Name, number and mark of the beast

Over the past 40 odd years I have heard an enormous amount of discussion and read books and literature on the ‘coming mark of the beast’ of the Book of Revelation. I was once a believer in the futurist interpretation of the books of Daniel and Revelation. But sometime back I realised that that interpretation was not correct. (See my studies on Daniel’s Seventy Weeks and in particular on Daniel 9:27 and who ‘he’ is in that verse.)

I now hold to an historical interpretation of scripture. At first I studied what Martin Lloyd-Jones would have classified as Historical: Continuing. However I found that that is very confining, trying to hang a label and only one label on every event through the Book of Revelation. In this blog many of the published studies on Daniel and Revelation use this method.

However, now I am convinced that the correct way to read the book is with the method of Historical: Spiritual.  This is the method where we allow the scripture to be living. It is the idea that there are spiritual principles behind the battles and events encountered by Christians through all ages from Christ until the final Judgement, but not that each description in the book of Revelation applies to uniquely only one event. The scriptures belong to all believers through all generations and can speak to them for their time, and even their place.

Lately we have been seeing and reading a lot about Bill and Melinda Gates and their foundation. Particularly we hear about their program on vaccinations and that they intend on using them as a method of ‘marking’ people in the arm with a vaccination ID for the so-called COVID19 coronavirus. In that context people often conclude that this is the coming mark of the beast.

Using the Historical: Spiritual method on interpreting the scriptures, I want to look again at some scriptures relating to the beast of Revelation chapter 13. Verse 11 describes a beast coming from the earth with two horns, speaking like a dragon.

And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. And it had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon.

Revelation 13:11 KJ3

It is a classic description of the Devil – only missing his pitchfork.

This beast supports the earlier beast described in verses 1-2 which many describe as a ruler or government. It has the attributes of past kingdoms but derives its power from the dragon, or Satan. This beast deceives the world (verse 14) and causes those who do not worship the false god of the beast (image of the beast) to be killed (verse 15).

Then we read in verse 16 that it forces all people to get “a mark on their right hand, or on their foreheads”. No mention there of a computer chip, of course not. If fact, I have believed that that verse, because of the reference to forehead, was to be spiritually interpreted meaning “forces people to give allegiance” to the beast. This is in the same way that God seals His own in their foreheads.

But under this method of interpreting scripture, I repeat there is no unique fulfilment. Since the satanic power running the world is the same in all generations, so the same spiritual principles apply in all generations.

Thus the mark in the forehead could be those who have given allegiance to a ruling satanic power on Earth. That is all around us now.

Read this passage again.

… to all of them a mark on their right hand, or in their foreheads, even that not any could buy or sell, if not the one having the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Revelation 13: 16b,17 KJ3

The widely held belief is that this mark mentioned here is some sort of ID chip inserted under the skin. Certainly such technology exists and it would seem, if the reports can be believed, that Bill Gates is funding a program to test such an idea in Africa, tying it to a Mastercard digital wallet and COVID19 vaccination record. Hence the ability to control buying and selling once all physical banknotes are removed from circulation.

There are suggestions also that in the current global scamdemic that governments may restrict travel to those who don’t carry with them a clean health certificate and/or vaccination record. Even the BBC reported that this could be delivered to the arm of a person through an invisible subcutaneous label at the same time they receive their COVID19 vaccination.¹

So let me get to my main point. If the mark of the beast is this injectable ID then what is the meaning of the words “name” and “number of his name” of the beast in verse 17? The ability to buy or sell is connected to all three: mark, name and number of his name.

One possible suggestion is that to have someone’s name or the number of their name (many forms of identity use a number underlying a name) is a reference to being part of the inner elite group who are in the good graces of the beast. They are his men and women. They will not be microchipped like dogs or receive the injected invisible ID because they are the inner circle. It is the “sheeple” who believe the false narrative and fear for their lives and go along like cattle, dutifully taking the vaccination with its concomitant ID mark and banking facility. The sheeple are those that the rulers want to control.

The good news is that this ends well for the believers.

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them. And judgment was given to them, and the souls of the ones having been beheaded because of the witness of Jesus, and because of the Word of God, and who had
not worshiped the beast nor its image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.²

Revelation 20:4 KJ3

We don’t fear death, so they cannot control us with fear. That is, control you with tactics like preventing you from government support payments, or travelling, or going to work without the new vaccine with all its hidden extras. Greed is another angle used. But that is used more amongst those who are in control and who are used to control the masses. Christians are also subject to greed but need to guard against it. For we may be soon faced with the choice, worship the beast (the temporal rulers instead of Christ), as they are forced to in China now, or starve. Which will you choose?

But for the people of the beast it does not end well. In the Day of the Lord they are all judged and qualify for the Lake of Fire.

And if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Revelation 20:15 KJ3

Reference and Note

1. Lina Zeldovich, Will travel be safer by 2022? BBC, 22 June 2020.
2. The reference here to a thousand years I believe means the period of the Church under grace. That is, from Christ first coming and ministry on Earth to His second coming. See my study on Revelation 20.