Mark, name or number of the beast

I am probably opening up a can of worms here. Especially since I am still searching for the answer. I have long wondered what the sign of the beast would look like. Which leads to more questions. Does it matter what it looks like or even is? Is my questioning it just adding to the confusion? Do a google search for “mark of the beast” and you will get almost 3 million hits. “Sign of the Beast” is over 2 ½ million hits. It seems everyone and their brother has an interpretation and opinion. None of my searching so far has led me closer to what I feel in my heart is the truth. I believe the Bible. I just am having trouble translating it to my own understanding.

How do we know the true interpretation of the Bible? Will we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that IT is the sign of the beast? Will it be a literal 666? Or is that just a metaphor for divine evil? Knowing that the devil is the great deceiver I would say it will be subtle. His spin-doctors will say it is harmless when in reality it will be a death blow. (REV 13:16-17) To not have it means you can’t legally buy or sell anything. Not having the sign of the beast will make every Christian a criminal of the state. On the other hand, I believe the Lord will make sure we understand what the mark is. Otherwise we wouldn’t be able to choose not to take it, right?

Wikipedia has in my opinion the best website on the subject.

My study bible mentions three trains of thought on this:

Numerology
Each letter of the alphabet is assigned a numerical value. There are wackos who use this concept to find a name or title which totals 666. Names in Hebrew, Greek and Latin have been used in this quest. With the right twisting or changing of names you can make this work to get any result you want. What do I mean? I mean if a full name doesn’t get the result you want, use only the first and last or use a nickname. William Henry Gates III becomes BillGatesIII I doubt that Bill Gates is the beast. I seem to remember folks using the following names too: Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Ronald Wilson Reagon, George Bush Further research shows the Arabic numbers weren’t used until 400 CE yet John wrote Revelation in the first century AD. Granted God doesn’t work on our timeline so he could have known we would invent Arabic numbers but isn’t this reaching? Isn’t this trying to fit our answer to the scriptures? Just like trying English instead of the original language, Greek. It just doesnt make sense to me.

Symbolism
Six represents fallen humanity raised to the third power, hence, a person of ultimate wickedness. Ties in with the numerology line of thinking. Man equals 5, God equals 7 with the devil between us at 6.

Unholy trinity
Satan (6), the beast out of the sea (6) and the beast out of the earth (6). (REV 13:1-10, 11-17)

Other trains of thought from the World Wide Web:

Let there be light ministries has these thoughts on this subject:

The Greek word used for "mark" is "Charagma" (#5480 in Strong's Concordance), and it translates "stamp (as a badge of servitude), mark." So the mark of the Beast is a stamp or sign or seal or badge of servitude to some power or being. Thus the Mark of the Beast is NOT a literal mark, NOT a lazar mark, NOT a credit card, NOT an implanted chip, NOT a National ID Number, and NOT a giant computer, but it is a symbolic mark!

I got lost on that website somewhere during the bashing of the Catholic church. I was raised Baptist but I have heard of Christians in the Catholic church.

I include the next thought only out of a sense of fair play. I think his theology is way off. I also haven’t heard these arguments in a long time. Isnt it fun how the Internet can keep something going? Ack, I just realized I am perpetuating his garbage myself.

Dial the truth ministries (can you say False Prophet?) says the following confusing and in my opinion false statements:

To think for one second, the rapid increase in technology preparing the way for 666 is just coincident (sic) is impossible. There is too much evidence. There is just too many coincidents(sic). There is an unseen "hand" zooming the world toward a global "digital world" of electronic-commerce, electronic-identification!

Then there is his article, What about barcodes and 666: The mark of the beast.

REV 13:16-17 Says the mark will be on the right hand or on the forehead. Is this to be take literally? Why does it specifically say the right hand? Why not either hand? What does history tell us about the right vs left hand? What was the thinking during the writing of this text? Culturally what does it mean? I know in the Muslim world today the left hand is considered contaminated or dirty. Is that why it is the right hand? Was it the same when John wrote the Revelation? Can the forehead imply learning? Or intellect?

My interpretation of Strong’s Concordance is that it is a literal mark or brand.

In conclusion (at least for now), in looking at some of these websites I got bored with all the gibberish and quit reading. I am still reading Wikipedia’s website. It has a discussion board that is fasinating. Anyone out there have any thoughts on this subject?