Revelation 13:16 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: 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. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
In my previous blog "The Seventh King and the Abomination that causes desolation", I identified Constantine the Great's Labarum as the "Image of the Beast" which the Antichrist will use to force everyone to worship him, and kill those who refuses to do so. In addition to this "Image", the Antichrist will also use a "Mark" to conveniently identify those who submits to his authority, and separate those who don't.
The Greek word used for "Mark" is charagma which can mean either one of the following:
1) a stamp, an imprinted mark
2) thing carved, sculpture, graven work (of idolatrous images)
The Greek word charagama was used only 9 times in the New Testament, eight of which was used in the Book of Revelation where it specifically refer to the "Mark of the Beast". The only other instance it was used in the New Testament was in the Book of Acts where it was translated as an "image" made either of gold or silver or stone:
Acts 17:29 "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by man's design and skill.
Thus, the "Mark of the Beast" will be a sculpted image (made either of gold or silver or stone) which is small enough to be implanted in a person's forehead or right hand. Now what will be the shape of this miniature sculpted image?
Constantine the Great was shown this shape during his famous vision on the evening of October 27, 312, while he was preparing for the Battle of the Milvian Bridge:
Eusebius Book I Chapter XXVIII: How, while he was praying, God sent him a Vision of a Cross of Light in the Heavens at Mid-day, with an Inscription admonishing him to conquer by that.
Accordingly he called on him with earnest prayer and supplications that he would reveal to him who he was, and stretch forth his right hand to help him in his present difficulties. And while he was thus praying with fervent entreaty, a most marvelous sign appeared to him from heaven, the account of which it might have been hard to believe had it been related by any other person. But since the victorious emperor himself long afterwards declared it to the writer of this history, when he was honored with his acquaintance and society, and confirmed his statement by an oath, who could hesitate to accredit the relation, especially since the testimony of after- time has established its truth? He said that about noon, when the day was already beginning to decline, he saw with his own eyes the trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, and bearing the inscription, CONQUER BY THIS. At this sight he himself was struck with amazement, and his whole army also, which followed him on this expedition, and witnessed the miracle.
What Constantine saw was actually an inverted version of the Coptic Ankh (which is a cross with a circle on top). In the case of Constantine's vision, the circle (represented by the Sun) was located at the bottom of the cross of light. After the vision, "Christ" supposedly appeared to Constantine in his dream and commanded him to use in his wars a standard according to the vision of the cross he saw earlier; and the result was the Labarum:
Eusebius Book I Chapter XXIX: How the Christ of God appeared to him in his Sleep, and commanded him to use in his Wars a Standard made in the Form of the Cross.
He said, moreover, that he doubted within himself what the import of this apparition could be. And while he continued to ponder and reason on its meaning, night suddenly came on; then in his sleep the Christ of God appeared to him with the same sign which he had seen in the heavens, and commanded him to make a likeness of that sign which he had seen in the heavens, and to use it as a safeguard in all engagements with his enemies.
Eusebius Book I Chapter XXX: The Making of the Standard of the Cross.
At dawn of day he arose, and communicated the marvel to his friends: and then, calling together the workers in gold and precious stones, he sat in the midst of them, and described to them the figure of the sign he had seen, bidding them represent it in gold and precious stones. And this representation I myself have had an opportunity of seeing.
Eusebius Book I Chapter XXXI: A Description of the Standard of the Cross, which the Romans now call the Labarum.
Now it was made in the following manner. A long spear, overlaid with gold, formed the figure of the cross by means of a transverse bar laid over it. On the top of the whole was fixed a wreath of gold and precious stones;
In the case of the Labarum, the Coptic Ankh became more visible as the circle (represented by the wreath of gold) is properly positioned on top of the figure of the cross (represented by the long spear with a transverse bar laid over it).
Roman Catholics are already accustomed to receiving the mark of the cross made from ash on their foreheads during Ash Wednesday. Therefore, it will not be too difficult for the Antichrist to convince them to receive the Coptic Ankh or the "Mark of the Beast" instead.
Now will the Mark of the Beast be made of ash or will it be made of some other material instead? The Book of Revelation associated the "Mark" with the "Name of the Beast" as well ("And that no man might buy or sell , save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast"). This means that the "Name of the Beast" will be engraved on this miniature sculpture which is the "Mark of the Beast". In the Book of Revelation, a person's "new name" is written on a white stone (when the Antichrist resurrects, he will also call himself by a new name):
Revelation 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I [Jesus] will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
In one of my previous blogs titled "The Merovingians and the Sacred Bloodline", I mentioned my belief that the white stone promised by Christ to his disciples who overcome, is none other than the Philosopher's stone - a legendary alchemical substance, supposedly capable of turning base metals, especially lead, into gold; and was also believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality. I also mentioned in this previous blog my belief that the white stone is simply fossilized manna (or the "bread of life") that hardened over time; and that this "bread of life" can be produced from blood containing Melchizedek's immortal DNA, through the alchemical miracle of consubstantiation.
In my other previous blog titled "The Great Catholic Monarch, the Antichrist, and the Baphomet", I mentioned that the Antichrist is the last recipient of the cursed Melchizedek DNA. And because of this, the Antichrist is capable of producing the "white stone" (or the Philosopher's stone) which he will use to mark his worshippers' foreheads or right hands. Since the "Mark of the Beast" will be made from sculpted Philosopher's stone, it will be able to impart immortality and endless youth to its recipients. Note that the Coptic Ankh (also known as the Gnostic cross), has its origin in the Egyptian Ankh and is the pre Coptic cross of the early Christian gnostic movement. The Ankh, also known as the key of life, was the Egyptian hieroglyphic character that reads "eternal life".
What will be the new name of the resurrected Antichrist, which according to the Book of Revelation has a numerical value of 666? I will be discussing this in my next blog.