The Mark of the Beast, What is it?

On a Christian board I post on, there is an ongoing discussion regarding the mark of the beast referenced in Rev. 13:17; 14:9,11; 16:2; 19:20; and 20:4.

There are many ideas today as to what this mark might be. Many look to modern technology and posit the idea that the mark is one of these technologies. I have read of tattoos, both visible and invisible, perhaps like a bar code or some symbol of the beast. An implanted chip is very popular today, since the advent of that technology. Biometric scans of the eye (in the forehead) and the hand or finger (in the right hand) have all been suggested as possibly being the mark of the beast ruler. Some claim it is so in most certain of terms.

But what is this mark? How would the original receivers of this letter from John regarding the Revelation of Jesus have understood the mark of the beast?

One of the truths I have learned in understanding scripture is that there are many quotes and allusions to past scriptures in the more modern scriptures. Through out the scriptures we call the New Testament are many of these quotes and allusions. Also that there is a commonality to prophecies. Biblical prophecies often use the same or similar language to express the same ideas.

To the receivers of this letter of Revelation, they would have understood the mark in light of past scriptures. They only had the scriptures we call the Old Testament. They also had many letters from different of the apostles and teachers, some of which we have in our canon of scriptures we call the New Testament.

When we search for similar ideas in the Old Testament scriptures we find this same idea of a mark or sign upon the hand or forehead to show allegiance to a kingdom rule.

In Exodus 13 we find just such a reference.


1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal."

3 Then Moses said to the people, "Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the LORD brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast. 4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are leaving. 5 When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites—the land he swore to your forefathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to observe this ceremony in this month: 6 For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival to the LORD. 7 Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. 8 On that day tell your son, 'I do this because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.' 9 This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips. For the LORD brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. 10 You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.

11 "After the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your forefathers, 12 you are to give over to the LORD the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD. 13 Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons.

14 "In days to come, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in Egypt, both man and animal. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.' 16 And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand."

God said to Israel that their keeping the observances he commanded them would be LIKE a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead. In many of the religions of Canaan they had the religious observance of marking their hands and heads with temporary henna tattoos. Some in places still follow this custom today.

God elsewhere command Israel to not participate in tattooing, again directly referring to the religious idolatrous practices of the nations around Israel. God here is saying that keeping the observances is the mark that Israel is in covenant with God.

The assemblies that received the letter of the Revelation of Jesus Christ would have known about this reference and understood the mark of the beast in the light of it. They would have seen the mark of the beast to be keeping the ways and observances of the beast kingdom. Keeping the ways of those in covenant with the beast ruler.

In their day one was required by Roman law to sacrifice to the Roman gods. On a regular schedule governmental sacrifices were made with all the citizens of a town in attendance. It was considered treason to not participate in this idolatrous practice.

A believer could be tried and convicted of treason for not sacrificing to the Roman gods. By not participating in this Roman governmental idolatrous practice, they would be rejecting the mark of the beast nation of the Roman Emperor/god. By not participating in this Roman observation they would not be allowed to buy or sell, as all commerce was done under the eye of Roman soldiers and magistrates, and with the Roman standard, a idol of their emperor/god standing in the midst of the markets. To buy and sell in the Roman empire was also to make obeisance to the god/emperor, the beast of Revelations.

One of the main ways that Rome assured that all were under Roman control, was that all buying and selling had to be conducted in Roman coin. In each marketplace was set up an exchange, where the coin of the areas around a town were exchanged for the coin of the realm. This exchange included a tax and often an extra charge tacked on by the moneychanger. Again the Roman standard was right there next to the moneychanger, an idol to be worshipped in the course of the money exchange transaction. If you didn't worship the idol, you didn't get to exchange your money, and you didn't get to buy and sell in that marketplace. If caught buying and selling in coin other than Roman, you again would be guilty of treason against the empire.