Interesting comment Acts5v29, I personally do think it will be physical, I think it will be part of a monetary system which will also indicate allegiance to 'the beast' - who in my opinion may well be alive today and waiting for that time when he will be welcomed as the 'man of peace' - of course he will be anything but, as 3 in 4 people will be wiped off the face of the earth in that dreadful 'Day of the Lord' as Joel, Revelation, Daniel & Ezekiel (and many others) indicate so clearly.
So what about the technology to bring in such a 'mark' as mentioned in Revelation 13?
This is one of thousands of reports on what is being used today.....
"Fearful about how RFID tags might be used on people, state Senator Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, has proposed legislation limiting the use of the human device called a VeriChip. Both houses of the California Legislature have approved a Simitian bill that would prohibit forcing people to have chips implanted. As of early this week, the bill remained on the governor's desk awaiting his signature" - please take a look at the full article which covers the present use of microchips in pets, as we know anything that will be used with humans is tested on animals first! - here is the link >>
http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=1314
Then what is this Mark that the scriptures speak of? I diffenately dont think that its symbolic or figerative in anyway. The scriptures has made it quite clear that "ALL WILL BE UNDER COMPULSION TO TAKE THE MARK or they will neither be able to buy nore sell" Rev 13:16-17 Does this not indicate that their will be a litteral forcing with severe conciquences for those who do not comply? Very interesting enough though, THE MARK that Jehovah uses to mark THOSE WHO ARE HIS is a spiritual mark when he commissions ezekial to walk through the city and mark those who are groaning and sighing over all the detestable things that were happening on their foreheads.
It appears that Satan think in very litteral terms of what Jehovah uses as symbolic Almost as though whatever Jehovah does, his (satan's) attitude is "I can do it better" He has taken all of his skill and crafty acts and geared them to the more concrete, knowing that humans have the tendacy to want to see with eyes of flesh rather than eyes of faith, therefore he uses that to his advantage. Well, what is the point to all my blubering? This mark, in whatever shape or form that it takes, will be a very real, a very physical mark that will be placed on all those who are promoters of this satanic system. At this point, The Demons are only awaiting word from the their masters as to what form this mark will take.
Hello again Gabriel, Warm Greetings in Christ.
Let's examine a few key points as to the identity of the Mark of the Beast. First, you draw the correct contrast and correlation between this Mark and the Mark that is given by the Man with the Secratary's Inkhorn. You have also correctly stated that the Secratary's Mark is a SPIRITUAL Mark. Just as a viewpoint question, why would the Mark of the Beast be other than Spiritual, if it is a corresponding mark of SPIRITUAL allegiance?
"14 And it misleads those who dwell on the earth, because of the signs that were granted it to perform in the sight of the wild beast, while it tells those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the wild beast that had the sword-stroke and yet revived. 15 And there was granted it to give breath to the image of the wild beast, so that the image of the wild beast should both speak and cause to be killed all those who would not in any way worship the image of the wild beast.
16 And it puts under compulsion all persons, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, that they should give these a mark in their right hand or upon their forehead, 17 and that nobody might be able to buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name." - Revelation 13:14 - 17
The Beast MISLEADS those who dwell on the earth. This is done by signs...reminiscent of the powerful works and signs that the Man Of Lawlessness would perform, also to mislead. Those who would not WORSHIP the Beast or its Image are placed under its authority to be killed. These are spoken of again in Revelation Chapter 20 as "those who had worshiped neither the wild beast nor its image and who had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for a thousand years." Again, a SPIRITUAL thought. This is referring to the 144,000. The 144,000, are chosen from Pentecost 33 onward. In order for them to refuse the Mark from 33 until Armageddon, the Mark would have to be something that would be in existence all throughout that time.
Those who accept the Mark are said to be put "under compulsion" to take the Mark. "Compulsion" is quite a different thing from "being forced." If the Mark were merely a physical thing, "forced" might make more sense, but since it is compulsory, it involves choice. Jehovah could not justly punish those who took the mark unwillingly, through force. Those who accept the Mark will do so WILLINGLY. Jehovah is looking for those who will WORSHIP in SPIRIT and TRUTH, thus, the Mark is tied into the WORSHIP of the beast. Take for example the Nazi Concentration Camps and our brothers and sister in both the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Bible Students groups, who were made to wear Purple Triangles. These indentifying marks were not merely compulsory, but forcibly worn...our brothers and sisters had no choice. If the Mark of the Beast were at issue during this trial, as I suspect it may have been, it had little or nothing to do with the Purple Triangles. The "Mark" issue or choice that those brothers had to make was whether or not to sign the paper renouncing their faith in Jehovah. Signing that paper would have shown their allegiance to the Nazi war machine, as well as to their flesh, and that their faith was not in Jehovah or His saving power, but rather in the fleshly arm of the Third Reich. Several situations like these have presented themselves to Jehovah's Sheep throughout the centuries, and no doubt will do so again in connection with the 8th King.
The Mark is associated not with FORM but with FUNCTION. While in a future application, the Mark MAY PROVE TO BE a choice in regards to a physical marking or implant, the form is irrelevant to the function it serves, that of demonstrable worship of Satan's 8th King, spurning Jehovah and the rightful rule of His Christ.
Or as I put it in another thread:
Let us please remember that the "Mark" is not simply a tracking device that can be unwittingly accepted by an uneducated public. This will not involve trickery. It will be a clear and decisive choice to "worship the image of the wild beast".
So we can see that this "Mark" is received in connection with the compulsory acceptance of the rule of the beast. This will involve a conscientious decision to worship the beast and give it glory, to the exclusion of Jehovah, the One who rightly deserves our praise, honor and glory.
Hope this helps.
Your fellow slave in Christ
SlaveForJah