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This legislation sets the stage for the Revelation prophecy to be carried out legally in the United States.

Is this the literalist interpretation of Revelation?

The meaning of Revelation 13:17 has to be found contextually. Like much of Revelation, its familiar symbols are meant to represent familiar concepts to its first readers. This is why Revelation must be read against the backdrop of the Old Testament and the contemporary historical context. As Ferrel Jenkins writes: “The book of Revelation is the most thoroughly Jewish in its language and imagery of any New Testament book. This book speaks not the language of Paul, but of the Old Testament prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.”[1] The beasts, both sea (Rome) and land (Israel), the mark on the hand or head (Deut. 6:8), and the number 666 should be interpreted in light of the Old Testament (1 Kings 10:14), similar to the way Sodom (Rev. 11:8), Egypt (11:8), Jezebel (2:20), Balaam (2:14), and Babylon (14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 10, 21) are interpreted in Revelation. By understanding the way the Old Testament uses and applies marks and the significance of 666 (spiritual adultery with the nations: 1 Kings 11), it is not that difficult to determine what John is describing in Revelation 13.
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Buying and selling, properly understood, are worship-related rituals (Isa. 55:1–2). “This is established in [Revelation] 3:18 (and compare 21:6). When those who refuse the mark of the Beast are not allowed to buy and sell, it means that they are expelled from the synagogue and Temple. The merchants of the land in Revelation 18 are those who worshipped at the Temple and synagogue.”[4] “Babylon the Great,” described as “the great city” (18:2, 10, 21) is Jerusalem (11:8; 16:19). Jesus foretold that this would happen: “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue; but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God” (John 16:2). Keep in mind that it is the “beast coming up out of the land” that is involved in these events. The land beast is most certainly associated with first-century Israel, especially the priests who control the temple. ( Is a “Cashless Society” a Sign of the End?)

Like much of Revelation, its familiar symbols are meant to represent familiar concepts to its first readers. This is why Revelation must be read against the backdrop of the Old Testament and the contemporary historical context...

Revelation is one of the most densely "hyperlinked" books of the Bible, rather like a visual index to the rest of the Bible. Fittingly, placed at the end of the Book. FOR EXAMPLE: a "lectionary" version of Revelation, one divided into 50 or so chunks so as to be read through in a year's worth of public worship, precisely echoes the lectionary readings of Ezekiel.

Biblical illiterates and sensation-mongers, "prophecy pimps," have to ignore most of the Bible in order to read today's lamestream media headlines back into Revelation.

Definition: Prophecy pimps -- those wolves who profit from the more gullible members of God's flock by pretending that they can predict the future. For some reason, no matter how often their pretty imaginary maps of the future turn out to be nonsense, they always have a market for their hateful baneful and disastrous fantasies.