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.