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“Is it possible to take the mark of the beast without knowing it?”

Peter Feaman, a senior Republican official in Florida, referred to the COVID-19 vaccines as the “mark of the beast”. An unidentified Reddit user asked if perhaps the vaccination passports were the mark of the beast. Christians and non-Christians alike have written no end of articles assuring vaccine-hesitant evangelicals that neither claim was true. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the mockery that has been directed at anybody who raised the question, I’ve still heard a couple of believing acquaintances suggest it.

Even the faint possibility of having taken the mark of the beast makes Christians nervous, and so it should. But does scripture give us any information about whether it is even possible to take the mark of the beast without being aware of the association?

The Mark of the Beast

The phrase “mark of the beast” comes from Revelation 13, which paints a future scenario in which a globalist world leader will appear “out of the sea”, or from the nations, in the power and energy of Satan himself. He will be allowed to exercise authority for three and a half years, and will be given authority over “every tribe and people and language and nation”, making himself an object of worship.

At some point in this process, but after the first beast has received his authority, a second beast will appear “out of the earth” (or land), probably meaning Israel. This second beast’s job is to direct worship to the first beast, performing great signs and commanding an image of the first beast to be made. It is in this context that John writes these words:

“Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.”

So by the time the mark of the beast is globally enforced, the beast will already be publicly revealed and already be governing the entire planet.

Not Done in a Corner

These things cannot and will not be done in a corner. The mark is associated with the worship of the beast, and the object of marking its servants is to identify those who will not worship the beast and ensure they are killed off. In such a context, it would seem quite impossible to take the mark of the beast by accident. It would be as likely as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego unwittingly bowing down to Nebuchadnezzar’s image. The mark is associated with the man. It is effectively a pledge of allegiance to him. He will have to be revealed on the world stage for the mark to have any meaning at all.

In chapter 14 of Revelation, the mark of the beast is mentioned again. Another angel warns against taking the mark and declares that the one who takes it will “drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger.” It is notable that this follows the declaration that Babylon the great is fallen. Timewise, then, the pressure to take the mark will be after or simultaneous with the complete obliteration of the great false religious system described in Revelation 17-19. Again, these are events nobody living on earth at that time could possibly miss.

The Smoke of Their Torment

The COVID-19 vaccine was not the mark of the beast, and neither were the vaccine passports that accompanied it. They were certainly acts of coercion and indoctrination conceived by a mindset similar to that behind the first beast’s coming campaign. But the worst thing the vaccine ever did to anyone was cause them to drop dead on the spot (37 cases so far in Ontario alone). Dropping dead should not overly trouble a child of God when contrasted with the far worse consequences of taking the real mark of the beast. And the worst thing I’ve ever heard happening to those who got a vaccine passport is that they were allowed to travel, go to concerts and visit their relatives in old folks homes.

Take the real mark of the beast, and the smoke of your torment will go up forever and ever. That’s something to be very concerned about, assuming you believe Christians will still be on the planet when the second beast introduces the mark.

But taking the mark without comprehending the association with the man of sin? Impossible.