“He causes 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. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666” (Revelation 13:16-18).
As mentioned at the beginning of our look at this chapter, we can divide Revelation thirteen into three sections. Verses one to ten discussed the blasphemous political climate that will characterize that era. Verses eleven to fifteen described the godless religious structure of that period. The last section (covered here in verses sixteen to eighteen) will lift the veil on the anti-God economic system that will dominate that age.
Most people (even the non-religious or spiritually indifferent) are likely to have a passing familiarity with certain elements of this passage. Verse sixteen serves as a case in point: “The beast forced all the people, small and great, rich and poor, slave and free, to have a mark placed on their right hands or on their foreheads” (GNT).
Before we consider this reference at greater length, let’s examine the meaning of the word “mark” as it appears in our text. In the original language of this passage, this word conveys the image of a stamp or imprint. (1) With this information in mind, it appears this mark will involve a label on one’s skin for identification purposes. This has led to many theories, conjectures, and speculations, some of which are well-informed, and others that are less so.
Those theories range from radio frequency identification (RFID) implantations and bar codes, to various types of symbols. Then there are other, less credulous views that involve corporate entities, medical procedures, or different forms of technology. At best, some of the more outlandish theories regarding this passage appear to be nothing more than thinly veiled efforts to generate internet page views for profit. At worst, they bring discredit upon God’s Word and provoke unnecessary fear and speculation among those who are spiritually naïve.
While there is much we don’t know about this mark, there are some things we can say with certainty. First, this will be a global initiative that will be mandatory for everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status. In addition, this mark does not appear to represent a form of currency, for it allows (or authorizes) users to buy and sell. Finally, the mark is the name of the beast, or the number of his name, and will appear on one’s right hand or forehead.
(1) G5480 – charagma – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5480/kjv/tr/0-1/
This stunning recovery will have a profound effect on all who see and hear of it: “…The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast. Everyone worshiped the dragon because he had given his authority to the beast. They worshiped the beast also, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who can fight against it?'” (Revelation 13:3-4 GNB).
One way to answer those questions is hiding in plain sight at the beginning of our text: “Now a great sign appeared…” A “sign” is something that indicates, designates, or points to something else. Much like a road sign that points us to another destination, the same is true of these characters from Revelation 12:1-5.
Much like a signpost that points the way to a destination that lay in the distance, our text from Revelation 11:15 points us to the ultimate conclusion of this book: “…The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever'” (ESV). While the world has always been the Lord’s kingdom in a sense, there have been relatively few who have recognized His sovereign rulership. That will begin to change as we transition into the second half of Revelation.
Sackcloth was a coarse, rough, bag-like material with a texture and appearance that lived up to its name. Sackcloth was typically constructed from camel or goat hair in the Biblical era. Thus, a burlap bag or coarse brown sack would probably form the closest modern equivalent to this type of clothing material. The act of wearing sackcloth symbolized deep emotional distress and indifference to worldly comforts, especially during a time of emotional sorrow.
When we speak of idolatry, we are essentially referring to a question of misplaced priorities. For instance, let’s take the case of an individual who prioritizes the acquisition of financial wealth above all else. A person who prioritizes money in that manner is just as guilty of idolatry as those who worshipped “idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.” The same is true of anything that takes God’s place within our lives.
The Euphrates River is a lengthy waterway that traverses a significant portion of the Middle East. This body of water flows from the mountains of Turkey through the nations of Syria and Iraq and later joins the Tigris River before it reaches the Persian Gulf on the Iranian border. The Euphrates River once formed the eastern boundary of the ancient Roman Empire for several centuries, as well as the land God promised to Abraham’s descendants, the Jewish people (see 
These verses present us with the imagery of a key that opens the door to malevolent spiritual forces. This should prompt us to consider other doors that should remain closed as we travel the corridor of life. For instance, some of those doors may open the way to an inappropriate relationship, financial devastation, or involvement with various forms of the occult, among others.