The beast increases his persecution through disallowing any who do not take his mark from participating in the world economic system. We are told the number of the beast: six hundred and sixty-six.
Continuing the vision, in Revelation 13:16-18Revelation 13:16-18 commentary John speaks of what is often called the “mark of the beast.” He records that the second beast causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead (v.16).
It is inferred that this mark is connected with an oath of loyalty and submission, as the immediate context speaks of complete world submission to the beast. Revelation 13:12Revelation 13:12 commentary stated that the false prophet, the second beast in the vision, “makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast.” Submission to the beast goes far beyond mere compliance. What is required is to worship him.
The comprehensive language—all…the small and the great, and the rich and the poor (v.16)—highlights the beast’s global reach across social and economic boundaries. No one is immune; power, status, or wealth offer no escape from this mark, that is a mandated sign of devotion. It indicates an era of global control unparalleled in previous history, uniting all classes under the false prophet’s religion which requires worship and total submission to the first beast.
The mark on their right hand or on their forehead (v.16) mirrors the “Shema,” the ancient Jewish confession of faith, where God’s Word was to be bound on hands and foreheads (Deuteronomy 6:6-8Deuteronomy 6:6-8 commentary). This passage was quoted by Jesus as being the first and greatest commandment, which was to love God with all one’s heart, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37-39Matthew 22:37-39 commentary). Here the beast totally inverts God’s command and points it to himself.
This perversion of the greatest commandment is consistent with Satan’s original objective that led to his fall, as revealed in Isaiah 14:12-15Isaiah 14:12-15 commentary. In that passage, Satan/Lucifer proclaimed, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God.” Satan, through his instruments of the first and second beasts, has now created a counterfeit of the first and greatest commandment to love and serve God with all one’s being.
It is worth reflection that God offers life for observing His commands and warns that death will result from disobedience, but leaves the choice uncoerced (Deuteronomy 30:19Deuteronomy 30:19 commentary). God informs us of consequences rather than imposing through use of force. In this manner, God honors the choice He gave to humans, the beings He created in His own image, while informing ahead of time the consequences of said choice (Genesis 1:26Genesis 1:26 commentary). While God honors choice, Satan demands submission. The beast uses his vast power to prohibit anyone refusing to take his “mark” from buying or selling: and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name (v. 17).
This demonstrates that in this prophesied future three-and-one-half year season which Jesus called a time of “great tribulation,” neutrality will be impossible. There will be only two categories of people: those who worship God and those who worship the beast. This is the same as those who take the mark of the beast and those whose name is written in the “book of life of the Lamb who has been slain” (Revelation 13:8Revelation 13:8 commentary).
This same tension was present in John’s own era, as Christians had to declare “Caesar is Lord” or suffer the consequences. John was suffering as an exile for his testimony for Jesus when he received this vision (Revelation 1:9Revelation 1:9 commentary). The intermittent, regional persecutions during the Roman empire were a foreshadowing, a birth pang tribulation that portended the time of great tribulation. During this time of great tribulation, the persecution of believers will be persistent and global.
This leads to the sobering result: he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name (v. 17). Commerce and daily necessities become weaponized against those who refuse to receive the beast’s mark: no one will be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the mark. By controlling commerce, the false prophet wields economic pressure as a tool of forced compliance.
The implication is that the provisions of ordinary life—purchasing food, operating a business, seeking medical care—become impossible without taking the beast’s mark. In Revelation 12:14-17Revelation 12:14-17 commentary, commentary there was a deliverance from Satan for the woman, who is Israel. Perhaps there will be an alternate, underground system developed that will allow some to survive. It is possible that many martyrdoms will occur from starvation or exposure due to being excluded from economic activity because they would not accept the beast’s mark (Revelation 17:6Revelation 17:6 commentary).
Throughout Scripture, believers are exhorted that life comes from God. Sometimes God miraculously provides for physical life, as with Israel being fed by manna (Deuteronomy 8:16Deuteronomy 8:16 commentary) or Elijah being fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:2-61 Kings 17:2-6 commentary). Jesus used the example of manna to make a larger point, that true life comes through Himself, who is the Living Word (John 6:47-50John 6:47-50 commentary). Whether we live or die physically, to live faithfully to the Lord leads to life that endures forever.
To have life is to have connection. To overcome as Jesus overcame is to be fully connected with the purpose for which God made us. Although created lower than the angels, humans were made to have dominion over the earth in order to silence Satan, the enemy of God (Psalm 8:1-6Psalm 8:1-6 commentary). Believers follow Jesus in restoring our original purpose when we suffer as He suffered (Romans 8:17bRomans 8:17b commentary, Hebrews 2:9Hebrews 2:9 commentary). We overcome as He overcame by serving as a faithful witness (Greek “martys”) through living a faithful testimony (Greek “martyria”).
All believers are exhorted to live as faithful witnesses that do not fear rejection, loss, or death in order to gain the immense blessing Jesus promises for those who overcome as He overcame (Revelation 1:3Revelation 1:3 commentary, 3:213:21 commentary). Jesus restored the “glory and honor” humans were given to reign over the earth through the “suffering of death” (Hebrews 2:9Hebrews 2:9 commentary). In following His Father’s will, even to death, He gained the great reward of being put over all things (Philippians 2:5-9Philippians 2:5-9 commentary). Jesus desires to bring “many sons to glory” through following His example of being a faithful witness. Some will be spared through faith, some will by martyred by faith. All will refuse the mark of the beast.
It is inferred that accepting a “mark” that is either the name of the beast or the number of his name constitutes worship of the beast. One’s name in scripture is like the modern concept of a “brand.” A brand is the sum and substance of all a person or enterprise does. Similarly, a name represents the full identity of a person. It is inferred that to accept the name of the beast as a mark is to agree to belong to the beast and his realm. We will soon see that those who choose to belong to the beast will join him in his looming judgment (Revelation 14:9-11Revelation 14:9-11 commentary). Thus, God provides here sufficient warning to His people not to accept the beast’s mark.
The beast’s number is presented as an equivalent to his name. Each Hebrew letter is also assigned a numeric value; Hebrew in this era did not have numeric characters. There is a tradition in Judaism called “gematria” that is devoted to studying patterns and connections associated with the numeric value of words.
A fairly apparent example can be seen in Matthew 1Matthew 1 commentary. The numerical value of the Hebrew word that translates to English as “David” is fourteen. We see in Matthew 1:1Matthew 1:1 commentary Jesus called the “son of David” which is the “son of fourteen,” so to speak. Then Jesus’s genealogy is summarized as three segments of “fourteen”:
“So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.” (Matthew 1:17Matthew 1:17 commentary)
A Jewish reader familiar with gematria would readily see “David, David, David” pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment of the promised messiah, heir of David, who would sit on the throne of Israel forever (2 Samuel 7:132 Samuel 7:13 commentary).
It is not surprising then that we are told a mystery, that the number of the beast can be computed: Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six (v.18).
The ability to calculate the number of the beast in order to establish his identity likely refers to Hebrew numerology (gematria) that computes the number of words based on the sum of the assigned values of the Hebrew letters. The number 666 will be the calculated number for the name of the beast. It has been noted that a Hebrew version of “Caesar Nero” sums to 666. Nero lived from 54-68 AD. He was an antichrist of his generation, imposing severe persecution of Christians. However, he did not fulfill all the signs, so was therefore a foreshadowing.
Perhaps the instruction for him who has understanding to calculate the number of the beast is intended as a means of confirmation. It might be necessary to include this calculation together with the other clues to determine the ultimate fulfillment of the antichrist early enough to avoid taking his mark and/or to flee in time to avoid his wrath (Revelation 12:14-16Revelation 12:14-16 commentary, commentaryMatthew 24:15-18Matthew 24:15-18 commentary).
It is notable that it is made clear here that the beast is a man. The beast has supernatural capabilities endowed upon him by the dragon, Satan (Revelation 13:22-3Revelation 13:22-3 commentary). But he is a man.
There will be other signs to go with this number of the beast, who is a man:
The beast will make a treaty with Israel, which will restart the prophetic clock of Daniel 9:20-27Daniel 9:20-27 commentary. This clock was paused when Jesus was rejected, after 69 weeks of years (483 years). The treaty will restart the clock which has seven years remaining (Daniel 9:27Daniel 9:27 commentary).
At the middle of the week, or seven-year period, there will be an “abomination of desolation” that involves the beast (Matthew 24:15Matthew 24:15 commentary, commentaryDaniel 9:27Daniel 9:27 commentary).
The remaining three-and-a-half years from the “abomination of desolation” that occurs in the middle of the “week” of seven years will be what Jesus referred to as a time of “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21Matthew 24:21 commentary).
Perhaps this number of six hundred and sixty-six will confirm the identity of this beast for the 144,000 Jewish evangelists chosen by God and sealed with His protection in order to lead others to safety (Revelation 7:4Revelation 7:4 commentary). The phrase Here is wisdom that refers to the beast’s number indicates that the purpose of the number is to gain insight.
Biblical wisdom is the skill to live in a manner that is constructive. To live in a manner that is constructive is to follow in God’s design. God’s design is for people to live in harmony with one another, serving each other’s needs. It might be that the discernment of the beast’s name through the use of gematria will allow the 144,000 to serve their people by warning them to flee in time to avoid destruction (Matthew 24:15-18Matthew 24:15-18 commentary).
In the Old Testament, wisdom connects to living in the fear of the Lord, which is placing weight on pleasing God above pleasing any other (Proverbs 9:10Proverbs 9:10 commentary). New Testament believers are reminded that true wisdom rests in Christ, who is the fulfillment of all things (Colossians 2:2-3Colossians 2:2-3 commentary). To exercise wisdom will lead to following God and His ways.
Finally, the phrase for the number is that of a man (v. 18) underscores that no matter how imposing the beast may seem, it remains a creation, tethered to a human, with limitations under God’s sovereignty. As we saw in Revelation 13:5Revelation 13:5 commentary, commentary the beast was given authority only for forty two months, which is the same as three-and-a-half years, using the Jewish lunar calendar of 360 days.
New Testament believers are given the seal of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13Ephesians 1:13 commentary). This offers security for each believer that they have everlasting life in Christ and are permanently placed into His family. It seems that in this time of great tribulation different mechanisms are in place. It seems in this passage that security in God’s family comes through avoiding taking the mark of the beast; those who take his mark are judged severely (Revelation 14:9-10Revelation 14:9-10 commentary). This could be why there is an admonition for wisdom to identify the beast and avoid taking his mark.
This shift could be connected to the removal of the restraining ministry of the Spirit. 2 Thessalonians 2:72 Thessalonians 2:7 commentary predicts the removal of the Spirit’s ministry of restraint and a corresponding spread of lawlessness.
The removal of the Spirit’s ministry of restraint of evil could be connected with the event predicted in 1 Thessalonians 4:171 Thessalonians 4:17 commentary where believers are removed from the earth to meet Jesus in the air. It could be that the Spirit’s restraining ministry is removed due to the absence of His presence being manifested by God’s people who are walking in the Spirit.
Set to dark mode
Revelation 13:16-18 meaning
Continuing the vision, in Revelation 13:16-18Revelation 13:16-18 commentary John speaks of what is often called the “mark of the beast.” He records that the second beast causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead (v.16).
It is inferred that this mark is connected with an oath of loyalty and submission, as the immediate context speaks of complete world submission to the beast. Revelation 13:12Revelation 13:12 commentary stated that the false prophet, the second beast in the vision, “makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast.” Submission to the beast goes far beyond mere compliance. What is required is to worship him.
The comprehensive language—all…the small and the great, and the rich and the poor (v.16)—highlights the beast’s global reach across social and economic boundaries. No one is immune; power, status, or wealth offer no escape from this mark, that is a mandated sign of devotion. It indicates an era of global control unparalleled in previous history, uniting all classes under the false prophet’s religion which requires worship and total submission to the first beast.
The mark on their right hand or on their forehead (v.16) mirrors the “Shema,” the ancient Jewish confession of faith, where God’s Word was to be bound on hands and foreheads (Deuteronomy 6:6-8Deuteronomy 6:6-8 commentary). This passage was quoted by Jesus as being the first and greatest commandment, which was to love God with all one’s heart, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37-39Matthew 22:37-39 commentary). Here the beast totally inverts God’s command and points it to himself.
This perversion of the greatest commandment is consistent with Satan’s original objective that led to his fall, as revealed in Isaiah 14:12-15Isaiah 14:12-15 commentary. In that passage, Satan/Lucifer proclaimed, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God.” Satan, through his instruments of the first and second beasts, has now created a counterfeit of the first and greatest commandment to love and serve God with all one’s being.
It is worth reflection that God offers life for observing His commands and warns that death will result from disobedience, but leaves the choice uncoerced (Deuteronomy 30:19Deuteronomy 30:19 commentary). God informs us of consequences rather than imposing through use of force. In this manner, God honors the choice He gave to humans, the beings He created in His own image, while informing ahead of time the consequences of said choice (Genesis 1:26Genesis 1:26 commentary). While God honors choice, Satan demands submission. The beast uses his vast power to prohibit anyone refusing to take his “mark” from buying or selling: and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name (v. 17).
This demonstrates that in this prophesied future three-and-one-half year season which Jesus called a time of “great tribulation,” neutrality will be impossible. There will be only two categories of people: those who worship God and those who worship the beast. This is the same as those who take the mark of the beast and those whose name is written in the “book of life of the Lamb who has been slain” (Revelation 13:8Revelation 13:8 commentary).
This same tension was present in John’s own era, as Christians had to declare “Caesar is Lord” or suffer the consequences. John was suffering as an exile for his testimony for Jesus when he received this vision (Revelation 1:9Revelation 1:9 commentary). The intermittent, regional persecutions during the Roman empire were a foreshadowing, a birth pang tribulation that portended the time of great tribulation. During this time of great tribulation, the persecution of believers will be persistent and global.
This leads to the sobering result: he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name (v. 17). Commerce and daily necessities become weaponized against those who refuse to receive the beast’s mark: no one will be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the mark. By controlling commerce, the false prophet wields economic pressure as a tool of forced compliance.
The implication is that the provisions of ordinary life—purchasing food, operating a business, seeking medical care—become impossible without taking the beast’s mark. In Revelation 12:14-17Revelation 12:14-17 commentary, commentary there was a deliverance from Satan for the woman, who is Israel. Perhaps there will be an alternate, underground system developed that will allow some to survive. It is possible that many martyrdoms will occur from starvation or exposure due to being excluded from economic activity because they would not accept the beast’s mark (Revelation 17:6Revelation 17:6 commentary).
Throughout Scripture, believers are exhorted that life comes from God. Sometimes God miraculously provides for physical life, as with Israel being fed by manna (Deuteronomy 8:16Deuteronomy 8:16 commentary) or Elijah being fed by ravens (1 Kings 17:2-61 Kings 17:2-6 commentary). Jesus used the example of manna to make a larger point, that true life comes through Himself, who is the Living Word (John 6:47-50John 6:47-50 commentary). Whether we live or die physically, to live faithfully to the Lord leads to life that endures forever.
To have life is to have connection. To overcome as Jesus overcame is to be fully connected with the purpose for which God made us. Although created lower than the angels, humans were made to have dominion over the earth in order to silence Satan, the enemy of God (Psalm 8:1-6Psalm 8:1-6 commentary). Believers follow Jesus in restoring our original purpose when we suffer as He suffered (Romans 8:17bRomans 8:17b commentary, Hebrews 2:9Hebrews 2:9 commentary). We overcome as He overcame by serving as a faithful witness (Greek “martys”) through living a faithful testimony (Greek “martyria”).
All believers are exhorted to live as faithful witnesses that do not fear rejection, loss, or death in order to gain the immense blessing Jesus promises for those who overcome as He overcame (Revelation 1:3Revelation 1:3 commentary, 3:213:21 commentary). Jesus restored the “glory and honor” humans were given to reign over the earth through the “suffering of death” (Hebrews 2:9Hebrews 2:9 commentary). In following His Father’s will, even to death, He gained the great reward of being put over all things (Philippians 2:5-9Philippians 2:5-9 commentary). Jesus desires to bring “many sons to glory” through following His example of being a faithful witness. Some will be spared through faith, some will by martyred by faith. All will refuse the mark of the beast.
It is inferred that accepting a “mark” that is either the name of the beast or the number of his name constitutes worship of the beast. One’s name in scripture is like the modern concept of a “brand.” A brand is the sum and substance of all a person or enterprise does. Similarly, a name represents the full identity of a person. It is inferred that to accept the name of the beast as a mark is to agree to belong to the beast and his realm. We will soon see that those who choose to belong to the beast will join him in his looming judgment (Revelation 14:9-11Revelation 14:9-11 commentary). Thus, God provides here sufficient warning to His people not to accept the beast’s mark.
The beast’s number is presented as an equivalent to his name. Each Hebrew letter is also assigned a numeric value; Hebrew in this era did not have numeric characters. There is a tradition in Judaism called “gematria” that is devoted to studying patterns and connections associated with the numeric value of words.
A fairly apparent example can be seen in Matthew 1Matthew 1 commentary. The numerical value of the Hebrew word that translates to English as “David” is fourteen. We see in Matthew 1:1Matthew 1:1 commentary Jesus called the “son of David” which is the “son of fourteen,” so to speak. Then Jesus’s genealogy is summarized as three segments of “fourteen”:
“So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.”
(Matthew 1:17Matthew 1:17 commentary)
A Jewish reader familiar with gematria would readily see “David, David, David” pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment of the promised messiah, heir of David, who would sit on the throne of Israel forever (2 Samuel 7:132 Samuel 7:13 commentary).
It is not surprising then that we are told a mystery, that the number of the beast can be computed: Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six (v.18).
The ability to calculate the number of the beast in order to establish his identity likely refers to Hebrew numerology (gematria) that computes the number of words based on the sum of the assigned values of the Hebrew letters. The number 666 will be the calculated number for the name of the beast. It has been noted that a Hebrew version of “Caesar Nero” sums to 666. Nero lived from 54-68 AD. He was an antichrist of his generation, imposing severe persecution of Christians. However, he did not fulfill all the signs, so was therefore a foreshadowing.
Perhaps the instruction for him who has understanding to calculate the number of the beast is intended as a means of confirmation. It might be necessary to include this calculation together with the other clues to determine the ultimate fulfillment of the antichrist early enough to avoid taking his mark and/or to flee in time to avoid his wrath (Revelation 12:14-16Revelation 12:14-16 commentary, commentary Matthew 24:15-18Matthew 24:15-18 commentary).
It is notable that it is made clear here that the beast is a man. The beast has supernatural capabilities endowed upon him by the dragon, Satan (Revelation 13:22-3Revelation 13:22-3 commentary). But he is a man.
There will be other signs to go with this number of the beast, who is a man:
Perhaps this number of six hundred and sixty-six will confirm the identity of this beast for the 144,000 Jewish evangelists chosen by God and sealed with His protection in order to lead others to safety (Revelation 7:4Revelation 7:4 commentary). The phrase Here is wisdom that refers to the beast’s number indicates that the purpose of the number is to gain insight.
Biblical wisdom is the skill to live in a manner that is constructive. To live in a manner that is constructive is to follow in God’s design. God’s design is for people to live in harmony with one another, serving each other’s needs. It might be that the discernment of the beast’s name through the use of gematria will allow the 144,000 to serve their people by warning them to flee in time to avoid destruction (Matthew 24:15-18Matthew 24:15-18 commentary).
In the Old Testament, wisdom connects to living in the fear of the Lord, which is placing weight on pleasing God above pleasing any other (Proverbs 9:10Proverbs 9:10 commentary). New Testament believers are reminded that true wisdom rests in Christ, who is the fulfillment of all things (Colossians 2:2-3Colossians 2:2-3 commentary). To exercise wisdom will lead to following God and His ways.
Finally, the phrase for the number is that of a man (v. 18) underscores that no matter how imposing the beast may seem, it remains a creation, tethered to a human, with limitations under God’s sovereignty. As we saw in Revelation 13:5Revelation 13:5 commentary, commentary the beast was given authority only for forty two months, which is the same as three-and-a-half years, using the Jewish lunar calendar of 360 days.
New Testament believers are given the seal of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13Ephesians 1:13 commentary). This offers security for each believer that they have everlasting life in Christ and are permanently placed into His family. It seems that in this time of great tribulation different mechanisms are in place. It seems in this passage that security in God’s family comes through avoiding taking the mark of the beast; those who take his mark are judged severely (Revelation 14:9-10Revelation 14:9-10 commentary). This could be why there is an admonition for wisdom to identify the beast and avoid taking his mark.
This shift could be connected to the removal of the restraining ministry of the Spirit. 2 Thessalonians 2:72 Thessalonians 2:7 commentary predicts the removal of the Spirit’s ministry of restraint and a corresponding spread of lawlessness.
The removal of the Spirit’s ministry of restraint of evil could be connected with the event predicted in 1 Thessalonians 4:171 Thessalonians 4:17 commentary where believers are removed from the earth to meet Jesus in the air. It could be that the Spirit’s restraining ministry is removed due to the absence of His presence being manifested by God’s people who are walking in the Spirit.