Money, Money, Money

In the early days of home computers, I played a game with my kids called “Gazillionaire.” In that game, there is a character who only says, “Money, money, money!” His voice is nasal tone and eerie, rather creepy. I found the game again recently and have played with some of my grandchildren. Every once in a while, my granddaughter, Brenda, says, “Money, money, money” with that same eerie, nasal tone.

The Bible talks a lot about money. What it says about the future of money is even eerier than Brenda and the computer character she imitates so well.

The most known Biblical prophecy about money is when the Antichrist establishes that no one on earth can buy or sell without a mark in their right hand or forehead (Revelation 13:16-17).

The theories on the implementation of the mark are innumerable. Over the decades, the idea of what the implant is has evolved with technology – a tattoo, then a bar code, now a computer chip.

First, let us look at what we know from Bible prophecy. Revelation 13:16 is clear; it will be required for everyone on earth to receive the mark. “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:”

The punishment for not receiving the mark is death. Revelation 20:4, “…and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands…”

The purpose of the mark (at least on the surface) is to control trade. Revelation 13:17, “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.”

This mark of Revelation comes into play near the mid-way point of the Tribulation period. When a person controls who can buy, he controls demand. A person controls supply when he controls what is sold.

He who controls the purse strings has total control. The Antichrist will rule the world’s economy.

Now the things we can assume.

Because the mark is “in the right hand or forehead,” with today’s technology, it would appear to be some sort of computer chip. This chip could easily hold all of a person’s financial information. This chip could keep everything needed to know about someone – finances, medical, personal, work history, and more. The chip could instantly scan the body to give an up-to-date physical.

Security will be the main selling point for the mark. Already, fewer and fewer people are carrying cash – debit and credit cards reign. However, cards get lost or stolen. Shopping online can lead to the theft of personal and financial information. Think of how much safer your data could be if it were part of your body. Apps to scan your mark could easily be installed on phones and home computers to facilitate online shopping.

All the technology for the mark of the beast is already in place. All we are waiting on is the system. As a reminder, implementation of the system does not take place until the midpoint of the Tribulation Period.

When speaking of end-time events, Jesus tells us four times in four sentences to “Watch” (Mark 13:33-37). Watching for end-time events does not necessarily mean we are looking for the fulfillment of specific Bible prophecies. For example – several end-time prophecies occur in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple does not currently exist; therefore, we should watch for any news regarding the rebuilding of the Temple.

In watching for the mark of the beast, on March 9, President Biden signed an executive order. According to MSNBC and other news outlets, one of the main points of the order was “to explore a digital version of the dollar.”

A cryptocurrency would fit very well into fulfilling the mark of the beast. Everything would be digital. Currently, America imposing its will on the entire world to switch to a cryptocurrency and throw away all other currencies is not likely. Remember, the Revelation 13 prophecy fulfillment does not come until the midpoint of the Tribulation, and its orchestrator is the Antichrist. If this idea of a one-world currency with one-man controlling all the world’s economy seems unbelievable – remember, the Antichrist is a miracle worker.

Lastly, let us set a few things straight. The American dollar may never become a cryptocurrency, but this executive order is something we should “watch.” It may or may not move us closer to the beast’s mark.

By linking President Biden’s executive order with something accomplished by the Antichrist, does not mean President Biden is the Antichrist. I will go on the record to say; Joe Biden is not the Antichrist. The Bible tells us, “all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him…” (Revelation 13:8). President Biden has many admirers, but it seems extremely unlikely he would ever attain the status the Antichrist will hold.

“And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch” Mark 13:37.

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With houses of worship still under restrictions across much of the nation, the editors of the Baltimore Post-Examiner are inviting an array of spiritual teachers to share insights from the ages along with words of comfort and encouragement. These timely messages are not exclusive to any particular faith walk and will be included in our ongoing Spirituality series.