"Bitcoin and The Beast"

While some people are going bonkers for Bitcoin--even mortgaging their homes to buy it--the rest of us are scratching our heads wondering what it is.

According to Fortune Magazine:

"Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that can be bought, sold, or traded like a commodity. It can also be used to buy goods.

"Bitcoin is different than U.S. dollars because it uses peer-to-peer technology to operate. That means there is no central authority--in this example, the U.S. Treasury--to issue new money or track transactions. Those functions are built into Bitcoin itself--specifically the so-called "block chain" technology that powers Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies which is one reason it's such an attractive, and controversial, concept."

In other word, Bitcoin (as well as other cryptocurrencies) allow for anonymous transactions. That means no banks are needed.

Prophecy students should be perking up about now. The Bible describes a time when anonymous transactions will mean the difference between life and death for those left behind during the Great Tribulation. And since we know a good many will survive this period...does that mean they'll be using Bitcoin? Probably not. But they will be using something.

"He required everyone--great and small, rich and poor, slave and free--to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name." (Revelation 13:16-17)

What to expect from Central Bank. Talk on Bitcoin in 2018.

A wise man once said: "Antichrist's mark will allow people to engage in daily commerce, including the purchase of food and other necessities. Without the identifying mark, individuals will be cut off from the necessities of life." --John MacArthur, Grace To You

News:

• Kitco News: Billionaire Peter Thiel Buys $20 Million Worth of Cryptos; compares Bitcoin to "Gold"
• Reuters: Bitcoin Maybe King, But Ripple Dark Horse In Crypto Race; Bitcoin jumped more than 1,200% last year. Ripple surged 35,000% in same period.
• Money Morning.com: Cryptocurrency Ripple (XRP) "could become a global reserve currency in the future," analysts claim.