Solve that one.
Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
And it isn't about v.18.
I was commenting with one those verses on Carey's Journal when I was struck by something in v.14.
Here's what's odd: verses 16-17 describe a MARKET ECONOMY. So why in the world would the beast out of the earth tell people
"that they should MAKE an image to the beast"?
In the tribulation, the market system is present. So why require to people to manufacture their own image?
Why doesn't the world-government
make the images itself and then install them in peoples' homes?
Or legally oblige all who are marked to buy the image?
Why in the world do the private citizens have to make the image?
Controlled capitalism, like Nazi Germany.
Every Blessing in Christ
Matthew
Concerning vs. 16 and 17:
"Then this man sets up an Ecumenical Council over the United Nations, takes over the world at Rome, and fixes you so that you can't get milk, braead and butter for your babies unless you take a black mark right smack between the eyes or in the palm of your hand, as when you kiss somebody on the forehead or blow a kiss form the palm of your hand. You'll take it, or you can't buy! The government will require you to take a Social Security number now to prepare you for what they are going to do. It is going to be a Federal offence not to take the mark of the beast. You unsaved religious leaders who are messing around and putting off Jesus Christ, God has go a monkey wrench that is going to fit your nut! God Almighty is going to put you in a place where it is going to be a Federal offence for you not to worship the devil! You'll worship him! You won't go to jai! I f you are such a sorry, God-forsaken rascal right now that you are ashamed to confess Jesus Christ, dn't kid yourself into thinking that you've got the guts to resist the Federal Government when they tell you to worship the devil. You'll go alon. You're "chicken" rig now, or you woould have been saved already."
OKay....I am an avid reader of the Left Behind series....I know I know....a lot is not necessarily correct. Nevertheless, it makes several good points.
The section you just quoted is an entire book, where the ANtiChrist dies (actually he is murdered). His loyal secretary/servant asks the world to erect a monument in honor of the Antichrist. Then, on the third day, this guy "does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and he deceives them that dwell on the earth by the means...." The mark is the book after that. This mark is actually real. It exists and is being considered for human use. Right now it is used to track dogs and contains their ID and medical information. It is like a credit card but under your skin. This gadget leaves a scar and guess what.....the only places where they can implant this gadget is in the wrist or the forehead (the safest place). Many companies are creating scnaners that scan you, so that you can check out items from your implanted credit card and buy things. According to the left behind series, this is administered with a mark to cover up the scar. This tattoo identifies people as citizens of this New World and "loving servants" of the Antichrist.
I harked back to Pharaoh also. Same idea, but I feel there's another element which I can't see right now.
The AntiChrist will not die, the wound will take out his right eye and dry up his arm - Zecheraiah 11:17
Hence the "MARK" will establish a physiological identification with the anti-Christ.
The chip is very much possible. But here's an alternative.
Einstein once said that WW4 will be fought with stick and knives.
Given the plagues upon earth during the tribulation, it is likely that industrial technology will breakdown. That would explain why the Euphrates has to be dried up for an army to pass, for example (no big deal with today's military technologies). So you might end up with literal tatoos afterall. Actually i just realized something! That might also explain why they have to manufacture their own image...
"If the United States, with all its technology, computers and chips, doesn't have the means to know who enters or leaves the country then where are we?," he said.
I just wanted to tell you that Matthew recommended your blog in a survey I was conducting on my own blog this weekend.
Keep up the good work and have a blessed weekend.
Won't that be cool? An eclipse and an earthquake all at once....
Antichrist... American Airlines... hmm...
Anytime I see the phrase "one-world community" I think "antichrist." Creepy... just creepy.