Is The Covid Vaccine The Mark Of The Beast?

 

            Some Christians think that the Covid vaccine is the ‘Mark of the Beast.’ Hence, they avoid taking the vaccine.

            Is it theologically correct to think so? If we understand more about the mark of the beast, then we would know whether the Covid vaccine could be the mark of the beast or not.

            What is the Mark of the Beast? Let’s collate answers from a few credible Christian websites:

            Gotquestions.org teaches that “The main passage in the Bible that mentions the “mark of the beast” is Revelation 13:15-18. Other references can be found in Revelation 14:9, 11, 15:2, 16:2, 19:20, and 20:4. This mark acts as a seal for the followers of Antichrist and the false prophet (the spokesperson for the Antichrist). The false prophet (the second beast) is the one who causes people to take this mark. The mark is literally placed in the hand or forehead and is not simply a card someone carries... it is important to realize that a medical implant chip is not the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast will be something given only to those who worship the Antichrist. Having a medical or financial microchip inserted into your right hand or forehead is not the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast will be an end-times identification required by the Antichrist in order to buy or sell, and it will be given only to those who worship the Antichrist” [Emphasis Mine].¹

            Pastor John Macarthur (expounding on Revelation 13:16-17) teaches that the mark “...will consist of either the name of the beast or the number of his name. Antichrist will have a universal designation, his name within a numbering system...What is clear is that everyone will be required to have the identifying mark or suffer the consequences.” [Emphasis Mine].²

            He goes on to add, “God sealed, with a mark on the forehead, the 144,000 to preserve them from His wrath against the unbelieving world (7:2–3); the false prophet marks the unsaved to preserve them from Antichrist’s wrath against God’s people. The mark will signify that the person bearing it is a worshiper and loyal follower of the Antichrist... The pressure to give in to the worship of Antichrist will be far worse than anything ever experienced in human history. Life will be virtually unlivable, so the people are forced to bow to the demonized king, not prompted merely by religious deception, but also by economic necessity.” [Emphasis Mine].³

            Theologian Curtis Chang, writing on the website of Biologos, emphasizes that Christians, through the years, have incorrectly predicted the mark of the beast. He recollects how Christians were quick to deem the government, or the CDC, or some other institution as the beast.⁴

            An article entitled COVID-19 and The Mark of the Beast in the website of theLAB states, “I know of no reputable biblical scholar or theologian who would endorse that the COVID-19 quarantine or a vaccine is related to the “mark of the beast”. For starters, in Revelation, the “mark of the beast” is by no means a medical procedure... the mark of the beast (Rev. 13:16-18) is a mark that is closely tied to the worship of the beast (13:12, 15; cf. 19:20; 20:4). Thus, the mark of the beast is a mark of loyalty and devotion to the beast... the “mark of the beast” is most likely a spiritual, non-visible mark; it’s a mark of loyalty and worship and is not, therefore, something you could accidentally accept.” [Emphasis Mine].⁵

            Dr. Matthew L. Halsted teaches that the mark of the beast will force us to curse the Lord Jesus Christ and worship HIS enemy (i.e. the Antichrist), “the historical data does not permit us to think the “mark of the beast” is something you can accidentally take. It’s a mark of loyalty and worship, which requires full cognitive and heart-felt awareness of what you are doing (otherwise it’s not worship)... There is no biblical reason to think that accepting government-mandated social security numbers is the equivalent of taking the mark of the beast. Whatever the current issue may be (vaccines, SSN, chip implants, SIM cards, etc), we need to be careful about confusing our personal and/or political convictions with the meaning of a biblical text...But either way, unless “They” require you to forsake your faith in Jesus as the exclusive object of your worship, They have no relation to the mark of the beast. Again, given what we know about the historical context of these biblical texts, the “mark of the beast” must be tied back into worship if it is to be applied properly.”⁶

            To conclude, these teachings agree on one point i.e. the mark of the beast requires the bearer to renounce/curse Christ the Lord and worship the Antichrist. Since the Covid vaccine neither requires us to curse the Lord Jesus Christ nor worship anyone in particular, Covid vaccine cannot be the mark of the beast.

Endnotes:

¹https://www.gotquestions.org/mark-beast.html

²https://www.gty.org/library/bibleqnas-library/QA0174/what-is-the-mark-of-the-beast

³Ibid.   

⁴https://biologos.org/series/should-christians-take-the-vaccine/resources/is-the-covid-vaccine-the-mark-of-the-beast

⁵https://academic.logos.com/covid-19-and-the-mark-of-the-beast/

⁶http://academiclogos.wpengine.com/the-covid-vaccine-has-666-written-all-over-it-and-why-that-doesnt-matter-according-to-revelation/

Websites last accessed on 26^th May 2021.

Does God Determine The Date & Time Of Our Death?

           For many of us, living during the Covid pandemic is to stare death in the face.

            It’s not that in pre-covid times we took life for granted, but, then the chances of living were more than the chances of our dying. Today it is not so; the chances of our death have increased exponentially.

            Death seems so much closer to us than ever before.

            Although we hope to die peacefully without being a burden on any one, we are not in control over our death. Some deaths are peaceful, some brutal and violent, and some deaths are sudden and unexpected. We are painfully unaware as to how and when we would die.

            In this context, we may be more secure if God determines the ‘when’ and the ‘how’ of our death i.e. the date, time, place, and the nature of our death. To know that God is in total control of our death is to know that God would be with us when we breathe our last breath (cf. John 14:17). If God is with us, we could be secure and peaceful during our final moments of this mortal life.  

            When we say that God determines our death, we are not alluding to the notion that God knows every detail about our death. Of course, God, as the maximally great being, would know everything – that includes every detail of our death.

            To know something is distinct from determining something. Consider a casual example. I may know that you would be travelling to your destination in public transport. On the other hand, if I play an active role in you using public transport for your travel, I am rather determining the nature of your travel. (The more I increase my involvement in your journey, the more I determine your journey.) Knowledge of an event is included in determining an event. So determining an event includes both knowledge and an active participation of the causal agent in causing that event to occur.

            When God determines our deaths, God is actively involved in the date, time, place, and the nature of our death.

            This does not mean that God is the cause of all suicides. God will not violate man’s freewill.

            God allows man to commit suicide [although in certain instances, God, being a sovereign being, can prevent a man from committing suicide]. In other words, man decides freely to commit suicide. While using his freewill to commit suicide, man chooses to either actively or passively ignore or violate God’s perfect will.

            Unhealthy lifestyles could also usher an early death. But an unhealthy lifestyle is not God’s perfect will for man. However, if man chooses to disobey God to live an unhealthy lifestyle, God, in all likelihood, would allow that man to exercise his freewill.

            So a suicide or an unhealthy lifestyle or a rash decision could usher an early death. But the exercise of man’s freewill does not diminish God’s perfection by any means. God would still determine or be actively involved in the death of every Christian.

            Does the Bible teach that God determines the death of every Christian?

            Consider these verses:

            God has ordained all our days on earth. This includes the days of our birth and death. (Psalm 139: 16 (NIV) “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”)

            God is in absolute control over our life. (Matthew 10: “²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. ³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” - NIV)

            God gives us our life and our death. (Acts 17: 25 “And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” - NIV [Emphasis Mine].)

            The Lord decides our death. (James 4: “¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”” - NIV)

            (Also refer Deuteronomy 32: 39; 1 Samuel 2: 6; Job 1: 21, 14:5 etc.) 

            To conclude, we may stare death at the face, but worry not, the Triune God who created us and sustains our life is in control over your life and mine.

            On a personal note, my prayer, when I die, is that I will be sane and diligent to pray, “Into your hand I commit my spirit.” (Psalm 31:5 ESV; cf. Acts 7: 59).