A few years ago, a Wisconsin based company publicly stated that they were going to begin offering an embedded microchip to its employees which would allow them to open doors, purchase food in the cafeteria, and enter secure areas without the need for a card reader. The chip would be inserted via a syringe in the web area between the thumb and the forefinger. The chip is stated to be about the size of a grain of rice. Several employees volunteered to be the initial recipients of the microchips (though at least one did require medical attention due to side effects).
The technology is already available in Europe but company leaders say this is its first appearance in the U.S. They hope the $300 microchips can eventually be used on more than just snack machines — everything from air travel, public transit and storing medical information. While the technology has raised privacy concerns because of the potential to track a person’s whereabouts and purchases (not to mention the ability of hackers to gain access to the microchips and steal / modify any stored data), officials at the Wisconsin based firm stated that the data in the microchip is encrypted and does not use GPS. But a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee said he worries about the potential for “function creep,” where the stated purpose of a technology ends up spilling over into other uses, including surveillance. (Note: It would not be inconceivable to see the following happen with this technology: a) as stated with “function creep”, companies could add capabilities to the chip without the knowledge of the recipient – such as for tracking where you go, and where you shop; b) to “coerce” non-volunteers to allow for the insertion of the chip, prices for everything will be higher when paid for by a “non-chip” transaction; c) peer pressure will castigate the “non-compliant”; d) employment and/or promotions / bonuses will be predicated as to compliance in receiving a chip; e) and then there will be the issue of transference of data upon moving from one job to another.)
We really should not be surprised that we have arrived at this time period. A few years back we saw the introduction of inserting microchips into our pets (for in the event our pet became lost). There was also a push to insert microchips into adults who suffered from the Alzheimer disease (for in the event that the adult became lost), and as well into infants (to assist in locating kidnap victims). And lest we forget, consider all of the information that we carry around on our cell phones – and these devices do have GPS embedded within them. Likewise, a few years ago the Illinois Tollway Authority put out a directive that stated if you don’t have an I-Pass device in your vehicle to pay for tolls, the tollway fare would be doubled for non-I-Pass payments; talk about coercion.
What we should really reflect upon here is that we are getting closer to the end times and this technology is one of the potential means whereby the anti-Christ will be able to carry forth the fulfillment of Scripture.
Revelation 13:11-18 states,
“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 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: 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. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”
The real question that remains is, “Are you ready for the Lord’s return?” He will come with judgment and rewards; those who trust in Christ as Savior will live for all of eternity with Him; those who reject Christ will live for all of eternity in the lake of fire. I praise the Lord that His mark is upon me through His blood. What about you?
