Where did they get that? - The Mark of the Beast and the Number 666

You've seen it in movies and books and artwork: the number 666. Maybe you've heard it called the "Mark of the Beast." You might even know it's associated with Satan. But where did they get that? (Tweet that!) 

If you read the previous post, "Where did they get that? - Why Christians are Concerned about Privacy," you know this number comes out of Revelation 13:18. For convenience let's repeat Revelation 13:16-18 here:

It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. 

This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

This Bible verse tells us, no one could buy or sell unless they had the mark.

Think about what this means in practical terms. If you refuse to get this mark, you won't be able to buy or sell anything. You can't sell your goods to make money. You can't buy food for your family. (Tweet that!)  What else can't you buy? Electrical power? Gasoline for your car? Health care?

The pressure to accept the Mark will be great.

This is why Christians react strongly and negatively to certain news reports about our privacy and ways to track us, our purchases, our health care, and everything we do. (Tweet that!) 

Let's think through some of the implications of not being able to "buy or sell" without this required Mark. What do you think of these?

• When the United States' required health care system is fully implemented, will anyone in the U.S. be able to "buy or sell" health care without the government-required documents? Will this eventually be a world-wide system, as must take place to fulfill the prophecy?

• As our world increasingly moves toward a cashless society, will we be required to have a credit card or other form of card, number, or identification to purchase food?

• If you refuse a government-issued card or number, how will you buy utilities to heat or cool your home? Or water to drink and for sanitation?

If you refuse to get this Mark of the Beast, how will you survive? If you are still alive on the earth when these things take place, the answer is – and always is – to trust the Lord Jesus Christ to provide for you everything you need to survive as long as He determines He wants you on this earth. This is faith. (Tweet that!) We each need to be practicing our faith and strengthening our faith now. Today. So we will know how to live relying on Him when that time comes.