Amid the vast array of symbols in the book of Revelation there is a severe warning relating to anyone who takes the ?Mark of the Beast?. Revelation 14:9-11 ?And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name?.

You will notice from this text that there is more than just taking the mark. It also refers to worshiping the beast or his image or receiving the mark of his name.

There has been a lot of speculation about the mark of the beast and whether it will be a computer chip implanted under the skin, or a bar code or some sort of tattoo. These ideas revolve around the concept that whoever does not receive the Mark of the Beast will not be able to buy or sell, so therefore it has to be something that will be used to track those who pledge allegiance to the beast. There is a hole in this theory however, because even though some sort of technology may play a part in the prevention of commerce, there is more to the mark than just the buying and selling issue. As you can see from the verse above, the real issue with taking the mark, worshiping the beast or his image or receiving the mark of his name, is that it will doom you to eternal damnation.

The spiritual aspect of the mark, is also highlighted by the fact that everyone gets a mark, not just those who worship the beast, the true believers are also marked, Revelation 7:3 ?Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads?.

Also the distinction between those who take the mark of the beast and those who get the seal or mark of God is shown to be directly related to obedience to the Ten Commandments. Straight after the warning about not taking the mark of the beast it shows the difference. Revelation 14:12 ?Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus?.

The mark of the beast will not be obvious, because it will deceive many. Revelation 19:20 ?And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone?.

All of the symbols used in Revelation are explained elsewhere in the Bible, for instance a Beast represents a kingdom or a political or religious power.

Daniel 7:23 ?Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces?.

Therefore the beast described in Revelation 13:1, which also correlates to the fourth beast of Daniel 7 relates to an apostate religious system, one that blasphemes God, puts the rules of men above the Word of God, and one that claims to have the authority of God on earth.

All of the early Protestant reformers clearly identified the first antichrist beast of Revelation to be none other than the false system of religion, and persecuting power found within the Roman Catholic Church. During the dark ages millions of people were tortured and killed as ?heretics? for not bowing down to all of the precepts the church.

The Catholic Church say that the mark of their authority, is the fact that without scriptural support they changed the Seventh Day Sabbath of God to Sunday. Therefore, by their own admission, Sunday keeping (which is worshiping on a counterfeit day of worship, on the day that the pagans worship the Sun god) is the ?Mark of the Beast?.

Note again that those who are saved and sealed by the angels are those that obey the Ten Commandments and that the seal (Name, Title and Realm) of God is listed in His fourth commandment, the one the Catholic Church changed. Exodus 20:10 ?11 ?But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.? This shows that God (name) is the Creator (title) of Heaven and earth (realm).