Revelation 13:17

17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

A. This second beast represents false religious leaders, in whom also rests the power over the emperor. Between the two beasts there is tremendous power and control over all parts of human activity.

B. There are two views here:

1. The emperor kept tight control on commerce. Only those who had bowed to the image and expressed allegiance to the emperor would be granted permission to conduct business, import or export goods, or have freedom to travel over the empire.

2. Similar to our labor unions, each trade or skill had a “trade guild” which had its own idol deity to be worshiped. If you were not a member and participant in these guilds, you could not conduct business. For example, a carpenter might have excellent skill to build houses, but if he did not belong to the carpenter’s guild, he could not get any work. Christians, of course, refused to worship the pagan gods. They were excluded from these trade guilds.

C. Christians have a mind and heart directed toward the worship of the true and living God. We worship the only Lord, Jesus Christ. To worship the emperor, or to submit to the pagan practices of the trade guilds, would be disloyal to our God.

D. Woodruff comments, “Christians do not have God’s name literally written in their foreheads, but they do commit their minds and will to him. They figuratively have God’s name written in their foreheads. When men render their labors and allegiance to anything, they figuratively wear that mark in their right hand and forehead.