The Mark

I've always heard that the "Mark of the Beast" described in Revelation 13 will most likely be a microchip that is placed in the forehead or hand of anyone who wants to buy or sell at the end of days. I realized a long time ago that trying to guess at what Revelation means when it describes future events (or even past events) is well beyond my pay-grade, and so for me to say that the Mark is not a chip is not my purpose here. Chip or no chip, I hope my point stands.

Over the past couple of years, I've been shown a new (new for me) way of reading the Bible. This view rejects a disjointed, piece-meal, application-centered, me-centered, handbook-for-life attitude and embraces the intentional arrangement of Scripture which shows us the plan of God for His creation and His redemption by grace, through faith, for a purpose (Eph. 2:8-10). With this perspective, Revelation can be seen as a theological retelling of the whole of Scripture. In other words, when you read something in Revelation, you've probably seen it before in the Bible. 

Revelation 13:16 says, "Also (the beast) causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666."

And the most central and important passage in all of Scripture for the Jews is Deuteronomy 6:4-9: "Here, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command to you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." Deuteronomy 11:18 repeats this idea.

Could it be then that what believers are to be warned of at the end of days is not merely a physical mark - though we certainly wouldn't rule that out as part of the plan? Are we to reflect back on Dt. 6 (the Greatest Commandment, according to Jesus in Mt. 22) and recognize a particular, man-centered worldview that has or will saturate the globe? Just as Israel was to love the LORD with heart, soul, and might, could the "mark" of the Beast's system be identified through man's own fierce devotion to himself? Is man loving himself with all of his heart, soul, and might the mark that is bound on his hand and forehead?

Once again, Revelation, for the most part, feels well beyond my reach of understanding; but when I noticed these two marks in the Bible, I thought I should at least share them so that you can think and draw your own conclusions.

In Christ,
Andy