Revelation 13:16: 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 describes people in modern society who are threatened with death because they refuse to worship the image of the First Beast.¹ The next verse describes telestial-worthy people and sons of perdition who do or will engage in such worship. The Second Beast causeth² this latter group of wicked worshipers to be given (receive)³ his mark.⁴ These wicked people will be (1) small and great, (2) rich and poor, (3) free and bond, which means they will come from every walk of modern life and lifestyle.⁵ John identifies three (3) descriptive pairs of two (2), which total six (6) types of wicked people (2x3=6). The number six (6) symbolizes wickedness and evil because it is one short of the perfect number seven (7).⁶ The six classes of wicked people in three groups mirror the name and number of the Second Beast, which is 666‒the number six repeated three times.⁷

The mark of the Second Beast is a symbolic stamp or engraving,⁸ rather than a visible sign such as a tattoo or brand.⁹ Those that bear this mark are owned by,¹⁰ and are slaves to,¹¹ the Second Beast.¹² Their mark is manifest by their outward actions as they worship or conform their lives to the image and ideals of the First Beast.¹³

Worshipers of the Second Beast receive his mark in either their right hand, or in their foreheads.¹⁴ The location of the mark in either the right hand or in the forehead appears to be symbolically significant.¹⁵ The mark in the favored right hand¹⁶ signifies a strong commitment and active support for the Second Beast.¹⁷ This is consistent with wicked and worldly people who will go to the telestial kingdom because they actively support, and therefore, worship the Second Beast by their worldly ways.¹⁸

Those with the mark in their foreheads, by contrast, are completely devoted to their false god(s)¹⁹ with full knowledge of their wickedness²⁰ and a willing mind.²¹ Their symbolic mark signifies their open and public profession of apostate servitude.²² Such people knowingly and actively fight against the latter-day church of Christ²³ and pursue an evil course that makes them sons of perdition.²⁴ Their mark of evil in the forehead is exactly opposite²⁵ the seal of the living God symbolically located in the foreheads²⁶ of exaltation-worthy saints.²⁷