At a conference on the tokenisation of finance organised by Banque de France, US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell revealed that the USA is working on a digital currency possibly with self-hosted wallets, all of which should come, in approximately two years (ref. 1). Two years mean the time of the next US presidential election, 2024: the election that might put into office the False Prophet of Revelation, otherwise known as the beast with two horns like a lamb, and also the man of sin.
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Revelation 13:11
It is not clear from scripture that “the king of Babylon” (ref. Jeremiah 50:43) must be the False Prophet, but it is clear that the False Prophet will be the one in Mystery Babylon who will bring about the mark of the beast (ref. Revelation 13:11-17).
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: 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.
Revelation 13:16-17
Some pastors have argued that the KJV’s translation of the Greek preposition επι “epi” is wrong. Most modern translations, including the ESV and the NIV, read “on” rather than “in”. But actually, “epi” can mean either “on” or “in”, or even “at”, “over”, “against”, etc. For instance, in Matthew 24:5, “epi” reads “in”, in the KJV, the ESV and the NIV.
For many shall come in [επι, epi] my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Matthew 24:5
If it turns out the mark is put “on” the right hand, then it will be some kind mark such as a tattoo or the like that identifies the person.
Amazon’s contactless payment system, for example, which is already available in the USA, scans the palm print of a customer’s hand (ref. 2).
If it turns out the mark is put “in” the right hand, then it will be a microchip of some kind.
Walletmor’s payment system, for example, which is already available in the USA, requires a microchip, about the size of a grain of rice, to be inserted into a customer’s right hand (ref. 3).
One of the reasons for thinking it will be a microchip rather than a tattoo is because a tattoo, or even a palm print, can be stolen and mimicked just as a finger print can be stolen and mimicked using a high resolution digital camera.
Though many proponents of DeFi want future digital currencies to be fully peer-to-peer, independent of government scrutiny, the remarks of Jerome Powell suggest that the forthcoming US digital dollar will not be like that. Powell and the Feds want a US Central Bank Digital Currency, acronym CBDC, to not be anonymous (ref. 4).
An identity-verified digital currency would not only allow the government to combat fraud and money laundering, which sounds good, but also allow the government to, at least in theory, sanction an individual and even forfeit that individual’s money at any time.
So, you can imagine, when someone that has taken the mark of the beast refuses to worship the image of the beast, he or she can be sanctioned and left penniless.
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 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
Revelation 13:15-16
Earlier I brought up Amazon’s and Walletmor’s current payment systems. Essentially, those are similar to debit or credit cards. They are a means of payment rather than a currency. I am sure, the mark of the beast will be a digital currency, and not only that, it will be the currency of Mystery Babylon, the country of the False Prophet.
To compel all consumers and vendors to take the mark, I think, they must destroy the current US dollar through hyperinflation.
For Satan, the whole point of the mark of the beast is to force people to worship the beast, and consequently cause their souls to be damned in the lake of fire.
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in [epi] his forhead, or in [epi] his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Revelation 14:9-11
For that matter, it is worth noticing that Powell wants cryptocurrencies to be regulated and restricted (ref. 5), so that effectively there will be only one currency in the USA. You might think, this is a normal thing for a central bank, because a central bank should want complete control of the money supply, in order to do monetary policy. But actually, many countries today welcome the use of cryptocurrencies in their economies as they do any other foreign currency. Babylon, by contrast, will want every citizen to buy and sell using exclusively the new digital currency that will be the mark of the beast.
Concerning online purchases, and imports and exports, my recommendation is to avoid all American goods and services when the mark of the beast happens. It cannot be for nothing that Revelation 13 reads, the False Prophet will cause “the earth and them that dwell therein” to worship the first beast.
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Revelation 13:11-12
Finally, in Revelation 13:18, it is prophesied that, in these last days, at least one person is to have understanding, and that this is someone that has identified the beast, i.e. the Assyrian, through the name of the beast and the number 666.
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath undertanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Revelation 13:18
I have identified the beast, Abdullah Kardash, 666. That means I have understanding.
Those Americans that continue to insist on a pre-tribulation rapture will take the mark of the beast when it comes because they assume Christians are not to be here at the time of the tribulation.
Likewise, those that think the United States of America is not evil, and that Mystery Babylon is some other place, will take the mark of the beast when it comes because they assume the mark of the beast must be something else, somewhere else.
To be saved, you must know what is the tribulation (ref. Matthew 24:29-31), and you must realise that the United States of America has fallen to rebellious angels (ref. Revelation 18:2) and consequently become profoundly evil.
When Mystery Babylon ultimately burns and is made utterly desolate, true Christians will “rejoice” (ref. Revelation 18:20).
References:
1. LI (27 September 2022), “Fed’s Powell talks digital dollar timing, self-hosted wallets”, ledgerinsights.com
2. “Amazon Rolls Out Palm-Scanning Contactless Payments”, youtube.com/watch?v=4WaOq3wQlxI
3. “Give me a five: Hand implant allows you to pay as you go”, youtube.com/watch?v=v2mmw4J38eo
4. Vignesh Karunanidhi (27 September 2022), “US CBDC Won’t Be Anonymous, Says Fed Chair Jerome Powell”, watcher.guru
5. Reuters (27 September 2022), “Fed’s Powell reiterates call for appropriate regulation of digital finance”, reuters.com