The mark of the beast - 666
The beast will arrive on the earth in the very near future. When he comes the whole world will be aware of his coming. It will not be a secret. The beast has many names. Among others he is called the anti-christ, the Devil, Satan, 666man, 666devil and the dragon. He will be supremely evil. But there is a catch. He won’t appear to be evil. He will be very deceptive. He will have a supernatural and glorious arrival on earth. He will look like God and will appear to be good. People on earth will react by worshiping him and believing that he is their God.
The beast – the antichrist, the 666man – is not a person. He is the devil himself. But he will come disguised as God.
“And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.” Revelation 13:1.
Notice that the beast has seven heads and each head has a blasphemous name on it. Blasphemy is claiming to be God when you aren’t God. He will claim to be God even though he is not God. He will give himself seven names that are variations of God’s name.
The mark of the beast
"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666." Revelation 13:16-18
The mark of the beast is either the beast’s name or the number of his name. When the beast first comes he has seven names, each of them a variant of God’s name.
Verse 18 can be paraphrased as follows: “If anyone is wise, let him count the number of the beast. It is a human number. His number is 666.” Revelation 13:18
This verse is instructing us to count the number of his names – to count the number of names he has. The beast will end up with 666 names. When he first comes to earth he will have 7 blasphemous names and over the next few months he will accumulate more and more names until he reaches 666 blasphemous names. When you count up all of his names the number will add up to 666.
This same beast with seven heads and ten horns is described in Revelation 17.
"I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns." Revelation 17:3
Notice that the beast is FULL of names of blasphemy – 666 to be exact.
The number of his names - 666
The mark of the beast is the name of the beast or the number of his names. In other words, you will receive the mark of the beast by taking any of his 666 names. Why will he have so many names? He will carefully select his blasphemous names so that one of his names will appeal to every person on earth. He will come as Allah or Imam Mahdi to the Muslims, Maitreya Buddha to the Buddhists, Jesus Christ to the Christians, Krishna to the Hindus, Messiah to the Jews, Saoshyant to the Zoroastrians, the “Dark Lord” to satanists. He will strive to obtain the worship and allegiance of every person on earth.
One of these 666 blasphemous names will be physically written, engraved or tattooed on the forehead or right hand of each person. A special symbol for the beast may be added to each of the 666 blasphemous names to promote uniformity. Each person who receives the mark of the beast will have that symbol and one of 666 names placed on his forehead or right hand.
The mark of the beast forced on everyone
"He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead." Revelation 13:16
Everyone is forced to receive the mark of the beast on the forehead or on the right hand. This applies to everyone. It won’t matter if you are fabulously wealthy or if you own nothing. It won’t matter if you are the leader of a great country or if no one knows your name. You may be totally free, or you may be in prison or in debt. You may be old or young, male of female. Nothing about you will matter. If you are a person you will be forced to receive the mark of the beast.
The mark of the beast is placed on your forehead or on your right hand. You are given a choice about what mark you will receive. You can choose from any of the 666 names that the beast has taken. They are all blasphemous and they all claim to be God. He doesn’t care which one you choose.
You need to realize something very important. When you choose one of his 666 names to be put on your forehead or on your right hand you are choosing to worship the beast. You will be worshiping a false God and you will receive the undiluted wrath of the true God who lives in heaven.
Can’t buy or sell without the mark of the beast
“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
The mark of the beast will be applied to your right hand or to your forehead. It will be plainly visible for all to see. Your employer, your friends, your family, the people where you worship, and the clerk at the store will all be able to quickly see whether or not you have received the mark. Most people will be deceived and will believe that it is an honor and a privilege to have the mark of the beast.
People will want to get the mark of the beast because then they will be allowed to buy food, water, medicine and clothes. They will be able to work and get paid.
What if I refuse the mark of the beast?
If you refuse to get the mark of the beast you will not be allowed to buy anything or to sell anything. You will not get paid for your work. You will not be able to buy food, medicine, water, fuel, clothes or anything at all. You will be cut off from support and most likely you will be killed.
If you refuse to get the mark of the beast you will be hated and then killed.
"Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved." Matthew 10:21,22
People will be forced to get the mark of the beast. Even though you may be killed, you should refuse to get the mark of the beast. It is important to remember that you do have a choice.
You will be required to choose between 2 options. Consider them carefully.
1. Get the mark of the beast – You will be able to buy and sell. Many people will like you. You can keep your job and your house. But you will soon receive the full wrath of God, poured out without mercy. You will die eternally.
2. Refuse the mark of the beast – You will not be able to buy or sell. People will hate you. You will lose your job, your house and most likely your life. But God will have mercy on you and if you believe in Him, you will live again, forever.
The mark of the beast brings the complete wrath of God
The most solemn, fiery threat in the Bible applies to anyone who receives the mark of the beast.
"If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." Revelation 14:9-11
People who receive the mark of the beast will receive the full wrath of God. His wrath will not be mixed with mercy for these people.
There will be seven terrible plagues that will come on everyone who has the mark of the beast. The 1st plague will be terrible, painful sores.
"So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image." Revelation 16:2
Beyond receiving 7 plagues full of the wrath of God, the people who receive the mark of the beast will lose the possibility of living forever. They will die eternally instead.
Refuse the mark of the beast and live forever with God
There will be a few people who will refuse to worship the beast and to receive the mark of the beast. Most of these people will be killed. But a short time later they will be raised from the dead and they will live and reign with Christ for 1,000 years.
"Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." Revelation 20:4
After the 1000 years is over, the people who refused the mark of the beast will live eternally with God.
Whose name will you take?
Every person on earth will worship someone. Either it will be the true God of heaven or it will be the beast, who is the Devil claiming to be God.
There is only one way to receive eternal life and one name to believe in to receive salvation.
“the name of Jesus Christ . . . Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:10-12
There are many ways to be lost and many false gods to worship. The beast will have 666 approved names that all claim to be God but are all false.
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13,14
Each person will either take God’s name or take one of the beast’s 666 names. God has only 1 name and 1 way – the right way. The Devil has 666 names, 666 ways – all wrong.
Get a better understanding of who the beast is.