Beware the Mark of the Beast
While in Illinois I came across a tract with the following title, “Beware the Mark of the Beast.” Of course, it should come as no surprise that such a tract can be found. The religious world is over run with teachings on Premillennialism.
In this bulletin I wish to answer some of the teachings in this tract and compare it to the word of God.
Time is Near
Premillennialism always teaches that the time for these events is near; it won’t be very long before the promises and prophecies found within the book of Revelation will come to pass. This teaching is not in harmony with the scriptures. Let us examine why.
As with the study of any book, especially the Bible, we need to understand the context in which it was written. Certainly no one would turn to Genesis 6 and find authority to build an ark today. Furthermore, when studying any letter in the New Testament, we need to understand to whom it was written. Colossians was written to the Colossians, Ephesians was written to the Ephesians, I and II Timothy was written to Timothy and Revelation was written to the 7 churches of Asia (Rev. 1:4). Since this letter (Revelation) was written to these churches we must first read Revelation as they would have. We must read it as if we were living in the 1st century.
John pointed out that the time is near, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John (Rev. 1:1).” “Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand (Rev. 1:3).” “And he said unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand (Rev. 22:10).” But, does that mean it is near for us today? How would those of the 7 churches understood it? Certainly they would not have interpreted such a statement to mean long after they have died. If John meant 1900+ years into the future, why the urgency for preparation. It is only logical that the time was near for the original readers. Let me put it this way, if I were to say I am coming to your house soon. When would you expect me? 10 years from now? After you have died?
The Super Dictator
Within this tract they prove the time is near by claiming that the political state in this world is right for the Super Dictator to reveal himself. They use Revelation 13 to prove he exists and Rev. 17:12 to prove that the political state of the world is perfect for his revealing. The problem with such a theory is that any number of people could fit such a description over the last 1900 years. Their have been numerous dictators that have ruled over the last 19 centuries and numerous dictators that have seemingly ruled the world.
Furthermore, their understanding of these passage is skewed. They first claim assume that it is written to you and I in the 19th, 20th, and now 21st century. We addressed this issue in the previous section. Secondly, they assume that no one has ever fit the description used to identify the Super Dictator. Yet, the phrases used to describe him certainly could lead us to any number of people. “He will rule the whole world,” which was a figure of speech which meant either the known world or the Roman world. “No man may be able to buy or sell without his mark.” It is actually quite common for rulers to demand allegiance to them in order to buy and sell within their kingdom. Roman Caesars, Catholic Popes, Napoleon, and Hitler all fit this description.
The Mark of the Beast
Although the writer of the tract does not use the number 666 (Rev. 13:18), he alludes to his name, his number and his sign over and over again. Furthermore, he points out that we have had forerunners to all sign and number. “Russia’s hammer and sickle, Mussolini’s Fascist emblem, Hitler’s swastika, and Roosevelt’s blue eagle … we can see the “NUMBER system” in evidence - social security.”
If this writer would spend more time understanding the symbolic language used in the book of Revelation, he would have discovered that number of the beast would help further explain who such a person truly is/was. Again, the number of the beast is 666. John points out that it is the number of a man. The number 7 however is the number of divine perfection … 7 golden lamp stands (Rev. 1:20), 7 churches of Asia, 7 Spirits of God (Rev. 5:6). The number 777 (although absent from Scripture) could easily be interpreted as the Godhead, one 7 for each member of the Godhead thus representing their unity and perfection. If this is the case (and I am convinced it is) then the number 666 represents the one who makes himself to be God. Or as Paul words is in II Thes. 2:4, “Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Of course, most Premillennialist do consider the man of lawlessness and the Beast to be one and in the same. But even Paul states that the mystery of this man was already in the world (II Thes. 2:7). Which to the Thessalonians, it meant that he too would soon be revealed, thus taking us back to the original point.
In the end, all the mark is to represent is allegiance to the beast. Domitian and Trajan were two specific Caesar’s that required all to swear allegiance in the form of worship in order to buy and sell goods. It is more likely John and Paul was referring to one of them (as it would have soon come to pass) than to someone who has yet to come.
-WTK