This is the question I have received:
How will the number 666, the mark of the beast, be written out, on the hand or on the forehead? I have an opinion regarding this, but if it is possible, I would like to ask an explanation from you…
A single biblical reference
There is only one mention of this number in the Bible and it is in chapter 13 of the book of Revelation, where it is described the reign of those two beasts, the first being the Antichrist and the second one, the false prophet, who will perform great wonders before the Antichrist. When It describes the actions of the false prophet, that is the second beasts, the Word of God says:
And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast (the first beast, the Antichrist) or the number of his name. Here is wisdom Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation 13:16-18)(NASB)
The mark will be received consciously and by choice
I heard preachers saying that this number will be written secretly and people will not know this, they will just realize that they have already been written on the hand or on the forehead. That’s why people want to know how the sign will look to protect themselves by those who would like to apply it to them. The Bible doesn’t give us more details than we see in the text written above. But, we do not even need more details, because this sign will not be put secretly and without people’s permission.
The second beast, that is the false prophet, will deceive the inhabitants of the earth who will live at that time, as it is written:
He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.(Revelation 13:13-14)(NASB)
As a result of this lie, many inhabitants of the earth will choose to receive this sign. And those who will not accept it, will be constrained by terror, because all those who will not worship the image of the first beast will be killed.
And then, people will be constrained economically to accept this mark on the hand or on the forehead, because those who do not have it will not be able to buy and sell without it.
All this shows that people will choose by themselves to receive this mark, being deceived or being persecuted or under economic pressure.
The mark will be applied only during the period of the beast
Many people fear that this sign will be applied now and they live with fear. Once, I myself heard a man who was a professor at the university, but had just repented and was a child in faith, so he spoke in front of some Christians, telling them not to accept to buy sugar and other things that have certain lines as signs, saying that it was the mark of the beast. Throughout history there have been a lot of speculation regarding this mark of the beast and people were so scared.It is not the case. The Bible says clearly that this mark will be applied by the second beast during the reign of the first beast, that is during those forty-two months mentioned in Revelation 13:5 and that are those 3.5 years of the reign of the Antichrist.
The lie has already begun to work
At the same time we must consider the reality Apostle Paul says about when he speaks about the coming of the Antichrist, the son of destruction:
For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:7)(NASB)
The events that happen in this world, in one way or another prepare the unbelievers for the events that will happen during the reign of the Antichrist, so as to make them make decisions more easily at that time. Thus, it is already spoken that bio-chips are applied, that are implanted on the right hand or forehead. Certainly this is not the mark of the beast, but this is a preparation for that time and it makes people get used to the point that they will receive it as something usual, when the mark of the beast will be applied to them.
Study the book of Revelation to protect you from false teaching and to be ready for future events.
Translated by Felicia Djugostran