I always thought the mark of the beast was our SIN number. Back in the 80s and 90s, most federal government phone numbers began with 666. Once I started pointing that out to people, the numbers started to change. Not sure if there is a connection though.
SIN is not a connection to the mark if you take these points as being part of the mark. The ability to buy and sell with 'ease' and the point of doing that is you make money, lots of it as that is the 'reward' that is offered. The list below seems to be items that would be above 'basic needs' so
I take the mark to be the business permit that comes with signing on with one of the 10 men that will be the rules of kingdoms that has a fallen angel (as defined in the book of Jude) as it's highest authority.
Re:18:9-16:
And the kings of the earth,
who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her,
shall bewail her,
and lament for her,
when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Standing afar off for the fear of her torment,
saying,
Alas,
alas,
that great city Babylon,
that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her;
for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
The merchandise of gold,
and silver,
and precious stones,
and of pearls,
and fine linen,
and purple,
and silk,
and scarlet,
and all thyine wood,
and all manner vessels of ivory,
and all manner vessels of most precious wood,
and of brass,
and iron,
and marble,
And cinnamon,
and odours,
and ointments,
and frankincense,
and wine,
and oil,
and fine flour,
and wheat,
and beasts,
and sheep,
and horses,
and chariots,
and slaves,
and souls of men.
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee,
and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee,
and thou shalt find them no more at all.
The merchants of these things,
which were made rich by her,
shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment,
weeping and wailing,
And saying,
Alas,
alas,
that great city,
that was clothed in fine linen,
and purple,
and scarlet,
and decked with gold,
and precious stones,
and pearls!
Now that most of the readers are asleep the 10 kings would be political leaders as they are supposed to be the head of the Military. The Military is 'the sword' in Romans:13 and at that time the supreme leader was one person at a time. Military conquests are part of the end times and that is led by two fallen angels, Satan (the red dragon) and the Beast from the Pit.
Re:17:12:
And the ten horns which thou sawest are
ten kings,
which have received no kingdom as yet;
but
receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
Da:7:7:
After this I saw in the night visions,
and behold a fourth beast,
dreadful and terrible,
and strong exceedingly;
and it had great iron teeth:
it devoured and brake in pieces,
and stamped the residue with the feet of it:
and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it;
and it had ten horns.
Da:7:8:
I considered the horns,
and,
behold,
there came up among them another little horn,
before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots:
and,
behold,
in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man,
and a mouth speaking great things.Da:7:16-22:
I came near unto one of them that stood by,
and asked him the truth of all this.
So he told me,
and made me know the interpretation of the things.
These great beasts,
which are four,
are four kings,
which shall arise out of the earth.
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom,
and possess the kingdom for ever,
even for ever and ever.
Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast,
which was diverse from all the others,
exceeding dreadful,
whose teeth were of iron,
and his nails of brass;
which devoured,
brake in pieces,
and stamped the residue with his feet;
And of the ten horns that were in his head,
and of the other which came up,
and before whom three fell;
even of that horn that had eyes,
and a mouth that spake very great things,
whose look was more stout than his fellows.
I beheld,
and the same horn made war with the saints,
and prevailed against them;
Until the Ancient of days came,
and judgment was given to the saints of the most High;
and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
Re:16:14:
For they are the spirits of devils,
working miracles,
which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world,
to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.