What do you think the mark of the beast is?

Answer 1

In order to answer this question, and indeed understand the Book of Revelation, you need to know that this book, written mostly in symbolic and parabolic language, does have one certain key that opens the meaning of the book. It's found in chapter 5 where it is revealed that the only person who could open the seals is the Lamb. If you want to interpret this book correctly, look for parallel passages that were either directly spoken by Jesus (for example the 4 Horsemen's identity are revealed in Matthew 24, the Olivet prophecy,but because a lot of readers don't look there, they misinterpret the identity of the 1st Horseman, or the timing of the Rapture), or since in chapter 1 of the Gospel of John Jesus is referred to as Logos, or the Spokesman, the one who was talking when the Old Testament says "thus says The LORD", the Book of Revelation can be correctly interpreted by parallel passages in the Bible.
First let's see who the two beasts are because they are the ones who institute the Mark of the Beast. In the book of Daniel, chapters 7 and 8 beasts are used as symbols of kingdoms. The first beast of Revelation 13 is described using the same symbols that were used in Daniel 7 to describe the 4 world empires (Babylon, Persia, Macedonia/Greece, and Rome). This beast is a government that has elements of these four empires. In Revelation 17 the beast which is ridden by the harlot is revealed to have seven heads, which since "Five have fallen, one is, and one is yet to come" are clearly successive (ie one after another) instead of existing at the same time. According to Polycarp, who was John's top disciple during his final days at Ephesus, the number 666 refers to the Greek word which is both the name of the founder of Rome and the name given to the Roman Empire, Lateinos. The name adds up to 666 as follows;
L= 30
A= 1
T= 300
E= 5
I= 10
N= 50
O= 70
S= 200
for a total of 666. The first beast is the Roman Empire and it's attempted revivals starting with 1) Justinian (554), and continued with the crowning of 2) Charlemagne (800), 3) Otto the Great (962), 4) Napoleon Bonaparte (1803), 5) Benito Mussolini (1935). The one that is (#6) is the European Community which handles many of the functions of a Federal government (such as currency and trade regulations) for much of Europe. At the current time the beast is described as being is not, and the European Community is fulfilling that by not claiming to be a revived Roman Empire. The seventh is yet to come, and its formation may be stimulated by the current wave of Muslim immigration into Europe, which is having a profound effect on European politics. There was an excellent story about that happening in the Netherlands in the Column One article in the Los Angeles Times of January 4th, 2008. For the record the blasphemous name on the heads of the first Beast is "The Holy Roman Empire". In the theology of the Bible there is only one "Holy Empire"- The Kingdom Of God which is to be established by Jesus at his second coming. For any human government to claim that it is a "Holy Empire" (or Islam's equivalent Dar al Islam) is blasphemy as it is a man or a human claiming a title reserved for God and God's Kingdom alone.
The identity of the second beast is important as well because it is the one who causes the people to receive the mark in question. The book of Revelation says the second beast has "two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon" The lamb was identified as Jesus (in chapter 5), and the dragon was identified as and Satan (in chapter 12) this beast is a religious kingdom that claims to be Christian, but is a Satan-spawned counterfeit. It would exercise all the authority of the first beast, and would be the power behind the throne (give breath to the image of the beast). Since the first beast is the Roman Empire in all of its historical incarnations, the second beast can only be the church that was closely associated with it, the Roman Catholic Church. In chapter 17 this church is pictured as a woman who had in her hand a golden cup of abominations (false doctrines- too many to list here), and was drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus (has a long history of religious persecution). It says that this false church caused people to receive a mark on their right hand and on their forehand. This is symbolic language, but what does it mean? The answer is the right hand is a symbol of one's labor (2 Chr 34:25, Deut 4:28, 24:19, 27:15 etc.), and the forehead is a symbol of a person's beliefs (Eze 9:4, Deut 6:8 and 11:18 "frontlets between your eyes", and Ex. 13:9 "a memorial between thy eyes). What were these passages referring to. In Exodus chap 13 it was a command to keep the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread is also commanded in 1 Cor 5:8). In Deut chap 6 (which is a continuation of Deut chap 5) it refers to the 10 Commandments. In Deut chap 11 it once again refers to the Passover. In Ezek chap 9 it refers to those who were against the abominations referred to in chap 8, including "women who weep for Tammuz" a Babylonian observance which was later "Christianized" by the Roman Catholic Church as Lent.In the second century C.E two disciples of John (the author (by human standards) of the book of Revelation) to argue with the Bishop of Rome. i the first case Roman Bishop Anicetus and John's disciple Polycarp agreed to disagree, withnPolycarp favoring the 14th day Passover, and Anicetus favoring the current Easter holiday. A later Bishop of Rome Victor, excommunicated Polycarp student Polycrates for his insistence in observing Passover instead of Easter. At the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325 Constantine, at the behest of the church council, ordered that "none hereafter should follow the blindness of the Jews" by observing Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, even though such observance is commanded in 1 Cor 5:8. At
the Council of Laodicea the church decreed that Christians must not judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, resting rather on Sunday. But if any man be found to be judaizing, let them be anathema from Christ. (Council of Laodicea, 363 A.D.).
If one was anathema from Christ he was subject to prosecution and execution at the hand of the civil authorities. Notice that if you kept both the Sabbath and Sunday you were still at risk. Thus was the mark received on the hand (being forced to work on the Sabbath, and being forced to rest on Sunday) and in the forehead (not following that belief was a capital crime). The Mark of the Beast is then the counterfeit observances of Easter (including Lent) and Sunday worship and rest, and the Mark of God is observance of the Festivals of Leviticus 23 and Sabbath worship and rest.

Answer 2

Revelation:
13: 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 threescore and six.

14: 9 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,

The Bible has more to say about the mark of the beast. However, it is best if you read the Bible & seek the Lord with your answers. As you have already read, there are any different opinions. However, according to the Bible, there is going to be an actual mark. Nevertheless, as of today, we cannot see the full picture. When the time nears for the mark to be administered, then people will understand. The mark is for the unsaved. The saved have assurance through Jesus! Praise the Lord!

Answer 3

There is a time coming when a man will come on the world stage and be able to do things, he will perform miracles and people will think that he is the saviour. He will deceive many and he will say that you have to take a mark in your right hand or in your forehead or you will not be able to buy or sell anything. If you do not take them mark you will be killed. Choose death if this happens in your lifetime. Many say that the time is getting close because we now have all the technology for this to happen. The book of Revelation was written by John when he was in exile on an island. He had never seen electricity a car a computer or any of the modern comforts we enjoy. He did say that in the last days there would be an increase in knowledge, (we live in the information age), the sun will burn mens skin(global warming), he talked about a one world government(new world order), and the mark of the beast (rfid chips) make all of this possible to happen at any time. How did someone who lived thousands of years ago know what would happen so far in the future?

Revelations 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 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.

Answer 4

The mark of the beast? As you know the scriptures state that the Dragon gives the beast its power, and the beast represents the world powers, so the mark of the beast would be how you favorably think and how you act towards these powers. A true Christian is no part of the world so would not take part.

Answer 5

I don't know, but it is freaky that in the discussions about implanting an ID chip that could take the place of our debit cards and ID cards, the talk has been that it could be either in the right hand or the forehead. Currently, the Verichip is implanted in the right triceps, but as the size of the chip decreases, the developers say it could easily be implanted in the hand or forehead!!

Answer 6

The mark of the beast is ANTISEMITISM. It's very hard to erase that mark out of the bearer of it, but it's possible with an intensive course in human values. Many have it, though not all express it.

Answer 7

A person who does evil deeds for self gain. I believe the mark of the beast, is not an actual mark, but an attitude and action.

Answer 8

I think that the mark of the beast is a fictional element in a fictional story, much as the Cat In The Hat or Ms. Marple or Aladdin.

Answer 9

Colossians 2 : 2 - 3 ... That their hearts might be comforted , being knit together in love , and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding , to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God , and of the Father , and of Christ. In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge . **KJB

Answer 10

Its a computer chip put in the skin
If you watch the news it's all really out