The Mark of the Beast - A Thousand Years?

Numbers in the bible often have symbolic value. The thousand years just symbolizes a long, but indefinite period of time that covers most of church history. We thus should look toward the first century, or at least the first few centuries, when trying to understand the original fulfilment of the mark of the beast. Then in light of what we learn, we may be able to figure out what a future fulfilment might be like,. if there is a future fulfilments. Let's look at what revelation has to say about the mark itself. When do we first encounter it? In revelation, chapter 13 - john sees a great beast rising out of the sea.