REVELATION 13:16-18: “He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.” NLT

OBSERVATION: I feel like I am in a bad episode of The Twilight Zone. I would never imagine that in my short lifetime we would be discussing the possibility of the United States of America embracing communism. I remember the atomic bomb drills in grade school. I remember the Cold War. I remember the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the USSR.

And yet, here we are.

The new Democratic Socialism that is popping up all over our country is nothing more than repackaged communism. In every society that has embraced this form of government, there has been a massive loss of personal freedom and the oppression of its people. Fidel Castro promised a country of new opportunities and delivered a country bound in poverty and oppression. The examples of this story are too numerous to note.

As I read through the Book of Revelation, I have been thinking about these turns of events and where our world is heading. What is behind the willingness to surrender our freedoms and embrace the lies and promises of communism? While our current president is being accused of being a fascist, those who are proposing communism are being applauded and embraced by the mainstream press. What is behind all of this?

It is the spirit of Antichrist!

“Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come.” (1 John 2:18 NLT)

The Founding Fathers of America were willing to die for the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They proclaimed that these were the rights of every man and woman. These rights were not given to us by government; they were unalienable rights given to us from our Creator. The freedom to live, speak, choose, create, and fulfill one’s God-given potential was expressed in these rights. How do these compare with the spirit of Antichrist?

“He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name.” (Revelation 13:16-17 NLT)

My reflections are not focused on defining the mark of the Beast. Rather, they are focused on the goal of this mark. It is the opposite of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is control. This is the spirit of Antichrist. This is the spirit of communism and the new Democratic Socialism. It is not about increased freedoms; it is about restricting the individual’s right to live freely, to pursue commerce freely, and to speak freely.

The tenets of Democratic Socialists echo these verses in Revelation 13:16-17. The essence of communism is that the state holds the supreme right to dictate the affairs and choices of men and women. The state is supreme. The state is god. The state knows what is best for everyone, and everyone must surrender to its will.

This is the spirit of Antichrist, and people are lining up to take its mark!

Some may think this reflection to be extreme. Yet, the Book of Revelation was given to us so we could discern the times and be prepared!

“God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3 NLT)

“Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.” (Revelation 13:18 NLT)

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10 NLT)

Jesus is for life! Jesus always gives us a choice. Jesus invites us to life and life abundantly. It is the spirit of Antichrist already at work that is leading the masses down the path of communism. This is where history will end before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

The question is, will it end on our watch?

Heavenly Father, give me the strength to take a stand against anything that leads people into bondage. Help me proclaim the truth of Your Word and invite all who will hear to the abundant life that only Jesus Christ can bring. Give me the courage of our Founding Fathers in America to stand for Your life, Your liberty, and Your abundant living (pursuit of happiness).

In Jesus’ Name!