Revelation 13:9-10

 

^"9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰ If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints."

These verses follow our having been told that in the last days much of humanity will fall under the spell of the beast from the sea and worship it. The phrase in verse nine, "let anyone who has an ear let him hear," is common in the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels, and the two couplets that follow refer back to Jeremiah 15:2.

Revelation 13:14

 "...and by the signs that it is allowed to perform on behalf of the beast, it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived..."

The writer at gotquestions.org goes into more detail about the identity and characteristics of the antichrist in their blog on this verse at this link, and ends by saying, "What is the Antichrist? In summary, the Antichrist is the end-times false messiah who seeks, and likely achieves, world (emphasis mine) domination so that he can destroy Israel and all followers of Jesus Christ."

The writer at the onetruthonelaw.com blog also discusses at length the beast that was wounded by the sword. 

Revelation 13:16-17

 ¹⁶ Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, ¹⁷ so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

These verses are being referenced quite a bit lately with regard to what is going on with Coronavirus, and quite a number of Christians have made reference to the Coronavirus vaccine as the mark of the beast. The order of events in these verses are very important; folks need to understand the mark is not a thing until after the Anti-Christ has been revealed. 

Revelation 13:16-17, part two

¹⁶ Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, ¹⁷ so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

 

I want to recap all the things that John of Patmos prophesies will happen before the mark of the beast is given. First, either the last verse of Revelation 12 or the first verse of this chapter depending on the translation, says "the dragon took his stand on the land of the seashore". Then a beast of arises out of the sea drawing his power from the  dragon, which most writers believe symbolizes Satan/the devil. This beast has ten horns and seven heads, and wears ten crowns, or diadems. One of his heads has incurred a mortal wound, which was miraculously healed. In verse four of this chapter we are told the whole world worships this beast from the sea, that has been given power by the 'dragon' which represents Satan.

Revelation 13:18

 "This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred sixty-six."

There are plenty of theories about this number and the gematria involved in trying to figure out whom it represents.

Revelation 14:11-12

  ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image and for anyone who receives the mark of its name.

¹² Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus.

It's  important to notice that when the mark of the beast is referred to in Revelation it is preceded by descriptions of willing worship of the anti-Christ. Many people are currently suggesting that the Covid 19 vaccine is the mark of the beast without familiarity with Revelation 13 and the clear delineation of events that chapter refers to including the figures the beast from the land and the beast from the sea. 

Revelation 16:1-11

  Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

² So the first angel went and poured his bowl on the earth, and a foul and painful sore came on those who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image.

³ The second angel poured his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing in the sea died.

⁴ The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. ⁵ And I heard the angel of the waters say,

“You are just, O Holy One, who are and were,
    for you have judged these things;
⁶ because they shed the blood of saints and prophets,
    you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”

⁷ And I heard the altar respond,

“Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty,
    your judgments are true and just!”

⁸ The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire; ⁹ they were scorched by the fierce heat, but they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory.

¹⁰ The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness; people gnawed their tongues in agony, ¹¹ and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores, and they did not repent of their deeds.