Is the Perpetuation of the Myth of the Antichrist’s Number Being 666 a Conspiracy?

[Bennettresearch]

Is the Perpetuation of the Myth of the Antichrist’s Number Being 666 a Conspiracy, or Just a Myopic Misunderstanding of Chapter 13 of Revelation? You hear it everywhere, the Antichrist’s number is 666. Like any other myth, the continual repetition makes it into a known fact by the populace. This is understandable since no one in the first and second centuries could imagine that this prophecy could be written about Christians. Thus, Revelation was interpreted as being about someone else. There are four beasts in chapter 13 and one of them is Jesus. No one would deny that the Lamb, Rev 13:8, is Jesus. What happens next is that major transitions are totally missed and later references to Jesus are misinterpreted as being about the Antichrist. These transitions are clearly demonstrated and are not something that is open to debate as a perception of the reader. The first transition is about the First Beast, Rev 13:12, who was earlier introduced as one of the Heads of the beast, Rev 13:3. It is clear that opening beast is Rome, and the First Beast is one of the Heads of Rome. This transition is clearly made by using the term “whose fatal wound was healed” to identify him. So the Head is later referred to as the First Beast. The word beast of course is a substitute for a populace or an individual. Total denial causes people to overlook the second transition. The Lamb, Jesus, is later referred to as a beast. Why would anyone not identify this beast as Jesus? The beast, who follows the First Beast, is compelling the populace to make an image of Jesus, Rev 13:14, “telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.” Identifying this as Nero coming back to life is shear fantasy. But that is the popular interpretation based on some numerological manipulation with a big dose of denial. Jesus was pierced with a sword and of course was resurrected. Putting aside any debate as to whether this was physical or spiritual, the author is clearly referring to Jesus. And so, as chapter 13 continues, the beast who follows the First Beast makes an image of Jesus and causes the populace to wear the mark, Rev 13:16, or later, “either the name of the beast or the number of his name”, Rev 13:17. So there are three options as to what this beast will cause the populace to wear. All of these options are about Jesus. Finally the author ends with this number of the beast, 666. The Antichrist is going to cause the populace to wear a mark of Jesus whose number is 666. (This number most likely is using the symbolism of the number 6 as that of Mankind. Saying that Jesus was a man.)So tell me, is the misinterpretation of Revelation Chapter 13 a conspiracy, or myopia? There have been people who have made the connection of this prophecy to the influence of Rome on the Christian Church forming in the first century. They are summarily dismissed as crackpots while everyone is looking for the beast 666 to come and deceive them while taking over the world. The myth has superceded the prophecy.Special Note: The Revelation to John was written in Majuscule. This means that there is no capitalization, chapter, or verse in the original text. At least as original as we now have it. This is a modern construct based on the idiosyncratic interpretation of transcribers.

 

[BruceDLimber]

There's no conspiracy because it's stated in the Bible, in Revelation.

But IOV there's been a lot of nonsense promulgated about it, such as claims it referred to Nero or various other figures!

We see 666 as referring to the year 661 CE, 666 years after Christ's birth.

In that year the Umayyad Dynasty corrupted Islam and drove it grossly off the rails and directly away from godliness and God's true teachings, thus fulfilling the prophecies about the first beast.

So for us, at least, none of this is mysterious or the least bit confusing.

Best regards,

Bruce

 

[BruceDLimber]

I thought 666 was the title of Anti-Christ, not a date.

As I said, we see it as a date: 666 years after the birth of Christ.

The anti-Christ is only mentioned in four places in the Bible, all in the epistles of John. And if you read these passages, it becomes clear both that:

• the anti-Christ was alive at the time of John, and
• the anti-Christ was a former Christian (which eliminates a lot of individuals people like to claim are he).

What would happen if I tattoo it to my forehead, would I then be damned to hell? Prabobly yes...

I doubt it, though you'd probably gain a quick reputation as a fool!

Peace,

Bruce

 

[logician]

There was no Christ, and certainly nobody knows the date of a nonexistence man's birth which was obviously a made up story that could not possible have had any witnesses.

Try something else.

 

[dogsgod]

My son has a birthmark in the shape of a 999 on his head. Does that mean anything?

 

[meogi]

I've read before that 666 comes from the numerology of Nero Caesar's name in Hebrew; that John was trying to warn his fellow Christians about Nero's persecution. Is there any validity to these claims?

 

[Bennettresearch]

I've read before that 666 comes from the numerology of Nero Caesar's name in Hebrew; that John was trying to warn his fellow Christians about Nero's persecution. Is there any validity to these claims?

Hi,Forget about Nero. It is this kind of mythology that I am debunking. What I am pointing out is that there is a deep denial that John would be writing about the people and events surrounding the formation of the Christian Church of his time. This prophecy is objecting to the transformation of the doctrine of the new religion to suit the citizens of the Roman Empire. I can go as deep into this as you may want to but my main point is that the number 666 has been misinterpreted and it is the number that John gives to Jesus, saying he was a man. It is not Nero, as there is no historical data to support Nero having any relevance in Revelation.Craig

 

[Bennettresearch]

My son has a birthmark in the shape of a 999 on his head. Does that mean anything?

Hi,I think it would be superstitious to put any meaning into it. It is not God putting numerical significance to our lives, it is only mankind's superstition.Craig

 

[Bennettresearch]

There was no Christ, and certainly nobody knows the date of a nonexistence man's birth which was obviously a made up story that could not possible have had any witnesses.

Try something else.

Hi,It is not relevant to challenge the existence of Jesus in this matter. The subject is what the author of Revelation is truly saying in this prophecy.There is no evidence that the historical narrative in the OT is true, but the prophets wrote about them anyway. To understand what they are saying is to take into account what the issues are. And so, Revelation is addressing the issues of Christianity in the first century. It is based upon what the followers believed and how much of that was influenced by their pagan background.Craig

 

[Bennettresearch]

There's no conspiracy because it's stated in the Bible, in Revelation.

But IOV there's been a lot of nonsense promulgated about it, such as claims it referred to Nero or various other figures!

We see 666 as referring to the year 661 CE, 666 years after Christ's birth.

In that year the Umayyad Dynasty corrupted Islam and drove it grossly off the rails and directly away from godliness and God's true teachings, thus fulfilling the prophecies about the first beast.

So for us, at least, none of this is mysterious or the least bit confusing.

Best regards,

Bruce

Hi,You have fallen into the trap of exploring the numerology and ignoring the message. This is what the OT prophets did to keep their messages hiden from the view of the uninitiated. The number 666 being the date of the rise of Islam is totally unsupportable. The number 666 is a red herring as the prophets ascribed no relevance to numerology. The message is in the metaphor.I find it interesting how another religion would try and co-opt Jesus to support their own religious claims. This prophecy is about and only is relevant to Christians.

 

[Bennettresearch]

I thought 666 was the title of Anti-Christ, not a date? What would happen if I tattoo it to my forehead, would I then be damned to hell? Prabobly yes...

Hi,The objection in Revelation is the practice of such marking or tatooing. It is not the act of a true Christian who does not require anything to identify themselves other than having Jesus in their heart and following the Holy Spirit.Craig

 

[Bennettresearch]

As I said, we see it as a date: 666 years after the birth of Christ.

The anti-Christ is only mentioned in four places in the Bible, all in the epistles of John. And if you read these passages, it becomes clear both that:

• the anti-Christ was alive at the time of John, and
• the anti-Christ was a former Christian (which eliminates a lot of individuals people like to claim are he).

I doubt it, though you'd probably gain a quick reputation as a fool!

Peace,

Bruce

I'm sorry but you are misguided. The Antichrist is not a single individual. As John said in the letter that is supposed to have been written by him, there are many antichrist's yet to come. Very prophetic.Craig

 

[dogsgod]

Irenaeus is the first of the church fathers to consider the mystic number 666. While Irenaeus did propose some solutions of this numerical riddle, his interpretation was quite reserved. Thus, he cautiously states: "But knowing the sure number declared by Scripture, that is six hundred sixty and six, let them await, in the first place, the division of the kingdom into ten; then, in the next place, when these kings are reigning, and beginning to set their affairs in order, and advance their kingdom, [let them learn] to acknowledge that he who shall come claiming the kingdom for himself, and shall terrify those men of whom we have been speaking, have a name containing the aforesaid number, is truly the abomination of desolation."Although Irenaeus did speculate upon three names to symbolize this mystical number, namely Euanthas, Teitan and Lateinos, nevertheless he was content to believe that the Antichrist would arise some time in the future after the fall of Rome and then the meaning of the number would be revealed Irenaeus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[BruceDLimber]

The number 666 being the date of the rise of Islam is totally unsupportable.

Only in your opinion. It fits very well with the overall pattern of the book; and indeed, we have whole volumes explaining these in verse-by-verse detail (available free upon request)!

Nor, please note, did I say anything whatever about the rise of Islam: I said specifically (so sorry if you missed it) that this refers to a later event in history when corrupt regimes (called the first and second beasts in Revelation) corrupted it 666 years after Christ's birth.

This prophecy is about and only is relevant to Christians.

You are most welcome to your fantasies. Others of us find these prophecies eminently meaningful and relevant, thankyouverymuch, little as you realize this!

And while you're quick to dismiss it as "numerology," you are ignoring the fact that other numeric prophecies yield the exact year of Christ's birth as well as multiple other then-future events! So I fear you're throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

There is far more significance to (and in) Jewish and Christian prophecies than many people realize!

Peace,

Bruce

 

[EtuMalku]

This Abrahamic 'conspiracy', (which it is) dates back to Babylonian Astrology. The 36 Babylonian gods (decans) were given sacred numbers 1 thru 36 which placated their importance as well as placing them in Astrological frames within the constellations (12 ea.). The 36 decans ruled over 10 degrees of the zodiacal circle and over 10 days of the 360-day year.

The sum of the numbers from 1-36 is 666;
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 11 + 12
+ 13 + 14 + 15 + 16 + 17 + 18 + 19 + 20 + 21 + 22
+ 23 + 24 + 25 + 26 + 27 + 28 + 29 + 30 + 31 + 32
+ 33 + 34 + 35 + 36 = 666

This number (666) is referred to as 'the Grand Number of the Sun'. The Babylonian Sun-God is the cosmic god and the Father of all gods.

It becomes obvious that the Christian faith, in its necessity to eradicate all paganism, used this number of the Sun/Son God/Father of all gods as a tool to convince its sheeple of the evil, bad, devil worshiping Babylonians (who's King was also tagged with the Lucifer moniker in Isaiah 14:12)


*999 in Gematria; Nine is finality or completion. The first example of its use is that infinitely sealed first verse of the Bible: "In the beginning God'' which in Hebrew is: Bray****h Elohim which has the numeric value of 999. The very next statement "created the heaven" is also sealed with 999

 

[Volhv]

666 is a solar number holy to the sun, common in Thelema, Christian mysticism, the Jewish Kabbalah, and the Babylonian tradition. This number also happens to be the gematric value of Nero Caesar's name, who was a prosecutor of early Christians.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Greetings!

None of what I said has anything to do with Babylonian or other cultural number systems, please note.

They are simply years (durations), counted from a specific, named starting point.

Regards,

Bruce

 

[EtuMalku]

Greetings!

None of what I said has anything to do with Babylonian or other cultural number systems, please note.

Obviously.

They are simply years (durations), counted from a specific, named starting point.

. . . and incorrectly I might add.

 

[Bennettresearch]

Only in your opinion. It fits very well with the overall pattern of the book; and indeed, we have whole volumes explaining these in verse-by-verse detail (available free upon request)!

Nor, please note, did I say anything whatever about the rise of Islam: I said specifically (so sorry if you missed it) that this refers to a later event in history when corrupt regimes (called the first and second beasts in Revelation) corrupted it 666 years after Christ's birth.



You are most welcome to your fantasies. Others of us find these prophecies eminently meaningful and relevant, thankyouverymuch, little as you realize this!

And while you're quick to dismiss it as "numerology," you are ignoring the fact that other numeric prophecies yield the exact year of Christ's birth as well as multiple other then-future events! So I fear you're throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

There is far more significance to (and in) Jewish and Christian prophecies than many people realize!

Peace,

Bruce

You are a very good example of a myopic misunderstanding of Revelation. You have provided nothing in the way of counter argument or a valid interpretation of chapter 13. Don't tell me I'm fantasizing and I am tired of your arrogance while spouting your own OPINION. I guess it might not be a conspiracy after all.Craig

 

[Bennettresearch]

Obviously.

. . . and incorrectly I might add.

Very good. Concentrating on numerology and ignoring the metaphor is a trap set by the authors of prophecies. It is amazing how far afield interpretations have gone to rectify their theories about numbers.Craig