Introduction

This was written as a result of a conversation I had with some friends who were afraid to go for the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) the government wants every Ghanaian to possess. They link the number to the Mark of the Beast (666) and the end of the world.

What is this TIN?

The TIN, according to the GRA, is a unique number generated by them for persons including corporate entities upon application. This TIN enables an individual to process a passport at the passport office, process land at the Lands Commission, to secure contracts from governments, to clear goods from any port or factory, to file a case in courts and to renew practicing license. It is given to companies apart from individuals. It’s clear the TIN aids GRA to attain one of their objectives of promoting efficient collection of revenue and the equitable distribution of tax burden and ensure greater transparency and integrity. I have my personal TIN and am sure other Christians have theirs.

The TIN vs the Mark of the Beast (666)

The book of Revelation records that the mark of the beast is a number of a Man and not just a mere identification. (Rev. 13:15-18). Based on verses 16 & 17, one can suggest that the mark will not be given to corporate entities but humans. If John knew and was even calling on the people of his time to do the calculation to enable them find out who this person was then probably this Man may have existed during the time John had this revelation around AD 95.

The book of Revelation must not entirely be interpreted literally (or as you see and read it). There are those you can literally interpret. For e.g. chapters 1 to 3 are in the form of epistles or letters (to the 7 churches). For them you can literally read and understand what Jesus spoke about those churches. It seems most Christians are not bothered about the warnings Jesus Christ gave to the 7 churches but are rather concerned about the imagery and symbols in the book.

There are also prophecies and apocalyptic messages in this book. We see these from chapters 4 to 22. Larger portions are full of symbols and representations. John used ‘picture images’ to help his readers to understand what he saw in the vision or trance. Imagine seeing something in a vision or dream (about 2000 years ago) that doesn’t exist (or not physically seen) on earth, what will you do? Your only option is to use things that are physically known and close to what you saw to explain them.

The grammar used should even give readers of this book a clue. John tried his best describing what was revealed to him in that vision or trance by employing the use of similes (a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared), metaphors (a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable) and other figures of speech. For example, in chapter 4 (vss 1, 3, 6 & 7 in the ESV) we see expressions such as, “Like a trumpet”, “had the appearance of”, “as it were a sea”, and “like an eagle in flight”. These are not exact objects or beings John saw. He used what he knows or have seen before to describe what was in the vision or trance. This is because it is extremely difficult to vividly describe immaterial things especially those outside space and time.

It’s just interesting that individuals ascribe this mark to any person they think deserves it. In past history, Nero was given the 666 tag due to his persecution of Christians. Nero has been dead for so long, I have not read anywhere that in those times people (from all over the world) couldn’t buy or sell as the text suggested. Also, the Pope has been tagged with this number due to a supposed title of his, Vicarivs Filii Dei (Latin: Vicar or Representation of the Son of God) which in Latin adds up to 666. The problem is that this is not the title of the Pope. One of his chief titles is Vicarius Christi (Vicar of Christ) which does not add up to 666. Recently, this mark was ascribed to Ex Pres. Barak Obama and later to his car because according to these people the name of the car is the Beast. Obama is off the US seat, Pres. Trump is on but we never heard of people (from all over the world) being prevented from buying or selling during his time. Sometime ago, I read that the name, Ellen Gould White (foundress of Seventh-Day Adventist Church), adds up to 666 and therefore was the Beast. We just need to be extremely careful when interpreting the text of Scriptures.

Is the number 666 or 616?

As commonly known, most English translations of the number is 666 but scholars who have studied the original language suggest (the number) 616 in some manuscripts. For example Papyrus 115 (the oldest preserved manuscript of the book of Revelation as of 2017) as well as other ancient sources like the Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus, give the number of the Beast as 616 and not 666. There are genuine reasons for these differences. Biblical scholars who understand the original languages and know the biblical history are not in agreement with the number of this man. Therefore, since scholars are not in agreement with the exact number how do we even know 666 is the right number to be used for the calculation or 616? We should know that God will no longer be God if humans are able to decode everything (from creations to the apocalypse) written in Scriptures. The underlining factor is we should desist from tagging people with a number we are not able to decode. Again, we need to be extremely careful.

What do we do then?

For the good of the Church and the nation at large, it will be proper for every individual to read the book of Revelation by applying hermeneutical principles. Hermeneutics (being the art, science and the spiritual exercise of interpreting scripture) is very important in order to get a proper understanding of the text. It’s interesting that the book of Revelation is part of many biblical books that most Christians don’t read but try their best to interpret basing on what they hear others say. Anyone who has been called to mount the pulpit or wants to preach or teach should go the extra mile applying hermeneutical principles to the interpretations in order to properly expose the text. Those who have not been called or trained to teach or preach should desist from attempting to expose scripture especially most ‘prophets’ of our time. Stick to your calling and don’t overlap..!

The mark shouldn’t be our focus because no one will be forced to take it even if it relates to our time. It will be taken willingly and I think those who have not stood firm in Jesus Christ will find it difficult resisting the mark. Are you part of them? As Paul advised, let’s put on the whole armour of God, keep watch and be ever ready to fight the good fight of faith in Jesus Christ. So that when the time comes we will be called good servants by the Triune God.

Ghana has more than 70% who say they profess the Christian faith but instead of thinking about how we will change the country with our ‘Spirit filled’ lives we are rather championing unprofitable things and most often glorifying sin. Corruption is on the high, the country is extremely dirty, people throw rubbish at any place expecting the government to come and clean it up for them, media nudity and profanity is on the rise because television and radio stations only think about the numbers, laziness in government institutions and other places, people mostly covet and want share of something they never suffered or worked for, drivers driving selfishly on our roads, just to mention a few...are there not Christians in all these places? Are these people truly followers of Christ or they are just imposters? Why have these people chosen to make the work difficult for some who want the truth to reign? Most who say they profess the Christian faith are not ready to ‘bear the cross of Christ’. So, what kind of Christians are they? It looks as if the ‘non-Spirit filled’ 30% are powerful and are rather influencing the ‘Spirit filled’ 70%. My brothers and sisters, the earlier we wake up the better for us.

Conclusion

The TIN should not be linked to the Mark of the Beast (666) in anyway. I will urge every Ghanaian, who meets the criterial, to go and register for their numbers. God loves those who always want the best for the communities they find themselves by obeying laws and making lives better for others. Let me end by asking, do you really have faith in Jesus Christ? What shows? Are you sure when Christ returns (or when you are called before his return) he will call you a faithful servant?

God bless you and bless our homeland, Ghana. Amen.