THE MARK OF THE BEAST: 666
As all men are called to worship the Antichrist in conjunction with the two stages of the Abomination of Desolation, there will be a counterfeit seal for those who would own the Antichrist as god. Just as those who believe in Jesus the Messiah receive the seal of the Holy Spirit, those who will now worship the Antichrist will receive a counterfeit seal. This is recorded in Revelation 13:16–18: And he caused all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that has the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He that has understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.
In verse 16, the placing of this mark will be either on the right hand or on the forehead. The purpose of the Mark of the Beast will be to serve as a sign of identification for those who will own the Antichrist as their god. Only those who have this number will be permitted to work, to buy, to sell, or simply make a living, according to verse 17a. It should be pointed out that this mark has nothing to do with credit as is often taught today. In a credit system, everyone must have a different number, but in this case, everyone has the same number. This verse does not speak of such things as credit cards, banking systems, a cashless society, a one world currency system, or computers.
The interpretation of the mark is given by five clues in verses 17b–18:
The name of the Beast;
The number of his name;
The number of the Beast;
The number of a man;
The number is 666.
Following through this logical progression, the number of the beast is also the number of a man because the Antichrist will be a man who will be the last ruler of the final form of the Fourth Gentile Empire. Furthermore, this number is the number of his name, and the numerical value of his name is 666. There are twenty two letters in the Hebrew alphabet. In the order of numerical value they are as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, and 400. Whatever the personal name of the Antichrist will be, when it is spelled out in Hebrew characters, its numerical value will be 666. So the Mark of the Beast will not only be the seal for those who worship him, it will also be the numerical value of the personal name of the Antichrist. Since a number of different combinations can be equivalent to 666, it is impossible to figure out the name in advance. However, when a prominent figure arrives on the scene, if the numerical value of his name in Hebrew characters is equivalent to 666, then he would certainly be one to watch. Verse 18 states that those who are wise at that time will be able to point him out.
Since believers will not take the mark, life will be extremely difficult for them because they will not be able to engage in making any kind of living. However, there is both a warning and a comfort given regarding this Mark of the Beast in Revelation 14:9–12: And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshipped the beast and his image, and received a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger; 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 goes up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whoso received the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The clear warning of this angel is that anyone who receives this mark will forfeit any opportunity for salvation in the Tribulation. Until that mark is taken, the opportunity will be there. But verses 9–11 state that once they have accepted this mark they will have reached the “point of no return.” They will be destined to receive the full judgment of the wrath of God contained in the Bowl Judgments of Revelation 15–16 and their destiny in the Lake of Fire will be permanently assured. It is this fact that will serve as a point of comfort in verse 12 for the saints living at this time. For although they must suffer and may even die, this period of worldwide persecution will be allowed to continue for only 3½ years.
During this very same period, the Bowl Judgments will be poured out, especially on those who have the Mark of the Beast, according to Revelation 16:1–2: And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go ye, and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth. And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image.
This judgment is clearly directed at affecting only those who have received the Mark of the Beast in fulfillment of Revelation 14:9–11. The result will be a grievous sore upon the worshipers of the Antichrist. This sore will be some kind of skin ulcer or malignancy on their skin.
Excerpt from Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum:
MBS010 THE RISE AND FALL OF THE ANTICHRIST: Pg 16-18
