Marked by the Beast Or Marked by God
Some people have a preconceived idea that the Mark of the Beast will be some kind of implanted chip or maybe a tattoo. When secular leaders impose a new mandate in order to buy or sell, some warn that this could be the Mark of the Beast. But others quickly dismiss it because it doesn’t meet the criteria of Revelation 13. Why? Because it is not a physical mark on the right hand or the forehead.
The phrase “on the hand or forehead” was first used by Moses when he was instructing the people on how to observe the Passover. Exodus 13:8-9 says:
This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.
There is no Biblical record that this sign on the hand or forehead was a physical sign like a tattoo or a cattle brand. The only physical sign of Israel’s covenant with God was circumcision of males.
When Moses speaks of a sign on the forehead, this could represent the mind and what we think. The hand could represent our actions, the work we do. When the mind believes, that faith is manifested by the works that we do with our hands.
Most of Revelation is written symbolically. The meaning of the visions are usually not literal. Determining what the Mark looks like isn’t as important as understanding what the Mark signifies.
What truly matters is ownership. The Mark of the Beast is a badge of ownership. Who owns you? Who is your source? Once you know, you won’t need to worry about whether the Mark of the Beast is here yet because God has already sealed and marked you as His own.
This Mark or Seal of God is far more important than the Mark of the Beast. Those marked by God will be excluded from the depopulation of one third of the earth mentioned in Revelation 9:15 and will be part of the 144,000 servants of God who have been sealed on their foreheads. They will be kept from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world.
How do you obtain the mark of God? How do you know you have it? Who will fall prey to the Mark of the Beast? Let’s find out.
In the great battle of souls, God and Satan mark those who are theirs. While Revelation mentions a very specific mark in the forehead or hand, the beast is even now marking those who belong to him.
Who are those people? They are the ones who are adulterers because they have made themselves enemies of God by becoming friends of the world. (James 4:4) Does the beast system know you? Are you one of theirs? Have you registered with them? Put your children in their schools? Taken one of their corporate jobs? Participated in their medical schemes?
You might be seduced into thinking the Mark of the Beast is not here yet so there is still time to profit from the beast system. But those actively participating with the Beast are most likely to take the ultimate Mark of the Beast. They won’t know how to survive without it.
If you want to be marked and sealed by God, you must come out of the system and live as aliens, foreigners, and sojourners. We are strangers to this world, we are a holy people.
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.
As God has said:
“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
Therefore,
“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
“I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
Secular rulers continually implement schemes to draw you under their control. They want to mark you as theirs. They might offer free health care, free education, employment opportunities, or income assistance. The benefits can be enticing. But then suddenly one day, these perks cannot continue unless you submit to a new requirement. Those who won’t submit are ostracized from society. What if the new requirement threatens your health or is morally wrong? Then what do you do? How do you decide? The decisions you make today show who your source is. They also show who has marked you.
How Much Do You Love God?
Who is your source? Who do you prioritize when making decisions? Do you go ahead and compromise your beliefs because you need to support your family? Then you are making family your priority.
Do you change your conviction to a preference because you have a mortgage to pay? Then you are prioritizing having a secure place to live.
Do you go against what you know is right because you’ve invested too much into your career to throw it all away? Then your career is taking precedence.
All these are examples of something or someone getting in the way of loving and serving Jesus Christ as your top priority.
Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. – Jesus (Matthew 10:37-38)
God engineers our circumstances. When you are faced with making a decision that could cost you the loss of family, housing, or employment, will you still continue on with obeying Jesus, or slide back to the comfort of the world? Jesus talked about those who backslide.
From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. John 6:66
Look at that verse number: John 6:66. Instead of following Jesus, they went back to the beast, represented by 666.
Are you going on with Jesus? His way goes through Gethsemane, through the city gates and “outside the camp,” where there is disgrace. (Hebrews 13:13) The way is lonely and goes on until there is no longer even a trace of a footprint to follow - but only a small voice saying, “Follow Me.” Matthew 4:19
When are you Sealed by God?
The seal of the Holy Spirit marks God’s ownership of us. You are included in Christ when you hear the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14
In the book of Revelation, the four angels, having the seal of the living God, were given power to harm the earth and sea, but not until the servants of our God were sealed on their foreheads:
“Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. Revelation 7:3-4
Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. Revelation 14:1
Revelation, Chapter 9, says there will be horrible suffering and torture. People will long to die, but death will elude them. Only those with the seal of God on their foreheads will not be harmed:
Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. Revelation 9:3-6
Later in the chapter, the four angels were released to kill one third of mankind:
So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. Revelation 9:15.
Let us focus on having the seal of God on our forehead, then the mark of the beast will have no place in us because we have already been marked.
In the dark days ahead, are you afraid of losing your family, home, or career if you don’t submit to the latest edicts? This is how the beast system gains ownership over us. We must fear God above all else. And if we fear Him, we will obey Him. We will not fear what men will do to us.
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. Psalm 112:7
Maybe you’ve known the truth for years that you need to leave that stagnant job. Here is your escape, a way out. Trust God to show you what to do next. You won’t be able to see the way, until you turn your life over to Him. That’s what walking in faith looks like. When you let go of the life you have in the world, God will start showing you opportunities in His Kingdom.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. Luke 9:24
The mark of the beast and the seal of God are all about ownership. Who do you fear? Who do you depend on? We are God’s dependents, not man’s. His true sons and daughters separate from the world system and sin no more.
Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:9
Those who do not turn away from evil after hearing the word of truth are not sealed by God. They may do many wonderful things for Jesus, but if they don’t repent of their sins, they do not belong to Him.
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 7:21-23
If we truly belong to Jesus Christ, we leave off sinning and we are sealed:
Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19
The bottom line is that right now everyone is marked - either by the Kingdom of Darkness or the Kingdom of Light. Those who have given their allegiance to Jesus Christ and follow Him, need not be afraid of the coming wrath of God. It is not meant for them.
Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Revelation 3:10
This mark of God that protects us from the wrath of God is similar to the Israelites putting blood on the lintel and the two side posts of their houses to protect them from the destroyer who was killing the oldest sons. Exodus 12:22-23
This protection is from the wrath of God. It does not mean we will not suffer persecution from the devil:
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:10
Repent and Believe the Gospel of the Kingdom
Now is the time to leave the world system before you suffer God’s wrath. If you are still sucking at the trough of the beast, it’s time to walk away and step into a new Kingdom.
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. Revelation 18:4
Wake up and repent. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
