What is the mark of the beast (Rev 13:16; 14:9-11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4)? John the Revelator describes it in Revelation 13:16-17: “Also it [second beast] 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 unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.”

I’ve always thought of the mark of the beast (MOTB) as being some kind of physical branding or object on/in the hand or forehead that would allow one to participate in commerce under the Beast’s rule. Given the fact that technology has already been developed and tested that employs microchips in the hand or forehead, I considered it likely that the MOTB will be some sort of microchip that one is forced to implant in their body as a sign of their allegiance to the Beast and as a condition to engage in commerce.

Recently, however, I’ve come to doubt this interpretation as being a bit too literal. The book of Revelation is highly symbolic, so it would be no surprise if the MOTB was symbolic as well. Indeed, we find other markings in the forehead described in Revelation that appear to be symbolic rather than literal. The whore in Rev 17:5 is said to have a name written on her forehead. That name turns out to be a fairly long description: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” While there is dispute over the whore’s identity, virtually all interpreters agree that it refers to a nation, organization, or people group, not an individual. As such, “she” has no forehead on which to write this incredibly long “name.” It is clearly symbolic. Writing the name in her forehead is a way of identifying and describing her to the readers.

It’s not just the bad people who receive some kind of mark on their foreheads, either. The righteous do as well. Revelation 7:3 describes 144,000 of God’s people as being “sealed” on their foreheads to protect them from God’s judgment on the Earth. This sealing is later described as having the “name” of the Lamb and the name of the Father “written on their foreheads” (Rev 14:1). Finally, all of the saints in the New Jerusalem are said to “see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads” (Rev 22:4). Does anyone think that God will literally tattoo His name(s) on our forehead, or that the name will be programmed into some kind of heavenly microchip that is implanted in our foreheads? It seems to me that this is clearly symbolic, thus making it more likely that the MOTB should be understood symbolically as well.

The significance of these markings is about ownership and allegiance. We are supposed to recognize the contrast between the mark of the Lamb and the mark of the Beast. One group belongs to God, while the other belongs to Satan. One group has aligned themselves with the Lamb, while the other group has aligned themselves with the Beast.

Having said all of that, there is something about the MOTB that is a bit different from the other marks mentioned in Revelation. First, the other marks are only said to be on the forehead, whereas the MOTB is on the forehead or the right hand. That may be significant, although its significance is not apparent to me. Second, and more importantly, there is a real-world, functional purpose for the MOTB, namely the ability to engage in commerce. Without the MOTB, people will not be able to buy or sell anything. That argues for some kind of real-life, physical manifestation of the mark. Whether or not it takes the form of a microchip, and whether or not it will literally be on/in the forehead or hand, however, is debatable. Like a lot of prophecy, the correct interpretation may only be known in retrospect, after these events have transpired. The fulfillment of prophecy is always the final (and correct) interpretation.