by Alan Kurschner
Hollywood is at it again…feeding off the fears and ignorance of many Christians–mostly nominal Christians who would have a lack of discernment to see such a movie that glorifies the dark world.
“The Omen,” which is a remake of the 1976 horror classic, will be coming out on…you guessed it… 6/6/06. And so they are hoping that it will be profitable to have a promotional campaign with the association of the number “666,” the number identified as the Mark of the Beast.
“The Omen” is the story of an adopted infant son, Damien, in which the father learns that the son has a 666 birthmark on his skull, and who is a reincarnation of Satan. Consequently, death surrounds the boy. The prophecy and the signs in the story point to the near future of the end of the world with Armageddon.
What should concern the Christian is not what Hollywood has to say about Biblical themes, but what Scripture actually teaches. Our key text, Revelation 13:14-18 reads,
14 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.
The context of this text is the Great Tribulation (Satan’s wrath, not God’s wrath). We know this to be the case because after the “abomination of desolation” the beast (a.k.a. Antchirst) is given 3.5 years of authority (Rev. 13:5), which during much of that time, his energies will be spent going after the object of his persecution: believers.
In this text, we learn that the instrument by which the beast will use is twofold: There will be an image in the likeness of the beast that will have religious significance. It is to be worshiped. Those who refuse to give it loyalty and acknowledge its meaning will be killed.
This image will not be an inanimate object, but will be given “breath…so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.” One could speculate about what the nature of this image involves. The text does not give us information of how all of this will unfold, possibly demonic activity could animate the image, but we are not sure. The main point is that it will function as a symbol of religious loyalty toward the beast. This is reminiscent of some periods of the Roman Empire in which one was obligated to offer incense to Caesar to pay honor to his divine cult–if someone chose not to give honor, they could not function in society (work, food, entertainment, social status, etc).
If the image was bad enough, we are introduced to “the mark of the beast,” which will go on the forehead or the right hand so that it can be seen and accessible. As the image functioned religiously, the mark will function economically because one will not be able to buy or sell without it. This will be the instrument by which Antichrist will control consumerism, and consequently control the livelihood of that person. As it is stressed in the text, there will not be any preferential treatment for those who want to opt out of his program, “he forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave.”
Here is the choice: Starvation and loyalty to Chirst or Serve Antichrist.
A few verses later an angel gives us a severe warning,
A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10 he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.” 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”Revelation 14:9-13
That text is self-explanatory. These events will be Biblical future realities. They are to be taken with the most solemnity because God will call individuals to “remain faithful to Jesus.”
Three more texts on the mark of the beast. The first text provides us with what will happen to those who will take the mark; the second text will be the result of the beasts who deluded the world with the mark; and the third teaches us what will be the physical consequences to refusing the mark, but the spiritual eternal rewards as well,
The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. Revelation 16:2
But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Revelation 19:20
I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Revelation 20:4
