Why are the first takers of the mark of the beast so willing to accept it?
They accept it at the drop of a hat because they have already been completely deluded by a sovereign act of God into believing the Antichrist is the man the world is looking for. Having heard and rejected the gospel, they stand condemned and become the first to embrace him.
Les explains that the first takers of the mark are not people who never heard the gospel. They are those who heard it plainly, understood it, were convicted by it, and then rejected it, so they are condemned and will be the first to embrace the Antichrist. When the 144,000 Jews go out around the world, no one will be saved as a second chance, because those who heard and rejected it are condemned. Because these rejecters have already been completely deluded by a sovereign act of God that the Antichrist is the man the world is looking for, they will accept the mark of the beast at the drop of a hat. Believers, however, have nothing to fear, since that mark is only for the tribulation people.