The Mark of the Beast

Turn or click to Revelation 13. the last book of the Bible.

If you think of the most famous verses in the Bible:

you have…for instance…what...

John 3:16 (For God so loved the world…)

Matthew 7:1 (Judge not lest you be judged)

today has a very famous passage—called the Mark of the Beast…even if you don’t know much about the Bible or Jesus…you may have heard about this or watched on an apocalyptic or end of the world show or movie.

in this part of the book of Revelation—God has given the Apostle John a vision of what is really going on behind the scenes for the church.

and it’s a vision of...

the dragon — who is Satan or the devil who is on a mission to wage war against God’s people (chapter 12) with lies and temptation and accusation

and then the beast out of the sea (chapter 13) who Satan uses to bring persecution on God’s people, most likely a reference to earthly kingdoms with possibly one antichrist ruler who looks like he is dead but miraculously raised to life

and then in the 2nd half of chapter 13 we see another beast-- the false prophet

This is Satan’s version of the Trinity--

Dragon is like God the Father

The 1st beast like God the Son who dies and rises to life

and the 2nd beast—like the Holy Spirit.

let me start reading at chapter 13:11 and following about this 2nd beast and the mark

Revelation 13:11–18 NIV

11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

this mark of the beast — 666 - is one of the most famous passages.

as it pictures this 2nd beast forcing all—if you want to survive in business you need it. if you want to just survive in life—you need it.

and it’s scary b/c this mark is tied into Satan, the dragon, and the 1st beast.

and it’s eternally scary b/c those who receive this mark

Revelation 14:9–10 NIV

9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.

so there is a lot at stake.

Let’s answer some questions--

What is the mark of the beast? (Is it literal or spiritual or both?)

if this mark is a literal mark with the #666, there have been so many guesses as to what it is. maybe it is a literal stamp or tattoo 666 put on your forehead or right hand.

some of thought with each new technology—that that new technology could be used for the of the beast—like the bar code that’s scanned.

some have worried over the years that your credit card with its chip could be the mark of the beast

or an implanted microchip in our skin.

or most recently during the Covid season—people have speculated if the Covid vaccine is the mark of the beast at some level.

one of our staff members heard at one time that some thought Monster energy drinks may be a connection to the mark of the Beast or even the Starbucks logo.

now as interesting as these are—I don’t think these speculations are helpful. and they miss the point of the passage.

in ancient times, Biblical scholars note that a mark is an allusion to the ancient practice of branding or tattooing. in ancient history back then, one could marked...

as a means of tribal identification—if you belonged to a certain tribe that mark would indicated it.

sometimes it would be used on slaves to mark slaves or criminals to identify them (shamefully of course!)

it could be a mark of ownership—similar to branding cattle

sometimes in religion, you could be marked to show your commitment to that god or goddess...

so being marked, shows that you are identified with or belong to something or someone....

It is very possible that Revelation 13 here is talking about a literal mark or tattoo that people will be forced to get in the end times…but the longer I study Revelation and preaching through it this time, makes me believe that what God is showing is more spiritual here. why do I think that it doesn’t really matter to focus on a literal mark?

#1 — I believe the book of Revelation is not just about the end times, but about what the church will go through between Jesus’ 1st and 2nd coming. It was written to real Christians, 7 churches.

#2 - I mentioned earlier that Satan the Dragon is unoriginal, a copycat—he is setting up his own version of the Trinity as the Dragon as God the Father, the 1st beast as God the Son, and the 2nd beast as his version of the Holy Spirit. Satan is a copycat.

and we see him copying God again. how? we see all through Revelation—that God also marks and seals his own as identifying them and belonging to them.

Revelation 7:3 NIV

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.”

Revelation 7:4 NIV

4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

God’s people here are marked or sealed by Him.

Revelation 9:4 NIV

4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

and then right after our passage. ..

Revelation 14:1 NIV

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.

most Biblical scholars don’t believe that those who are marked or sealed for God literally have a mark on their foreheads—no it is a symbolic reference that God is spiritually identifying us, marking us, sealing us, preserving us for Him. We belong to him.

in a similar manner I believe that is what is going on here—you are either marked for God…or you are marked for the beast.

you either belong to Satan and his kingdom—the dragon, the 1st beast, and the 2nd beast---or you belong to God, and his kingdom—Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit.

Sam Storms: So when we read that the false prophet causes everyone who isn’t a Christian to have the mark of the beast written on their forehead, we should understand this as a sign that they belong to the beast and are loyal to him. This “mark” on their foreheads or on their right hand is simply Satan’s way of mimicking the seal of God on God’s people. If you have the name of Jesus and God the Father written on your forehead, it simply means that they own you, that you belong to them, that you are loyal to the Lord God Almighty.

But if you have “the name of the beast” (Rev. 13:17) written on your forehead, it signifies that he owns you, that you belong to him, that you are loyal to the Antichrist.

For whom are you marked?

To whom do you belong?

that is the question—that Revelation forces us--

it affects you and ultimately for eternity....it is one of the biggest questions!

and it may be that the forehead is mentioned...

and the right hand mentioned....

the forehead points to your head commitment—what you support in your ideas...

and the hand to its practical outworking (Storms, “What is the Mark of the Beast.”

but it’s also a contrast to what we as the people of God are to be about--

Deuteronomy 6:4–8 NIV

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

are we marked for God or the beast? (so is it literal or spiritual—i argue more spiritual---either way it shows whom we belong to)

Why is the Mark of the Beast referred to as the # 666?

the most common way that this # has been interpreted is what is called Gematria. in the ancient world, this was the practice of using letters to have numeric value. so for instance in English—A = 1. B = 2. C = 3, and so on. so the #666—people have tried to guess what are the letters behind it that add up to that value either 6 hundred and sixty 6, or three 6’s.

so for instance,one of the most famous Emperors in Romans History who persecuted the church around this time was Nero. and if you take the name Nero Caesar in Hebrew—it adds up to 666, or Beast in Hebrew—it amounts to 666. but the problem with this is that John’s readers were mostly Greek speaking. and Nero had several titles. and the book of Revelation will sometimes tell us when somethings’ name is in Hebrew or Greek.

over the years—so many attempts have been made to figure out what name goes with 666. for instance in the country of Great Britain—between 1560 - 1830 alone—100 names were proposed!!). Last century, Hitler and Stalin—their names were said to be 666.

I even remember hearing and growing up that a famous kids’ show called Barney—the Purple Dinosaur—you could make Barney’s name equal 666 if you wanted to. as an Indiana Hoosiers basketball fan, I could make the Purdue Boilermakers name equal 666 if I wanted to.

do you see some of the problem—you can probably make any name = 666, but which one is right?

instead of trying to put 1 name with 666—let’s step back—and think about how numbers are used in the book of Revelation.

Numbers in Revelation are often not literal—but have symbolic value to communicate spiritual truth. they are symbols pointing to a greater truth.

for instance the 144,000 believers mentioned—I argued that that is not literally that #—but it is a multiple of 12. There were 12 tribes of the people of God in the OT, and 12 apostles with Jesus in the NT. If you take take 12 x 12 = 144, and multiply it by 1,000—John is communicating that this 144,000 stands for the entire people of God, exponentially multiplied!

so why 666? if it may not be literal—what is God communicating?

think of the #7—refers to completeness in Revelation.

there are 7 churches that Revelation is addressed to—they were literal churches—but show that the message was for all churches

there are 7 spirits of God before the throne of God—I don’t think that literally means the Holy Spirit is 7—but it shows the Holy Spirit is perfect and complete.

there are 7 seals, and 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls of God’s judgment—7, 7, and 7—showing us that God’s judgments are perfect, complete, and full.

7x God utters blessings in the book of Revelation. blessed are those who hear it and keep it and so on.

if you contrast 7 with 666—then this suggests that 666 refers to == incompleteness and imperfection. (let me say that again)

Greg Beale says “This suggests that the triple sixes are intended as a contrast with the divine sevens throughout the book, and signify incompleteness and imperfection.”

furthermore—right after the mark of the beast is mentioned. look at chapter 14.

Revelation 14:1 NIV

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.

this is the complete, people of God 12 x 12 x 1,000—the entire people of God from the OT and the NT. The fact that this verse is mentioned right after 666 and mark—there is a contrast. the beast and his people who get the mark—they are incomplete, and imperfect…but the Lamb and His people—they are marked by God—they are complete. They are perfect.

as much as Satan, and his copycat trinity try to mimic God and the real Trinity—try to be God—he falls short. He can never arrive at 7…his best attempts are 666.

it’s interesting if you go back to the book of Genesis—God created the world in 6 days, and he rested on the 7th. on the 6th day—he created man. in his image. it’s the highlight of his creation. it may be that this reference in Revelation to 666-again because represents man, too.

as much as we get duped into thinking that we can be God (just like Adam and Eve did back in the Garden by Satan) we try to be our own God and Savior—to be a complete 7—but the number of man is 666. we are completely incomplete and imperfect on our own. we are beastly and satanic when we try to be god or follow the ways of the dragon. our kingdoms are beastly, but only 666, completely incomplete.

Greg Beale: “Humanity was created on the sixth day, but without entering the seventh day of God’s own rest, Adam and Eve would have been imperfect and incomplete. The triple six figures emphasize that the beast and his followers fall short of God’s creative purposes for humanity.” (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-is-the-number-of-the-beast-666/)

So what now? (What is the point of all this? What does it look like to be marked for Jesus?)

#1—ask yourself— “For whom am I marked?”

so to summarize these first 2 big questions—what is the mark and why 666? There is a very good chance I am arguing that it is not about some literal future mark that will happen in the end times; instead—it points to a big question that all of God’s followers, all of us have to ask---

are we marked for God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit? Has he marked us-do we belong to Him?

or are we marked for the beast? Satan, the dragon and his ways?

and even if you say—well— “Neither one...” there is no neutrality. even if you say “well neither—I follow my way.” the attitude of my way—is the same impulse that Satan has—he wants to be god. when we say “My way”—we are putting ourselves in the place of God.

we are either marked for Jesus’s kingdom or Satan’s? Which one are you?

#2 Ask God for wisdom and discernment daily. (Rev. 13:18)

we need discernment to see when we are truly following Jesus fully or compromising today with the ways and marks of the beasts and the dragon.

Nancy Guthrie in her book on Revelation says: “This beast exercises his power not only through government and religion but also through business. In John’s day, it was evidenced in the requirement of involvement in feasts to idols in order to be in the trade guilds. For us it may look more like being required to wear a pride shirt or pin at our workplace or having our business defamed because of our refusal to give money to certain causes that the beast insists are good and even moral. For the short term, being identified by, connected to, or having allegiance to the beast is useful. It will help us network. It will help us fit in. It will help us to keep our job, keep our house, and keep our kids in school and in the latest sneakers. It will put food on the table. So what are we to do when the pressure is on? John tells us:

This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666. (Rev. 13:18)

To navigate life in a world in which the true nature of governments, politicians, businesses, technologies, organizations, and ideologies is veiled, a world in which an evil power is at work to deceive and a counterfeit savior is demanding allegiance, we need wisdom. In fact, that almost seems like an understatement. We desperately need wisdom. This is why we’re so glad to have and to be reading and studying the book of Revelation. In this book, Jesus is pulling back the curtain for us so we can see behind the façade of worldly insight and attractiveness into the true nature of things, so we can see the foolishness and ugliness of this world’s systems. We have to “calculate the number of the beast.” In other words, we need to evaluate things and ideas carefully. If something is truly of God, it would have to be numbered 777, perfection to the nth degree. We need to look and listen carefully in order to recognize what is off, what falls short of the glory of God, what is merely, in fact infinitely, human, which would symbolically be numbered 666. (Guthrie, N. (2022). Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation (pp. 158–159). Crossway.)

#3 Follow Jesus the (Lamb) wherever He goes. (14:1-5)

Revelation 14:1–5 NIV

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. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

we could spend a long time talking about what does it look like to be marked for Jesus—how do you know. verse 4 nails it. You follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

there is this orientation-that Jesus the Lamb—He is my leader; He is my king. Rick no longer calls the shots—but Jesus does!

wherever he goes—I go.

wherever He leads—I lead.

even if it is hard—the imagery of the Lamb—reminds us that he was sacrificed, suffered for others, for us—and we are willing to do the same. suffer for Jesus, even if it means loss of business here, loss of networks, power, prestige, our very lives.

it’s worth it—b/c we have the Lamb—Jesus Christ. and we will be with Him forever.

Are you marked for Jesus—the Lamb or Satan? Whom are you following?

Let’s pray.