MARK OF THE BEAST, 666: Rev 13:11-18. Rev 13:16-18 indicates that everyone in the tribulation will be forced to receive the mark of the beast or antichrist on the right hand and forehead in order to be able to buy or sell. This number is said to be 666. In the definition of being “sealed” we understand that believers are also marked on the hand and forehead, to indicate that they belong to God. This mark is on the spirit and is invisible on earth. In the Old Testament the mark on the hands indicated one’s deeds (Ex 13:9) and the mark on the forehead indicated one’s beliefs (Ex 13:16). Believing in Jesus requires a mental acceptance indicating an intention to follow Jesus (a mark on the forehead) followed by deeds indicating that the intention to follow Jesus was serious and real (a mark on the hands). Thus believers are symbolically “marked” on the hand and the forehead. Likewise those who believe and follow Satan are marked on the hand and the forehead. To understand the application of the mark of Satan in Revelation we must look at the situation in the world during the tribulation. The first two judgments on the earth in the tribulation period seem to be a nuclear war and an asteroid hitting one of earth’s oceans. This will kill millions of people worldwide, result in a black haze that covers the earth, nuclear fallout will cause all sorts of suffering, the world’s oil supply will be disrupted, the food, medical and bare essentials supply chain will be disrupted, the climate will change causing drought and famine, there will be all sorts of epidemics, the power grid all over the world will be disrupted, etc. The result in the world is chaos and anarchy. Those who can give promises and hope, false or not, will lead the world. One of the major problems will be the food supply. People will be literally starving to death all over the world. It is in this context that the false prophet will only let the limited supply of food, medicine, pure water, etc. be sold to those who buy into the program of the antichrist; receive his mark so to speak. Rev 13:16-18 tell us that the mark represents the antichrist’s name and the number of his name, that it is man’s name and that it is 666. Let me get a bit mystical for a moment. The number 6 seems to represent man in the Bible. When numbers in the Bible are given in multiples that often represents a multiplicative effect. To me that implies that 666 means that the antichrist is a “superman.” What in the world does that mean? Well, we see in the first woe, the fifth trumpet judgment, that the evil angels and possibly the Nephilim are released upon the earth from Hades and Tartaros where they have been being held (2 Pet 2:4-5, Jude 6). These Nephilim were a breed of supermen, part angel and part man, as described in Gen 6:4. It is possible that the antichrist might be one of these supermen who is released from Hades or Tartaros. We are told that he rules the earth during the second 3 ½ years of the tribulation period (Rev 13:5). To me, taking his mark, at a minimum, means to accept his Satanic program. Those who accept his Satanic program and thus worship Satan are allowed to sell and purchase the necessities of life. Those who do not are taken into captivity and killed (Rev 13:10). I suspect that this program involving the mark of the beast is initially implemented by the evil angels from the Abyss in the first five months of the fifth judgment. These evil angels are given five months to do their work and are not allowed to harm believers during this time. Their first assignment may be to force the people of earth to take the mark of the beast. They must visit everyone on earth. If someone is a believer in Jesus they are herded into concentration camps without harming them. If someone is an unbeliever in Jesus they are asked to accept the antichrist as their God and pledge allegiance to him. If they refuse they are tortured by the evil angels until they relent and accept the antichrist as their God, Rev 9:3-6, 10. Thus all believers on earth are herded into one or more concentration camps, probably in Israel. This makes it possible for the antichrist to then kill them all at one time and have it broadcast all over the world. Rev 11:8-9 says that people all over the world see them lying dead in Israel. After these evil angels complete this work in five months they are led by Satan to the desert to attack the Jews who are in hiding. God supernaturally causes them to be swallowed back up into the Abyss because this is not in God’s plan, Rev 12:13-17. The antichrist may be a Nephilim since Rev 17:8 & 11:7 say that the beast came out of the Abyss. Rev 17:8 further describes him as one who once was, now is not, and will yet be. That certainly could apply to a Nephilim. Also see Sealed.

MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB: Rev 19:7, 9. The church is described as the bride of Jesus throughout the New Testament. The whole relationship of Jesus and the church is presented in terms paralleling a full blown Jewish wedding. This includes a wedding celebration in heaven for seven years during the tribulation. There are many reasons to celebrate including the fact that the bride is in heaven and Satan and his evil angels have been kicked out of heaven permanently. The wedding is culminated by a marriage supper of the Lamb and the return to the bride’s home at the Second Coming to show the bride off and begin the 1000 year reign of Christ and his bride on the restructured earth. The marriage supper culminates the marriage of Jesus, the bridegroom, to his church, the bride. Paul extensively discusses the fact that the church is considered the bride of Christ. If there is to be a wedding then there must be a whole cast of principal characters for the wedding. In fact, there are many references and hints in the Bible concerning who these principals will be. Let’s look at who they will be according to things I have discovered in the Bible: Bridegroom: Jesus Christ (Jn 3:27-30; Mt 9:15, 25:1-13; 2 Cor 11:2); Bride: Church (Eph 5:22-23; Rom 7:1-4; 2 Cor 11:2; Rev 19:7-9, 22:17); Father of the Bridegroom: God the Father (Jn 3:16; Matt 3:16-17; Jn 1 32-34); Mother of the Bridegroom: Israel (Jer 31:31-34; Hos 2:16-23, Mt 12:48; Lk 11:27-28); Father of the Bride: Paul (2 Cor 11:2); Mother of the Bride: Holy Spirit (Jn 3:3-7; Rom 8:9-10; Acts 1:8, 2:1-4 – The Church was born of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Everyone who is in the Church of Jesus is born of the Spirit.); Best Man: John the Baptist (Jn 3:27-29); Bridesmaids: Those waiting with the bride for the return of the Bridegroom. This includes all gentiles who were taken to heaven from Abraham’s bosom by Jesus upon his death (Luke 16:19-31; Eph 4:7-10; Ps 68:18); Guests: Jewish tradition says that the guests were the friends of the Bridegroom’s father. This would have been the Old Testament saints, but only those who accepted the invitation (Matt 22:1-14; Luke 14:15-24; 2 Cor 5:20); Those Turned Away from the Wedding Celebration: Those dressed in the wrong clothes (Matt 22:1-14; Lk 14:15-24) and the Bridesmaids who didn’t have any oil for their lamps (the Holy Spirit) (Matt 25:1-13); When will the wedding and celebration occur? Again, according to my interpretation it will be held in heaven after the rapture and just before the Second Coming. That fits in with the model of the Jewish wedding customs, which the whole wedding of the Lamb scenario seems to follow. Some believe that it will occur on earth soon after the Second Coming. However, we don’t know the exact time that it will occur (Matt 25:1-13, 24:36-44). Also see the Rapture for other details. Also see Proof thru Prophecy, Jewish wedding customs as a model of the church as the bride of Christ for much more detail.

MILLENNIUM: Rev 20:1-7. The time period of the future literal reign of Christ on earth as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is the literal phase of the kingdom of heaven. It is a Latin term meaning “1000 years.” It follows Jesus Second Coming in great power and glory. It also follows the sheep-goat judgment during which those not believing in Jesus will be dispensed to Hades while those believing in Jesus will be allowed to remain on earth at the start of the millennium. Many believe that the millennium will last for 1000 literal years. It will be a time when the promises of God given to the Abraham in Gen 15:18 will be fulfilled; the Jews will be given the land promised to them by God. The saints in heaven will accompany Jesus back to earth at the Second Coming and will also reside here during the millennium in their glorified resurrected bodies. The earth will be renewed back into a near paradise condition and it will be a time of total peace among men. People will again have life spans of hundreds of years. Jesus will reside and reign on Earth in a large temple area in Israel and everyone on earth will be expected to make pilgrimages to visit him each year. The Feast of Tabernacles will be a special time of celebration each year. It will be relatively free of evil since Satan and his evil angels will be bound in Hades for this period of time and will not be able to tempt those living on earth.

MOUNTAIN: Rev 8:7-9. A mountain in the Bible often stands for a government or kingdom, Isa 14:13, Jer 51:24-26, Dan 2:35. It is used both of earthly and heavenly governments. In Rev 8:7-9 it seems to symbolically represent a large heavenly body which hits the earth in one of the oceans. The use of hail may indicate that it is a comet, since comets are largely composed of frozen ice. This also seems to fit the descriptions of the tribulation given by Jesus in Luke 21:25-28 and Matt 24:29. It is also possible that the nations of the earth (sea) will be hit by a large, evil government and that the effects which seem to be the result of a heavenly body hitting the earth only symbolizes the effects of the evil government on the earth.

MOUNT ZION: Rev 14:1. Jesus’ residing place on earth during the millennium is described as being on Mount Zion, which may be in or near Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit will also reside on Mount Zion on earth in the millennium, Isa 4:4-5, Joel 2:28-29. It is also seems clear from Rev 14:1-5 that there is a parallel Mount Zion in heaven, which is the place from which God reigns, Ps 2:1-12, 76:2, 132:11-18, Isa 2:2-4, 4:2-6, 24:23, Joel 2:32, 3:17,21, Micah 4:1, 7, Zech 8:3-8, Rev 14:1. [Jerusalem was called “The City of our God, The Holy Mountain, the City of the Great King,” Ps 48].

MYSTERY OF GOD: Rev 10:7. There are several mysteries discussed and revealed in the New Testament. A mystery is described as “something that was hidden in the Old Testament or up until now, but which has now been made known.” The mystery that seems to have most application to Rev 10:7 is that given in Eph 1:9-10. It tells us that this mystery will be put into effect when the times have reached their fulfillment. That is just what is happening in Revelation. What then is this mystery? “To bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” In the seventh trumpet judgment description in Rev 11:15 we are told; “The kingdom of the world had become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” Also, Rev 19:6 says, “Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty reigns.”