Commerce Regulated

All, except the elect of God, will be constrained to obey the command of Antichrist, and to offer their homage to this creature of hell. They would not have God, and now they must worship Satan. Alas for man when he falls under the unhindered power of the devil!
Antichrist proceeds to regulate even commerce. He will cause "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." vv. 16,17. He will thus form a vast organization, composed of all except those whose names were written from the foundation of the world in the slain Lamb's book of life, outside of which it will not be lawful to buy or sell. Every member of it must bear the mark of allegiance to the beast in order to possess the liberty to trade. Under the mask of the welfare of the empire, all will be subjected to this awful tyranny under the pains and penalties of the deprivation of the most common liberty of the individual.
Foreshadowings of this frightful abuse of authority are frequently seen even in this tolerant age. This should afford sufficient warning to those whose eyes are opened, that the most absolute despotism may often be cloaked under a profession of the most liberal ideas. Also it gives an indication of the ultimate goal of modern politics under the concealed guidance and inspiration of Satan.
The chapter concludes with the number of the beast, which is six hundred and sixty-six. "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man." Many have been the attempts to unravel this mystery, but all have been in vain. We conclude from the analogy of Scripture, that it will be impossible to discover the secret before the beast's appearance.