The Mark of the Beast
The goal of this study is to get a better understanding of the mark of the beast as it is relevant for our times.
To get there we’ll start from the beginning and go through the whole bible to see what we can learn about the concept of a mark. We'll look at the original Hebrew and Greek words used to address the "mark" to get a clearer picture of what the mark of the beast may be.
The first time we see a mark placed on a person is after Cain kills Abel and is cursed by God to be a wonderer on the earth.
The Hebrew word used for “mark” here is "אוֹת" -“ot”. In the Bible it is used 79 times and is translated as banner, omen, pledge, sign, standard, witness and wondrous act.
Here is a summary of the main uses for "אוֹת" in the Old Testament:
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Evidence or proof of something that God does
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Sign of God’s covenant
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Physical sign or evidence
Evidence of God’s work
"אוֹת"
But Cain said to Yahweh, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” “Not so!” replied Yahweh. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And Yahweh placed a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.
Here it does not describe whether the mark was physical or not, but it describes the evidence of a mark being placed, a payback for anyone who kills Cain.
And Yahweh said, “If they refuse to believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe that of the second. But if they do not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. Then the water you take from the Nile will become blood on the ground.”
The same word is used for all the plagues of Egypt in Exodus.
Gideon answered, “If I have found favor in Your sight, give me a sign that it is You speaking with me.
Now Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, “What will be the sign that Yahweh will heal me and that I will go up to the house of Yahweh on the third day?” And Isaiah had replied, “This will be a sign to you from Yahweh that He will do what He has promised: Would you like the shadow to go forward ten steps, or back ten steps?” “It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps,” answered Hezekiah, “but not for it to go back ten steps.”
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
Then take an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between yourself and the city. Turn your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.
Sign of God’s covenant
"אוֹת"
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between Me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set My rainbow in the clouds, and it will be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth….So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and every creature on the earth.”
You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
It shall be a sign for you on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the Law of Yahweh is to be on your lips. For with a mighty hand Yahweh brought you out of Egypt.
“Tell the Israelites, ‘Surely you must keep My Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies you….It is a sign between Me and the Israelites forever; for in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”
You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
Since you did not obey Yahweh your God and keep the commandments and statutes He gave you. These curses will be a sign and a wonder upon you and your descendants forever.
Keep My Sabbaths holy, that they may be a sign between us, so that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.’
A Physical Sign
"אוֹת"
Then Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron: “The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.
Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them.
Mark of Righteousness
"תָּו"
Another Hebrew word for “mark” is "תָּו" -“tav”. In the Bible it is only used 3 times and is translated as “mark” in Ezekiel and as “signature” in Job.
He said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all who weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed in their city.”…Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.
Ezekiel is relevant to us because the concept of the mark here is very similar to the one in Revelation 7, so we can tie Hebrew "תָּו" (tav) and Greek "σφραγίς" (sphragis) together.
In the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, "אוֹת" (ot) and "תָּו" (tav) are translated as "σημεῖον" (sémeion).
So we can conclude that "אוֹת", "תָּו", "σφραγίς" and "σημεῖον" are all used to describe same or similar thing.
"σημεῖον" (sémeion) is used 77 times in the New Testament, it is translated as a sign, miracle, indication, mark and token.
"σφραγίς" (sphragis) is less common, it appears 16 times and is used as a seal, signet ring, the impression of a seal, that which the seal attests and the proof.
"Mark" in the New Testament
Below is a summary of uses for "σφραγίς" (sphragis) and "σημεῖον" (sémeion):
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Proof of authority
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Sign of God’s covenant
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Seal or proof of righteousness
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Seal of the Holy Spirit as a pledge of salvation
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Seal on a scroll
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Seal of God for protection
Let’s see examples in the New Testament.
John 2:18 (sémeion)
On account of this, the Jews demanded, “What sign can You
show us to prove Your authority to do these things?”
Romans 4:11 (sémeion and sphragis)
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith that he had while in the uncircumcision, for him to be father of all those believing while in uncircumcision, for the righteousness to be credited also to them.
Ephesians 1:13-14 (sphragis)
And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.
Revelation 5:1 (sphragis)
Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One seated on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals.
Revelation 7:2-4 (sphragis)
And I saw another angel ascending from the east, with the seal of the living God. And he called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: Do not harm the land or sea or trees until we have sealed the foreheads of the servants of our God….And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
In the scripture above you can see God’s seal being put on the foreheads of His servants and below you can see God’s name written on their foreheads.
Revelation 14:1 (God’s name)
Then I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
The Mark of the Beast
Now we have finally arrived to the mark of the beast. The Greek word "χάραγμα" (háragma) used here is different from the words previously used for mark.
"Háragma" was originally any impress on a coin or a seal, used by an engraver on a die, stamp or branding iron. Later it became "the identification-marker" like an owner's unique "brand-mark". Ancient documents were validated by such stamps or seals.
Besides the book of Revelation the word “haragma” is only used once and describes a "man made thing":
Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.
Below are the highlights of the mark of the beast description:
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The second beast causes all people to receive the mark
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The mark goes on the right hand or on the forehead
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No one can buy or sell without the mark
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The mark is the name of the beast or his number 666
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The number of the beast is the number of a man
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The number has to be calculated, it is not obvious
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It takes skill, wisdom or intelligence to calculate the number
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Anyone who receives the mark will receive eternal punishment
And the second beast causes all people small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark—the name of the beast or the number of its name. Here is a call for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and that number is 666.
And another, a third angel, followed them, saying in loud a voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the anger of God, having been mixed undiluted in the cup of His wrath; and he will be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. Day and night there is no rest for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.
So we can see that any mark of God is evidence of His authority and His work, it is supernatural in nature and evident in the natural for people to see. On the other hand the mark of the beast, essentially is the mark of the Devil, it is physical in nature and counterfeits authority with control, backing it up with false signs and wonders described in Revelation 13.
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