Does the RFID chip have anything to do with the mark of the beast and the end times?

The two "beasts" receive widespread worship, and Satan thus is worshiped through them (Matt. 24:23-27; Rev. 13:4,8). The mark of the beast is instituted (Rev. 13:16-18). Possibly, this body-implanted personal identity code was in use before as a "convenience," but now it is used to totally control peoples' lives. I've read of technology that will flash-burn a code onto skin without pain and without leaving a visible mark. But we don't know the technology that will be used then.

We see in verse 16 that this Beast will require all Israel, whatever their status, to be coded with a mark in the right hand or on the forehead. Whether one is employed practically or intellectually, he must be marked. Experiments have already been reported in the United States which involve infusing a thin layer of liquid plastic under the skin as a backing for an invisible number only discerned by a laser scanner. In this way the number will be in the person rather than on a credit card he possesses and can lose or have stolen. When a thing like this is forced upon the population with the intention of having the people subject to the Beast's authority, or not to be allowed to buy or sell (v. 17), then believers will be called upon to fully refuse this identification with the Beast as though they were his property.

The 144,000 of Revelation 7 will have the seal of God in their foreheads: they are His property: they will not accept the mark of the beast. All who take this stand will be refused permission to buy or sell. Currency may be done away with as a medium of exchange so that the transfer of funds could be done only by electronic means. Civilization today is rapidly moving in this direction. Many will suffer for refusing the mark of the Beast and many will be put to death, for we read of these among the martyrs (Rev. 20:4).

We should be wise as to these matters even now before these things take place (v.18). One who has understanding is called upon to count the number of the Beast. What does it add up to? In Scripture, six is the number of a man — man independent of God — and as such, reduced to the level of a beast. The number six is indelibly stamped upon mankind, and though it is intensified (666) in the number of the Beast, yet it is short of seven which is the number of completeness in the Bible. Secular humanism — mankind filled with pride in his accomplishments — in its fullest development is seen in the number 666. However, in God's account such pride is merely beastly and doomed to solemn judgment.

This Jewish "beast" sets up an image or robot of the Roman beast (as mentioned above) and also institutes the mark of the beast (Rev. 13:16-17), probably seeking to honor the Roman beast. This mark, either in the right hand or forehead, may well be some computerized credit card number in a cashless society that gives this wicked leader complete control over all purchases and sales.

The mystic mark on the forehead, whatever that may be,‎ publicly proclaims the person as an adherent of the Beast;‎ on the hand intimates active support, a willing worker in the interests of the Beast.‎

This wicked man will claim universal religious authority over all — both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond. To enforce his authority he will insist that a public submission to the first beast is made by a public mark in the right hand and in the forehead, without which it will be humanly impossible to exist, for without this mark none will be able to buy or sell.

There does not appear to be any indication of the symbolic meaning of the number of the beast; doubtless it will be made plain at the needed moment. In the meanwhile we have to beware of drawing deductions which may expose us to every imagination of the human mind.

The lying wonders performed are evidently Satanic in origin, and their effect is to subjugate the minds of men and make them completely subservient to the designs of the devil. The system instituted being totalitarian, its tentacles are spread over matters of a commercial nature as well as religious. Every man will have to bear a mark. Just as the ancient slave-owners used to brand their slaves, so men will carry a mark which will brand them as slaves of the devil through the puppets of his creation. The brand employed will apparently have three forms; either "the mark," whatever that may exactly mean, or "the name of the beast," or, "the number of his name."

Observe, by the way, a further proof that this second beast is after the final rise of the first beast; for he causes an image to be made "to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live." "And he caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive* a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his name" (verses 16, 17). That mark was a seal of subjection or slavery to the beast.

Rev. 13:16-17. — “And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bondmen, that they should give them a mark upon their right hand or upon their forehead; and that no one should be able to buy or sell save he that had the mark, the name of the Beast, or the number of his name.” In those awful days individual thought and action are crushed out. The most abject submission to the vilest tyranny ever witnessed is demanded, and none dare refuse. The various classes named are a comprehensive designation of all within the range of the influence of the Beast, and are mentioned in pairs. None, however insignificant in station, none, however exalted, can escape. Neither riches nor poverty can buy nor find exemption from the iron rule of the Beast. The free and the bond are alike on one dead level — absolute submission to the Beast. All, from the least to the highest, are equally his slaves. To resist his will is to be deprived of the right to live (for he effectually controls all commerce), and to court certain death. A certain mystic mark is put either upon the right hand or upon the forehead of all, save the martyrs who lay down their lives in stern and faithful protest against satanic assumption. The mark upon the “hand” would denote that the person so branded was an active slave of the Beast; stamped upon the “forehead” would serve as a public acknowledgment of slavery. In either case all must own the absolute supremacy of the Beast and worship him. It was usual to brand slaves with the name or special mark of their owner. Paul (Gal. 6:17), Israel in her tribes (Rev. 7:3), the preserved of Judah (Rev. 14:1), the glorified and heavenly saints (Rev. 22:4) are marked by God as belonging to Him, and that publicly (see also Ezek. 9:4).

Rev. 13:17. — “The mark, the name of the Beast, or the number of his name.”* We have not three specific items. The “mark,” the “name,” and the “number” are not independent things. The mark is general, and consists of either the name or number of the Beast. The two latter are embraced in the first, and are explanatory of the mark. The name of the Beast is withheld from us, as also that of the personal ruler of Russia in the last days destined to play such an important part in connection with Israel (Ezek. 38; 39). We do not hold that it is impossible to know who and what are meant by the name and number of the Beast; but no doubt God will give full light and intelligence on these points to saints then in the scene, to whom such knowledge will be most useful and even necessary in order that the true character of the Beast may be known. We leave it where God leaves it, till He makes it plain, as undoubtedly He will; if not to us, at least to those who will be in a position to profit by it. Those who receive the mark of the Beast in either its name or number are doomed to eternal misery. The words in which their awful fate is recorded are unequalled for horror. We know of nothing in the Word to exceed in dread solemnity the utter, irrevocable, and everlasting ruin of the adherents of the Beast. God alone could describe it, and He has done so in words and terms which express unspeakable anguish (Rev. 14:9-11). The door of hope is closed to the Beast, his fellow-associate in evil, and his numerous worshippers. The rejection of Christ by Christendom is most surely followed by the acceptance of the false Messiah, and that crowning act of guilt and human folly, when fully consummated, can have but one end, the lake of fire.

Economically the Empire will be the most burdensome despotism the world has ever known. Everything will be centralised. The Government will gather up all the cords into its own hands. Since the Government of that day will be an autocracy, it follows that one tyrannical hand will control the whole vast machinery of human affairs. This is the point to which the present craze for association, co-operation and nationalisation will ultimately land men. Every person will be required to carry a mark — either the name of the Beast or the number of his name. He may wear it in hand or forehead, as he may choose; but carry the mark he must, or be crushed out of existence, since none will be permitted to trade without it. Class distinction will exempt none from this iron rule; "small and great, rich and poor, free and bond" must alike submit (Rev. 13:16). Wielded by his malignant lieutenant, the false prophet (the Antichrist of 1 John 2:18-22), the power of the Beast will penetrate into every quarter. In their mad rage against all ancient authorities, men will produce a perfect welter by their revolutionary violence (Rom. 6:12-17; Luke 21:25-26). This will create the need for a strong hand to intervene, and the opportunity for the Emperor of the future will thus arise. Men will be thankful for him until they prove by bitter experience that they have committed themselves to a more galling tyranny than they have ever known before. They will be "scorched" by their own boasted luminary (Rev. 16:8).

Satan will help the false prophet to do great wonders, as if heaven were on his side. By some supernatural Satanic power fire will come down from heaven. This will have such a deceiving effect that the false prophet will persuade men that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword and did live. He will have power to give breath to the image and make it speak, and so great will be his power that those who refuse to worship the image he will put to death. He will bind the chains of his religious tyranny upon millions by instituting a great combine from which the great and the rich will not be exempt, nor will the poor be left out. The necessities of life, the carrying on of commerce, the buying and selling, will all be tightly held by this great combine, so that none will be able to buy or sell unless they have the mark of the beast in their right hand, that is more or less secretly, or in their forehead, that is openly. This will be the most awful religiously apostate tyranny the world will ever see. Principles at work today, developments arising rapidly before our eyes, prepare our minds to see how all this can take place.

The mysterious number of the first beast—666—has led to much speculation and controversy. It is said by Scripture to be the number of a man. Doubtless when the meaning of that number is revealed to the saints in the great tribulation it will help them to resist all Satanic allurements of that time, for 2 Thessalonians 2:9 reminds us that Antichrist will come with “all power and signs and lying wonders,” and Matthew 24:24 tells us such signs and wonders will be done that were it possible they should deceive the very elect.