The second beast of Revelation 13 will cause "all, both small
and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right
hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one
who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of
his name" (verses 16-17).
What is behind this strange-sounding practice? How will it affect people
as the time of the end draws near?
There is historical evidence that, in the ancient Babylonian culture,
slaves "were identified ... [by] some kind of mark, either tattooed or
branded on the face or the back of the hand ... " (H.W.H. Saggs, The
Greatness That Was Babylon, 1962, p. 173). There may be parallels
between this ancient practice and what God reveals will happen in the end
time.
Many have speculated about the meaning of this puzzling prophecy. Some
interpret it in terms of supercomputers, unique personal identity numbers
and even microchips embedded under the skin.
However, we should consider that receiving a mark on the hand or forehead
could well be figurative. Remember from Revelation 7:3 that God's servants
were sealed on their foreheads. And in Deuteronomy 6 Moses told God's people
to "keep all His statutes and His commandments," noting, "You shall bind
them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between
your eyes" (verses 2,8). The hand and forehead here represent one's
actions and thoughts respectively-which should be dedicated to obeying
God.
