Scripture: Revelation 13 v 15 - 18: "And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred three score and six."
In the last days an unholy trinity - a counterfeit of the Trinity of God - will be made manifest on Earth. This unholy alliance will consist of the Antichrist, the False Prophet and the Beast. Over the past fifty years a huge computer in Brussels, Belgium, has been storing data concerning every human being on Earth. Its name is also the Beast.
The Beast system is linked to us by our identity numbers on our birth certificates or social security numbers. It records every electronic transaction we make with our banks. It knows where we work, live, eat and play. It records everything we do through a barcode - like a product barcode. There will come a man who will control this system whose name will be The Beast and his name will add up to 666.
Because Satan wants to control every soul of mankind he intends to insert a microchip containing all this personal information into the right hand or on the forehead if the hand is missing. Through this mark he will win every soul. Everyone who has the mark will be excluded from Heaven. It is called the Mark of the Beast.
Revelation 14 v 9 - 11: "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."
If you don't have this mark you cannot buy or sell. You cannot pay your house bond, buy food or electricity. You cannot be insured or receive medical benefits, nor any government grants. You cannot operate a bank account or go on holiday. You cannot have a job nor own a business. Thankfully this terrible situation only fully comes into operation after the Rapture.
However, after the Rapture, it will affect those who have heard about Jesus but are not born again. The only way they will be saved is through martyrdom i.e. you have to die for your faith in Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament salvation was through the blood of animals annually on the Jewish Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur); in the New Testament through the Blood of Jesus Christ (once for all); after the Rapture only by your own blood.
The number of the Beast is 666. Disguised on every barcode on products, identity documents etc. - is the mark for numerals 666. This number also equates to humanism when god is made in our image. It goes right back to Genesis 3 v 4-5 where Satan conned Eve by saying Of course you can eat the forbidden fruit which will make you wise and you shall be as gods. God forbids us to take this mark as it identifies us as belonging to Satan for all time. Those who have it are forced to worship the Beast.
The days will come when those in the Beast system will probably have to sms 666 to a fixed number everyday via cellphone to keep your mark active. Satan has power to create an image of the Beast and will accept worship through an app on your phone, tablet or laptop.
The ability to operate your phone or whatever comes next, will probably be by a code containing the numerals 666. We are already doing everything on our phones, via Zoom, online banking, YouTube, online shopping, instant messaging, e-mail, interactive games, music etc. They have become an essential to life.
Satan has only one plan for our souls and that is to corrupt them utterly through disobedience to God through sin, and make us hate and distrust Him. Then the Devil, the Great Red Dragon, wins. God has only one plan for our souls and that is to redeem or ransom them from the enemy through His Son Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Because He loves us and is our true Father.
Jesus stripped Satan of his weapons and all the Devil has left is his ability to con and bluff and lie to us. Our life choice is to decide whether to believe his lies. If you buy the lie you are signed up for the duration. The introduction of Digital ID and Digital Currency is evidence that we have reached the time of the end.
So even when the end is near and the Antichrist rules this world, you may have been left behind and want Jesus in your life. You won't need the mark of the Beast because as Jesus fed and cared for the Jews in the wilderness with manna and quails, and bringing water out of the rock, so will He care for you.
If He turned water into wine, He could turn it into petrol; He could turn stones into bread; and your shoes would never wear out. Lose the cellphone. Walk in the Spirit with Jesus and He will tell you everything you need to hear.
Jesus is the Creator of everything and is able to do the impossible with ease. You can safely trust Him with your life and He will reward your faith with His ability to meet every need. Do not fear the coming Beast and his mark. Do not fear the Antichrist or the False Prophet. Jesus has already defeated them. Whosoever you believe and put your faith in will win your eternal soul.
Daniel 7 v 9 - 11: "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame."
This prophecy of the end times from Daniel prepares us for the Day of Judgment and that the dreadful Beast will be slain. Our God is faithful and wants us to know that He is in full control. Be obedient to Him and you are safe for all eternity.
Many people's names have been added up to make 666, but the most accurate is Pontifex Maximus, whoever the Pope may be at that time. The current Pope was voted in after Francis died a few months ago. He had been parachuted in while Benedict was retired, but recently deceased in 2023. Interestingly Francis was the only Jesuit Priest to occupy the Papal Throne.
That raises eyebrows because back in the Middle Ages there was a Jesuit Priest (the Secret Service of the Vatican) called Ignatius Loyola, who was also known as the Black Pope. Not because of race or colour, but because of the dark arts he employed to force people into Catholicism.
From him came the Spanish Inquisition which claimed the lives of millions of Christians. It spread over Europe. The Inquisition was a question. Do you believe that the wafer you eat at Holy Communion is the actual Body of Jesus (cannibalism) or a symbol?
Those who said 'symbol' died, horribly tortured to try change their stance. This dark statute still remains open in Catholicism.
If this is how close we are to the end what manner of Christians should we be? Are we concerned that so many people we know and love are far from salvation? Are we afraid to tell people about Jesus in case they delete us off their contacts? Are we being the ambassadors for the Kingdom of Heaven we are called to be? One of the promises of God is, What you do for the least of these, your brethren, I will do for you. Matthew 25.
Prayer: Heavenly Father You love us and have made provision for every eventuality that can befall us. All we need is faith to believe it. Let us build up our faith now to meet the unseen challenges so that we always walk in the light with Jesus. Help us to rather die than take the Mark of the Beast because we love You and reject Satan. In Jesus' name. Amen.