Since the Book of Revelation was written, every generation has developed theories about the prophesies it contains. For example, the Antichrist has been rumored to be anyone from Nero to Hitler to President Obama. Another frequently talked about prophesy is the idea of the “mark of the beast”. It is to believed to be anything from metal and rock music to credit cards or even television. Recently a new theory has been brought to the table by the Virginia legislature. They believe that the RFID microchip proposed in America’s Affordable Health Choices Act HR 3200 is the mark mentioned in Revelation.
The Affordable Health Choices Act HR 3200 proposed the incorporation of the RFID microchip to help in the realms of both welfare and healthcare. According to Obamacarefacts.com, this act “included a section that allowed for data to be from all class II devices (which includes RFID chips) for purposes of postmarket safety and outcomes data“(obamacarefacts.com) So what is this chip and what is its proposed use? The microchip is the size of a grain of rice that is implanted into the body usually underneath the skin between the thumb and four finger. The proposed legislation by Obama wanted to use these chips to help make important health data available anywhere. For example, if a person with this chip were in an accident the EMT’s would be able to scan the chip and access their medical records instantly instead of searching for a card in a wallet or contacting their physician or family member. It could also be used as a GPS like we do with our pets. The proposal also went on to ask for these chips to be mandated by certain employers or healthcare companies. Luckily for us this legislation did not pass and these chips are not a part of the ObamaCare act that did go into affect.
Many people today, including the Virginia legislature, believe this is the “mark of the beast” as depicted in Revelation 13. Delegate Mark Cole of Virginia penned a proposed act that would ban the use of a mandated microchip in Virginia. Why is this chip seen as the mark of the beast? Mark Cole states, “My understanding—I’m not a theologian—but there’s a prophecy in the Bible that says you’ll have to receive a mark, or you can neither buy nor sell things in end times,” Cole told The Washington Post. “Some people think these computer chips might be that mark.” (allgov.com)The “mark” mentioned in this quote obviously alludes to the mark of the beast in Revelation. This chip is argued to the mark because it is inserted into the right hand as described in Rev 13:16. I’m not saying that the RFID chip is the mark of the beast, but this argument was pretty convincing to me.
When looking at the context of the mark in Revelation, we can see that there is a HUGE significance to this act being called “the mark of the beast”. Revelation 13 :3-18 reads, “3 And one of his heads seemed to have a deadly wound. But his death stroke was healed; and the whole earth went after the beast in amazement and admiration.4 They fell down and paid homage to the dragon, because he had bestowed on the beast all his dominion and authority; they also praised and worshiped the beast, exclaiming, Who is a match for the beast, and, Who can make war against him?5 And the beast was given the power of speech, uttering boastful and blasphemous words, and he was given freedom to exert his authority and to exercise his will during forty-two months (three and a half years).6 And he opened his mouth to speak slanders against God, blaspheming His name and His abode, [even vilifying] those who live in heaven.7 He was further permitted to wage war on God’s holy people (the saints) and to overcome them. And power was given him to extend his authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation,8 And all the inhabitants of the earth will fall down in adoration and pay him homage, everyone whose name has not been recorded in the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain [in sacrifice] [b]from the foundation of the world.9 If anyone is able to hear, let him listen:10 Whoever leads into captivity will himself go into captivity; if anyone slays with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Herein is [the call for] the patience and the faith and fidelity of the saints (God’s people).11 Then I saw another beast rising up out of the land [itself]; he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke (roared) like a dragon.12 He exerts all the power and right of control of the former beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell upon it to exalt and deify the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed,and to worship him.13 He performs great signs (startling miracles), even making fire fall from the sky to the earth in men’s sight.14 And because of the signs (miracles) which he is allowed to perform in the presence of the [first] beast, he deceives those who inhabit the earth, commanding them to erect a statue (an image) in the likeness of the beast who was wounded by the [small] sword and still lived.15 And he is permitted [also] to impart the breath of life into the beast’s image, so that the statue of the beast could actually talk and cause to be put to death those who would not bow down and worship the image of the beast.16 Also he compels all [alike], both small and great, both the rich and the poor, both free and slave, to be marked with an inscription [[c]stamped] on their right hands or on their foreheads,17 So that no one will have power to buy or sell unless he bears the stamp (mark, inscription), [that is] the name of the beast or the number of his name.18 Here is [room for] discernment [a call for the wisdom [d]of interpretation]. Let anyone who has intelligence (penetration and insight enough) calculate the number of the beast, for it is a human number [the number of a certain man]; his number is 666.” (Revelation 13:3-18) In this chapter we are given the significance of the mark. The inscription on the hand or neck indicates that a person worships and follows the beast. Those who do not have the mark follow Christ and refuse to worship the beast. In verse 15, a mere statue of the beast has the power to kill those who do not have this mark and refuse to bow down to the image. Not only could those without the mark be murdered, they would not be allowed to buy or sell. The significance of this RFID chip being referred to as the “mark of the beast” implys that it could potentially be used against those who do not possess it. It also implores the idea that the entity administering them would be the beast mentioned in Rev. 13:11. Ultimately, it implys that we are living in the “end times” as David Nedd described by saying “that some fundamentalist Christians believe that bar codes and implanted microchips could be used by a totalitarian government to control commerce — a sign of the coming end of the world.” (washingtonpost.com)
I read therefore I write 