Timothy Johnson

Most people know it as 666. It is the mark of the beast and comes from Revelation 13:16-18, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.“

To answer the question, how long until the mark of the beast? I do not know, but I will say this – events are playing out in the world that indicates the event may be sooner rather than later.

When it comes to Bible prophecy, we do not know dates, but we do have a good idea of the sequence of events. When it comes to the mark, we do know it will start after the Antichrist comes to power; that means it begins sometime during the tribulation period. We also see the tribulation period begins when the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel and many other nations (Daniel 9:27). 

Since this treaty has not been signed, and therefore, the tribulation has not started, we know the mark of the beast is not coming today. Most Bible scholars believe the mark will be mandatory, starting at the midpoint of the seven-year tribulation.

Will the mark of the beast be in the form of a computer chip, tattoo, bar code, or something else? With current technology, a computer chip seems the logical choice. Note the wording of the Revelation 13 passage above, “to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.” The word “in” implies under the skin. However, with the everchanging growing abilities of technology, the mark could be something we have not yet seen. Only God knows, and time will tell.

Several bills are floating around congress about another form of stimulus because of the virus. One, in particular, caught my eye, introduced by congresswomen Tlaib (D-MI) and Jayapal (D-WA). It is the Automatic BOOST to Communities (ABC). Every man, woman, and child within our nation would receive a BOOST debit card. The current proposal has each card preloaded with a $2,000 balance. Each month after that, $1,000 is deposited onto the card. This payment is only temporary, lasting for one year after the COVID-19 crisis ends.

The bill offers a provision that an individual if they desire, could add their private funds to the card during or after the crisis. Therefore, a person could use this card for perpetuity. 

With the open end date of this card (one year after the virus ends), it is not inconceivable that the benefit could last well into next year or even early 2022. If there is another outbreak in the fall, the crisis continues, pushing back the end date.

A family of four would receive $48,000 during the twelve months after the virus is over. That figure does not include the $8,000 in funds on the cards initially, or any monthly payments made during the crisis. 

If this bill would pass, does anyone think that Washington politicians would take a $48,000 a year income from every family of four in the country when the time comes for it to end? Washington does not have a track record of discontinuing giveaways once they start. 

I know some readers think this is absurd and would never happen in the United States. This idea of giving a monthly stipend to the entire population was something talked about by our founding fathers. Thomas Paine, the writer of “Common Sense,” proposed the concept. He called it a “citizen dividend.”

A universal basic income (UBI) plan passed in the US House while Nixon was President. The bill failed in the Senate when Democrats did not think the payments were high enough. 

Andrew Yang, who ran for the Democratic nomination for President this year, said the UBI was the foundation of his campaign.

On the religious front, less than a month ago, during his Easter message, the Pope called for a worldwide Universal Basic Income. 

The idea has been simmering centuries. Now, because of the virus, the pot is starting to show bubbles, ready to boil. 

Whenever this starts, whether in twenty days or twenty years, it is only a step toward the mark. It is not 666, but it is a stepping stone. As time goes by, many will deposit personal funds onto the government card, if for no other reason than to make it easier to keep track of their finances. 

Logical steps after the establishment of a national debit card are the elimination of cash, and possibly moving to a cryptocurrency. Then to prevent cyber theft and hacking, putting a mark in everyone’s right hand or forehead. 

How long until the mark of the beast? Whenever it is, it is closer than we realize.

Preacher Johnson is Pastor of Countryside Baptist Church in Parke County Indiana. Web page: www.preacherspoint.wordpress.com; email: preacherspoint@gmail.com; mail: 410 S. Jefferson St. Rockville IN 47872.