Revelation 13:16 And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 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.
Receiving it in the forehead means that there will be many persons who would make an intellectual, and deliberate decision to do so. But for those who may not be thoroughly convinced, satan would make it available in the hand. In other words, persons would not necessarily have to understand it or believe it.
They can just take it to retain all of their economic privileges, such as working, doing regular business, and purchasing goods and services, all the while the intellectual aspect is avoided or circumvented. Not so with God. A person or nation will need to be deliberate in their decisions, and if the powers of the mind, if the powers of reasoning are poisoned through deliberate choice, God may still be speaking but persons would not be listening, and this signals the time to wrap up the work of trying to save the persons in question.
This is the reason why the prophet Isaiah warns us against deliberately distorting truth in any manner, for doing so is known to have a crippling effect on one’s ability to reason rationally. In other words, when a person deliberately chooses to reject truth and facts, the mind is then trained to interpret truth as error and vice-versa, to the point where one can become permanently embroiled in a frozen intellect, which could no longer distinguish between right and wrong, good or evil.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!