Perhaps the real meaning of the "mark of the beast?"

I have been a disciple of Christ for about 40 years now, and most of that time I have been involved in some kind of minisry activity. I have not made money doing that; I have always sought to work where the most need is and where resources are scarce, so I haven't made myself wealthy on the back of the church. God, however, has been so very faithful and we have seldom been in wont. My net worth is well above that of most Americans today simply because I have no debt. A net worth of -0- puts one above most citizens of the United States.

I say this to make clear that what I'm about to say is in great part the product of years of meditating on the biblical narrative. I've never been into end-times talk or theorizing. I've always thought that when Jesus returns (and I am convinced, as the Nicene Creed says, that He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead and His kingdom will have no end.) He will return. I've never been a sign-seeker or a person who has tried to make charts and fit current events into the biblical narrative. If you don't agree with my faith, that is your right and I respect that. We'll eventually see who had that accurate take on things; however, don't bother trying to insult or belittle folks here who speak from a place of faith. You will be ignored. Please start your own thread if you want to belittle my faith. I promise to ignore it.

All of that out of the way ...

When people started saying that vaccines were "the mark of the beast," I said that they probably were not, but were more likely a precursor, a conditioning mechanism to prepare people so that when this digital contol mechanism is rolled out, most people would be inured to it. I still believe this, but I suspect that the digital ID control mechanism is much closer than we might imagine.

My thought, my hypothesis, has to do with interpretation of the following passage:

16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, 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. ~Revelation 13:16-17

Most people expect some kind of physical or digital mark on the physical right hand or forehead of those who make a willful decision to submit to secular, demonically inspired totalitarian control. I don't think so.That's too clear, to easy, to simple. I think that the real meaning of this passage is much darker.

The book of Revelation is an example of what is called apocalyptic literature. You can look it up on duckduckgo.com if you want to learn more about that. I recommend it, as it is fascinating. Now, apocalyptic literature is a very strange and unique genre and it uses a lot of symbolism. Indeed, most people realize that much (I'd say most all) of the Revelation is written in symbolic language; "a mystery wrapped in an enigma," one could say. But many make the strange mistake of picking out certain passages to take literally. What if "marked on the right hand or the forehead" is purely symbolic language?

Throughout scripture, the right hand is used symbolically. It is mentioned over 160 times in the Bible. It is generally symbolic of power, sovereignty, authority, strength. Jesus is said to be seated at the right hand of the Father. When one receives "the mark of the beast" on his right hand, perhaps this is a metaphor for giving one's autonomy over to another, submitting one's power, personal sovereignty, autonomy and strength to another authority, essentially abandoning one of the core elements of what makes us humans created to manifest the image of the Creator.

I don't think that I need to dwell much on what the head represents. It is the center of thought. It is where we rationalize, where we make decisions, where we discern right from wrong, good from evil, truth from deception. We are seeing entire groups of people abandon the capacity to think clearly, sacrificing their own intellect to the deception of the masses, unable to discern right from, wrong, good from evil, truth from lies. (A few months ago, my own son told me, "I don't need to think for myself!") So many people have given over their own thought processes to an outside entity. They are manipulated by media, politicians, choosing to believe what the ESV calls "irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” or what the KJV refers to - perhaps in a more contextually relevant way - as "profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called." (1 Timothy 6:20)

I've not heard this idea expressed anywhere else before, though it may not be original with me. It's so clear to me that it seems that others must have seen it. It makes sense to me. While everyone is standing around waiting for a mark on the hand or the forehead, many - even within the visible church - are already embracing the mark as it is. The mark of the beast is, I believe, already here.
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a reply to: incoserv

Honestly, i've always felt revelation wasn't meant to be taken literally. There is no one beast, no one single mark of the beast. It's a warning. The beast is the antithesis of what God wants for humanity. The beast can be anything, the mark can be anything.

Revelation exists to warm humanity about any force, manmade or otherwise that would rob humanity of the things God wants humanity to be doing. When humanity's fallen so far that the beast takes over and humans are marked, bad # will happen to those that follow whatever it is that's forcing humanity against what we should be doing.

There is no specific mark of the beast, no specific beast, but if something seems like it fits that pattern, revelation warns what will happen.

You don't even need to be religious to understand this, replace God's fire and brimstone with any naturalistic consequences to becoming a marked slave who can't exist in the system without the mark and it's the same thing.

If you become a slave to a force that is steering humanity wrong and if enough people succumb, bad # will happen.

Good post.

I have no idea what's going to happen. I think I'm 50/50 on it being the mark but I'm also trying to justify against it because I have a lot of people I love that took the jab so it makes me feel better lol.

Who knows though. I can see it being the mark and I can also see it being a precursor. Or something entirely different like to provoke us for example.

Just a few JABS ya know? Make us angry, don't kill too much of us but enough where we finally have enough and throw some punches back.

This makes for a chaotic time which is perfect for the AC to roll up.....then the REAL deception takes place. The AC defeats the fake NWO and ammasses a # load of worshippers.

How could you not feel like youre on the right side at that point? You're fighting a very clearly obvious fight against very obvious evil leaders. That would decieve so many people

Remember the pathway is narrow

a reply to: dug88

My take on the Revelation is that it is a "triple whammy." I think that there is:

1. an historical element to it that reflects what was happening in the world and in the church t the time of it's composition.
2. a narrative element that serves, exactly as you say, as a warning to humanity in general.
3. A prophetic element that in some way predicts what will happen when that narrative element is ignored, there being a final culmination of the cosmic battle between good and evil.

I, likewise, have never been certain that we'd see "the Antichrist" with a capital A. I John 4:3 says,

every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

This is a spirit that manifested i the Garden of Eden and lured the first man and woman to rebellion against the Creator. That same spirit is at work in the sons of disobedience. i believe that at the last showdown, it'll be given its head for a time so that creation can see the true fruits of rebellion and disobedience, then all will be redeemed and set right.

a reply to: incoserv

I firmly believe that the mark is literal. There will be nothing secret or shrouded about what it is. A physical mark you will need in order to buy or sell.

originally posted by: JahIsGucci
Good post.

I have no idea what's going to happen. I think I'm 50/50 on it being the mark but I'm also trying to justify against it because I have a lot of people I love that took the jab so it makes me feel better lol.

Who knows though. I can see it being the mark and I can also see it being a precursor. Or something entirely different like to provoke us for example. ...

I don't think that the physical injection is "the mark of the beast." I believe that the mark is an internal decision, a submission to the will of the beast, the will of the spirit of antichrist. It is the decision to abandon what you are meant to be as a human and allow another to make you into something else.

I don't think that anyone is condemned for taking the shot; the condemnation comes from rejecting the Creator in His rightful place in one's life and submitting one's self to the power of this world.

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. ~John 3:19-20

a reply to: incoserv

I agree. It appears to be a precursor. The mark is something you will have to be clear about taking. It wont be taken by accident. Once you accept it, God is done with you.

That said......... I thing the Vaxx is a toxic shot that will likely cause pain , suffering and much death to the masses that take it.


Dug: Please have mercy on me! I have OCD. Its Revelation, not Revelations

The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

a reply to: infolurker

This is why they are spending like no tomorrow. They need to crash the US dollar first. I expect that is on the horizon. They will offer more then beer, and donuts to sweeten the deal

originally posted by: infolurker
a reply to: incoserv

I firmly believe that the mark is literal. There will be nothing secret or shrouded about what it is. A physical mark you will need in order to buy or sell.

Clearly there is going to a physical mark that will allow you into the marketplace. That's already happening and I do think that it;s a part of the scheme for complete control. God is omniscient and omnipotent and the spirit of antichrist wants to usurp God's place in the cosmos, so wants to pretend to be omniscient and omnipotent over the lives of God's creation.

My contention is not about whether there is or will be a literal physical identifier, but about the idea that the real "mark of the beast" is a much more of a spiritual phenomenon than a physical one. Those who subscribe to the world order have already made their decision, have decided where their alliances lie, have already been marked.

2 Cor. 1:21,22 says:

21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal (mark) on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Ephesians 1:13, 14 says:

3 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed (marked) with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

2 Timothy 2:19 ...

But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

There is clearly biblical evidence of a mark that is the opposite of the "mark of the beast." At some point, everyone makes the decision as to which mark he will receive.
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originally posted by: visitedbythem
a reply to: incoserv

Dug: Please have mercy on me! I have OCD. Its Revelation, not Revelations

Yep, I concurr. Thanks. 8-)

originally posted by: JahIsGucci
...Remember the pathway is narrow

... and few there be that find it.

a reply to: incoserv

I agree with your first two points. I did neglect the historical issues that likely led to this.

Genesis is one of those books though, the stories in Genesis and other comparable stories of the time i feel are taken from an older time where much information has been lost.

Like playing a game of telephone over thousands of years.

The thing is, that concept of humans '#ing up' (original sin or whatever specific religion's take on the matter is) is something that many religions and mythologies touch upon that seems to speak of something that happened prior to recorded/official history that sent humanity on this path.

a reply to: visitedbythem

Fixed. I hope your OCD is appeased.

The image of the Beast might as well be Jesus on a Cross. (Shocking twist ain't it)

The first beast or beast of the sea is usually Roman rule or might, which used to persecute Christians, where as the Second is of the Earth, and is ether the Vatican or the Pharisees. Thing is about the second beast, is that it just disappears after given the authority of the first to persecute a very popular image and later, that first beast is being riden by woman adorned in gold, drinking the blood off saints an nations...or so I recall.

Revelations(Apocalypse) is also astrological in that extent, with the planets, the constellations, being personifed by their movements. Like in the Beginning, a woman was being chased by a Red Dragon, an what not.(it said In the Beginning a third time) might be an allegory for Sunrise an Sunset.

originally posted by: dug88

a reply to: visitedbythem

Fixed. I hope your OCD is appeased.

You didn't capitalize it...

a reply to: incoserv

I have been simply reading the threads for a spell now, and I just joined right now so that I could respond to you. What a beautiful and eloquent OP. It was truly as if you were speaking the thoughts from my very mind.

I also have been alluding to the vax as a precursor to The Mark. I have a degree in Economics, so my mind is somewhat geared that way, and I have always concentrated on the economic aspects of disobedience as it relates to The Mark. That of course is the inability to buy or sell. Like many I know I find a vast amount of hypocrisy from the modern church. Remember that The Bible tells us that in these days false teachers will come deceiving many who flock to them with itching ears. He furthers this point by giving His judgement upon the preachers, minister and pastors when they plead with Him the deeds that they have done in His name, to which He will turn His back upon them, saying "Get away from Me you workers of iniquity, I know you not."

To this end, I often think of the calamity in the churches when their faith is truly tested. If you were to ask now to the flocks of such churches, would you take The Mark when it comes, you would get a resounding, righteous dripped "No!" But you see, they haven't thought it through. Wait until you can't buy gas let alone pay your car note, insurance. Where are you going to live when you can't pay your rent, your mortgage? What about food, the water bill? Will you succumb to drink from the polluted waters to which you gave such little concern for, that you shat in? Like this vax, they'll line up like lemmings.

Anyway, I'll let it be now. I just wanted to again compliment you as well as the many people that are writing in on this thread. A lot of great thinking going on out there tonight, it's expanding my mind which is why I'm here. Kudos to all. Oh, also, again, OP on religion do not typically do well here (unless someone is distracted enough to take a trolls bait), but yours has done very well.

a reply to: incoserv
The real clue to "the right hand and forehead" is in Deuteronomy, where Moses uses similar expressions more than once;

"You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand and they shall be as frontlets before your eyes" (Deuteronomy ch11 v18). A little later he adds writing on doorposts and gates.

The Pharisees took all these physical things literally, and as usual the literalists were missing the point. God's real message was in the first clause- "Keep my law engraved in your mind", and everything that followed was metaphorical.

So the real meaning of the passage in Revelation is that God's law is displaced in their minds by the beast's law. But this can't be any old law (such as "you must have a vaccine, take a tattoo, use this kind of money"). It has to be law which is more specifically the reverse of God's law, starting with the first commandment.

You are right not to be looking for "signs" in advance. Revelation is a book meant to be applied in a time of crisis, when the beast is actively dominating the world and persecuting Christians, and we don't need to worry about it until the time of crisis arrives.

Like the notice I used to see in my commuting days, beginning with the words "It is always safer to remain on the train". It was advice meant for times of "accident and emergerncy", and everybody knew that we were not supposed to follow it before the accident happened.

a reply to: incoserv

I just want to say that I applaud your theory and I find myself thinking something similar. I hope more people come into the realization that there is a game being played behind closed doors and we're the pawns. What if the greatest tenants of spirituality were used as weapons by the Anti-Christ as a means to capture hearts-minds (Souls)?...just food for thought.

a reply to: incoserv

Why does everything have to 'stand' for something else?

Why isn't the literal reading of the text the primary default?

a reply to: incoserv

Deuteronomy 11:18

King James Version
“Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

The above in my opinion describes the mark of God's faithful here on earth.

A man can not have two masters, so in my eyes it is simple.

You are either marked by your faith which guides your deeds and thoughts, or you are marked by the prince/principalities/principles of this world.

The fruits of both are plain to see as explained by paul.

Galatians 5:19-25
19Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21envy,* drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The Fruit of the Spirit
22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

Bitterness wrath anger and clamor dont tend to look the same as forgiving peacfull and long suffering conviction of faith do they?

So either mark should be evident by its fruit always, now does this mean the final mark of this NWO beast system wont be coming in the form of a chip or jab, No.

It just means we are given the biblical tools of discernment and when we look at the fruits of those speaking to us while we test the spirit of their words what group describes the pro-vaccine group best?

Bitterness wrath anger and clamor, or forgiving peacfull long suffering conviction of faith.

Answer that question and you know them by their fruits.

a reply to: DISRAELI

I just saw your reply regarding Deuteronomy chapter 11 being the key to understanding the mark of the beast. I broke it down a little different than you but agree that the beasts mark is simply the inverse of Gods mark as described in chapter 11 of deuteronomy.

You either have one or the other and the fruits of both are plain to see in your character and deeds.