Mark of the Beast?

[Drudge: Mark of the beast? Electronic tattoo has medical, gaming, spy uses..."] Full text

"Re 13:16 a mark. In the Roman Empire, this was a normal identifying symbol, or brand, that slaves and soldiers bore on their bodies. Some of the ancient mystical cults delighted in such tattoos, which identified members with a form of worship. Antichrist will have a similar requirement, one that will need to be visible on the hand or forehead.

Re 13:17 buy or sell. Antichrist’s mark will allow people to engage in daily commerce, including the purchase of food and other necessities. Without the identifying mark, individuals will be cut off from the necessities of life. number of his name. The beast (Antichrist) will have a name inherent in a numbering system. It is not clear from the text exactly what this name and number system will be or what its significance will be."
MacArthur, John Jr: The MacArthur Study Bible. electronic ed. Nashville : Word Pub., 1997, c1997, S. Re 13:16

An actual mark or just the will?

Related:

How computers will soon get under our skin

"Sounds like an actual mark, to me."

Now I know why I don't like tattoos.

Response to comment [from a Christian]:  "Better safe than sorry, don't get it or support it and refuse when it is given. Non-violently of course."

We are not told what the mark is so why avoid technology that could assist us in checking out quickly at the grocery store? Jude 21

Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter [Rev. 1:19].

"1. “Write the things which thou hast seen.” Up to this point what had John seen? He had seen the glorified Christ. Let me remind you that this is a Christocentric book. The glorified Christ is the subject. Don’t get your eyes on the horsemen or on the bowls of wrath or on the beasts—they are just passing through. Fix your eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who was, who is, and who will be. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And John is to write the vision he has had of Him.

2. “The things which are.” What are the things that are? They are the things that pertain to the church, church things. And we are still here after nineteen hundred years. The matters concerning the church are recorded in chapters 2–3.

3. “The things which shall be hereafter.” Or, as my own translation reads: the things which you are about to see after these things [meta tauta]. This is the program of Jesus Christ, and we shall see that the church goes to heaven, and then we shall see the things that take place on the earth after the church leaves it. This program of Christ is covered by chapters 4–22."

McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:897

Don't worry. Be happy (Jude 21).

"In chapter 8 we have the opening of the seventh seal which introduces the seven angels blowing seven trumpets. Four of the trumpets will be dealt with in this chapter. After the parenthetical matter of chapter 7, the sealing of two companies, we now have the opening of the seals resumed. Only the seventh seal remains to be opened. This is the pattern that John sets for the remainder of the Book of Revelation so that we cannot be led astray. There will be series of sevens and, in fact, there are four such series which relate to the Great Tribulation Period. John will give the first six of whatever the series is. Then he will present parenthetical material that contributes to the understanding of that particular series. Finally, the opening of the seventh of the series will introduce the next series of seven, which means that these series are interrelated, tied together, and actually belong to the same period.

There is no reason to get bogged down or to be sensational at this point. To begin with, we have said that everything from chapter 4 on is future—“the things that shall be after these things” (see Rev. 1:19). We are living in the things that are present, the church age, and in one sense these things do not concern us. Many people say, “Oh, it frightens me to study the Book of Revelation!” I will admit that, beginning with the riding of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, these are terrible, terrific judgments that are coming on this earth. They are so tremendous that they boggle the mind just to read about them. But we can at least know where we are: these are things that will take place after the church has left the earth. If you are a child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit to be delivered to Christ when the church goes out of the world before the Great Tribulation Period. This is what is called “the blessed hope” of the church.

These seven trumpets will bring us to the full intensity of the Great Tribulation. The seven seals bring judgments which are the natural results of the activities of sinful man apart from God. The sixth seal brings the judgment of nature. The seven trumpets reveal that God is directly and supernaturally judging a rebellious race."
McGee, J. Vernon: Thru the Bible Commentary. electronic ed. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1981, S. 5:957-958

Response to comment [from a Christian]: "Hate to drop the bomb but the Rapture theory was invented by the Jesuits..."

So you've said. Study Revelation more closely.

See:

Outline Revelation by J Vernon McGee

Mark of the Beast?