CHAPTER XXII.

 

THE MARK OF ANTICHRIST.

 

“He causeth all to receive a mark.”—Rev. 13: 16.

 

 

THE religious element is that which holds any government together.  Man is so constituted that he must worship something; without something to worship, he can not be governed.  Unity lies in religion alone.  All the governments of the ages have had two elements—political and religious.  The final consummation of the world’s sovereignties, the government under Antichrist, will consist of these same two elements.  Antichrist will be the world’s political leader, while: the “false prophet” (Rev. 19: 20) will be the world’s ecclesi­astical leader.  This false prophet is seen in John’s vision, and is described by him as “another beast.” (Rev. 13: 11.)  The mission of the false prophet is clearly depicted, and his work is definitely outlined.  One thing among others, that are assigned to his task, is, “He causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark ill their right hand, or in their foreheads.”  It is in relation to this mark that we wish to write in this chapter.

     1.  My first remark concerning this mark is that it is an out­ward profession of religion.  Just as there are certain cere­monies and sacraments which are outward professions of the religion of the Holy Christ, so the receiving of this mark will be an outward profession, on the part of the one receiving it, of the religion of Antichrist.  All religious leaders and deities require of their adherents a separation from others, to some extent at least.  Many will receive this mark as their confession of the deity of Antichrist, as the sign of their allegiance to him, as the profession of his religion, and as the sign of their absolute separation from every one else.  In the seventh chap­-

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ter of Revelation we read of a number who receive a mark as an outward profession of the religion of Jesus, but this mark is an outward profession of the religion of Antichrist.

     2.  My second remark is that this mark will be a sign of confederation.  Through the ages confederations have been under certain signs or badges.  Satan is now fast preparing the world for the great confederation under Antichrist.  In addition to the great corporations, combines, etc., of which we have spoken in previous chapters, that are doing so much to centralize everything, there are the labor unions and secret organizations.  All of these have, as the signs of confederation, badges and passwords.  Men of all classes are being educated to receive these marks with hopes of mutual strength and help, and without fear or thought of their impropriety of wicked device.  When Antichrist shall finally come, he will find it an easy task to persuade men everywhere to receive this mark of confederation.  It will not be so much a password as it will be an outward badge.  Those who receive it will be united in the world’s last confederation.

     3.  My third remark is that the receiving of this mark will be a great necessity.  Men join unions for mutual help.  Today it is difficult for a non‑union man to secure a position, and his life is in danger while he holds one.  Relating to the reign of Antichrist, we read the alarming statement: “No man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark.”—Rev. 13: 17.  Anti­Christ will be the king of the whole earth, and he will have all the commercial wealth, provisions, etc., in his hands.  He will have the power to make any law he chooses concerning buying and selling.  One law he makes will be that no one can buy or sell, except those who receive the mark.  Such a state of affairs will make the receiving of this mark almost an absolute necessity.  Hungry men will do almost anything, even beyond the ordinary, for bread.  Picture a home, if you will, with no bread, hunger gnawing at the very life of each inmate, children crying for food, all provisions cut off entirely; and, where is

 

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the man that would not receive this mark of confederation in order to put bread into his home, and still the pitiful cries of his household?  No buying, no selling without this mark!  There will be absolutely no escape for anyone, except those who can trust God for every necessity of life.  Yet there will be a few who will positively refuse to receive the mark; and for this refusal some will be sent into captivity, while others will be killed with the sword. (Rev. 13: 10.)  We are not surprised in this connection to read: “Here is the patience and faith of the saints.”  Many will receive this mark because of the great necessity for doing so.

     4.  My fourth remark is that this mark will be a literal, visible, indelible badge stamped upon the very flesh of the one receiving it.  The word is very positive at this point.  There is absolutely nothing in the record that indicates that this mark is to be taken otherwise than literal.  “He causeth all to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.”  We have heard of masters branding their slaves; and herdsmen, their cattle; this mark is similar.  That it will be a literal, visible mark, received into the flesh, I have not doubt.

     5.  My fifth remark is that this mark is an index to the character of Antichrist.  “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 three score and six.” —Rev 13: 18.  It seems clear that the mark itself is the written number “666”; for we read “No man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”  This does not mean that his mark, his name, and the number of his name are three different things; but that the same symbol is a mark, a name, and a number, all at the same time.  It is not at all strange why this mark is just what it is.  Nothing else could set forth the character of Antichrist just as this mark does.

     In the first place, the number six itself is significant of evil.  it is the devil’s number—the number by which Satan counter­-

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feits the work of God.  The number 666 is made up of three sixes, or a trinity of evil—the symbol of the trinity of hell.  It is the symbol of hell’s three most powerful potentates, viz., Satan himself, Antichrist and the false prophet.  These three persons are hell’s trinity in unity, and hell’s unity in trinity.  This number, then, is indeed the mark of the trinity of hell.  Just as in Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, so Antichrist is the incarnation of the trinity of hell.  The first “6” is the mark of Satan; the second, of Antichrist; the third, of the false prophet; all these three are here combined in one number, and that number is the symbol of all evil.

     In the second place, the number “666” is a name, provided it is expressed in Greek notation.  As to just whether the mark itself will be expressed in Greek characters, I am unable to say; nor will it differ widely as to that.  However, John wrote in Greek concerning the mark; and, it is likely, that whatever notation is used, the inward spelling will be the same.  In Greek notation the following three characters express this number: X&s'.  The first character, _X, is our “Ch,” the initial of Christ.  The third, s, is our “S,” the initial of Savior.  “Christ” is a title that applies directly to the divinity of the Son of God, while “Savior” applies directly to His humanity.  “Thou shalt call his name (human name) Jesus” (Savior).—Matt. 1: 21.  The first character bespeaks of the divine Christ; the third, of the human Savior.  The second, or middle character, in the Greek, is the figure of a crooked serpent.  Its special significance is the form of a serpent embodied between two initials of the Son of God.  Each Bible name stands for character.  This mark is a number and a name.  It embodies the character of Antichrist.  It signifies Christ at the beginning, and Savior at the end, but subtlety within.  Look at Antichrist from one point of view, and he has every feature of Christ; look at him from another point, and he very closely resembles the Savior; but let him that hath understanding count the inward character of the beast.  His real character lies beneath his “Christ‑like-

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Ness” and his “Savior‑likeness.”   It is just this that makes him the Antichrist.  If he should be in no particular like Christ, no one would take him to be the Christ.  Outwardly he appears to be the Christ and Savior, but inwardly he is the incarnation of all evil.  How clearly this truth is manifested in connection with one of his heads!  “I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed.”  Three times in the 13th chapter of Revelation is this fact mentioned. (Verses 3, 12, 14.)  This wound will furnish testimony that he is the Christ: for “He (Christ) was wounded for our trans­gressions.”—Isa. 53: 5.  The fact that his wound has been healed, however, shows that he counts the blood a thing of the past.  The religion of Antichrist has always been a bloodless one.  Blood religion is not a popular one.  Men will gladly accept a religion without blood.  Thus the healed deadly wound is in itself a revelation of the character of Antichrist, and this character is expressed in his name, “666.”

     6.  My sixth remark is that this mark will be the stamp of eternal damnation.  Every one who receives it thus puts him­self beyond the hope of all mercy.  To receive this mark is to receive hell’s indelible stamp, and hence, after having received it there can be no possible hope of heaven.  Men can wear the badges of secret orders now, and yet be saved from them; but those who receive the badge of the final Antichrist can never be delivered.  Hear the awful sentence against those who shall receive this mark: “If any man shall worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indig­nation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”— Rev. 14:  9‑11.

 

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     7.  My seventh and last remark for the present is that many will receive this mark under deception.  One of the means by which Antichrist will accomplish his work will be his power to deceive.  Some will receive the mark knowing that it is the mark of hell; while others can be induced to receive it only under the persuasion that it is of God.  The greater part of the world will be branded with this mark.  Yet, a few will have the “wisdom” to “count the number of the beast” (Rev. 13: 18), and get the final “victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name.” (Rev. 15: 2.)  Alas! for those who shall be deceived.

     May God grant that no one who reads these lines may ever wear the mark of Antichrist.