The Beast Persecutes God's People

John sees a second beast that rises out of the earth. And it has two horns like a lamb, but speaks like a dragon. It compels people worship the first beast and causes all to be marked on their right hand or forehead. This is where we have the first mention of the mark of the beast. You can't do commerce unless you have the mark. The mark itself consists of the name of the beast, or rather its name converted into a number. Now, john wants his first century readers to figure out the name of this new beast.