What Is the “Mark of the Beast”?

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Do you know what the Mark of the Beast is?

Did you know that God also has a mark—a sign that identifies His people?

People have many different ideas about what the Mark of the Beast might be. Is it a barcode? Is is a computer chip? Is is an identification number, like the Aadhaar in India? Is it something tattooed on your arm? Is it a vaccine?

You might have your own ideas about the Mark of the Beast. But are you absolutely sure you are right? Have you ever seen an explanation straight from the Bible itself?

Please read each scripture to find the answer.

Note: The book of Revelation mentions four separate things related to the Beast:

• The mark of the Beast
• The image of the Beast
• The name of the Beast
• The number of his name

This lesson is only about the mark of the beast. It does not explain the number of his name, which is 666. The number of Beast’s name and the the mark of the Beast are two different things.

Where is the Mark?

Revelation 13:16:

He causes all—the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves—to receive marks on their right hand or on their foreheads;

What are those without the Mark not allowed to do?

Revelation 13:17:

and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

How will those with the Mark be punished?

Revelation 14:9-11:

Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a load voice, “If anyone bows down to the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of His anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in front of the holy angels, and in front of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up to the ages of ages. And they have no rest day and night, those who bow down to the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.

Will anything else happen to those with the Mark?

Revelation 16:2:

The first went, and poured out his bowl on the earth, and a foul and malignant sore appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who bowed to his image.

How will God reward His followers who refuse to get the Mark?

Revelation 20:4:

I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn’t worship the Beast or his image, and didn’t receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

At the end of the age, two people will cooperate to deceive and control the whole world. Who are they?

Revelation 19:20:

The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

Who gives the Beast his authority?

Revelation 13:4:

They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

Who is the dragon?

Revelation 12:9:

The great dragon was thrown down, the old snake, he who is called the slanderer and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Will the Beast claim to be God?

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4:

Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.

See also Ezekiel 28:2 and Daniel 11:37

Will people worship the Beast?

Revelation 13:4:

They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

Will those who worship the Beast break the first commandment?

Deuteronomy 5:6-7:

“I am the Eternal your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Don’t have other gods before Me.”

What will the False Prophet tell people to make?

Revelation 13:14:

And he deceives My own people, those living on the earth by the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those living on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.

Will people worship the image of the Beast?

Revelation 13:15:

And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn’t bow down to the image of the beast to be killed.

What does the second commandment say about images?

Deuteronomy 5:8-10:

“Don’t make a carved image for yourself, any resemblance of what is in heaven above, or what is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Don’t bow yourself down to them, nor serve them; for I, the Eternal, your God, am a jealous God, taking note of the crookedness of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate Me; and showing loving kindness to thousands [of generations] to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

Which religion will the False Prophet claim to represent?

Matthew 24:4-5:

And Jesus answered, saying to them, “Watch out so that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray.

Will the False Prophet appear to be like a lamb?

Revelation 13:11:

I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.

Who is the real Lamb of God?

John 1:36:

and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

When the Beast and False Prophet come in the name of Christ, will they break the third commandment?

Deuteronomy 5:11:

“Don’t take up the name of the Eternal your God for nothing, because the Eternal will not hold him guiltless who takes up His name for nothing.”

How will the False Prophet deceive people?

Revelation 13:13-14:

And he performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in front of people. And he deceives My own people, those living on the earth by the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those living on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.

What is another name for this miracle-working False Prophet?

2 Thessalonians 2:8-10:

Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of His mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of His arrival; even he whose arrival is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Note: Lawless means “without law” or “breaking the law.” The lawless one will teach people to break God’s laws.

What did Jesus say about the 10 Commandments?

Matthew 5:17-19:

“Don’t think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly I tell you, until the sky and earth pass away, not one letter or one pen stroke will ever pass away from the Law, until everything comes to pass! Therefore whoever undoes one of the least of these commandments and teaches people in this way, will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever does and teaches [them] will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 19:17:

He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Will Christ’s end-time followers keep the 10 Commandments?

Revelation 12:17:

The dragon grew angry with the woman [representing God’s Church], and went away to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus’s testimony.

How does God describe those who don’t have the Mark of the Beast?

Revelation 14:12:

“Here is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

Note: Revelation 14:9-11 describes the punishment of those who have the Mark of the Beast. Revelation 14:12 describes those who do not have the Mark. If you keep God’s commandments, you will not have the Mark of the Beast.

Where is the Mark of the Beast?

Revelation 13:16:

He causes all—the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves—to receive marks on their right hand or on their foreheads;

Should God’s people have something on their hand and forehead?

Deuteronomy 6:6, 8:

These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart. … You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.

Note: Here Moses is referring to the 10 Commandments, which he explained in Deuteronomy 5. Those who follow God should have the 10 Commandments in their hearts (representing their desires), on their hands (representing their actions) and on their foreheads (representing their thoughts).

Is the fourth commandment a sign or mark of God’s people?

Exodus 31:13

“Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Most certainly you shall keep My Sabbaths; for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Eternal who makes you holy.’”

Ezekiel 20:12, 20:

Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Eternal who makes them holy. … Keep my Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the Eternal your God.

Will those who will escape the Great Tribulation have God’s sign?

Matthew 24:20-21:

And pray that your escape will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath, because then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.

Did Jesus and the apostles keep the Sabbath?

Luke 4:16:

He [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And He entered, as was His custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

Luke 4:31:

He [Jesus] came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths.

Luke 13:10:

He [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath day.

Luke 23:56:

They [the disciples] returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

Acts 13:14:

But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.

Acts 13:42-44:

So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the people of other nations begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. The next Sabbath, almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.

Acts 16:13:

On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down, and spoke to the women who had come together.

Acts 17:2:

Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

Acts 18:4:

He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded Jews and Greeks.

Hebrews 4:9-10:

There remains therefore a Sabbath-keeping for the people of God. For he who has entered into His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

Did the apostles ever keep Sunday instead of the Sabbath?

Acts 20:7 describes a meal that Paul had with the disciples at night on the first day of the week. According to the Hebrew reckoning of time, days begin as sunset. So this meal and meeting were on Saturday night. The next day, on Sunday, Paul did not rest or hold a church service—in fact, he walked more than 30 kilometers to Assos on Sunday (Acts 20:13-14).

In 1 Corinthians 16:2 Paul instructed the Corinthians to set aside food every Sunday to send to Judea during the famine. The Corinthian church met on Saturdays, not Sundays (Acts 18:4).

Which day did people choose to replace the Sabbath?

Read the Catechism, 2175:

Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath. In Christ’s Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and announces man’s eternal rest in God. For worship under the Law prepared for the mystery of Christ, and what was done there prefigured some aspects of Christ:

Those who lived according to the old order of things have come to a new hope, no longer keeping the sabbath, but the Lord’s Day, in which our life is blessed by him and by his death.

Note: The Catechism is not part of the Bible. It is the teaching of the Catholic Church.

When was the Sabbath changed to Sunday?

In 135AD (about one hundred years after Christ died) the Roman ruler Hadrian outlawed the Sabbath. Keeping the Sabbath was punishable by death. Under this pressure, the majority of professing Christians abandoned the Sabbath, and Sunday quickly became the accepted day of worship.

In about 155AD, the Christian teacher Justin Martyr wrote, “Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God…made the world” (First Apology, chapter 67).

In 321, Roman Emperor Constantine issued a decree stating, “All judges and city people and the craftsmen shall rest upon the venerable day of the sun” (Ayer, Joseph Cullen, 1913. A Source Book for Ancient Church History. 2.1.1.59g. New York City: Charles Scribner’s Sons. pp. 284–5).

In 365AD, at the Council of Laodicea, the Catholic Church decreed: “Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord’s Day; and, if they can, resting then as Christians” (Canon 29).

You can read more about the change in the day of worship from Sabbath to Sunday via the link below:

Why Most Christians Worship on Sunday

Will the Beast try to change times and laws?

Daniel 7:25:

He will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High. He will plan to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

Will the Mark of the Beast be enforced by the False Prophet, who will claim to be the leader of Christianity?

Revelation 13:16:

He [the false prophet] causes all—the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves—to receive marks on their right hand or on their foreheads;

Conclusion

What is the mark of God’s people? What is the Mark of the Beast? What does the Bible say? If you don’t know the answer, you should read this lesson again. It might become clear the second time you read it.

Next Lesson: Gog, Magog, and Armageddon

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