Letter Re: The Mark of the Beast and Prepping

Hugh,

Yet another person is comparing biometric access to the Biblical Mark of the Beast (MOB). I’m not sure why people are so quick to link any kind of implanted device, RFID, or biometric access to the MOB, but I am fairly certain these people have not actually read the Bible or the associated prophecies:

“If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.” Revelation 14:9,10

“He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Revelation 13:16-17

It is pretty clear from a cursory reading that those receiving the mark are people that worship the beast or his image AND THEN willingly receive the mark of his name or the number of his name.

While many will willingly worship the beast in the end times, using biometrics to pay for something or access the internet IS NOT the mark of the beast, and if you cling to the idea that it is, you need to sit down with your Bible a little while longer and actually read what it says.

Almighty God is not going to eternally punish you for using a fingerprint to access the Internet. What he is going to eternally punish you for is knowingly worshiping the beast. – A

HJL Responds: This is an area of eschatology where FUD certainly rules supreme and there are as many “theories” as there are people. I can remember as a child, bar codes were going to be “The mark of the Beast” and we were all going to have to have a tattoo placed on our foreheads or wrists to be able to live in society. There are two things that a person should keep in mind before heading down the rabbit trail of just what this mark may be. First, take a look at the fall of Jerusalem in the Bible. The author of Chronicles records this:

“Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.” 2 Chronicles 36:17

But Ezekiel recorded it this way:

“and the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof … slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.” Ezekiel 9:4&6

These are records of the exact same occurrence, but one has a “mark on their foreheads” and the other does not. Why? Because the author of Chronicles is a historian, recording what was physically seen. Ezekiel was a prophet recording what he saw in a vision. The vision was of spiritual things, and the “mark” was a spiritual mark. Similarly, John is recording what he is seeing in a spiritual vision, not as a historian but as a prophet. There is no reason to expect a physical “mark of the beast”. I’m pretty sure a historian would have recorded people running for the hills whose heads had a glowing mark upon them.

Second, the entire Bible, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 is about the relationship between God and man. While man looks upon the outward appearance (and is easily fooled), God looks upon man’s heart. No one will be held accountable for a physical mark that can be forcibly placed upon your body, against your will. The Spiritual mark will be something that is willingly accepted by the person who worships the beast. I have my own ideas about what that “mark” might entail, but I am quite certain it will not be an RFID chip, barcode, or any other physical device. It will be related to the heart of those who willingly turn against God.

As a prepper, however, some form of identification that tracks your purchases may indeed be something to be wary of, but it will not affect your standing with God.