The most mysterious, malicious, and terrifying prophecy recorded in Revelation chapters 13 and 14 speaks of the mark of the beast. Everything is hidden in symbols and shrouded in mystery. And the only thing that is clear there is that the beast will have the number of a man—666. Yet even this number remains a mystery. I have heard many interpretations and assumptions about what this number means. These digits can be seen on many official documents. There are even some people who openly serve the system of the beast and, without being ashamed before anyone, display three sixes on their clothing or even get tattoos in order to perpetuate this mark.
I feel very sorry for these deceived souls, but if they have chosen this path, then they will also have to bear the consequences of this choice, about which the Word of God unequivocally warns all people.
What is the mark of the beast? According to the Biblical account, it is a special sign or mark that will be imposed by the second beast, which comes up out of the earth, upon the right hand or the forehead of all who live on Earth.
If I do not know who the first and second beasts are, I can make them out to be anyone at all. But in this lesson we will not give names to these systems. I will say only that they are direct instruments and means of Satan, which he actively uses to deceive all who live on Earth. They are religious and political powers. The religious power claims worship, while the political system will persuade and compel all who live on Earth to worship the first beast. And the great conflict will flare up around true and false worship. The world financial system will also be actively involved in this struggle.
When gold, silver, and copper coins were in circulation, it was not entirely clear how they could be prohibited. And when the first paper money appeared, our predecessors in the faith saw the mark of the beast in it and sounded the alarm. This money became firmly established in the world economy and to this day remains the means that is continuously printed, day and night, in order to use it to purchase earthly and human resources. Then barcodes appeared, containing three double bars—at the edges and in the center—signifying the number 6. This was immediately seized upon as the mark of the beast, and panic arose around this phenomenon. But it too became firmly established in everyday use and is very convenient when buying and selling goods. Not long ago, electronic money and magnetic cards appeared. And someone saw the mark of the beast in them as well. Now microchips have been invented that are intended to be inserted into the human body, into the right hand or the forehead, while someone else has invented a barcode invisible to the eye that can be secretly applied to the body and read by special equipment. All of this exists, and it is foolish to deny that these systems make it possible to control financial flows. But all of this, as well as anything else that may yet be invented, cannot be and will not be the mark of the beast. It may be a means of control and manipulation of the mind, but it is not the mark. Yet many of God’s children have fallen into the trap of this deception and spread this error as truth. And this has its influence in the world and sets people on a false path.
But the truth is that the mark of the beast will be received by everyone who does not receive the seal of God. And if you want to understand what the mark of the beast is, first gain an understanding of what the Seal of God is and upon what it is placed. If this is correctly understood and received from God, then it will no longer matter what Satan’s mark will be. If this seal is not placed upon my forehead, then the enemy of the soul will seal me with his mark and gain absolute power over me. And this must be understood correctly; an error in this understanding may be fatal.
We read in Deuteronomy 6:6–8: “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.” Moses calls us to teach our children God’s words, to place these words into their minds and our own, and to make them our deeds. The Pharisees understood this literally and tied small boxes containing writings to their foreheads and right hands, which they continue to do to this day. And this is very similar to the interpreters of the mark of the beast. Satan is a cunning enemy, but he is not foolish. He inspires these incorrect understandings and supports them even in the Christian world. For if I do not know what the truth is, I will believe an error.
But the Bible teaches that God’s law must be in the heart and in the mind, which is symbolized by the forehead, and as a result it will be manifested in all my deeds, which are symbolized by the hand. And the Seal of God is placed only upon the forehead, the frontal area, which represents my mind, and it must always be ready for this event.
The Seal of God is an intellectual and spiritual settling into the truth. And my acceptance of God’s agape love helps me to become firmly settled in the fullness of the truth. Love is God in me, manifesting Himself in all Three Persons and preserving me from evil; it is I in God, covered by His righteousness and led by His Spirit.
If one takes a single commandment from God’s law and says that it will be the Seal of God, this will be a distortion of the truth. I will be tested by the fullness of God’s law, by all the commandments. For it is enough for the enemy of the soul if I break just one, and then I become guilty of all. But when God’s law is written in my heart by the Hand of God Himself, I am no longer under the law, but under grace, and no one will be able to make me sin.
The question of worshipping God or the beast will be the key factor clearly showing the visible and invisible worlds who belongs to God and who belongs to the world. And one of God’s commandments clearly indicates Who God is and what kind of worship He expects. It is around this question that the final conflict will take place, for the violation of the other commandments clearly indicates apostasy from God, but one of them directly points to what God expects of me and what He desires to teach me.
Will I be able to obey God’s law without love? The Pharisees tried to do this, but Jesus showed them how the law must be kept, how beautiful it is, and how it was given for the benefit of man, to preserve him from corruption—and for this He was crucified.
I once did not know God and broke everything, and I understood that I was a sinner. But Jesus drew me to Himself, accepted me, forgave me, cleansed me, taught me to keep the commandments, and revealed to me the Spirit of the law. I allowed God to write His commandments in my thoughts, and they are in my heart. I live by them not because the law requires it, but because I want to live this way and cannot live otherwise. This has become my character. And this is God’s Plan of Salvation realized in me. It is upon such a condition of thoughts and feelings that God will place His confirmation.
The Seal of God is not placed upon a sinner’s fleeting decision to be obedient, but upon the acceptance of truth in the heart and its establishment in the life.
And when God places His sign upon the foreheads of His servants, only then will the enemy of the soul receive the right to seal all the others with his mark, and no one among them will escape this fate. Therefore, it is better to study the original truth than its counterfeit.
Love has and plays a key role in this sealing process.
Homework 219
In the light of our lesson, please read 2 Corinthians 1:21–22; Ephesians 1:13–14; 4:30; Revelation 7:3; 13:16; 14:9; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4; Deuteronomy 6:4–8; Exodus 31:12–17; Ezekiel 20:12, 20; Revelation 13:15–18; 14:13; Jeremiah 31:33–34; James 2:10; Romans 13:10; and Revelation 13:8. What new things did you learn in this lesson? Into what trap have many of God’s children fallen while trying to understand the meaning of the mark of the beast? What does the Seal of God mean? How do you understand the mark of the beast? What is it? What question will become the key issue at the end of time? Why will the fourth commandment become the moment of truth? Is it possible to be obedient without love? When will the enemy receive the right to seal his worshippers?