[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World whiteboard.]
7 Facts from Bible Verses About the Mark of the Beast
The book of Revelation describes a time when the vast majority of people in the world will receive a mark—a mark that will directly impact the rest of their life. And only a few know what the mark is.
The mark of the beast is NOT a vaccine, social security card, tattoo, or computer chip. The Bible gives facts and clues to determine what the mark is, who it comes from, and who will have it.
The mark of the beast is first mentioned in the book of Revelation chapter 13.
He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name (Revelation 13:16-17).
Let’s break down this scripture to identify seven facts about the mark, then we’ll put these facts together with some additional scriptures and identify exactly what the mark is.
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Sign of the Revived Roman Empire | Revelation 13
- The mark is the sign of a coming world-ruling government led by a powerful political leader.
There are two different beasts described in Revelation chapter 13.
The first beast, described in verses 1-8, comes up from the sea and has seven heads, and ten horns (Revelation 13:1). This beast, as explained in other TW videos, represents a revival of the Roman Empire. There will arise an individual who will receive great power, a throne, and authority from Satan the Devil (Revelation 13:2, 12:9). This leader will be worshiped by the world, will blaspheme God, will war against God’s saints, and will lead a powerful world-ruling empire in the not-too-distant future (Revelation 13:4-8).
Those who receive the mark will be adherents to this system—the final end-time revival of the Roman Empire.
The Mark Affirms Conformity | Revelation 13:17
- The mark is used by the beast to identify those who will not conform to its system and rule of law.
This end-time revival of the Roman Empire will have the power and ability to control who can and cannot engage in commerce.
No one may buy or sell except one who has the mark....
Therefore, someone who refuses the mark will stand out, and will be excluded from engaging in normal business, trade, and employment.
Anyone who does not conform and obey the beast power will be penalized and persecuted.
But those who accept the beast power, and obey its form of government, authority, and control will take on the beast’s mark.
Most of the World Conforms, Taking the Mark
- The majority of mankind will receive the mark.
We see that people “both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave,” take on this mark, or sign.
This sign will be popular, mainstream, and accepted by a major portion of the population.
Only a small number of people will refuse to conform and reject the beast’s politics, religion, morality, and influence.
The Antichrist (False Prophet) Enforces the Mark
- He who “causes all… to receive the mark” is a deceptive false Christian prophet with great power.
Beginning in verse 11, the Apostle John recalls seeing in vision a second “beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon” (Revelation 13:11).
In the Bible, Jesus Christ is described as “the lamb of God” (John 1:29) while Satan the Devil is called “a dragon” (Revelation 12:9).
Therefore, this second beast appears Christ-like on the surface—he looks like a lamb—but speaks like Satan the Devil.
This symbolizes a coming false Christian prophet who “performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven” (Revelation 13:13).
It is the Antichrist (1 John 2:18), empowered by Satan himself (2 Thessalonians 2:9, Revelation 16:13), who will lead a false Christian church.
He will use his power and influence to persuade nearly everyone on earth to worship the first beast (Revelation 13:14).
It is he who causes the people to receive the mark. Therefore, it is this false Christian power which requires people to take on this end-time identification.
This means the mark is directly connected to a false Christian church with profane practices and beliefs.
The Mark Is on the Right Hand or Forehead
- The mark is on the right hand or forehead.
The Bible does not say this mark has to be a literal image or imprint on the hand or forehead
Rather, in the Bible, the hand is used to symbolize action and strength, while the forehead is used to symbolize thinking and will.
For example, when God instructed His people in Deuteronomy 6, He said to them:
Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the LORD your God has commanded... And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart… You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes (Deuteronomy 6:1-8).
God told His people to put His commandments on their hands and between their eyes—or on their forehead—as a sign.
Now this instruction did not mean they were to literally strap His commandments to their head or hand. Rather, God was using figurative language to tell them to obey His commandments with their actions, thinking, and will. They were to wholly obey in both practice and belief. And their obedience would serve as a sign, distinguishing them as God’s people.
This same instruction is repeated in Exodus 13:9 and Deuteronomy 11:18.
So the mark, which is on the hand or forehead, is not a literal image or imprint, or something physically forced upon people by the beast, but rather it is a distinction in the way the people will obey the beast in their practice and belief.
And the two places where the mark of the beast appears on its followers—in their actions and thinking—are the very same places where God wants to see a sign of obedience to Him from His followers.
It’s Connected to Worshiping the Beast
- The mark is directly connected to worshiping the beast power (Revelation 16:2, 19:20, 20:4).
Revelation 16:2 shows that those with the mark worship the beast’s image. Speaking of God’s judgment, it says:
So the first [angel] went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image (Revelation 16:2).
And speaking of the martyred saints who will reign with Christ, Revelation 20:4 says:
“I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the Beast or his image, and had not received his mark….”
Therefore, those with the mark worship the beast and its image—not God. In doing so, they directly disobey the first two of God’s commandments.
Taking the Mark Brings God’s Wrath
- God will pour out His wrath on those with the mark because of their disobedience.
Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the Beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God” (Revelation 14:9-10).
And Colossians 3:6 says:
The wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.
God will pour out His wrath and punish people for their acts of disobedience, not for a simple, literal mark on the hand.
The beast power, and those with his mark, share a false worship and a corrupt way of life.
Because they break God’s laws and live contrary to God’s ways, they are sons of disobedience.
Therefore, the mark which identifies them is connected to their rebellious practice and belief, their sinful actions and thinking, their false worship, and their breaking of God’s commandments.
The Mark of the Beast vs. the Mark of God
Now, putting these seven facts together with some additional scriptures, we can identify exactly what the mark of the beast is.
So far we’ve seen that a deceptive false prophet leading a false Church will influence a large majority of the population to take part in a coming revival of the Roman empire. This world-ruling system will be led by a powerful leader. And the followers of this system will, by their actions and thinking, share a form of worship and way of life that is disobedient toward God. Anyone who does not take on the beast’s mark, or who will not accept the beast’s form of worship and way of life, will be excluded from normal business, trade, and employment. Therefore, God will pour out His wrath upon these people and this system.
The mark of the beast clearly stands as a sign of disobedience to God and His laws, and is not merely some physical symbol on or in the hand or forehead that could be stamped or branded on a person even against their will.
In fact, the Bible reveals a contrasting sign of obedience that identifies God’s true people and determines the faithful way they worship Him.
My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord.... It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed (Exodus 31:12-17).
Twice in Ezekiel 20, the Sabbaths are called a sign between God and His people. He says:
“I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God” (Ezekiel 20:19-20; Ezekiel 20:12).
Yes, the Bible reveals that the seventh-day Sabbath is a sign between God and His faithful people. It is the day God’s true followers will worship and keep. It shows their obedience to Him.
Therefore, the breaking of this commandment and replacing it with the keeping of Sunday—the day of ancient Rome’s sun worship—is a mark of disobedience and false worship.
The practice of Sunday worship was decreed a Christian observance by the Roman Emperor Constantine in 321 AD—an act of men.
Yet the Bible clearly shows that the seventh-day Sabbath was ordained by God at creation, and it is the day God commands His people to worship Him.
Jesus even said He was Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28).
So, at the end time just before Christ returns, a distinction will be made in people throughout the world. Most will follow the beast. Some will follow God.
The keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath will be the sign that indicates which people belong to God, and the keeping of Sunday will indicate which people belong to the beast.
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To learn more about the coming false prophet and Antichrist, watch our video “Who Is the Antichrist?”
