Does That Sound Like . . .?

   There is a persistent belief among some Christians that the Covid vaccine is the mark of the Beast. There are a number of logic and, more importantly, Biblical problems with that viewpoint. For example:

The Beast has not been revealed yet, much less his mark. 

That does not mean he is not around yet, but it is hard to take someone's mark when no one knows who they are. If the Beast is a national leader insisting everyone get vaccinated, there are many of those. Ours is Biden, but it would take imagination bordering on madness to believe our forgetful, powerless president will become in his dotage a charismatic leader who will unite the planet by promising world peace. Does that sound like Biden to you?

The Beast offers peace, not healing. On a recent radio program where the speaker explained that we should take the Bible literally--America is not mentioned in prophecy, and Babylon means Babylon not New York City, the host broke in to say Covid has prepared the world for the Beast. Really? If  by preparation, she means mindless compliance to the government, that has not happened. Even in typically "sheepish" nations, there are pockets of resistance willing to butt heads with their government. America, which began by butting heads with their government, has pockets of resistance larger than the sheepish nations. If the vaccine offered escape from certain death, the Beast could certainly exploit that for his purposes but, in most cases Covid is not fatal and, despite the hypo hype, the vaccine doesn't prevent infection, much less cure it. It only lessens the symptoms.

 

The vaccine is not a mark. There is a big difference between The Mark and a needle stick that disappears in two days. Unless the Bible is lying, the mark of the Beast will be visible on the right hand or forehead (Rev. 13:16) Does that sound like a shot in the arm or card in a wallet? It will identify who can buy and sell because it is visible. Something has always been required to buy and sell and currency has had images of rulers on it since the beginning of history. The Mark will be different. Now if the Covid injection was given in the right hand or forehead, that would be cause for worry. But the only injection I know of that goes in your forehead is Botox, in which case, I guess merchants could identify the "marked" by their lack of frown lines.

Taking the mark is an act of worship (Rev. 13:8) or a pledge of loyalty. Only those who are not written in the Lamb's book of Life will take it. But would God let even unbelievers take a mark that damns them for all eternity believing it was something innocuous?  Would God condemn vaccinated believers despite the many Bible passages that teach "no backsies" on salvation? Does that sound like God to you?

 

    It is good to study prophecy, but it is our nature to warp it to fit our preconceptions. Do we have the right not to have something placed in our bodies against our will? Absolutely. In America women are allowed to have a human being who resides in their body for a few months of a potential 90 year lifespan (usually with their cooperation, if not intention) killed and forcibly removed. Does that sound like a right to you? There are legitimate medical concerns about the vaccine, although surgical skills are required to separate truth from the pro and anti propaganda involved. Even more complicated is discerning if the motives behind our vaccine decisions are medical, political or carnal. Because telling health officials, the government, and even God, "You're not the boss a me!" sounds just like us.