Christians and the Mark of the Beast

About three weeks ago I mentioned two questions I had been asked concerning the Corona Virus COVID-19.

With so much reporting and discussion about the need for universal vaccinations and digital records of those receiving them, I have now been asked a further question about the "Mark of the Beast" mentioned in Revelation 13.

Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth...
It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
[Revelation 13 : 11 - 17  NIV]

Scientific R&D in nano technology and the production of invisible inks, often alongside world-wide vaccine research, together with the hugely increased capability of the new 5G internet standard, could easily provide the ingredients for a compulsory system of global control of the distribution of goods and services.

You can read about some of this R&D on sites like www.sciencedirect.com and www.sciencealert.com and news.mit.edu.
Here's one example:

MIT researchers have now developed a novel way to record a patient’s vaccination history: storing the data in a pattern of dye, invisible to the naked eye, that is delivered under the skin at the same time as the vaccine.
[MIT News, December 2019]

So, although we could be swiftly heading towards having suitable technology for mandating such a global scheme, I don't believe its possible implementation as the "mark of the beast" is just around the corner.
Why?
I think the "mark of the beast" is due in the middle of the Tribulation, a 7-year period of conflict and devastation, and to be experienced after the Body of Christ, the universal, invisible church composed of all the true believers in Jesus, has been taken from the earth.

I know the Biblical study of the future, sometimes called eschatology or the study of end times, has produced hundreds of thousands of books, sermons and videos (and almost as many opinions), and my current view might be just one of them.

Nevertheless, my estimate is that the "mark of the beast" is at least 3 1/2 years away, even if the taking of the Body of Christ to be with Jesus happens as you are reading this.
And every day we find ourselves still here, the count for those 3 1/2 years has yet to begin.

So should Christians be concerned if a universal vaccination for flu and other corona viruses with accompanying quantum dot ink or other nano technology registration becomes obligatory and we are still here?
I don't see this as a problem until such an obligation is used as a passport for social/political acceptance or commercial transactions.
And we won't be around to see that!
We'll be gone by then!

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
[1 Thessalonians 4 : 16 - 18  NIV]

But even if my understanding of end times is not correct, I am sure of God's love and protection that doesn't depend on my accurate description of the future.
Check out these promises to God's faithful.

To his Hebrew saints of the Old Testament era:

Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
[Psalm 91 : 14 - 16  NIV]

To his Hebrew saints of the New Testament era:

"I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace.
In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties.
But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”
[John 16 : 33  MSG]

To his saints in the early New Testament churches.

You obeyed my message and endured.
So I will protect you from the time of testing that everyone in all the world must go through.
[Revelation 3 : 10  CEV]

Summing up:

• God's saints will not be here when the "mark of the beast" is mandated in the world.
• Restrictions or obligations introduced before then will not be the "mark of the beast", but may be used to produce it after we've gone.
• In the meantime, we should live confidently in God's love and providence through Jesus, our Saviour and Lord.

Blessings, Barry