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 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: 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.” Revelation 14:9–11

Let us imagine someone walking into a grocery store to buy some food. The owner of the store has replaced the product-scanning machine with a body scanner. The scanner picks up the information stored in the microchip that was recently implanted in the customer’s right hand, following the passing of a new national law. The chip signals whether the customer will be allowed to purchase anything. Like the photograph on a driver’s license, the data on the chip provides information vital to national security: people’s names, addresses, dates of birth, medical histories, church affiliation and, last, whether they support the new world order.

Others speculate that the antichrist will engrave visible marks or tattoos in the foreheads or right hands to identify his subjects. Will social security numbers be used to track down supposed enemies and subject them to imprisonment or death? Could these things actually happen in the future? Is this really what the Bible says about the mark of the beast?

There is so much speculation about the beast, his image, and his mark. What is the truth about this subject? Let us try to unravel some things that appear to be mysteries in the book of Revelation.

Identifying the beast

The last book of the Bible, Revelation, provides sufficient identifying characteristics of the beast. It would:

Arise from the sea —“I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea.” Revelation 13:1. Beasts in prophecy represent nations and kingdoms (Daniel 7:23); and the sea, or water, represents multitudes of people (Revelation 17:15). Here is pictured the papal power that emerged in densely populated, old-world Europe.

Receive its power and authority from the dragon—“The beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” Revelation 13:2. The dragon represents Satan working through pagan Rome. It was pagan Rome that opened the way for papal Rome to rule the world. In 330 A.D. the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great abandoned his capital, the city of Rome, and moved to Byzantium, later named Constantinople. Thus, the Bishop of Rome was free to expand his authority.

Be a world-wide religious and political power—“All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8

The Roman Catholic Church is a system with tremendous world-wide influence on governments and religious and secular organizations. Presently, the Vatican has 175 diplomatic ties to foreign nations. Its overt and covert efforts are aimed at regaining control of the world. At an accelerated rate, the pope is reaching out to both Protestants and non-Christians. Very soon the world will be united on the basis of commonly-held doctrines and beliefs.

Receive a deadly wound—“I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death.” Revelation 13:3. How was this fulfilled? The wound was inflicted when, in 1798, the pope was taken prisoner by Napoleon’s General Berthier, and the papal influence seemed for a time to have ended. Stripped of his power—both civil and ecclesiastical—the captive pope, Pius VI, died in exile in Valence, France, on August 29, 1799. Thus, the papacy for a time lost its influence and power in world affairs.

Be healed“His deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” Revelation 13:3. Prophecy also pointed to the papacy’s revival and strengthening of power after its deadly wounding in 1798. In 1929 the independent Vatican reemerged. The “Supreme Pontiff” was restored to temporal power, signaling the rise of papal power—the healing of the deadly wound. On February 12, 1929, the San Francisco Chronicle published an article with the headline: “Mussolini and Gasparri Sign Roman Pact, . . . Heal Wound of Many Years.” Soon the whole world, except for a faithful remnant, will “wonder” after the beast.

Be guilty of blasphemy“There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies.” Revelation 13:5. Jesus was accused by the leaders of Israel of blasphemy because He forgave people’s sins. Did He have the authority to do this? Of course, because He is God. But when any other person or an organization claims the authority to forgive sins, it is blasphemous! The Roman Catholic Church admits and even boasts that it has the right to forgive sins.

Consider the following startling claim: “Seek where you will, through Heaven and earth, and you will find but one created being who can forgive the sinner. . . . That extraordinary being is the priest, the Catholic priest.” The Catholic Priest, pp. 78–79. Besides the counterfeit system of forgiveness by man, the Roman Catholic Church officially claims: “The Pope alone is deservedly called by the name ‘Most Holy’ because he is the Vicar of Christ, who is the fountain and source and fullness of all holiness.” –Bill Stringfellow, All in the Name of the Lord, p. 115. The following blasphemy is recorded in Extracts from Lucius Ferraris, Papa II” (art.), Prompta Bibliotheca, vol. 6, p. 25–29. “The Pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man, but as it were God, and the vicar of God.”

Dear brothers and sisters around the world, I have some good news for you. Only God, through the blood of Jesus Christ, can—and is willing to—forgive any and all the sins we have committed. We are always welcome to go to our best and most loving friend, Jesus—today and every day in the coming New Year. He is our High Priest and Mediator. He pleads for us in the heavenly sanctuary. Let us go to Him with all our sins and in humility and contrition ask for forgiveness. His blood is all-sufficient. What a great God we serve!

Persecute God’s people—“It was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.” Revelation 13:7. The war waged against the saints was terrible! At least 50 million people who believed in the Bible and did not follow church traditions perished at the hands of Rome during the Middle Ages. A faithful record is kept in heaven of the atrocities, too horrible to bear the light of day. The church has finally admitted to this persecution. “The Church has persecuted. Only a tyro [amateur] in church history will deny that.” Western Watchman, December 23, 1908

Reign for 1260 years“Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” Revelation 13:5. How do Bible students explain these forty-two months? It is a prophetic time period that can be unlocked with the key found in Ezekiel 4:6. There we find that one day in prophecy equals one literal year. It is that simple! Therefore, forty-two months equals 1260 days, or years. The Roman Catholic Church reigned supreme from 538 A.D. to 1798 A.D. Then, in 538 A.D., by the decree of Emperor Justinian, the bishop of Rome was chosen to be the head of all churches, definer of doctrines, and corrector of heretics. This papal supremacy came to an end in 1798 when the pope was dethroned and arrested.

Have the mysterious number 666“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.” Revelation 13:18. How can we make sense of this number? The beast is a religio-political system that bears the number of a man—666. What man do we think of when the papacy is mentioned? Its head is the pope—right? What official title does he carry? An inscription that once appeared on the papal triple crown reads VICARIUS FILII DEI. The Catholic publication Our Sunday Visitor, of April 18, 1915, states: “What are the letters  supposed to be in the Pope’s crown, and what do they signify, if anything? ‘The letters inscribed in the Pope’s miter are these: Vicarius Filii Dei, which is the Latin for Vicar of the Son of God.’”

The letters in this title, when used as Roman numerals, add up to 666.

V = 5 F =0 D = 500

I = 1 I = 1 E = 0

C = 100               L =50 I = 1

A = 0 I = 1

R = 0 I = 1

I = 1

U* = 5

S = 0

*formerly the same as V.

God’s mark, or seal—the Sabbath

A seal confirms legal matters and has three elements. For instance, the President of the U.S.A. uses his presidential seal to authenticate documents. On his official seal we find his name—Barack Obama; his title—President; and the territory over which he rules—the United States of America. Just as secular rulers have their seals of power, the God of heaven has His seal. It is found in the heart of the Decalogue. In the fourth commandment are all three elements found in a seal.

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is [emphasis supplied], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8–11 (emphasis mine). Here are the three elements in the fourth commandment: 1. Name: the Lord; 2. His title: thy God (the Creator); 3. His territory: heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.

“Moreover also I gave them My sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.” Ezekiel 20:12

God gave the human race the Sabbath as the sign, or mark, of His creative power and authority. He wants to place His distinctive seal upon our hearts and minds.

It is very interesting to read from a noted authority of the Roman church that Saturday is the correct day on which to worship. “If the Bible is the only guide for the Christian, then the Seventh-day Adventist is right in observing the Saturday with the Jew. . . . Is it not strange that those who make the Bible their only teacher should inconsistently follow in this matter the tradition of the Church?” –Conway, Question Box, 1903, p. 254–255

In the very last days of earth’s history, the whole world will be divided into two classes—those who follow the beast and those who follow God. Everyone who is faithful to God will be with Jesus in His wonderful kingdom. Today is the time to take our stand on the side of truth and righteousness. By faith, let us accept Jesus into our hearts. He is waiting to be the Lord of our lives and to strengthen and uphold us in the final test. Only Jesus can help us to be faithful. Let us decide to go to Him today.

Henry Dering