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.'"
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