Do You Already Bear the Mark of the Beast?

When John's Revelation warned first-century saints about the mark of the beast, it had nothing to do with computer chips or even tattoos. Rather, that unholy distinction betrayed a life devoted to the here and now; a citizen perfectly willing to comply with every demand of the pagan Roman Empire. "Enjoy free bread and circuses. Worship the Emperor. Play by our rules." The saints rejected that whole equation at great cost.

They were faced with a question of spiritual allegiance. Revelation's mark on the hand and forehead reflects the true measure of what one does and thinks. Whenever a powerful government promises tantalizing benefits beyond basic safety and national security, their demands invariably grow more personal, more ominous. Beyond telling you how much tax to pay and how fast you can drive, they seize the authority to tell you what to believe and how to live. Only the elites are permitted to define the right side of history. Others are left to enjoy the latest shiny benefits and comply.

Granted, the Roman Empire disintegrated centuries ago, but the beast lives on, an existential threat that rears his head somewhere in every generation. The Nazis called for savage, merciless control in order to create a super-race for Germany. In Russia and China, Communists promised equity and equality for all, but only if they could first wipe out their enemies and rewrite all the laws. They knew it was a lie, all of them. The poor saps who played along with them, they privately called "useful idiots."

History warns the church to beware of any government that sees every crisis as an opportunity to rewrite all the rules. Don't listen to authorities who warn that your fellow citizens are your real enemies. That's how the Nazis took power. Don't humor the activists who promise a utopian dream if the entire system is first turned upside down. That's how the Russian Revolution gave us the Soviet Union and the Berlin Wall. Selah.

Be afraid, be very afraid, when powerful political players fail in their basic duties while pointing to one esoteric crisis or another that demands history and common sense must be abandoned. When a select few wield the power to define "undesirables," or "hate speech," or "disinformation" today, the power will also be theirs to define "hateful religion" or "infidels" on the morrow. "And the beast will be allowed to make war on the saints." (Revelation 13:7)

Like sin, prime ministers and presidents always promise more than they can deliver. Trust politicians to define what is right and true for you, and you'll be marked for life as pagan, the early church term for "the un-enlisted". Bear the marks of Jesus Christ alone, even when you must defy the fashions of the culture, and he will give you a crown of life. (Revelation 2:10b)

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 2:17)

Read The Epic Life: Revelation, Resistance, and Revival for further biblical details about the beast and everything else in Revelation. Order today at our home page, TimothyFloydAuthor.com.