Exactly how does satan wield power over someone with the mark of the beast?
By influencing them to vote for the weasel John McQueeq..
Rev 13:17; 14:9; 14:11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4SEE:
b'SHEM Yah'shua
By excluding them from commerce unless they have the mark. If severe restrictions are placed on when you can buy/sell goods you are one step away from domination.
It very simple, the Bible itself gives you the answer. Without the 'mark of the beast' you will not be able to 'buy or sell'. And what would be one of the major purposes of a microchip implant in humans? The ability to buy, (food, pay bills, get cash, etc), and sell. It will replace credit cards, check books, cash, debit cards, etc. It could also have your credit history, etc.
It makes perfect sense to me that one day, and perhaps fairly soon, such a chip could be introduced to make life "easier" for people. You'll never forget your credit/debit/ATM cards, because it will be in the chip. It will be impossible to lose your credit cards. Once the government institutes some form of national health insurance, it will be far more convenient to visit your doctor or hospital, or be saved from death, if you have your 'smart chip' imbedded in you with your medical profile. And just think of how many children will be saved from abduction, and lost hikers saved from starvation with such a chip implant. Perhaps the most important, you will be able to pass through the airlines much faster if you have your government issued microchip available to be swiped by the security guy, and the chip could very easily replace the need for a passport too. It will also tell law enforcement if you're a terrorist or not, and it will be a great way to introduce a national ID as well.
Well, you get the idea. The technology is available right now, and the safety factors, health benefits and conveniences are endless with the 'chip'. So knowing all this, why is it such a stretch to believe that government, (either for tyranny or purposes benign), will one day find a way to get this microchip implanted into everyone?
It not a literal mark, or some technology inserted under the skin, or other contemporary nonsense.
If you use the "analogy of faith" and interpret Scripture with Scripture, you will see that a mark on the forehead is used to represent ownership.
There are two groups of people in the world; the children of God (light) and the children of the devil (darkness). God’s children are pictured in Revelation as having a seal in their forehead (Rev. 7:2). This sealing is representative of God’s marking out His own in the world. Once sealed the world cannot hurt them, spiritually speaking (Rev. 9:4). In the OT Aaron is pictured as having the mark of God on his forehead (Ex. 28:36-38).
In similar fashion the children of darkness are pictured as having a mark on their forehead related to the beast. The distinction here is that those who inhabit the kingdom of darkness are able to participate fully in that system, symbolized by "buying and selling". Those who inhabit God’s kingdom have no need for such business, since we are able to buy all that we need directly from Christ (Rev. 3:18).
Revelation is about symbols that represent reality. Reality does not lie in any "literal" interpretation of the imagery. That will only lead to confusion.