Rev 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.
This Beast will cause the earth to "worship" the first beast. How?
Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14 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.
Answer: he tricks people with miracles and then makes an image to the first beast. (reminds me of the image that the Hebrew boys were forced to worship and they refused in Babylon.)
So you need to know who the first beast is so that you can find out what His image is. Then you need to know who the second beast is that causes the image of the first to be worshiped.
Rev 13:15 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.
Again he forces us to worship the image of the beast. So the real issue here is worship.
Rev 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:
Rev 13:17 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.
Notice that one of the ways in which he forces people to worship this image and take this mark is to stop them from buying and selling.
Lets take more note of the mark. The Mark appears in their hand or their foreheads. Notice it does not have to be both, it just has to be one or the other.
Another point to note is that the mark has to do with the name of the beast or the number of his name. So the name of the beast is important.
Rev 13:18 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.
Notice here that we are now given the number of the name, 666. so we have a beast that causes the world to worship and part of this worship involves taking the name or the number of the name a mark of the beast.
Part of the answer may be found in the next chapter and in the first verse.
Rev 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Notice that we have a group that has a number/144,000 and the Father,s name written in their foreheads.
Does that not sound like it is the opposite of the mark of the beast.
Let us consider for a second that the bible has given us two groups. One, the 144,000 have a mark in their foreheads and it is the name of the Father. while another group take the name of the beast in either their right hand or their foreheads. It would make sense then that knowing what the 144,000 are doing and saying will give us a clue as to what the mark of the best would be.
We will find the answer in the 3 messages that come in this very chapter.
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Notice that the main thrust of the message here is the judgment has come and "worship him who made the heaven and the earth... So one reason that we know these 144,000 get the mark of God otherwise known as the seal of God in chapter 7, is because they worship God as creator.
To not get distracted I will skip the second angels message and go to the third./COLOR]
Rev 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,
Rev 14:10 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:
Rev 14:11 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.
Notice here that the receiving of the Mark is directly again related to "worship" The image and the beast. So we have two groups, one that worships God and receives his name in their forehead and another who worships the beast and receives his mark which is a name in their foreheads.
The next verse also gives us a clue.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Another factor that is mentioned here is that the ones who worship God keep God's commandments. Thus it would make sense that the ones who worship the beast follow the beasts commandments. Thus really important to understand who the beast is. by the way you can know.
Before we go on lets look at a few other times this topic is mentioned in Revelation.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Here is the end of those who took the image of the beast and worshiped it. notice also that they were deceived into it by miracles. Jesus spoke of a group that thought they were following and worshiping God but were not.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Notice that they thought they had done great things in the name of God. Yet God says to them. "I do not know you" on top of that it says they are workers of iniquity. this word iniquity means law/commandment breakers. Remember one of the markers of the 144,000 is they keep the commandments of God.
Now lets take a look at one other revelation text.
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Here is a group that even die for Jesus because they did not worship the beast. beheaded take us back to John the baptist who was beheaded because he denounced the sins of Herod. Sins in that time and still today are the breaking of God's commandments.1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
So we have again this group who do not receive the mark of the beast because they would not worship the beast and they denounce the ones who break the law of God. and in so doing they lose their lives for Christ.
We could go on and on, but lets finish with a old testament text.
Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 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.
Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
Notice here that they had to obey God and bind them on their hand and their foreheads. interesting. So both old and new testament talk about obeying God. in Revelation the mark of God involves worshiping God in obedience.
Food for thought there is more but this post is already long.
Blessings.
. Christians love the 666 speculation and the is SAddam the antichrist or maybe it's Obama? It's a captive market.
