QUESTION:

Does the mark of the beast described in Revelation 13:16-18 happen before or after the Rapture? Will we as Christians have to face it during the Great Tribulation?

STEPHEN'S ANSWER:

Revelation 13 details the activities of the two beasts including their intense persecution towards the saints. Revelation 14 then records a series of events that will be fulfilled at the end of Daniel's 70th Week, when "the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11:15b). Next, in Revelation 15 and 16, John gives an overview of the final wrath of God, the Seven Bowl Judgments. Although the Rapture is not mentioned in either of these chapters, by comparing these events to the time line defined in the Pre-Wrath position, it is safe to conclude that it should occur somewhere in Revelation 13, or between Revelation 13 and 14. The mark of the beast appears near the end of Revelation 13. We are told it is "either the name of the beast (the first beast, Anti-Christ) or the number of his name (666)" (v17b). It is enforced by "another beast" (v11), the False Prophet, to put on people's right hands or foreheads. And "no one will be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the mark" (v17a).

I do consider this mark as a part of the Great Tribulation/Persecution that Anti-Christ will bring upon true believers of Jesus Christ, for three main reasons. First, Christ in His Olivet Discourse refers to the Great Tribulation as so bad "as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will" (Matthew 24:21). Christ is warning His followers who live during that period of time to prepare for the worst persecution ever in the history of mankind. Given this severe warning by Christ, could we rashly take this mark, Anti-Christ's main instrument of control over the world, out of the picture of the worst persecution we will have to face? Second, the Great Tribulation period is also described by Christ in Revelation 3:10 as "the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth". Scripture tells us that this "hour of testing" is brought to the whole world by the "another beast", when he starts to enforce the image and mark of the beast on all people. Don't you agree that the nature of the image and mark is exactly a test, "to test those who dwell on the earth" whom they really serve, Christ or Anti-Christ? Last but not least, Revelation 15: 2 clearly shows that the mark of the beast is indeed what the saints/elect will have to face during the Great Tribulation/Persecution before the Rapture. Here is a scene in heaven before the throne of God, just before the seven final plagues are poured out.

"And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God" (emphasis added).

Again from the time line defined in the Pre-Wrath position, we know that those who are standing on the sea of glass are no other than the raptured saints/elect of God. Notice here they are characterized as those who have overcome (had victory over) the persecutions of the Anti-Christ (the beast) and the False Prophet (another Beast) who forces all people to worship Anti-Christ's image and take on his mark, which is the number of his name. This key verse should clear up any doubts that still linger in your mind about this issue.

To sum up, it is in my opinion that the mark of the beast referred in Revelation 13 happens before the Rapture, not after. Every follower of Christ living in the last days should be alert and watchful and fully prepared in body and spirit to face it and overcome it till the Lord Jesus comes and gathers us to Himself.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible.

Further questions or comments on this answer may be sent to Stephen at here.