In 1984 many publications, particularly in Australia, picked up a story that claimed 6000 Swedes had received an invisible mark to use for all transactions with their banks. However thorough inquiry in Sweden revealed nothing of the sort. The story was another 'end-time' hoax and not the implementation of the mysterious mark of the beast or 666.

Many fear such a global numbering system that will brand us on the "right hand of forehead" as if "we were so many cattle". Films like the Omen series depicted a specific individual born to fulfill the "anti-Christ" prophecies. The lead character Damien, even had the number as a birthmark in his head.

But a serious search through a variety of sources can soon put paid to popular misconception. The remarkable number 666 has for many centuries been a thorn in the side for Bible detectives. Since the prophet John first received "revelation" from Jesus Christ on the Isle of Patmos circa A.D90, six sixty six has been a point of religious division, debate and conjecture.

However, Bible readers would never have been told to keep an eye out for number, man and beast if there were no hope of unraveling the mystery. Most of the pieces to this end-time jigsaw can be found in Revelation 13, 17 and 18 and in Daniel 2, 3 and 7. As we unravel the threads to "mystery 666" the first priority is to read the scriptures involved.

Inspired book

The Bible is no ordinary book. It is inspired and contains within its pages timeless wisdom and types and shadows of things to come. The Book of Revelation in particular is for the "last-days" as much as it was for the seven churches in the Middle East some 60 years after Christ's death. It unfolds the deeper purposes of Christ's mission and things which must come to pass before the climax of this age.

Where the meaning of prophecy is clear no other meaning should be immediately sought. If the meaning appears symbolic the scriptures will also lead to an interpretation. In the book of Daniel we see the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar puzzling over a powerful dream. He summons the prophet Daniel to interpret it. The dream showed the image of a man, representing five kingdoms which rule over the world.

The kingdoms are represented by metals of declining value. The head of gold is Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom which is overtaken by the breast and arms of silver or the Medo-Persian nations. The belly and thighs of bronze are in time revealed as the Grecian Empire. The legs of iron conquer Greece. History tells us Rome was ruling at the time of Christ.

All that is left are the feet of iron and clay; a divided kingdom and a poor foundation to uphold such a massive image.

Daniel's interpretation is important because of its proven historical accuracy and because the feet of iron and clay or "ten toes" have not yet come to power. It's believed this final kingdom which proceeds from the iron of Rome is on the rise today through the European Union.

As expected, this kingdom like the others, will fall.

Smash the image

Daniel says a stone cut without hands shall smash the image at the feet and send it toppling. This stone is Jesus Christ who comes to usher in global government as it was designed to be.

Nebuchadnezzar, however, instead of acknowledging the sovereign God who gave Daniel the insight to read his dream, made a golden image of the figure. He then forced everyone, under the threat of death, to bow down and worship his idol.

The height of the image was 60 cubits, the breadth was six cubits and six musical instruments were used to summon the people to worship Perhaps this is our first example of 666?

Three of Daniel's friends refused to bow down to the image. Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego were tossed into the fiery furnace. However it was Nebuchadnezzar who was to get the shock: "Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like unto the Son of God," (Dan 3:25). These three are full of faith knowing their God will protect them even when the heat is turned up seven times.

Back in Revelation we see a similar story told. "A beast rises up out of the sea "of peoples and nations and multitudes and tongues" (Rev 17:5) having seven heads "in a country of seven mountains (17:9) and ten horns. There are "ten kings who receive power one hour with the beast (17:12). This beast is mortally wounded but his deadly wound is healed (13:3,4).

False prophet

At this point another powerful beast is shown, popularly known as the false prophet. He performs great miracles and causes people to make an image to the first beast. The nations are amazed and worship the "dragon" who gave power to the beast. They also worshipped the beast (12:9). Those who won't worship the "image of the beast" are killed.

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save that he had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred three score and six (Rev 13:16-18).

It seems we are being warned of an economic system which will demand allegiance from all persons on the planet. Aren't we already bonded to money? Plainly this scripture speaks of a mark, to be imprinted in the human body for all buying and selling, perhaps an invisible laser etched personal identification number or code?

Whatever this turns out to be, the Bible warning is loud and clear, don't take the mark (Rev 14:9-10). The verse in Revelation which gives the number 666 is verse 18 (3 x 6). The word beast occurs 36 times in Revelation in reference to this prophecy (6 x 6).

We are told "power was given unto the beast to continue forty and two months" (Rev 13:5 6) which is 7 x 6. One strange quality about the digit six comes from its square (6 x 6 / 36). If you add together all the numbers up to 36 you get a total of 666.

Throughout the Bible certain numbers are endowed with specific meaning. Six represents man under sin. Man was created on the sixth day. Some believe the genesis of modern creation was about 6000 years ago therefore we may be in the age of six.

The old world

Noah was in his 600th year when he entered into the Ark before global judgment was poured out on the old world. Goliath the giant who young David fought (1 Sam 17) was six cubits in height, his iron spear weighed 600 shekels and he had six pieces to his armour (Christians have seven pieces: Eph 6).

There are six words used for " man in the Bible. Six is also stamped in time calculations (minutes, hours, days) and imperial measurements (1 yard / 36 inches). Curiously the duration of the old Assyrian Empire before it was conquered by Babylon was 666 years.

Jerusalem was trodden down by the Roman Empire (Gentiles) exactly 666 years from the battle of Actium B.C 31 to the Saracen conquest in A.D 636. Let us return for a moment to Revelation where John tells us (Ch 17) that the beast who is to take power follows on from seven kings who've previously ruled. Five are fallen and one is at the time of prophecy (vs 10). The five fallen are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome which was ruling in John's time. Each of these nations was opposed to God's people of Israel and indulged in the Babylonian Mystery religions, worshipping false gods (17:5).

The seventh king, yet to come, will take the reins of a revived Rome and its 10 kings, in the final fulfillment of Daniels prophecy (Rev 17:12 / Dan 2:34) In other words the 10 toes are the same as the 10 kings and both represent Rome on the rebound.

In the original languages the Bible was written in, mostly Hebrew and Greek, there are no separate symbols for numbers. Letters of the alphabet represented numbers. The numeric value of a word is the sum total of its letters.

Mirror for 666

In the New Testament there are certain words which reveal the numeric total 666. These may well act as a mirror for 666 activity in our own lives. They may also be seen as warnings concerning the system (both present and future) which demands to be worshipped by humankind.

The word apollumetha or "we perish" is the faithless cry of Jesus' disciples caught in a sudden storm on Galilee (Lk 8:24 /Mk 4:38). "Tradition" or paradosis is echoed many times by Jesus: "But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt 15:2,3,6 /Mk 7 /Gal 1:14 /Col 2:8 /2 Thess 2:15 etc).

The word pleuran, interpreted "side", is used where a Roman soldier dared believe he had completed the work at the cross by piercing Christ's side (Jn 19:34 /20:20,25 /Acts 12:7). In John 2:16 the word helkusai meaning "to draw" is used when the disciples who'd complained of having no fish, by obeying the masters command, suddenly had more fish in their nets than they could "draw out" alone.

Another word relevant to our search is euporia or "wealth". In Acts 19:25 Demetrius, who makes silver shrines for the goddess Diana is boasting about the wealth made from his trade. The word diaspora or "scattered" is found in a letter addressed to the scattered saints of God (1 Ptr 1).

These six references, when we add up their numeric value, each come to 666. The Bible warns those involved in 666 activity: "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, the Lord Jesus shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and destroy by the brightness of his coming." The word "wonders" used here is tightly sealed 666.

Asked for a sign Jesus was asked six times by his disciples for a sign. In Revelation the phrase they who worship the beast and its' image totals up to 3996 (666 x 6). Hard on the tail of this phrase is "whoever receives the mark of its' name'' (N.I.V) totals 3997 or 666 x 6.

Further light is cast on our subject when we examine the Hebrew Romiti which means "Roman man" and Romiith or "Roman kingdom". Both reveal beneath their surface 666.

For curiosity's sake let's look at Edward Gibbon's book The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He said there were five attributes which marked the fall of the last Rome: "A mounting show of luxury, a widening gap between the rich and the poor, obsession with sex, freakishness in the arts masquerading as originality and an increased desire to live off the state."

Rome was once known as Saturnalia, "the city of Saturn". In the Chaldean mysteries the Babylonian dictator Nimrod was deified as Saturn. His birthday was celebrated on December 25th or Saturnalia. In Chaldee, Saturn is spelt STUR which totals 666.

Saturn was also synonymous with Latium Latinus (Gr: Lateinos) "the father of the Latin race". By adding the Greek letters together we again arrive at 666. Lateinos and Saturn were worshipped as "offspring of the sun".

"S" in Greek was originally the symbol for the number 6, its modern use is for 200 unless it has an emphasis mark above it. The letter was called stigma which means "a mark", especially in reference to a "brand" as burnt upon slaves, cattle or soldiers by their owners or masters.

Branded themselves

Often devotees branded themselves as "belonging to the gods" by the same means. The word stigma comes from a word meaning "to prick or brand with irons".

"SSS" or 666 was the secret symbol of the ancient pagan mysteries connected with the worship of the Devil and was also part of the "rites of Isis".

Janus was another title used by Babylon's first ruler Nimrod. He took the title for himself claiming to be the Messiah. He set himself up as a god- man, the "promised seed of the woman", a role which only Christ could fulfill. Janus is associated with Saturn. By totaling the Greek letters we again find 666.

The Greek word Teitan is also branded 666. It is synonymous with Typhon the Serpent or Dragon, the author of wickedness. In the Chaldean this is Sheitan or Satan.

In Nimrod's time an attempt was made to establish a global language. The offspring of Noah had decided to establish a city. The move displeased Jehovah who required this remnant of humankind to go out and repopulate the whole earth.

An attempt at global kingdom was made under the rulership of Nimrod. God halted his plans by confusing their language. They were forced to scatter across the globe (Gen 11:7,9). The city became known as Babylon (confusion).

What had been one language was now many. A more recent attempt at establishing a global language seems to have been similarly confounded. Adding all the numerals of the original Latin language, including the now defunct D, we arrive once more at 666 (I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500).

The phrase "the Latin kingdom" also totals 666. Curiously, in the year 666 AD the Pope Vitallian issued a decree commanding the exclusive use of Latin in all services of the Roman Catholic Church.

Still on the trail of 666 we see Antiochus 1V contending for the fulfillment of Bible prophecies about "the abomination of desolation". He sacrificed a pig on the temple altar in Jerusalem. He wanted to shame the Jews into changing their faith to the Romish-Greek deities.

Destroyed books

He forbade circumcision and destroyed all the Old Testament books he could find. He placed an idol of Zuess (Jupiter) in the Holy of Holies and took for himself the title Epiphaneia or "God manifest".

This title has the numeric value 666. In fact the whole idea of man setting himself up as God is branded with this number. The phrase "I am God on earth" totals 666.

Caesar Nero was another well known for his severe persecutions of Christians and Jews. He turned Christians into human torches to light his gardens at night, fed them to hungry lions for entertainment and had them run through with swords and burned at the stake in public ceremonies.

It's estimated about 4 million Christians are buried in the Catacombs of (?) resulting from the actions of this perverse man and his successors during the first three centuries after Christ.

Caesar Nero is spelt NRON KRS in the Hebrew, which totals 666. In the Greek Neron Caesar (Nero) totals 1332 (666 x 6).

When the Pope is crowned today there is placed upon his head a golden crown with three inner crowns representing his rulership in heaven and earth and his dominion over hell. On the main crown is the inscription "VICARIUS FILII DEI", which means "Vicar of Christ" or one who stands in the place of Christ. The "anti" in anti-Christ also means "in place of". The numeric value of the inscription on the Papal crown is 666.

Speaks to us all

However, I would warn against naming the Pope or any individual as inheritor of the horrors of 666. I suggest the mystical number, instead speaks to all of us.

It points out clearly that humankind without God has missed the mark (sinned). We have fallen short of what we are meant to be.

Having been shown our error we are pointed to the "higher calling in Christ Jesus". I believe individually we all have 666 potential. This can manifest in a materialistic, domineering, dictatorial, animal nature which thrives on power games, lust, or possession and position.

Six six six is the ultimate, sinful Godless system or man. Six falls short of God's perfect number 7. Six is the "number of the beast" (animal nature) pursuing only self interest and gratification for the five senses. 666 is material activity rather than spiritual - it is works without faith.

Six sixty six governs the lower universe under the name Lucifer, who disguising himself as an angel of light, brings subtle erosion and deception pleasingly packaged.

Triple six is tyranny and self willed government. It is the electric attractive power of the dictator who drums up hysterical support for his destructive ends.

Six six six is Rome and all Caesars, past present and future, who are only interested in power (money and influence) and the destruction of all Christian principles.

Jesus himself was once offered the job as leader over all the nations of the world. But it was not his time. "And the Devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment in time (Luke 4:5). Kingdoms of the world totals 3996 (666 x 6).

Satan said "all of these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." Now if Christ turned down the position (he would have had to by-pass the cross) then what lesser man can be trusted with it? - Keith Newman

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