Mark of the Beast Fears in Virginia

Labarum (Chi Rho) Cross

Government authorities in Virginia have been affected by their constituents fears of “the mark of the Beast”:

Va. House OKs ban on implanted tracking devices

Associated Press – Feb 11, 2010

RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia House of Delegates has passed a bill that would ban the forced implantation of tracking devices in people, with supporters citing both privacy concerns and religious prophecy.

Del. Mark Cole said…some had religious objections, including those rooted in Christian teachings of an Antichrist who would compel followers to wear “the mark of the beast.”

Del. David Englin, who’s Jewish, also noted that some Orthodox Jews would consider the implants a defiling of the body.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Business/Default.aspx?id=893054

Now while some implant device is possible, it is extremely unlikely that they could be “the mark of the Beast”. Why? Well amongst other reasons there would be complaints about this for many reasons–and it would be too obvious to be above suspicion. No matter what laws are passed, the following prophecy will be fulfilled:

15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 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, 17 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 (Revelation 13:15-17).

The “He” above is also known as the false prophet.

Perhaps it should also be mentioned that even though some believe that bar codes are to be “the mark of the Beast” because they contain three individual sixes for what is sometimes called a parity check (which adds up to 18), the “666” in the Bible is NOT simply three sixes (as bar codes have them) lining up, but six hundred, sixty, and six according to the Bible. Here is a literal translation of Revelation 13:18:

18 5602 3588 4678    2076 3588 2192              3563          5585 3588
Here      wisdom. is        Let him that hath understanding count the
706    3588   2342   9999 706    1063 444       2076 2532 3588
number of the beast: the number for of a man;           it is and
706    846 9999    1812             1835       9999 1803
number his is   Six hundred threescore and six.
(Interlinear Transliterated Bible. Copyright (c) 1994 by Biblesoft)

Thus, bar codes per se are not “the mark of the Beast” (though the Beast power certainly could employ bar codes and other technologies to track), as their sixes do NOT add up to more than 18.

Historian Philip Schaff understood that there were many groups considered to be Cathari and he indicates that some of the doctrines they held we would consider to be Church of God doctrines:

Agreed as the Cathari were in opposing many customs and doctrines of the established Church, they were divided among themselves and broken up into sects. According to one document seventy-two existed.

There are two Churches they held; one of the wicked and one of the righteous. They themselves constituted the Church of the righteous, outside of which there is no salvation, having received the imposition of hands and done penance according to the teaching of Christ and the Apostles. Its fruits proved that the established Church was not the true Church. The true Church endures persecution, does not prescribe it…The depositions at their trials indicate that the Cathari made much use of the Scriptures…the Cathari called the cross the mark of the beast, and declared it had no more virtue than a ribbon for binding the hair. It was the instrument of Christ’s shame and death, and therefore not to be used. (Schaff, Philip, History of the Christian Church, Chapter X).

(More on the doctrine of the later Cathari can be found in the article The Thyatira Church Era.)

Notice what a Catholic priest taught:

Priest P. Huchedé (19th century): Antichrist will further make all men, great and small, rich and poor, freemen and bondmen, bear a sign on their right arm or their forehead. (Apoc. 13:16).What this sign shall be time alone will reveal. Yet there are some {Catholic} commentators of the Holt Writ, who, according to a special revelation, pretend to say that it shall be formed out of the Greek letters X and P, interlaced…which resembles the number of Christ. (Cornelius a Lapide in Epis. 2 to Thes.). No one can either buy or sell without that. (Huchedé, P. Translated by JBD. History of Antichrist. Imprimatur Edward Charles Fabre, Bishop of Montreal. English edition 1884, Reprint 1976. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 24)

A Catholic mystic taught of an army with a red cross at the time of the end; while another taught of those wearing a type of cross (crucifix) supporting a future new religious order:

Anne Catherine Emmerich (October, 1820): citizens and peasants, many of whom were marked on the forehead with a red cross. As this army drew near, the captives and oppressed were delivered and swelled the ranks whilst the demolishers and conspirators were put to flight on all sides (Emmerich AC. The Life of Lord Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations. Schmöger edition, Vol. IV. Nihil Obstat: D. Jaegher, 14 Februari 1914. Imprimatur: A.C. De Schrevel, Brugis, 14 Februari 1914. Reprint TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 2004, pp. 290-291).

St. Francis de Paul (d. 1507): A new order will be founded, that of the Cruciferi, because its members will carry the cross on their banners…The Crusaders will lead the Mohammedans, the teachers of heretical doctrines and bad Christians back to Christ…the power of Islam {was} destroyed by the Great Monarch. (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, p. 142).

The late evangelist John Ogwyn wrote:

All will be required to give their devotion to the great false church and its hierarchy, labeled in Revelation 13:15 the “image of the beast.” An outward sign of conformity called the “mark of the beast” will identify those whom Scripture labels as the children of disobedience…In the closing verses of Revelation 13, and the opening verses of Revelation 14, we see a contrast drawn between those who accept the mark of the Beast in their foreheads and the 144,000 who have the Father’s name in their foreheads. The forehead is the seat of intellect, and this pictures our choice of obedience to God or to Satan. (Ogwyn JH. Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled! Living Church of God, 2006).

Now, I am not saying that, based upon Catholic and other writings, that “the image of the beast” or the “mark of the beast” (Revelation 13:16-16) must be a cross of some type (day of worship seems to be involved, cf. Daniel 7:25 for the mark; also consider this since Sunday was a sign or mark of Mithraism). But, since so many people accept the cross as a valid religious symbol (including in certain Asian religions), it would be logical that it could be a major symbol for the coming ecumenical religion.

Thus, while those in Virginia may be very well intentioned, there is no way that a piece of legislation like that can possibly stop the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

There will be an image of the beast (perhaps involving some type of cross) and mark of the beast (which involves disobedience to God). The fact that Catholic and non-Catholic sources suggest that a cross may be involved may be more than a coincidence.

Some articles for further study may include:

Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter). This also has YouTube videos related to 2012. And it discusses more about the Beast, the mark, the image, cross-bearers, etc.
2012 y el surgimiento de la secta secreta Nuevo libro del Dr. Thiel en Español.
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 Who is 666? This article explains how the LCG views this, and compares this to Ellen White.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?