It has come to me as possible that some of these figures in the Revelation prophecies could stand for more than one literal historical thing. That we might be seeing a pattern, not just a one-off occurrence. So there could be one way to “take the mark of the beast” that is temporal, and another way that is eternal. Making both MacArthur and the theologians who disagree with him both “right” in a sense.
MacArthur seems to be keen for the “mono-meaning” which means he’d not agree with me at all about patterns sometimes being intended. And if that theology can be made to fly, fine. But sometimes it has seemed gratuitous to me.
Maybe my viewpoint is colored by the fact that I have seen Christ being quite loyal to many people who have sinned so vividly that “proper religious people” wouldn’t want anything to do with them. And I’ve been in those shoes too. There is a sin that is not unto death, then there is a sin that is. And to know which, you’d have to see the soul, not just the outward act.
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
The beast is the false Christ, are you saying, when forced to choose between the true Christ and the false one, and you choose to take the false Christ's mark upon you, choosing to worship the false Christ instead of the true Christ, and yet you will be saved?
No amount of theological gerrymandering can change the obvious intent of this passage.