The Mark of the Beast - Know what the Antichrist is Planning

The Bible tells us that a diabolically clever dictator called the Antichrist will appear in the Last Days and swiftly rise to power until he rules all the nations of the earth. The book of Revelation says that once he has reached the peak of his power, the Antichrist will attempt to force everyone in the world to receive the Mark of the Beast in their right hand or in their forehead. No one will be able to hold a job or buy or sell anything if they don't have the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name, and his number is 666. (See Revelation 13:16-18.)

Many people have heard about these things and frankly, they hope that they're not true. They definitely do not want the world to come to an end. But they can't escape the niggling feeling that something catastrophic will happen in the near future. Perhaps they're at the point of retirement but are now wondering whether they'll actually be able to retire as planned. Others are just beginning their career and their dreams are already being dashed or downgraded.

The reason for this is that the recession of 2007-2009 has devastated financial institutions, stock markets and even governments. On a personal level, it has gutted many families' savings and investment portfolios, and hundreds of thousands have lost their homes. The International Labor Organization predicted that by the end of 2009, 20 million jobs around the world would have been lost. The recession has lifted in many areas, but it will take years to recuperate from the immense damage, not financially but psychologically-for it has shaken many people's belief in any kind of financial security.

For many people, the questions that won't go away are: "When will the next economic earthquake hit? And will it be the one that takes everything down?" A large number of Christians believe that whether it happens sooner or later, that yes, the global economic system must crash, leaving the earth in a state of near-anarchy. Then when the Antichrist rises and offers his "666 solution," people will be so destitute that they'll be willing to accept his Mark in their right hand or forehead-if only he will restore order and financial security.

For the first time in history, the technology is now in place for the Mark of the Beast to become a reality. Mankind now has the ability to implant a microchip under the skin of human beings that would serve as both a personal identification number and a debit/credit card. Microchips that serve as identifying integrated circuits are now routinely implanted under the skin of pets and farm animals, and the chip is only as big as a large grain of rice. It would make good "sense" in a time of unprecedented financial chaos to create a world currency, stop credit card theft and identity theft by implementing a high-tech microchip program, linked to computers around the world.

That amount of personal information in the hands of Big Brother would mean the end of freedom as we now know it, but desperate people are willing to give up much. Billions of people will accept the Mark, especially given the fact that they won't be able to hold a job or buy or sell without it. But receiving the Mark of the Beast is part and parcel of worshiping the Antichrist, and the Bible states that the punishment for worshiping this Devil-man and receiving his Mark is to be sent to hell (Rev. 14:9-11).

When that day comes, billions of people will be faced with a choice: to receive the Mark and worship the Antichrist or follow Jesus' admonition to flee into the hills. (See Matthew 24:15-16.) It will definitely pay to be prepared!