While some people seem to be waiting with baited breath for the zombie apocalypse, there are a number of Christians beating the geopolitical pavement in search of Revelation’s “mark of the beast” so they can solve the mystery and safeguard their faith. Some are using their scriptural detective skills to point the finger at mandatory mRNA vaccines, while others are identifying digital IDs, a social credit system or a global biometric data exchange as the oppressive device of a coming satanic system.
No doubt it can be an anxious time for end-time watchers when a new beastly blip appears on their Biblical radar. Many students of Scripture are rightfully suspicious of the globalist-driven authorities around the world that are currently engaged in a socioeconomic power grab that looks shockingly similar to the legal demands of the beast, who “required all people…to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark” (Rev. 13:16-17).
Of special concern is the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” currently being touted by the influential members of the World Economic Forum who literally want to merge man with machine, a key feature of transhumanism. Soon, if these aspiring overlords have their way, the godlike technologies of artificial intelligence, gene editing, and advanced robotics will be used by governments to blur the lines between the physical, digital and biological realms in order to transform the masses into a programmable population of “evolved” beings who will serve as global “economic agents.”
Sadly, this transhumanistic agenda to digitize and homogenize every element of our human existence into a centralized technological matrix is already being introduced in America. Recently, for instance, the White House announced they would be pushing for the implementation of a U.S. government-controlled, programmable Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) that will reside in a “cloud” with the banking gods of our world. As of this writing, the Federal Reserve of New York is about to launch a 12-week “proof-of-concept” to test the idea.
Not surprisingly, this plan has raised the hackles of many Christians who wonder if this alternative monetary concept is more than just an issue of security and convenience. And some financial experts, who aren’t even looking at it from a Biblical perspective, don’t like CBDC one bit. In fact, they say it has all the hallmarks of governmental malfeasance. For example, Anthony Pompliano, an American investment guru, has come right out and said that “central bank digital currencies will be one of the greatest violations of human rights in history.”
Catherine Austin Fitts, the former Assistant Secretary of HUD, also chimed in about the dangers of CBDC, saying, “If you can move every human into a digital concentration camp, empty their bank account any time you want, and tell them what they can and cannot spend money on, you’ve got complete control.”
Uh oh. This sounds very familiar, doesn’t it? Surely, this plan to control one’s commerce with the world will become—possibly—maybe—the mark of the beast! Then again, maybe it won’t…
But how can we know for certain?
Don’t Worry About Figuring It All Out
If you find yourself getting worried about needing to “solve” this mystery right now, please don’t be. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matthew 6:27).
While the identity of the “mark of the beast” and other apocalyptic symbols in Scripture can generate reasonable theories from believers who are commanded to “stay awake” for any coming persecution (Luke 21:36), one needs to be very careful not to get overly anxious about “figuring it all out.” This isn’t a Nancy Drew mystery, after all. If Jesus was not in a position to give an exact time for His return (Matthew 24:36), then surely His disciples are in no position to know every detail of how their earthly stories will play out.
The fact is, the correct interpretation of the deliberately cryptic passages found in Revelation are rarely self-evident. Because of this, we have seen over the centuries the development of different schools of eschatological interpretation among orthodox believers who disagree on whether the various enigmatic events recorded in John’s vision are historical, futuristic, a combination of both, or possibly within the experiences of Christians in every generation.
How, then, do we handle these divergent positions within the Church? And how much emphasis should be placed on the matter at the expense of our united focus on the Gospel?
Perhaps the answer lies in taking a step back from the current intrigue and focusing instead on the wise Biblical strategy of trusting God to reveal the particulars of Revelation in due time, rather than jumping the gun and running with our own conclusions (Proverbs 3:5). A quick review of New Testament teaching, in fact, will show that believers have been repeatedly advised to keep alert, watch for the signs of the times, and be patient until the coming of the Lord (Mark 13:33; James 5:7-8). Above all, Paul tells us in Romans 12:12, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
This godly advice squares with the experience of the nineteenth-century English preacher, John Angell James, who saw patience as a key component to apprehending the most exact interpretation of Biblical prophecy:
“Time is the best expounder of Prophecy. I could never make up my mind on the precise meaning of the Apocalypse, except as to its general design. No expositor I have ever read—and I have read many—has yet satisfied me. As they all disagree among themselves, I presume that none of them fully understand the subject.”
If anyone questions this cautious assessment by Mr. James, then perhaps they should be reminded of that wildly popular 1970s Christian bestseller about end time prophecy, which is now in the trash bin of history. A “late, great” literary sensation like that, filled with clever assumptions and premature conjecture that didn’t pan out, will always become a laughingstock to the world and end up bringing defamation to the way of truth (Romans 2:24; 2 Peter 2:2).
Scripture reminds us that the prudent person acts and speaks with real knowledge, while the fool proclaims his folly by rushing headlong into making a show of his own opinion (Proverbs 3:5; 13:16; 18:2).
The Blessing That Transcends Any Mystery
As we look to the Bible for answers in these puzzling times, we are taught by the apostle Paul to rightly handle the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15) with the understanding that some things are still too veiled to clearly see (I Corinthians 13:9-12). As such, fixating on the mysteries of Revelation with a dark magnifying glass should never distract us from fixing our eyes of faith on a clear view of Jesus (Hebrews 12:2; Revelation 1:7).
Such intellectual distractions are the theological equivalent of missing the forest for the esoteric trees, and can set the mind on earthly concerns instead of on Christ and the things of heaven (Colossians 3:1).
This is not to say, of course, that Revelation and its difficult passages shouldn’t be studied as an inspired resource for spiritual insight to bless and edify the Church, especially when she finds herself in the midst of the events described therein. This we must do, in fact, in order to follow the Lord’s command to keep the words of this book (Revelation 22:7), even to the extent of hiding them in our hearts to avoid sinning against God (Psalm 119:11).
However, any attempt to “solve” the mysteries of the book must be approached not only with great wisdom (Revelation 13:18), but with the understanding that such wisdom only comes when the Spirit has opened our eyes at the divinely-designated time and not beforehand (Colossians 1:26; Luke 21:14-15).
Above all, prophecy in New Testament times is generally given to believers for their “upbuilding, encouragement and consolation” (1 Corinthians 14:3), and Revelation’s overall message is no different. Indeed what Christ has revealed to us through John is specifically given as a great blessing (Revelation 1:3) because it allows us to take in a sweeping, panoramic view of the historic spiritual battlefield laid before us and to be immensely encouraged by the glimpse of God’s final, crowning victory over sin and the grave. Indeed, “Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7).
The Mystery That Really Isn’t A Mystery
If we take in the whole view of Scripture from Genesis onward, the murky-looking details of the Antichrist’s strategy as described in John’s vision are not that much of a mystery. In John 10:10, in fact, Jesus has already identified the bad actors and basic plotline of the ongoing spiritual battle that will culminate in the final scene of Revelation. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” the Lord proclaimed during his earthly ministry, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
The Old Testament account has shown us that mankind was given an “abundance of all things” in the new creation to “work it and keep it” for our godly occupation and enjoyment as appointed stewards, but the thief came to snatch it all away. Yet even in that defeated moment with the serpent, we were assured that an eternal plan was set into place. One day, we are told, the spiritual battle between Satan and mankind will be decided when Christ, the Seed, crushes the serpent’s head and ushers in an abundant, eternal life in the kingdom of God that is better than Eden could have ever given us (Genesis 3:15; Revelation 21:1–2).
The focus of our Christian walk in the days prior to Christ’s return, therefore, doesn’t have to hinge on understanding every microscopic detail of Satan’s devious plan. It is more important to understand the eternal scheme of our adversary, who from the very beginning has sought to destroy mankind’s ability to physically and spiritually thrive as God’s righteous representatives on earth (Genesis 1:28; 9:1; 47:27). Even now, despite the damaging blow from Jesus Christ that has sealed his fate, Satan is ever the thief of John 10:10 until his inevitable appointment with the lake of fire.
As the theologian John Gill reminds us in his Body of Divinity, Satan is not only still seeking to prevent the salvation of all humanity, but he has moved to the front lines against the redeemed citizens of heaven who, by faith in the work of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit, have thwarted his rebellion. According to Gill, the thief is now focusing much of his efforts on destroying “the bodies of the saints, by oppression, tyranny, and persecution, who are killed all the day long for the sake of Christ, and are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Surely, by committing these heinous acts against Christ’s people and humanity in general, Satan is violating a fundamental human right to pursue an abundant life here on earth under the sovereign and righteous supervision of God. This human right, in fact, is evidenced by how God created man in His image, and therefore, as theologian Christopher D. Marshall argues, the Creation story “establishes the exceptional worth of every human being as a creature made in God’s image, entrusted with responsibilities befitting such dignity and bearing rights that enable each person to remain true to his or her identity as God’s image bearer.”
The “Mark” Isn’t That Hard To Figure Out
Generally speaking, the “mark” is not difficult for the informed believer to comprehend. According to Matthew Henry, the basic key to studying Revelation 13:16 is in fully understanding that the function of the “mark” is about “allowing no one to enjoy natural or civil rights” unless they “oblige themselves to use all their interest, power and endeavour to forward the dominion of the beast, which is meant by receiving his mark.”
In other words, the “mark” (whether spiritual or physical) has appeared in Scripture as the ultimate dividing line between faithful Christians aligning with their Savior and the false professors and tragic worldlings who choose friendship with the world as a panacea for their sins.
As a general rule, any world system in the march of time that seeks to erode, diminish or totally subvert your true, intended purpose in God’s creation and degrade your value as an image-bearer of God will be a telltale sign that evil’s oppressive push is in motion, maybe for the last time. The big “A-ha!” moment, of course, will be when compliance with this reigning world order specifically involves any demand to cancel one’s identity in Christ.
Will this “mark” be a reality in our lifetime? Controversy and legitimate debate aside, we are assured of one thing as born-again believers: nothing, not even this worldly threat, can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35-39). Neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, will ever be able to force you or trick you into accepting some twisted allegiance with the world at the expense of your faith.
Indeed if you are a citizen of the kingdom of God by the new birth, Satan can never snatch you out of Christ’s hand (John 10:28). You are safeguarded by God (Ephesians 6:13; 1 Corinthians 10:13) and sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; Revelation 7:3) so that the evil one has no power to undermine your “patient endurance” through deceptive means (2 Thessalonians 3:3-5; Revelation 3:10).
That being said, make no mistake about the earthly consequences of your refusal to comply. The immediate cost of rejecting the “mark” will be high, but the reward will be profound and eternal. As Jesus told His followers, we should have no fear of those who have the power to put you to death, but have no power beyond that. When you are brought before the evil rulers of this world to overthrow your faith, Jesus told us, “do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (Luke 12:4, 11-12).
We need to remember that the worse that the forces of evil can do is destroy the flesh, but they can never triumph over the true sheep of Jesus Christ who are saved eternally by their great Shepherd. “Be faithful unto death,” He has told us, “and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). When all is said and done, it will be worth the wait, “for the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd,” and He will guide the faithful to “springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).
Focusing On The Greatest Mystery Ever Revealed
Considering Jesus Christ’s blessed revelation to John of the glorious eternity of the faithful Christian, why do some still worry about the mystery of the “mark” in the eternal scheme of things? Biblically speaking, the greatest mystery to ever exist in the history of the world has already been revealed to us: Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior!
Indeed the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only mystery that could ever shake the world with its startling revelation of salvation and redemption that has been secured by the sacrificial blood of the Lamb of God. This is “not merely the mystery of Christ’s incarnation and redemption by Him,” says John Gill, “but the whole Gospel, and all the truths of it, which is often in Scripture called a mystery.”
Not surprisingly, this great “mystery” was mentioned by Paul twenty-one times in his epistles as he contemplated the “unsearchable riches” of Christ. Surely, then, his constant reference to this theme tells us how monumental it is to our understanding of who Christ is, why we should believe in Him, and why we must proclaim Him to the world to save the lost (Ephesians 3:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:10).
Now solved, this great mystery trumps all the cryptic passages of Revelation because Jesus plainly spoke to John on this central issue and boldly pronounced His ultimate victory over sin and death, both now and forever. “Fear not,” He proclaimed, “I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17-18).
Ultimately, this is the only disclosed mystery that we should focus on because it is intrinsic to our faith in Christ and our hope for the eternal life He has secured for us as believers. This is the most significant point of Revelation! As G.K. Beale has wisely pointed out:
“The goal of Revelation is to bring encouragement to believers of all ages that God is working out His purposes even in the midst of tragedy, suffering, and apparent Satanic domination. It is the Bible’s battle cry of victory of God over all forces of evil. As such, it is an encouragement to God’s people to persevere in the assurance that their final reward is certain and to worship and glorify God despite trials and despite temptations to march to the world’s drumbeat.”
The “mark of the beast,” therefore, is of little import in light of the believer’s eternal salvation. The point of Revelation, with all its curious and mysterious details, is all about the triumph of the Lamb and the victory that the Lamb shares with His people. As long as Jesus Christ is our constant focus, He will make us “more than conquerors” over any cruel device that might be used by Satan or the world to destroy us.
“Christian, your end will be unspeakably glorious,” John MacDuff sweetly reminds us, “God will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever! There will be no shattered frame — no emaciated countenance — no furrowed cheek — no faltering voice in those blessed regions! There, every eye shall sparkle with delight — every countenance will beam with ineffable satisfaction — every pulse will beat high with immortality — and every frame will be able to sustain, without weariness, an eternal weight of glory!”
May God grant us strength and courage as we, according to His precious promises, avoid the spiritual bewilderment of this evil world and wait patiently for our new home, where Righteousness will forever dwell in our midst (2 Peter 3:13). In pursuit of this faithful endeavor, Paul has provided the perfect doxology to conclude this essay:
“Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (Romans 16:25–26).
