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 Rev 13: 16-17

From the CBCnews today

"Workers at a new high-technology office building in central Stockholm are doing away with their old ID cards on lanyards, and can now open doors with the swipe of a hand — thanks to a microchip implanted in the body.

The radio-frequency identification​ (RFID) chips are about 12 mm long and injected with a syringe.

"It's an identification tool that can communicate with objects around you," said Patrick Mesterton, CEO of the building, Epicenter Office.

"You can open doors using your chip. You can do secure printing from our printers with the chip, but you can also communicate with your mobile phone, by sending your business card to individuals that you meet," he said.

Mesterton thinks some of the future uses for implanted chips will be any application that currently requires a pin code, a key or a card, such as payments.

"I think also for health-care reasons ... you can sort of communicate with your doctor and you get can data on what you eat and what your physical status is," Mesterton said.

"You have your own identification code and you're sending that to something else which you have to grant access to. So there's no one else that can sort of follow you on your ID, so to say. It's you who decides who gets access to that ID," he said.

The implant program is voluntary for the workers in the office complex.

"It felt pretty scary, but at the same time it felt very modern, very 2015," said Lin Kowalska shortly after she had a microchip implanted in her hand."

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Rev 13: 16-17

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

 2015/2/27 15:48
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re: Rev 13: 16-17

so are you saying the antichrist (which is never ever mentioned in Revelation by the way) caused these workers to have this chip implanted?

Why do you think those verses are talking about microchips?

Commentator Matthew Henry wrote "It is probable that the mark, the name, and the number of the beast, may all signify the same thing-that they make an open profession of their subjection and obedience to the papacy, which is receiving the mark in their forehead, and that they oblige themselves to use all their interest, power, and endeavour, to promote the papal authority, which is receiving the mark in their right hands. We are told that pope Martin V. in his bull, added to the council of Constance, prohibits Roman catholics from suffering any heretics to dwell in their countries, or to make any bargains, use any trades, or bear any civil offices, which is a very clear interpretation of this prophecy."

Of course there is no real reason to think that he is correct either; obviously interpretations vary widely.

There is absolutely no reason to take the mark as being a literal mark, since elsewhere in Revelation it is clearly not literal (the sealing of the 144,000).

All people either have the mark of God (agreement with Him) or the mark of Satan (agreement with him). The hand represents works and the forehead represents thoughts/intentions.

There may come a day when being "marked" as a follower Christ will make it very difficult to function in society. This is already clear in other countries and we may be seeing the beginning of it here. But I doubt very seriously that being implanted with a microchip is what Rev 13 is talking about. Technology is increasing exponentially and who knows what is on the horizon. There is nothing inherently evil in these implanted chips. I am sure one day an implanted chip will be able to tell a doctor exactly what is wrong with us.


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Todd

 2015/2/27 18:08Profile
dolfan
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Joined: 2011/8/23
Posts: 1727
Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama

 Re:

TMK,

Without dividing on eschatology, I would suggest that the chips are inherently evil. In fact, I'm not certain that what we already use is not inherently evil.

Human government at all levels -- local, state, federal, corporate, private or public or quasi-private -- is antithetical to the kingdom of Jesus. Chips contain information. Information, data is to human government what height represented to the builders of the tower of Babel. It is a concerted effort to supplant all authority except for itself. Human government always takes and never gives unless its giving is in exchange for some other thing that increases its power and control. The nature of the kingdom of God is the opposite: it gives and is based in love. God need not "take" authority because He already is authority. All power and authority are already His alone, and humans are usurpers to the extent we exercise power over one another in any invention of human organization.

It is clear that chips are control mechanisms. EVERYTHING is now a control mechanism. There is not much room left for human freedom of thought. The takeover is nearly complete. Technology will only choke it further, and we will adoringly embrace it and look to its benefits. The goal, ultimately, is the overthrow of God as ruler. Just as it was in Eden. Just as it was at Babel. The control of information and the near omniscient monitoring of society through technology is a rebellion against Christ.

I have my own views and understandings of how that matters in terms of biblical end-times matters, but regardless none of us who believe in Jesus can long deny the reality of the stakes that are being driven into the ground by the spiritual forces in the world. They are staking their claim to it and they are thumbing their noses at the Christ. Technology and human embrace of it is an idolatry of its own and a form of worship of that which exalts itself against God -- and even calls itself God. Or, what else is government calling itself when it openly moves to control every facet of the inward and outward life of men?

What are your thoughts?


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Tim

 2015/2/28 11:14Profile
docs
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Joined: 2006/9/16
Posts: 2753


 The antichrist not mentioned in Revelation?

Everyone has their opinions and have a right to them yet still it seems a somewhat diffcult and strained exegesis of Revelation to conclude after a objective analysis that the antichrist is not mentioned in the book. I'm not trying to start a fire or anything but just saying,


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David Winter

 2015/2/28 12:34Profile
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re: The antichrist not mentioned in Revelation?

Hey Dolfan-

I agree that implanted chips are a tad unsavory; the more difficult question comes if receiving same is **voluntary** for some legitimate purpose (like the possible medical chip I suggested). What if a hiker can get a removable chip implanted so that he can be located if he gets lost?

But as far as the "evil" of technology goes, where does one draw the line? I am typing on a laptop that has more computing power than the computers that sent Apollo 11 to the moon- in fact cell phones have more power. Should I be using this technology? How about GPS, cell phones, smart TVs, etc.? Personally, I guess I would be willing to go back to land line phones and newspapers and writing letters, but only if the rest of the world agrees to do likewise. That is the problem- if a person does not avail himself of available technology he will not get along very well. But that has always been the case, even 100 years ago.

There has been a steady increase in technology; it seems to have increased a lot in the last 20 years (but we still don't have the jet packs we were promised). Don't you think God knew that technology would increase? I mean, I don't think He expected people to stagnate for 2000 years.

I do agree that if tomorrow we are told to line up to get a chip implanted in our forehead or hand or else we can't buy groceries, there would be cause for concern.

But I don't think that is going to happen and I certainly don't think that is what Rev. 13 means.


_________________
Todd

 2015/2/28 14:37Profile





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