Just as the many headed beast who rules this world has his mark, so does God have his mark. Most Christians have at least heard of the “mark of the beast,” although few understand what it really is. Following are the Scriptures from Revelation which mention it:
Revelation 13:16-1816 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave,[a] to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 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.[b]
Revelation 13:16-18 (in Context) Revelation 13 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
- Revelation 14:11
And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
Revelation 14:10-12 (in Context) Revelation 14 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
- Revelation 16:2
So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
Revelation 16:1-3 (in Context) Revelation 16 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
- Revelation 19:20
And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image.These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.
Revelation 19:19-21 (in Context) Revelation 19 (Whole Chapter) Other Translations
- Revelation 20:4
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:3-5 (in Context) Revelation 20 (Whole Chapter)
Most people believe that the “mark of the beast” refers to some future event which Christians must watch for and beware of. The truth, however, is that the mark of the beast has been with us from the beginning, It is the mark which all men receive when they serve the beast instead of God, when they serve the lusts of the flesh instead of the Spirit of God. Revelation 13 tells us that the beast’s mark occurs on a person’s right hand or his forehead. This is because the beast controls such a person’s actions and thoughts. I do not doubt that in some future time, if the LORD does not act first, the beast government which rules the world will demand that people mark themselves with a computer chip in their right hand or forehead. If this does happen only those who have already taken the mark, who already live according to the ways of the beast, will take it. God’s overcomers will refuse it, even if it means their death.
Now, let’s look at the mark of Immanuel, the mark of God’s overcomers. If you have read my recent study on the Levites you know that the Levites prefigured God’s firstfruit overcomers. I found it very interesting, then, when preparing for today’s post I realized that the very first reference to God’s mark on his people relates to this particular idea. Here is the passage:
11 “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12 you shall set apart to theLord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord’s. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Everyfirstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.15 For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the Lordbrought us out of Egypt.” (Exodus 13:11-16 ESV)
This passage tells us that God’s mark relates to his firstborn sons. Remember too that God took all of the male Levites in place of all the firstborn sons of the entire nation of Israel. The Levites were the special tribe appointed by God to act as his priests. The faithful Levites prophetically prefigure the Order of Melchizedek which, like Jesus, are the sons of God, the firstfruits of creation, the overcomers.
Deuteronomy 6 relates the next time God mentions his peculiar mark. Moses wrote,
6 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules[a]—that the Lordyour God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[b] 5 You shall love theLord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deut. 6:1-8)
The LORD reiterates this command in Deuteronomy 11. The Pharisees took and Orthodox Jews today take this passage literally and actually bind copies of Scriptures to their hands and their foreheads and called them Tephillin (Hebrew) or phylacteries (Greek). The New Testament makes it clear, though, that God’s intent was that mankind would write his law upon their hearts and minds so that he would do the will of God from a real desire to do so. The Book of Hebrews says,
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.”
13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:8-13)
This, then, is the mark of Immanuel, God’s law spiritually written upon our hands and our minds. When a person allows God to write his law upon his heart, then he will not accept the mark of the beast. God will protect and keep his own. As Jesus said, he will not lose even one.
