Based on Revelation chapter 13 —

This today seems like a big topic to cover but it is not nearly as ominous as you might presuppose. To begin with the Book of Revelation is as you might think: It is a book that reveals something important that the Father desires for us to know.

There are several misconceptions that permit the misinterpretation of this valuable book. The first is that it unfolds over days to weeks, or months to 7 years. We have permitted ourselves to believe through erroneous teachings that this book is only about the period we church people over the years have called The Great Tribulation. I certainly understand how this was named such by people who research the Bible without having full knowledge of its languages and how they translated and recapitulated. However as stated earlier this book is not about the Tribulation period, but about the Lord Jesus Christ and things that will happen during the Tribulation that will announce who He is. Let’s just take this book in course, as it is and allow the Holy Spirit to unfold its pages according to God.

We must understand that the universe (that expands in a spiral) that God created, the church of Jesus Christ and the revelation of John all evolve. If we can accept that as fact, we must then realize that this one book works on a continuum (like so much of the Bible) and is being revealed to us in its fullness over time. Therefore what John speaks of cannot possibly be a seven year period but can stem the tide of millenniums if needful (that is up to God). Since this is truth being divulged we must consider that there is an anti-Christ in every generation and Satan is still falling from heaven! To say otherwise is to imply that the way the scriptures unfold are only for the period of time in which they are written and not for all the seasons of men upon the earth. This book above all, is one based on dark sayings and symbols and is not to be taken literally. It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and not that of the devil’s big day! It shows us great turmoil, judgments, death and destruction that will come upon the earth because of man’s disobedience to the laws of God that govern His kingdom and the universe.

I’m deliberately taking on the Book of Revelation, chapter seven, because of the enormous interest in the mark of the beast and the number 666. So many others have done a great job in the exegeses of this chapter. I have no complaint there, but for the other 40 million that have not capitulated it well, I have a huge complaint! You’re terrifying people. Please end your exaggerated tirade and permit apostles and prophets to do the job they are adept in doing.

Revelation Chapter 13

Vs 1: And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Sands of the sea are nations and populaces. The beast is a massive system that facilitates those nations. The 7 heads are monarchs, presidents or leaders, all corrupted by the beast’s systems. The horn can mean a type of authoritative crowning emblem that identifies the king with the system and where they fit into it. There are 10 crowns associated with the leaders in their regions. These are not necessarily 10 kings but sub-rulers associated with the size of a region. Blasphemy was the ruling spiritual force that controlled this particular system. It means they all were ungodly, against God’s kingdom, railers, accusers and very injurious in their speech about the Lord and His kingdom. Please make note of the fact that these systems and people of this nature happen in every generation. They get worst with each impending generation until the world climaxes in the last generation of people like them. That generation gives rise to THE final anti-Christ.

Vs 2: And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

This system resembled that of:

[if !supportLists]A. [endif]A Leopard. This animal is a fierce hunter and predator. He is a devourer that is marked by his spots. Leopards identify Asia and parts of Africa for us. That is their native habitation. They aren’t as strong as a lion but mimic the behavior of one as amongst the big cats.

[if !supportLists]B. [endif]The leopard had the feet of a bear which is totally unnatural for it except if you consider her continued interaction with Russia, the Bear. Literally the beast’s movement is as a leopard and is tied to Russia.

[if !supportLists]C. [endif]His mouth is that of a lion. This mouth has teeth that can grip, rip and tear the meat (body) from it’s prey and rip it apart from the (foundation) bones. In short, it has the power to dismantle kingdoms, cities, states and sovereignties. The tongue can strip the skin skillfully from the prey (outer protective covering of its government). He imitates the lion well having a ferocious roar that sends diverse signals, the greatest of them being fear. He parodies the Almighty without holding His exact power because the dragon was the source of its power.

In this chapter the reference to the dragon from earlier in the book is of course Satan himself. This will be his finest hour and also his final hours.

Vs’s 3 and 4: And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

One of the dragon system’s chief leaders will receive a mortal wound to his leadership but recover his losses. Everyone will marvel that the system will be capable of raising the deadly wounded area back to life and swiftly. Apparently, the wounding of the area of the world that dies and is revived, was mortally wounded by a war action. That is why everyone marveled and said who is insane enough to go to war with this system and it’s chief ruler? The answer is, the church!

Vs’s 5 and 6: And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

This “thing” incessantly spews out propaganda against the Lord, His name and the church ( that thinks they’ll be gone by then). The reference to those who dwell in heaven is not the raptured church but the host of heaven, the place from which the dragon fell.

Vs 7: And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Kindreds are related peoples, tongues their language and nations their homeland. He will have the ability to war against and defeat huge portions of the deceived Body of Christ in many (not all) nations. He will speak this wicked report through the press worldwide in every language. Remember, Satan will never be given the entire world, but he will be given jurisdiction over many nations of it in the end times. The use of the word “all” there does not connote of denote all of the world but is applicable to all types of people units, in every known language and in every existing nation of the earth.

The plagues, broken seals and vials depict the weapons used by Satan to wear out the church, along with the judgments of God, both positive and punitive. The church in the mindsets of that day will accept many things of this nature because of idolatry and attempt to find ways to appease themselves or resolve the issues. They will not rightly discern the voice of the Lord from the voice of the liar, Satan, and with blithely move about doing their own will but calling it God’s!

Vs’s 8-9: And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

If any man have an ear, let him hear.

All that dwell here is not a literal all inclusive. In its context it means all that adopt or are a part of that system and belief in it will worship the anti-Christ/beast and Satan as a result. This is defined as a select group: those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life. You can think of this as two books or the same book under another dispensation or time. The book is originally called “the book of life”, and later is referenced as “the Lamb’s book of life”. Everyone born in the earth is recorded in the book called life, and upon being born again, the names of the saved are recorded in the Lamb’s book of life. The end of the book of revelation says your name will be removed from the “book of life” (not the Lamb’s book) if you add to or take away from this book of the law. It ultimately concludes that those who worship the beast that know not the Lord will be the worshippers spoken of here alone.

All of those who refused the very available witness of salvation that is quite evident in all of the earth, will have their names removed from the book of life. It was set up that way before the foundation of the world. If you don’t receive the Savior you take on damnation upon death and are condemned to hell and separation from God (which is one of the definitions of hell). This is only for those who remain who can hear the voice of God. It will be gibberish, stupidity and conspiratorial to those who don’t believe in God.

Vs 10: He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

However you live and believe, you will suffer for it or be redeemed by it. This war will be waged against saint and sinner. If you believe in the sword, you’ll die by it. If you bound people to yourself or other forms of gathering or capturing them, you yourself will be bound by and to the same principle. Here lies the endurance, credence and persuasions or ideals of those sold out to God. Every one of their hearts shall be divulged by the trials making it a true trial to the saints. How will you choose, and what criteria will you use to choose it? Will you know the Word personally enough to evade the ill affects of this bestial system and man? They will wonder why they must endure so much. Sound familiar?

Vs 11: And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

This is the most beastly man or ruler that rises from within the earth from a certain region. These kinds of leaders or rulers are defined in other areas of this book and throughout the Bible. He has the voice of Satan but the persona of Christ, the Lamb. He is a deceiver. His two horns connote two forms of authorization and emblems of rulership to perform the will of the master beast and his system. He is the anti-Christ and is supported by the false prophets. Between the two they cause many to worship the beast. At some point the anti-Christ and the system become one.

Vs 12: And he excercizeth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

The first beast is the beast’s system. It is multi-national in every way. The first beast appeared to die but was revived and came back far more ferocious and in another form. He brings back to remembrance the fact that the first beast system seemed to die out but then revive. This man has all of the rights and privileges of a chief ruler in that system. Now he is bringing to the attention of the world the fact that this beast lives again and is the only thing in which to trust. He is setting them up to totally trust this evil system more than anything else. By this people believed in it and worshipped that system and that man, much like it is today. Worship here means to firmly believe in the power of the system paying homage to it as if your life depends upon it. The worshippers believe this system is from God and that they should follow it to the letter. Their prosperity is tied into dependence upon this system. They like it and don’t mind following closely or defending it.

Vs’s 13-14: And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

This system (administration) and man have the ability to rain down fire upon enemies (nuclear weapons, bombs, etc.) to keep them in line and give a sense of false security to the ones that follow the man and the system. The ability of this system to bring order to all other systems of government is massive and fools people into blind trust and awe. They believe this man can do anything and thus must be from God or is a god! The system develops a logo or insignia, a crest that stands for it and its abilities along with its rulers. This kind of emblem signifies a power or a conglomeration of nations. Just like each nation has a symbol, so does this worldwide, multinational system. It will probably be symbolized by something like the Phoenix, a mythological bird that rises from death.

Vs 15: And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

This system’s emblem came to a form of supernatural life, much like artificial intelligence of the present and future. The worshippers of the system which would be people in all facets of life have made an oath to the beast and his system that binds them to it to such and extent that they can be killed as traitors if they break the vow. This is like a deserter to the military in a time of war. Every living person has not sworn allegiance to the system. Those who do not, belong to Christ. They will be in a position to be martyred in some nations for bucking the system. [ the horns are declarations and message makers. The alliances of the beast cause him to come back to life )

Vs’s 16-17: And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

So much has been made of this one, singular scripture! People are making it high knowledge and mystery because they cannot unravel the significance of the numbers. This triple digit has appeared in countless movies both Christian and secular. I can’t say that it is not mysterious, but I can say it is not a number to fear!

Because of identity theft, people will have to go to a cashless society. Electronic dollars already exist; so do credit cards and other forms of human tracking and documentation. In order to protect a person’s net value or find a person who is lost or kidnapped, the world will need to develop a way to accomplish protecting its citizen’s identity. We are already there. It will be easier to keep your medical records, identification materials and banking info somewhere on a computer component in your body than for you to carry paperwork, have an account that can be hacked or have a credit card that can be forged. Thieves already steal all of the above, including the printing of money. This will destroy that possibility and will keep people in a position for the multinational beast system to keep track of all of the people of the earth. No one will be an illegal immigrant by this time. No “Osama Bin Ladens” will be able to hide from the government of this system. Everyone will be accounted for from birth. There will be so many people in the earth, and the techno-world will be so extraordinary and propitious, the only thing left to do will be to keep track of people through massive, available and sensible-for-the-times, computerized systems. Once again, this is already happening.

Identify theft is at an all time high. Money laundering and other crimes are formidable because of the internet and technology. The only way to conquer it is to develop a huge system that will police the people because you can’t police the technology! This mark will be in the body in a place too difficult to cut out. It will be microscopic and easily read by artificial intelligence and other satellites or extensions of the Beast system. You will not be able to buy or sell without it, or do anything else business wise. You’ll have to have that software inside you or belong to that system to be able to live and do commerce. Pretty ingenious and a definite answer to how to protect yourself and your assets.

Despite this fact, nowhere does the Bible say that if you take this mark you are citizens of the anti-Christ’s system and kingdom and thus on your way to hell. There is no credible evidence that the church will be exempt! The passages above show you that the church of Jesus Christ is still viable and in the earth. It is still being tried and proven steadfast and strong and it is adding people to itself by the millions.

Think: If the government wants to implant a chip in you they don’t need your permission or a vaccine! Vaccinations have been mandatory all my life so if they wanted to use that, they’d already have done it. Sooner or later everyone is going to need some medical work done. It can go in through an IV port, dental work, surgery, vaccination or even tattoo! They have many ways of getting it in you, and in you they will, especially if you are a part of that system! You won’t be able to stop it and by the time the beast system has taken over nations, you will have already had some form of identifier in use. This will seem very natural and nobody will be upset over it! It’s already here! The system will not share that with you.They have to have a way to control the people of the world because certain nations will be out of control. The economies, technology and military might of a nation will dignify it as a world power, not the number of people in it. The beast’s system does not get the entire world but it will have enough of it to be something that demands you work with it.

The identifier for the system will be a code.This code will tell the system that you have the mark, all of your vital information, and whether you worship the beast! Yes, they will separate believers from unbelievers. Those who do not believe in Christ will share in the number of the man that heads the systems, and his identifying number is six hundred, three score (60) and six. Notice these are three distinctions and each one gives us a clue as to who the “man of perdition” is!

Vs18: Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

The prophet ends by saying you are wise if you observe, make note of, the number of the beast, giving you the secret that it is also the number of a man. He invites you to muse over it through the idiom of life experience, divine and human knowledge. This is very significant. That number is not a computer or even the system that God asks you to examine, it is the identity of the man the final anti-Christ along with the system he serves. I know this may be a real stretch for the average Christian mind, but did it ever occur to anyone but me that the phrase “the number of a man” may be futuristic and literal? As we continue in a tech driven world it may absolutely be a term and an identifier. People may start to be indemnified by number codes instead of names on future documents of all kinds. Just food for thought.

Six in Hebrew is (shesh). It means image, man, beast, flesh, sacrifice, intimacy, finished work, knowledge, sacrificial love, number of man and beast, antichrist, idol, and judgment. Six usually refers to the works of man, but ideally represents sacrificial love and intimate knowledge with the Creator (Da’at). When the latter is forsaken, only idolatry and flesh remain. We are ALWAYS either projecting the image of God or the image of the beast (flesh) to the world, which is represented by the number six. This number flanks the number of this man that can only be found by the wise who can decipher the code.

In gematryia (an alphanumeric code of assigning a numerical value to a name, word or phrase based on its letters) the number 600 translates out as Tzitzit- the fringes or tassels worn on traditional or ceremonial garments by Jewish males as reminders of the commandments of Deuteronomy 22:12 and Numbers 15:37–41. The use of this number mocks the priesthood of God setting in order a false, monstrous mockery of Christ and

His temple.

This is followed once again by the lone number six. My hypothesis, and it is a true hypothesis and conclusion, is that this number will apparently be fully defined upon the necessary appearance of the final anti-Christ in his generation. However John does give us the things cited above to make pronouncements concerning this wicked figure! It is obvious he is the last and final anti-Christ. He is also a man as opposed to a beast ( but will act bestial), and his carnal abilities will fulfill all of the definitions of the number “600” in massive ways. He is a huge figure whose capacity is for world domination.

In the Greek the number 6 means the number of man (being created on the 6th day); and imperfection. There are more definitions but these two will suffice.

In the Greek, threescore refers to a word whose diminutive source refers to a wild animal, a beast or a very wicked and evil man. The Hebrew definition of each serves as well to define the number of the man.

Now we have a description of a human being that is bestial, brutish and wicked in nature, an anti-Christ figure of high proportions, akin to an unbridled, wild animal, never submitted to any authority but his own and a chief world ruler of his day. He is filled with idolatry and sacrifices to idols of foreign gods. He will pull together all world religions to become a supreme leader of note, very charismatic, highly worshipped and adored worldwide. This is the problem solver for the plagues, extreme weather patterns, infighting in governments of sovereignties, and fighting between nations. He must be quite brilliant to rise to such ranks, and his character being defined in numbers connotes that he is a huge world figure.

This man is yet to come, although the world has hosted many of his kind in every generation. Despite this, the last one will be the greatest of them all and a foe to be defeated by the church and Jesus Christ. We are the only force greater than his power because we represent the man that is featured at the opening of the book. This chapter is in the middle and runs in tandem with the chapters before and after it. As the chapters describing the breaking of the seals and vials run concurrently together (a vial breaks, then a seal, a seal breaks then a vial) this action happens amidst the restiveness and the angst of these judgements. Although all of it transpires over centuries, the unfolding of it all is very dramatic and pressed into conformity to the will of Him whose appearance is of “One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;” Revelation 1:13-15 NKJV

This is who we must keep in mind when we consider the ramifications of the “mark of the beast”. HE is the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last, and might I add, everything in between. If you receive Him as He is depicted here, every other force from hell appears far less potent and diminishable under His strength. Whether you take the mark or it is enforced upon you, your faith in this Lord of all keeps you safe from each unrighteous calamity. For as He was then, so shall He always be! He is King of kings and Lord of lords and the only one worthy to rule the entire universe. Hallalel!

***All scripture is from the KJV Bible interpretation unless otherwise notated***