Covid-19 and "The Mark of the Beast..."

I receive all manner of links to a myriad of videos about the global “pandemic.”  To be sure our current epoch is unprecedented in the history of the world which makes it noteworthy. And whenever there is a significant and unusual event nationally, and even more so globally, it is good that Christ followers are taking things seriously enough to pause, wonder, and speculate what, if any, is the significance to the faithful in the grand scheme of biblical events.

I just watched less than a minute of a 21 minute presentation of a guy standing at a white board explaining that COVID-19 stands for “Certificate of Vaccination I.D.--19.” and 19 equals the first letter A in the alphabet and the 9 equals I.  And of course we all know what A.I. is. So the plan is—according to the big beard, shirt and tie guy explaining all this-- is that no one will be able to buy or sell unless you take the vaccine. There is much I would like to say but my blog is designed to be read under two minutes so...  

"...he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name."  (Revelation 13:17) 

""And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.""  (Revelation 14:11) 

"Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years."  (Revelation 20:4) 

If these many “theorists” are right, we must believe that any Christ follower who happens to get duped, deceived, hoodwinked, conned, cajoled, or coerced loses their salvation.  Hmmm...  

Some questions: 

What of the millions of believers since the beginning of the human race who died in faith without ever having been faced with making such a choice as end times believers (supposedly) must make? Seems then there are actually two (at least) means of salvation. One for those who lived pre-end times and one for those in and after. That is problematic.   

What happens to “Solo Gratia” salvation by grace alone?  

What happens to “Solo Christo” salvation by Christ alone? 

What happens to “Solo Fide” salvation by Faith alone? 

Again two different standards for achieving eternity with Christ emerge.  Sports fans—Does the Sovereign of the universe place the burden of one’s eternity squarely on one's mental acumen in rightly figuring out a mysterious riddle that has baffled scholars for centuries? If He does, I am bound for Hell because I could not figure out the second-grade riddles my kids would bring home from school. Whatever the “mark of the beast” is, it will be unavoidably evident to the faithful and God’s Spirit will give the unavoidable grace to KNOW exactly what is happening.  Stop fretting, stop being distracted from His glories and Grace and “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and EVERYTHING else will be added unto you!”  (Matt. 6:33)