During the three presidential debates in October, 2004 between President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry it was of great interest to myself as a student of the Bible, how on two different occasions President Bush made reference to John Kerry's attempts to have the United States put under the legal jurisdiction of the World Court (see Rapture Watch Messages The Law & Order of Rome Part I & Part II). Then during the final debate John Kerry spoke of how he would implement the use of bio-metric technology to secure U.S. borders.
The more advanced bio-metric technology available today is leaps and bounds beyond such things as the fingerprint records and iris scans Mr. Kerry mentioned. The newest developments not only seek to verify a person's identity, but also to supply immediate availability and confirmation of personal information about an individual.
In verses 16-18 of Chapter 13 found in the Bible Book of Revelation, it is prophesied by the Apostle John how during the final days the people of the earth will be physically marked. Those who refuse to take the "mark" will be denied the ability to buy or sell and according to Rev. 20:4, will even be beheaded because of their refusal.
Quoting these verses we read, "And he [that is the false prophet under the Anti-Christ] causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the number of the beast [that is the Anti-Christ], or the number of his name...And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands, and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years."
For decades students of Bible prophecy have watched the unwavering quest of societies to find more foolproof means of identifying people and more thorough ways of being able to swiftly access and update information on individuals.
Through the development of computers and lasers the day when the world's population can be monitored and controlled is about to arrive. The only question left remaining to prophecy students is, "What form of marking system will ultimately be used?"
Since the 1970's the ability to permanently laser mark living tissue with information has been available and utilized on animals as varied as race horses to fish released from hatcheries. Permanent laser brands are marked on fish at machine gun speeds before they are released to join their companions in the lakes and seas. Scientists who recover one of these laser marked fish can tell you when the fish was released, where the fish came from and even its age.
Another more recent development for tracking living creatures is the passive-responder chip implant that is now being put in everything from merchandise and animals to yes...human beings.
Before we share some recent news articles, which should stir among believers hope-filled thoughts of the imminence of the day of the Rapture of the Church to Heaven (see I Thess. 4:15-18), we should point out for consideration a couple of facts concerning the original Greek words for "on" and "mark" in Revelation 13:16.
These facts can be verified by simply checking a Greek study guide such as a Strong's Concordance. In some Bible translations such as the Authorized King James Version the Scripture of Rev. 13:16 reads that the"mark" will be "in" the hand or forehead and not "on" as some other versions may read. For implants to be used, the word "in" is significant, while for a branding system the word "on" would carry more relevance.
According to the original Greek of Rev. 13:16 the word "on," as used in our modern vernacular, would be the more conventional word that would have been used, while the word "in," although not incorrect, has a more tenuous application.
Language scholars explain the apparent discrepancy with the fact that by Old English terminology the word "in" and "on" could be used interchangeably. Time will resolve this interesting question of "on" or "in" very soon.
As for the word "mark," it literally translates from the Greek to mean an "etching" or "engraving." Both a brand upon the skin or even a data encoded implant could be rightfully described as an etching or engraving.
The implants have distinct and very real advantages which will surely be used to further the Anti-Christ's ambitions, while laser markings, by my present understanding, more precisely adheres to the overall literal description of the"mark."
It is very possible that both marking systems will be utilized for different circumstances. Injected passive responder implants can actually transmit information when scanned by special equipment and can even be tracked, while laser marking is less physically intrusive and vastly more economical and simple.
The June, 2004 issue of CETF reported that Mondex international is a producer of smartcards. Mastercard is reported to have bought 51% of the company. Motorola is the company reportedly producing the microchip for the Mondex smartcard.
The article went on to report that, "One billion bio-chips are being produced by MONDEX a year. It's been in production for at least a year.
They discovered that if the chip would be in a card, they will encounter serious problems. The chip could be cut and information would be changed or falsified. The value could be manipulated, stolen or lost. After you receive the card, it will expire within one to two years. In the end, real money will be insecure In the general market.
They developed several implants for humans using the "bio-chip" which measures 7mm in length and .075 wide, as large as a grain of rice. It contains a transponder (a system of storing information) and a lithium battery (recharged by a thermocouple circuit that produces an electrical current with the fluctuation of body temperature).
There is only one solution for this problem, embraced by MOTOROLA...implanting the bio-chip in the right hand or the head, where it cannot be removed.
If it is removed by surgery, the small capsule will burst and the individuals would be contaminated...and the Global Position System (GPS) will detect if it was removed, and will alert the authorities.
Notice Mondex means "money on your hand." MON = MONetary DEX = DEXter= Righthand side."
For more information on this subject CETF recommends you go to www.google.com and search for "verichip" and "mondex Smartcard."
Some may feel that this article is no more then sensationalized fiction, but the plot takes on a more solid dimension as we read from the Oct. 14, "04 Washington Post article which headlined, "Medical data implant OK'd." What is of the greatest of significance in this article is that these implants now have government approval and are expected to revolutionize the industries which will be affected by this technology.
Quoting we read, "A microchip that can be implanted under the skin to give doctors instant access to a patient's records won government approval Wednesday, a step that could revolutionize medical care but is raising alarm among privacy advocates.
The tiny electronic capsule, the first such device to receive FDA approval, transmits a code to a special scanner that allows doctors to confirm a patient's identify and obtain detailed medical information from an accompanying database.
Applied Digital Solutions Inc. Of Delray Beach Fla., plans to market the VeriChip systems - chips, scanners and computerized database - to hospitals, doctors and patients as a way to improve care and avoid errors by ensuring that doctors know who they are treating and their health details.
Doctors would scan patients like cans at a grocery store. The patient's medical record would pop up on a computer screen. Emergency room doctors could scan unconscious car accident victims to check their blood type, medications and make sure they have no drug allergies. Surgeons could scan patients in the operating room to guard against cutting into the wrong person. Chips could be implanted in Alzheimer's patients in case they get lost.
The approval immediately was denounced by privacy advocates, who fear it could endanger patient privacy and mark a step toward a future in which people will be tracked by the implants or required to have them inserted for surveillance, identification and other purposes.
Katherine Albrecht, who campaigns against such devices, said: "It would obviously be possible to inject one of these into everyone. In the post-9/11 world, we are already racing down the path to total surveillance. The only thing missing to clinch the deal has been the technology. This may fill that gap."
The VeriChip technology was developed to track livestock and has been implanted in about 1 million cats and dogs to identify lost or stolen house pets.
The company is investigating other applications, including using them as "electronic dog tags" for soldiers, creating "smart guns" with built-in scanners that ensure they only could be fired by someone with a corresponding implant in their arm, and enabling stores to verify a customer's identity before accepting a credit card.
The chips will cost about $200."
A related Oct. 14, ‘04 Denver Post article which headlined, "FDA approves human microchip" provided significant information as to how fast these implants are advancing, we quote, "...With a syringe, the microchip is inserted under the skin in a procedure that leaves no mark. The chip releases the patient's information when a scanner passes over it.
The VeriChip itself contains no medical records, just codes that health providers use to unlock that person's medical information in a database. The electronic database, not the chip, would be updated with each medical visit...The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday announced $139 million in grants to help make real President Bush's push for electronic health records for most Americans within a decade.
To kickstart the chip's use among humans, Applied Digital will provide $650 scanners for free at 200 of the nation's trauma centers."
It is beyond any question that we have reached the closing days of John's vision when people will be marked and tracking implants are a reality of the signs of the times.
But then what about people who would fear hypodermic injections with needles the diameter of a piece of rice, or would go mad at the sight of a permanent lump under the skin of their foreheads?
We must then add to these problems the mind numbing costs and logistic problems of implanting billions of people with individual transponders by the use of syringes.
This brings us back to the advantages and practicality of micro-laser-brands. As I have shared, the laser marking of living creatures has been developed since the 1970's.
In Part II of this message we will share how laser branding has also undergone advancement.
The night is far spent and the day of Christ's return for His Church is near at hand. Today is the day to give your life to Jesus Christ by trusting in Him for the forgiveness of your sins.
God tells us through the Apostle Paul in Romans 10:8-13, "The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.
For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.
For "whoever calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.'"