I plan on leaving with the other Raptured Saints, but what about those ‘left behind?’ What if the World Health Organization or some other official group forces them to be branded or inoculated with the mark of the beast against their will? What if they are fighting against the mark, being held down, etc. Will God hold this against them?
Revelation 13:15 & 16 seem to go together. In other words, taking the mark will be done as an act of worship, and is a pledge of loyalty. This is consistent with the meaning of the Greek word translated “receive” in verse 16 which literally means to willingly accept something that’s to be religiously observed.
Failure to worship the anti-Christ’s image as called for in Rev. 13:15 will bring death. The way the authorities will tell whether a person is actually worshiping or just faking it is whether they’ll voluntarily accept the mark. I don’t think anyone will be forced to take it against their will, or be tricked into taking it without knowing what they’re doing.