Wisdom of God Shown in the Cross of Christ :: By Dr. Donald Whitchard

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to those who believe.”

“For Jews require a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:18-25, NKJV).

Paul’s journeys throughout the Roman Empire brought him into contact with varied cultures and beliefs, often based on a certain concept of God and His work, as was the case with his Jewish brethren as he reasoned from the Scriptures with them concerning the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 17:2, 18:27-28, Ch.22, 28:21-28). He brought the message of Jesus Christ and His salvation to the skeptical Greeks on Mars Hill, who had been reared in the noted thinkers of the past and their teachings, such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle (Acts 17:16-34). To many of these learned men, what Paul had told them seemed to be foolishness, but there were some who wanted to hear more and were led to Christ.

Paul’s own learning had included not just the total memorization of the Scriptures, but he also possessed a knowledge of foreign teachings and customs that worked well in his dialogues with the Gentiles. The conclusion and observations he wrote about in his letter to the Corinthians were based on his own experience as a preacher of the Gospel.

Paul’s own story of redemption showed him the power of the Gospel when the glorified Lord Jesus confronted him on the Damascus Road years earlier (Acts 9:1-6). He was also grateful to the LORD for using him as a chosen vessel of service rather than having struck him dead for his treatment of the Christians and his blind hated for the message of Jesus. He realized that Jesus had come to fulfill not only the Law of Moses, which he cherished, but to fulfill the prophecies spoken of Him by the prophets in providing the salvation that Paul and all people needed to hear about and embrace as truth.

This is what he wanted to present to his countrymen, but they had refused to hear the message. Undaunted, he switched his attention to bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles who had embraced paganism or skepticism and needed to hear about the work of the real God in providing spiritual freedom and a personal relationship with Him.

The message of the Gospel is so basic and uncomplicated that a child can understand it (Romans 10:9-10). Jesus never discussed deep theological questions with the children who were eager to be around Him but loved and blessed them (Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17). He never wants to make His will a mystery or religious maze that demands rule-keeping and strict obedience to rituals or to be in constant fear that if you make one little mistake about following Him, that He will cut you off from His presence and saving grace for all time. He does not possess an attitude of frustration and anger over having to redeem us and remind us of it.

Some preachers today want to pound into their congregants that God is saying to us, “Boy, you’d better be glad I decided to save your worthless, stinking hides, though you do not deserve it in any way, shape, or form. You’d better love me for what my Son went through to redeem you bunch of ingrates and reprobates. Toe the line or else My wrath will consume you and throw you into hell. Got it?” That does not open someone’s heart to the Gospel.

Yes, God does warn us of the consequences of sin and the eternal death in hell that awaits anyone who rejects His offer of salvation in Christ. Scripture says so, and so did the Lord Jesus (Luke 12: 5-6; Mark 9:43-48). But God also says that He takes absolutely no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18).

When Jesus told the parable of the Prodigal Son, I do not see where the Father told the boy off or met his backside with a switch when he came back in repentance and sorrow for what he had done (Luke 15:22-24). That attitude seemed to be in the heart and mind of the resentful older brother. When Paul and Silas were in the Philippian jail and the earthquake broke their bonds as well as those of the other prisoners, they all remained in the jail and spared the jailer from taking his own life and ending up in hell. He asked Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:25-34).

Paul answered not with a list of demands and religious standards, but with the answer that we should give anyone who wants to be saved from their sins: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your whole household” (v.31-32). Simple, yet so powerful, and so merciful of the Lord to give us this means of grace and love. We cannot save ourselves while we remain in a state of sin. Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God has provided a way out through Him and Him alone (John 14:6; Romans 5:6-11).

How easy is the act of turning to the LORD?

There was an anonymous preacher reading the words of the prophet Isaiah on a cold January Sunday that touched the heart of a young boy named Charles Spurgeon. He heard these words, “Look to Me, and be saved, all you of the Earth. For I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22). The preacher then said that it takes no difficulty to look. It is a simple task to focus on the LORD and His salvation. The young boy was saved and became the greatest preacher of 19th century England. One verse of Scripture can change countless lives, and they all can testify of the saving grace of the LORD. Perhaps your own testimony is based on that graciousness.

Jesus told the people around Him not to perform some act of penance or self-punishment for every sin committed as if that would cleanse the soul. What did He say? “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly at heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).

I ask you, what other religious figure, psychologist, teacher, motivational speaker, guru, or anyone on this Earth can give you that kind of assurance and truth? The world wants you to do the initial work in redeeming yourself through a ritual, chanting a mantra, or making a pilgrimage to a sacred place, or practice doing “good deeds,” or blindly obeying the leader on the penalty of death or loss of membership and being damned for every little infraction.

This world, which is under the sway of the devil (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11) and who wants nothing more than to keep people deceived by the world’s definition of wisdom and peace, will do and say anything to convince them that the message of the Gospel is way too simple and lacks the sophistication and intelligence to make a difference in their lives, or deny and mock its message of Divine grace and mercy.

The evil one’s plan is not only to keep people spiritually blind, but to take them to hell with him at the Day of Judgment as an act of spite on his part. He will never repent or turn away from his evil and malicious intentions and will use the world’s definition of intelligence to fulfill his sick and twisted goal of keeping people away from God. He loves to bring confusion and strife to the house of God and turn us away from presenting the Gospel to the lost.

Scripture assures us that the schemes and plans of the devil and his brood never catch the Sovereign LORD off guard or give Him cause to worry. All things are under His control and will (Proverbs 16:9, 21:1; Isaiah 40:23, 44:25; Revelation 17:17), and He shall bring all things to a conclusion, including the futility of trying to find answers in the system of the world and its definition of what it means to be wise.

The Bible is the true source of wisdom, knowledge, sound advice, and a clear, unmistakable picture of who we are apart from the mercy and grace of God. The Bible holds nothing back as it refers to our sinful state that earthly wisdom would just as soon ignore or avoid (Romans 3:10-18). The Bible is the only means by which the LORD speaks to us and shows us the one way that we might be saved, and that is through the Lord Jesus Christ and not our works nor corrupt thinking (John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8-9).

I appreciate every person who defends the faith, as Scripture commands us to do (1 Peter 3:15), but I do wish sometimes that they would place their authority on the Bible and not on the works and words of fallible men or try to sound just as intellectual as the skeptics, but to base their arguments and convictions on the grace of Christ and His call to repent and turn to Him for the answers to life. There are people who will hear the simple message of salvation, no matter if they have advanced degrees or whether they barely scraped by in school or life.

Paul certainly used the knowledge he had to bring the Gospel to the people, and I am not knocking the need for obtaining the best education possible. As a former teacher, I will say that there is no excuse for willful ignorance and the refusal to listen to ideas, but at the same time it is not hard to present the message of salvation to others regardless of where you stand in life. The simplicity of the cross was Paul’s message, and it should be ours as well. Let me conclude with words of wisdom that have guided me in both good and bad times. I have spent my life in teaching and preaching the Word. I earned three advanced degrees and absorbed the lessons of great men of God. It can all be summarized, though, in these words:

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me; the Bible tells me so.”

Simple but effective. Here ends the lesson.

donaldwhitchard@gmail.com

www.realitycityreverend.com

Revelation 13: The False Prophet & The Mark :: By Mark A. Becker

(Revelation 13:11-18)

Introduction

We’ve been doing something a little different in this series and have been citing The Complete Jewish Bible – a uniquely Jewish translation that I have come to appreciate – for our study on the Revelation 13 passages.

This article will be looking at the False Prophet and The Mark of The Beast that the Apostle John witnessed while receiving the Revelation of Jesus Christ on the island of Patmos.

As always, there are many interpretations that have been submitted by many godly, respectable, and capable men, and I try not to be dogmatic when it comes to future prophecy. I only offer to the reader my view for their consideration in addition to the many other interpretive views that have been submitted down through the centuries.

As we begin, I need to note up-front that the words “Antichrist” and “False Prophet” are nowhere to be found in Revelation 13 as these individuals – and the kingdom of Antichrist – are identified as “beasts.” We know they are the Antichrist and False Prophet because of context. Even though the Antichrist is always referred to as the beast in the book of Revelation, his counterpart is referred to as the False Prophet in Revelation 16:13 when the deceiving spirits depart from the unholy triune alliance to gather the nations to battle against the Lord, and Revelation 19:20 when the Antichrist and False Prophet are thrown into the lake of fire, as well as Revelation 20:10 when Satan joins them there.

“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. It had two horns like those of a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11).

We need to keep in mind that all of prophecy – especially when it comes to future prophecy after the rapture of the church – is Israel-centric and needs to be seen from her perspective.

Most prophecy teachers agree that there seems to be an allusion to Israel when it comes to the term “earth” or “land,” and to the Gentile nations when it comes to the term “sea” which, if in Israel, would seem to those in the nation of Israel as coming out of the sea looking westward, especially if the Antichrist and the beginning of his kingdom is initially coming out of the continent of western Europe. Or, one could say that the other Gentile kingdoms come out of the “sea of Gentile nations” as opposed to the “earth” or “land of Israel.”

In any case, I did want to make an observation that in Daniel 7, both “sea” and “earth” are used of these last four Gentile kingdoms in the end-times (Daniel 7: The Four Beasts of the End-Times).

“Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another” (Daniel 7:2-3, KJV). (emphasis mine)

Yet, when we read of the angel’s interpretation of the vision, it is noted that:

“These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth” (Daniel 7:17, KJV). (emphasis mine).

This could be explained in that the angel was confirming that these nations who originally came out of the sea – in relation to Israel – were actually kingdoms that ruled on the earth. In other words, the vision is prophetic imagery (coinciding with Revelation), and the interpretation is more of a literal explanation. This would suggest that we shouldn’t allow the angel’s interpretation to upset the imagery found in both prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. But I felt it was important to at least point this detail out for our study.

Here we are introduced to the False Prophet, and for this study, I’m going to suggest that, indeed, the False Prophet – the beast out of the earth – is related to Israel in one sense or another. With this attribute in mind, let us look into what I believe are the three premiere “candidates” for this office. (But truthfully, like the Antichrist, we may never know who this person is this side of the rapture).

The Pope of Roman Catholicism

Many believe the Pope is a perfect candidate for False Prophet, and there are actually many good reasons that the Pope should at least be considered. In a perfect world, a Jewish Pope, or a Pope with at least some Jewish ancestry, would be preferred but might not actually be needed. The Catholic church has a huge footprint in Israel with her past history, numerous churches built on “traditional” sites, and overall influence in the Holy Land.

Let’s use the example of Pope Francis as an illustration.

Francis is an Argentine Italian and has developed, what has been said, very good ties to the Jewish community and is well respected. He has also been the leader behind the Document on Human Fraternity For World Peace and Living Together and the Abrahamic Faiths Initiative between the three monotheistic religions of Christians, Muslims, and Jews. This isn’t surprising, of course, because the RCC will be the leading institution behind the ecumenical uniting of all of the world’s religions into a New World Religion up until the midway point of the Tribulation, which I have documented extensively in many past articles.

Of course, this would mean that the Pope would actually have no allegiance to the Roman Catholic church as the False Prophet and, most assuredly, will be behind the scenes when the 10 kings and Antichrist destroy Rome/Vatican City/RCC.

This isn’t a far-fetched scenario when one considers Francis and his seeming disdain for all things God, that is, the one true God of the Holy Scriptures. His allegiance is to globalism and ecumenism.

Francis’ display of Marian worship may just be a guise to show some semblance of “religiosity” to the masses – and he may even have some contact with the demons who deceive those who worship Mary through apparitions – but to see his loyalty to a church that seems only to be a means to an end for him, appears to be mere illusion.

In addition, we have noted his obsession with extra-terrestrial life in a previous article (Isaiah 47: The Daughter of Babylon), and it is there – in the realm of metaphysics and evolutionary ideals – where his heart seems to be.

But he may not be the last Pope before the rapture of the church, and if that is the case, we should be on the lookout for his successor. Either way, a Pope of the Roman Catholic church is a possible candidate for the False Prophet but, just like Antichrist, we will probably never know.

A Jewish Rabbi/Leader

The term “False Prophet” has its origins in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, and these false prophets have always been a thorn in the spiritual flesh of Israel and in the church of Christ.

Interestingly, it has been reported that there have been Rabbi’s in Israel who have stated that they have been in contact with the “Messiah” of God. This, of course, is very disturbing to Christians because we know who this “Messiah” will eventually be – Antichrist himself – and we are pained to see Israel be deceived in this way.

In addition, this Jewish Rabbi could also find himself in political leadership in Israel and play a major role in the covenant with Antichrist and the many at the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation. Or, this man could just be a Jewish leader in Israel. Either way, this is something to be considered when trying to identify the False Prophet.

New Age Leader

In Revelation 13 – The Antichrist, I made the following comments regarding the New Age Maitreya:

Speaking of the New Age Maitreya, Antichrist will certainly have this New Age spirit within him. In Ray Yungen’s excellent book, For Many Shall Come in My Name, Ray makes the connection between Antichrist and the New Age “Christ Consciousness” – the idea that humanity can evolve into godhood.

When Christ said, “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:5) (emphasis mine), this is exactly what the New Age teaches and fits rather well when Paul said of Antichrist:

“Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4). (emphasis mine)

In addition to this statement, I’d like to inform the reader that we have had a similar “False Prophet/Antichrist” duo in the New Age Movement. This information can be found at the website Share International on the Reappearance of Maitreya the World Teacher (share-international.org).

A man by the name of Benjamin Creme, who passed away in 2016, was the man who was to reveal Maitreya – Maitreya’s “Prophet” if you will: Who is Benjamin Creme (share-international.org).

This connection is very intriguing and might not be far-off from what this unholy alliance may very well look like. In Zechariah 5:5-11 – Homecoming: Babel Returns Home, I noted that the New Age – which is essentially a westernized version of Hinduism – and Hinduism are the two religions that have the most in common with the Antichrist’s claim to godhood and may very well play a crucial role in helping the Antichrist’s goals that will climax in The Mark of The Beast worship and economic system during the Great Tribulation (the last three and one-half years of the Tribulation).

And let us not forget that apostate “Christianity” – which will be left behind after the rapture of the true Church – is renowned for claiming that “Christians” are “little gods.”

The Two Horns

From our previous studies, we have seen that “horns” represent power and authority. The 10 horns of the beast out of the sea, with their crowns, represent the power and authority of the 10 worldwide regional kingdoms and their kings who will eventually give their kingdoms over to Antichrist for the final beast empire during the Great Tribulation.

Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the False Prophet has two spheres or domains he has power and influence over. With this in mind, here’s my suggestions for the three possible candidates I have suggested.

The Roman Catholic Pope: These two horns would represent his power over the Catholic church during the first half of the Tribulation and his power with the Antichrist during the second half.

Jewish Rabbi/Leader: If he has a political appointment, then his two powers would be with the Jewish religious sects and the political establishment in Israel. If his office is only religious, then his two powers of influence would be with the religious establishment of Israel and his association with Antichrist. If this person is only political in nature (but showing an outward “piety”), his powers could be with Israel and over the Arab “Palestinians” or with Israel and his association with Antichrist.

New Age Leader: His two powers could be over the western New Age Movement and eastern Hinduism (which are essentially the same religions by different names), or it could be over the New Age Movement in general (with Hinduism) and his association with Antichrist.

I’m certain there are other candidates and possibilities to who this man may be, his power and influence, and what he may represent, but these are the three main prospects that I currently see.

Back to Revelation 13.

“It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence; and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, the one whose fatal wound had been healed” (Revelation 13:12).

This hearkens back to Revelation 13:3, which we discussed in Revelation 13 – The Beast – “One of the heads of the beast appeared to have received a fatal wound, but its fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth followed after the beast in amazement.”

It is these verses (Rev. 13:12 & Rev. 13:14) that many think the Antichrist will receive a “fatal wound” – and this may very well be the case. This may help to explain the enigmatic verse when the Antichrist kills the Two Witnesses:

“And when they [the Two Witnesses] shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them” (Revelation 11:7). (emphasis mine)

This verse seems to indicate that the Antichrist will, in fact, be killed, his spirit sent to Hades (or hell) in Sheol, allowed to re-enter his body to destroy the Two Witnesses, and proceed on into the final three and one-half years of his Mark of The Beast kingdom. (Short of this explanation, we could have a smorgasbord of possibilities of resurrected past historical candidates; something I’m personally not willing to entertain.)

But a revived kingdom really does fit the context in Revelation 13:3 (as we discussed in Revelation 13 – The Beast) due to the reference of “one of the heads” – or kingdoms – which I propose to be a rebuilt Babel/Babylon where Antichrist will rule from during the Great Tribulation.

Again, it may very well be that the kingdom is revived from a fatal wound as well as a “resurrection” for the king, or Antichrist, to deceive the world into a false worship of himself as he claims to be God. Duality in this prophecy is a very real consideration – as a matter-of-fact, I believe it to be highly likely!

“It performs great miracles, even causing fire to come down from heaven onto the earth as people watch” (Revelation 13:13).

Israel is the world’s “start-up” nation and one of the leading producers of AI, Facial Recognition, Drone Technology, Commerce, Computers, and Bio-Technologies on the face of the planet, among a host of other amazing creations and innovation. I only point this out because I keep an eye out for what Israel is accomplishing in these fields and how they may actually be the source for some of these amazing technologies that we see in Revelation. It’s really quite impressive what the people of God can do and the unsurpassed gifts the Lord has given His chosen nation.

In regard to the False Prophet as he “performs miracles, even causing fire to come down from heaven,” I came across an interesting article: Pentagon tests prototype for space energy beam – report – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com).

Here’s a couple of paragraphs from this article:

Known as a Photovoltaic Radiofrequency Antenna Module (PRAM), the pizza-box-sized solar panel was launched on an unmanned drone into the low atmosphere in May 2020, and travels around the planet every 90 minutes, CNN reported.

The premise behind the plan is that a solar energy system like this could be sent to gather sunlight and convert it into solar power, which would then be beamed back to Earth at specific points.

Technology similar to this, such as lasers in orbit above the earth, could be used to deceive the masses, or it could very well be supernatural in origin. After all, the supernatural will be the new normal during the Tribulation. Either way, I’m sure the False Prophet will give credit to Antichrist himself and/or to extra-terrestrial (demonic deception) confirmation of existence and co-operation with the Antichrist to confirm to the world that the advancement of human evolution to “godhood” is not only possible, but attainable. This declaration from Antichrist and the False Prophet will most probably be one of the many “advantages” promised to the masses in association with the taking of The Mark of The Beast.

“It deceives the people living on earth by the miracles it is allowed to perform in the presence of the beast, and it tells them to make an image honoring the beast that was struck by the sword but came alive again” (Revelation 13:14).

Here, again, is the last notation of the “fatal wound,” and now we are told that the beast out of the earth (the False Prophet) is demanding the people make an image to the beast from the sea (the Antichrist and his kingdom) that “came alive again.”

When considering the “fatal wound” to a past kingdom from “the sword” – Babylon was destroyed by the invading armies of the Medes (from the Medo-Persian Empire), and their weapons of choice and necessity for the close-range fighting in taking the city was, of course, the sword or dagger (Jeremiah 50:35-37).

When contemplating the Babylon connection and the “image,” one can’t help but think of Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image he set up on the plain of Dura thousands of years earlier (Daniel 3:1-15). The image was 60 cubits high (assuredly including a pedestal), six cubits wide, and was accompanied by the playing of six instruments – an allusion to the “number of the beast” in Revelation 13:18, below.

The “miracles” will evidently be numerous and impressive, especially when one considers the power behind the throne – Satan himself.

When thinking about the Antichrist being killed and coming to life again, I offer the following thought:

Antichrist’ Cut-Off’ and Daniel 9

I’m about to share with the reader something I’ve recently considered, and that is the possible relationship between Antichrist’s death and resurrection with Daniel 9. I won’t go into this famous prophecy in detail, as many great commentaries are available for the student to research, so that what you’re about to read should be easily comprehensible with even a cursory understanding of this prophecy.

The Hebrew word for “weeks” is שְׁבוּע 7620 “shabua” and means a period of seven (days, years), heptad, week.

Notice a period of seven days or years. As Christians, we know that this prophecy is for 483 years and is applied to the orders of the Persian king to rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah would be cut off at the cross. But the Jewish religious leaders who have not accepted Yeshua as their savior, I’m sure, have many interesting interpretations of this passage.

With this in mind, could it be possible that Satan and the Antichrist may actually use this passage of Scripture in an attempt to claim that Antichrist is Israel’s Messiah? Might Antichrist, by “fulfilling” this prophecy in days rather than years, successfully deceive the Jews of his Messiah-ship? Allow me to explain with a hypothetical.

Suppose that when the Antichrist signs the seven-year covenant with Israel and the many (Dan. 9:27), that this covenant will include the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Now, count down 483 days from the signing of this covenant, and then Antichrist is killed. Could the False Prophet declare that the Antichrist, as Israel’s Messiah, was “cut off” after the prophesied 483 days and fulfilled Daniel’s prophecy? And could his subsequent resurrection “prove” to Israel that Antichrist was indeed their Messiah? (This would, of course, imply that Satan will have orchestrated this “death and resurrection” at the Lord’s allowance – think Job).

“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off” (Daniel 9:25-26a).

I realize the text says “to build Jerusalem,” but to the Orthodox in Israel, Jerusalem could never be completed – or symbolically, even initiated – until the rebuilding of the Temple, and they could very well consider the decree to rebuild the Temple as synonymous with rebuilding Jerusalem.

Could this be one of the reasons that Antichrist seems to have such easy access to the Temple during the mid-point of the Tribulation after he kills the Two Witnesses and then desecrates the Temple with the Abomination of Desolation?

If this does happen, then this would mean that after Antichrist’s “death and resurrection” would remain 777 days until the middle of the Tribulation when he will kill the Two Witnesses and desecrate the Temple (1260-483=777). An interesting number, indeed!

Jesus said (many believe) concerning the coming of the Antichrist and his relationship to the Jewish people:

“I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43).

I throw this possibility out for consideration only. After all, it’s just like Satan and his unholy “trinity” to want to counterfeit all things God.

“It was allowed to put breath into the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could even speak; and it was allowed to cause anyone who would not worship the image of the beast to be put to death” (Revelation 13:15).

Here we have what appears to be Artificial Intelligence (AI), surveillance and tracking, and hologram technology in one nicely prepared package. I often think of Alexa and Siri when I have contemplated these verses as of late. Thankfully, I don’t have this intrusion into my life – nor do I ever want it – but from what I have heard about them, it sure seems eerily close to what this “image” may actually be like; at least at a more basic level, anyway.

I see this image in the Jewish Temple (as well as an image in the Antichrist’s “house” in “the land of Shinar”), linked to smaller, interconnected “images” in each and every household in the world for tracking, ordering, and commanding the worshiping adherents of Antichrist and their obedience to his rule. Additionally, these images would seem to have, most assuredly, interconnected link-ups to The Mark of The Beast system as well.

On this subject I really don’t have much more to offer other than this image will be imposing, seemingly all-knowing, and a diabolical tool for Satan, Antichrist, and the False Prophet. We are seeing the technologies “coming to life” today, and I’m sure the world is just waiting for the man himself to make himself known; of course, not until Christ’s bride is taken to heaven!

“Also, it forces everyone — great and small, rich and poor, free and slave — to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, preventing anyone from buying or selling unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name” (Revelation 13:16-17). (emphasis mine)

Two major points need to be made on this passage concerning the words “on” and “or” – two very small words that, when understood, make all the difference in the world.

One: The Greek word translated “on” (or “in” in the KJV) is 1909 ἐπί “epi” and can mean above, after, against, among, as long as. A primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. Over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc. — about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively). (emphasis mine) [Definitions Biblehub.com]

In essence, this word can mean either “in,” or “on” or “upon,” when it comes to The Mark, and I suggest that it could be both, as we’ll discuss below.

Two: The Greek word translated “or” is ἤ “é” and can mean and, but, either, rather, depending on context. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than — and, but (either), (n-)either, except it be, (n-)or (else), rather, save, than, that, what, yea. Often used in connection with other particles. Compare especially ede, eper, etoi. (emphasis mine)

Therefore, it is a very reasonable conjecture that The Mark of The Beast may actually be “in” the right hand and “on” the forehead (or reversed, or both “on” and “in” both places). In other words, there could be separate Marks – each a part of The Mark of The Beast – for the right hand and forehead. My guess is that one Mark (probably “in” the right hand) will be invisible to the naked eye and will be used primarily for tracking, buying, and selling, while the other Mark (probably “on” the forehead) will be a visible Mark that is easily seen by all to show one’s allegiance to the Antichrist and his economic and worship system allowing for easy access in certain situations and rapid visual identification.

Another possibility is that John was witnessing an Iris Scan or facial recognition technology represented by the forehead, or maybe in conjunction with a Mark on the forehead. I’m not sure if this is what John is reporting in these verses, but it’s another “arrow in the quiver” of consideration.

The Mark

I’ve been following the technology available for chipping and tracking since I first came across Digital Angel Corp in the year 2000 and have watched this technology escalate at a remarkable rate ever since. But, in my opinion, the go-to Christian researcher in the fields of AI, robotics, genetics, RFID tracking, chipping, and all end-time technology is Pastor Billy Crone. Even though I’m offering a few ideas in this area, Billy is the man who has been digging into the specifics of government and military advancements and has a wealth of information for the prophecy student to examine.

An example of the complexity of The Mark of The Beast prospects can be summarized in my own life. When I was young, The Mark was thought to be an actual tattoo of ink – an interpretation that lasted for over 1,900 years since Christ. As I got older, it became the Universal Product Code (UPC), and, amazingly enough, the UPC is coded with three sixes. Later, it was a digital chip implant (Digital Angel and others). Later still, it became Radio-Frequency Identification technology (RFID). Next, we were also looking at the possibility of Electronic Tattoos. Now, we’re focused on Blockchain Technology with Cryptocurrency (in concert with some sort of chip implant) and its relationship to vaccines and the Quantum Dot Tattoo.

It’s been quite the progression just within my own life span and, when combined with what is known as “convergence” of all the other prophetic signs, indicates we are, indeed, in the last of the last days!

The Greek word for “mark” is χάραγμα, ατος, τό 5480 “charagma” and means properly, an engraving (etching); (figuratively) a mark providing undeniable identification, like a symbol giving irrefutable connection between parties. 5480/xáragma (“brand-mark”) was originally any impress on a coin or a seal, used by an engraver on a die (stamp, branding iron). 5480 (xáragma) later became “the identification-marker” (like with an owner’s unique “brand-mark”). From the same as charax; a scratch or etching, i.e. Stamp (as a badge of servitude), or sculptured figure (statue) — graven, mark. From the root word χάραξ, ακός, ὁ 5482 “charax” meaning a palisade, mound for besieging. From charasso (to sharpen to a point; akin to grapho through the idea of scratching); a stake, i.e. (by implication) a palisade or rampart (military mound for circumvallation in a siege) — trench. (emphasis mine)

There’s a lot to take in with these definitions, but the word that “sticks out like a sore thumb” is “palisade” whose “sharpened to a point” shape was introduced in relationship to the vaccine for COVID – although not currently in use – and is intended to be used in the future to help in identifying those who have been vaccinated. The technology is already here and is known as the Quantum Dot Tattoo (QDT) and could be implemented at a future date.

You can do your own research on this subject and, for your assistance, here is a link to help get you started: Quantum Dots | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Truly fascinating when one considers that a virus could very well be the precursor to The Mark of The Beast, planned or not. I’m not aware of any prophecy teacher who had projected that possibility, and this is why I’m always careful to acknowledge that there are so many unknowns when it comes to future prophecy. We can offer educated guesses and logical assumptions to much of Bible prophecy, but, in reality, the prophecies are mainly meant for those who go through them.

“This is where wisdom is needed; those who understand should count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person, and its number is 666” (Revelation 13:18).

Please see my article 666: A Study of Revelation 13:18 for my take on this verse.

The number 666, even though we usually call it something other than what it really is, still has the digits that, somehow, will be implemented within The Mark and will correspond to a tracking system – probably a block-chain type technology with implantable microchip – where all who will willingly accept the economic and worship system will be at the mercy of Antichrist and will have damned themselves to hell.

There will no doubt be a genetic component to this Mark which will corrupt mankind’s DNA, very similar to the rebellion of the sons of God in Genesis 6 (Genesis 6 Commentary and Genetics), and render those who’s very humanity has been corrupted ineligible for salvation. The promises that will be made to humanity from the False Prophet and Antichrist concerning The Mark will be the greatest deception foisted upon men since the fall in the Garden of Eden and will certainly include godhood, longevity or eternal life, and superior mental and physical attributes – possibly aided, in part, by merging man with machine. All of this will be accelerated by God’s strong delusion that He Himself will send on those who dwell on the earth for rejecting the truth and who willingly give themselves over to “the lie” (God’s Strong Delusion & The Father of Lies).

Conclusion

To reiterate: Revelation chapter 13 is not only a difficult chapter, but also includes a myriad of possibilities regarding the identities of the beast out of the sea and its symbolism, Antichrist, the False Prophet, the image, the miracles, and The Mark of The Beast technologies. It’s just flat-out vexing – but also intriguing and exciting!

I’ve concluded each article in this series on Revelation 13 with this friendly reminder:

All future prophecy is mainly aimed at those who will be going through it. While it can be a challenge and often exciting trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, all of us prophecy enthusiasts would be well-served to humbly admit that although we may believe our interpretations and views to be correct, at the same time, we must confess that we may also be wrong.

Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!

  • If you have not given your life to Jesus Christ and are seeking answers about God, Jesus Christ, the gospel, and salvation, please email me at mab10666@yahoo.com for information.
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