I am so tired of seeing social media posts claiming that the COVID-19 vaccines are the Mark of the Beast that I decided to write this article to refute those claims and hopefully remove some of the fear that is currently gripping a large part of the Christian community regarding the jabs.
First, a disclaimer. It has been said that if you put six Bible scholars in a room together to talk about the book of Revelation, you will get twelve different views. I acknowledge that some scholars see most of the book as referring to the time in which it was written, and most of the events recorded in it as having already been fulfilled. However, I take a futurist view, believing that most of the book refers to events that have yet to happen (although, as is often the case with prophecy, there may also have been a partial fulfilment at or near to the time of it being written.) I also believe that it is sequential, meaning that events move in time order from the beginning of the book to its end. Although much of the book is symbolic, I believe that in many cases John was looking at actual events for which he had no words because the things he was seeing did not yet exist.
Whilst this is certainly not an attempt at a commentary on the whole book of Revelation, let’s take a look at some of the important milestones that must take place before the Mark of the Beast.
Firstly, in chapter 6,we see the seals being opened and the release of four “horses” – conquest, war, famine and death. This is clearly a time of massive upheaval in the world, culminating in verse 8 with the death of a quarter of the world’s population. Have we seen this happen yet? If we take this backwards in history, we might think that the Black Death, which is estimated to have wiped out half the population of Europe, might qualify. However, that terrible time did not include the elements of war and famine. The period from 1914 into the 1920s could be a good fit, with first World War I and the Russian revolution, then the Spanish flu which is said to have infected a third of the world’s population, then massive famines in China and the Soviet Union during the 1920s, and if we carry forward into the 1930s the Great Depression and all the attendant suicides. However, I’m not sure that the deaths from all these events combined would have added up to a quarter of the world’s population at the time. If this was not what John was seeing, then there is a very unpleasant time indeed ahead for the world.
Next, in verses 12-17 of chapter 6, we see a massive earthquake – so big that the dust caused by it blocks out the light of the sun and moon, and islands and mountains are shaken out of place. It is so big that world leaders try to hide from it, acknowledging it as God’s judgement. Have you seen this happen yet? No, I didn’t think so. Neither have I.
Now let’s go down to Chapter 8. First we have another earthquake, then hail with fire and blood (a meteorite storm?) which results in massive fires across a third of the earth. A “great mountain” is thrown into the sea, and a “great star” falls on the rivers (meteors?) causing death in the sea and turning the rivers bitter. The light from the sun, moon and stars is reduced by a third.
In Chapter 9 we see first a massive release of demonic forces, but these have the power not just to harass people spiritually but to torment them physically. Then in verses 15 to 19 we have the release of 200,000,000 “cavalry” – but from the description these “horses” sound more like some kind of modern weapon. Whatever they are, their activity results in the death of a further third of mankind. Have we seen it yet? I don’t think so.
Chapter 12 verse 9 sees the devil thrown down to earth from the position he has occupied in the second heaven. Remembering that the original text did not have chapter and verse divisions, if we put together the second part of 12:17 “And he stood on the sand of the sea” with the first part of 13:1 “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea” it seems that the devil actually causes this beast to come forth. This beast is the Antichrist, who receives power and authority from Satan. We can learn a little more about this character by going to 2 Thess:2-10 “That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things. And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Obviously the signs and wonders that this man performs will be extremely impressive, as the world will worship him. In verse 7 he is given authority over “every tribe and people and tongue and nation.” This is one-world government, and though we might think it is on its way, it certainly isn’t here yet. In fact, when we consider that this government will be over Russia, China, North Korea, and various African despots, as well as what we currently call “the West”, it will take a major supernatural intervention for it to happen. Another thing to note is that he sets himself up in the temple, which has not yet been built.
This beast is followed by another beast, who also displays amazing signs and wonders, and makes everyone worship the Antichrist. This is the false prophet, the leader of one-world religion. A couple of things to note: firstly, he doesn’t come on the scene till after the Antichrist has established his reign. In fact, the world is already worshipping the Antichrist (13:4,8) before the false prophet shows up, he simply grabs what is already happening and runs with it. Secondly, the world religion will encompass Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, all other major world religions as well as a heap of tribal religions still practised in some areas. Given the militancy of some of these groups, this will also take a major supernatural intervention for it to happen.
Now, after all that we have already looked at has happened, the false prophet causes an image of the Antichrist to be made, and gives it the ability to speak. The first thing that comes to my mind when I read this is some kind of holographic image. Whether or not I am correct in that, the false prophet forces everyone to worship this image, and everyone who does not is killed (or, presumably, goes into hiding, since there are still believers on earth after this.)
Only after this does he cause “all” to receive a mark. Who is “all”? Only those who have worshipped the beast! Everyone else is either dead or in hiding. The mark is the sign that they have worshipped the beast. Undoubtedly this is intended to flush out any who have not worshipped the beast, therefore do not have the mark, so that they can be killed. The false prophet will not have to force the mark on anyone, those who have worshipped the beast will be keen to get it to prove their loyalty so that they won’t be killed.
A couple of things to note: firstly, the giving of the mark takes place ONLY AFTER all the other things have happened – the wars, famines and plagues, the meteorites and meteors, the destruction of half the earth’s population, the rise of Antichrist and the false prophet. These things have not happened yet, so the mark is not going to happen yet.
Secondly, the mark is given “on (or in) the right hand or the forehead.” Neither of these are places where a vaccine would be given.
Another interesting point is the number, 666, and here I have to give a slight nod to those who hold an historicist view of the book of Revelation. The earliest manuscripts do not have 666, but 616 which, coincidentally (or not!) was originally the numerical value of the name of Nero. Nero’s name was changed slightly for political reasons, and the numerical value of his new name was 666. It seems that some early scribe or scribes copying the manuscript were so convinced that this was about Nero that they changed the number to preserve the reference, and that change has been handed down till today.
One thing that I find mildly amusing is that many of those who are promoting the “The Jab is the Mark” nonsense are people who hold to a pre-tribulation eschatology. Um … if pre-trib is right, then you would be gone before any of this stuff happens. Do you think you have been left behind? (For the record, I do not hold to pre-trib theology, but that’s a debate for another day.)
In summary, I can think of a number of good reasons not to take this jab, but the Mark of the Beast is not one of them.