What if the mark is spiritual and not physical, like the sign/mark the children of Israel was to have on their head and hand?
The children of Israel were to have His Commandments on their head and hand as a sign of obedience and lawfulness.
In contrast, the mark of the beast in the same place would represent disobedience and lawlessness.
Since part of the patience of the saints in Revelation is ‘keeping the Commandments’, it seems a spiritual mark is possible.
And that’s a daily spiritual battle.
Not one in the future.
And to use your premise of voluntary:
It too is voluntary.
Flesh and sinfulness and lawlessness and disobedience
vs
Spirit, holy and lawlful and obedient.
well,,not to burst yer bubble,,but scrptures or a few verses were in fact worn on the forhead or hand,,so it was in fact physican not merely spiritual.https://www.britannica.com/topic/phylactery
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12125-phylacteries
I agree with you. Do you suppose it has anything to do with with the commandment that contains nearly the exact wording as the words in v7? (it does, because that’s God’s seal for his people)
The Seal of God and The Mark of the Beast
http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/seal.htm
Rev 14:
6And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
12Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.