the Gospel been able to basically spend a lifetime making this decision. However, in the Tribulation period this will not be the case. Due to the introduction of the mark of the beast, people will finally have to get "off the fence" and make a decision one way or another.

Just as God seals the 144,000 Jewish witnesses during the Tribulation period to preach the Gospel and today seals believers with the Holy Spirit, Satan will try to counterfeit or parody this by introducing his own "seal" that will indentify those that belong to him. Whereas God's seal protects his people, Satan seals condemns them to eternity in the lake of fire.

With the advances in modern technology and the coming "cashless" society, we are literally on the brink of the prophecised mark of the beast system being introduced when the Tribulation period is in full swing. As the result of this mysterious and diabolical mark of the beast, many people over the years have tried to recognize the mark ahead of time. This fascination with the mark of the beast and the number 666 have caused many people to react surprised and shocked to invoices, zip codes, telephone numbers, etc. whenever and wherever the number 666 pops up. Due to the implications of the coming mark of the beast and the number 666 people have oftentimes done extraordinary things to avoid the number. Some people have gone to lunch to only have their bill end up at $6.66, so they add a pack of gum to the bill so that they can avoid the uneasy connotations. But while this is simply superstitious behavior on random and chance occurances of the the number 666, the deadly fact remains that one day the number 666 and the mark of the beast system will finally be introduced during the most chaotic seven years the world has ever encountered - the Tribulation period.

But Christians should not fear the coming mark of the beast nor the number 666. For the Lord has promised that church age believers will be spared the wrath of God and the horrible things of the coming Tribulation period. For those who find themselves in the Tribulation period, they have the advance warning not to take the mark of the beast as there are very dire consequences for doing so. In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul taught that the Antichrist would not be revelaed until it is his time. This will not occur until sometime after the rapture of the church. So church age believers do not need to worry about the identity of the Antichrist, as this will only be known to people who come to faith in Christ after the rapture of the church. People who become believers after the rapture will know ahead of time that to receive the mark of the beast, means to reject Jesus Christ. Many people will be martyred for refusing the mark of the beast, but at the same time many will be saved and are referred to as Tribulation saints or martyrs as a result of keeping the faith of Jesus Christ.

I hope you will find this article informative and helpful. The Bible tells us that today is the day of salvation. If you are not saved, I would recommend that you not put this matter off any longer. To do so, you run the risk of missing the rapture and meeting the Antichrist. Make that decision for Christ today while there is still time, it's the only way to make sure that you do have to face the mark of the beast.

God bless.

666 and Mark of the Beast

By Kent Crockett

Revelation 13:16-18 says, "And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six." There are three things mentioned in this passage:


1. The mark of the beast

2. The name of the beast

3. The number of his name
The Mark of the Beast is not 666, but a mark that everyone must have to buy or sell. This mark may be some kind of computer chip or code, but it probably won't be "666."

666 is the number of the Beast's name. The number of the beast is the number of a man. That means that the beast is not a political system, a country, a computer, etc., but a man--the Antichrist.

This verse teaches that the Antichrist will control the world's economy with some kind of mark, which everyone will be required to take. No one will be able to buy or sell without having the mark on his or her right hand or forehead. Whoever worships the Antichrist and receives the mark will be cast into hell (Rev. 14:9-11). (The mark is not credit cards, in case you are wondering.)

The Antichrist's name can be calculated to be 666. We assume that means the letters of his name can be calculated to add up to the numerical sum of 666. He has not come to power yet, but when he does this is one way of figuring out who he is. He will confirm a covenant with Israel for 7 years (Dan. 9:27) and will attempt to make alterations in time and in law (Dan. 7:25)