Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: ROBERT@kontu.utu.fi (Robert W. Johnson) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: The Number 666 in Revelation Message-ID: Date: 5 Apr 91 08:18:38 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 101 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Many people are puzzled by the number 666 mentioned in Revelation 13:18. Rev. 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has (1)understanding calculate the (2)number of the beast, for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. (1) Gk. mind. (2) "The number of the beast" is "the number of a man." This man is Caesar nero, who will also be the coming Antichrist. The number represented by the letters of the name Caesar nero in Hebrew is 666 as follows: Greek Hebrew Greek Hebrew (The hebrew letters are wriitten on the page in front of me but are not on my terminal.) Ne Looks like iota 50 Kai Looks like 100 crossed like a T capital P R Upsidedown 200 Sa Looks like 60 reversed L capital D O half crossed 6 R Upsidedown 200 small cap. T reversed L N Capital J 50 --- --- N epsi. rho omega nu = 306 Kappa alpha iota sigma rho 360 = 666 Because the book of Revelation was written during the time of the Roman Empire, John did not mention the name of Nero, but indicated it with a number. Therefore, there is the need of "wisdom" to understand it. Revelation 17:8 The beast (1)whom you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go into destruction. And they who dwell on the earth, whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life, shall marvel when they see the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall be present. (1) "The beast," who is Antichrist, "was" in the person of Caesar Nero before John wrote Revelation. he "is not" at the time of John's writing, because Nero had dies by that time. he "is about to come up out of the abyss." This implies that nero's spirit is now in the abyss and is about to emerge from it to take possession of the body of the slain and resurrected Antichrist, as indicated in Rev. 13:3. He "is about to go into destruction." This indicates that Antichrist will perish, as described in Rev. 19:20 and 20.10. Revelation 13:3 And (1)one of his heads was as if it had been slain to death, and his death stroke was healed. And the whole worl marveled after the beast. (1) "one of his heads" is one of the Caesars who will be "slain" and resurrected. That "his death stroke was healed" means that he will be resurrected from death. Because of this "the whole world marveled after him." Revelation 17:10 And are (1)seven kings: five have fallen, one is, the other has yet to come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. (1) The "seven kings" are the seven Caesars of the Roman Empire. The first "five have fallen," i.e., they have died unnaturally (Judg. 3:25; 2 Sam. 1:10, 25, 27). They are Julius Caesar, Tiberius, Calgula, Claudius, and Nero, all of whom were either murdered or committed suicide before John wrote this book. The sixth "one," Domitian, who was also murdered, was living when this book was written; therefore it is said of him that he "is." The other, the seventh, who will be Antichrist, had "not yet come" at that time. "When he comes he must remain a little while" and will be slain and resurrected with the spirit of the fifth, who is Nero, to be the eighth. Revelation 17:11 And the beast who was, and is not, he (1)also is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes into destruction. (1) Antichrist will be the coming seventh Caesar. But he "also is the eighth." According to Rev. 13:3, Antichrist will be slain and resurrected. In that resurrection, the spirit of Nero (the fifth caesar) which comes up out of the abyss, will animate the dead body of the seventh Caesar, Antichrist. This one, composed of the fifth and seventh Caesars, is the eighth. Hence, he "is of the seven." It is no wonder people marvel at the sight of such an extraordinary being (v. 17:8). Revelation 17:12 And the ten horns which you saw are (1)ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but receive authority as kings one hour with the beast. (1) "Ten kings" will be raised up before the great tribulation in the revived Roman Empire. They will be one with Antichrist in opposing God and persecuting His people--the Jews and the believers. These ten kings are likened to the ten toes of the great image seen by nebuchadnezzar in his dream (Dan. 2:42). They will submit themselves and their kingdoms to Antichrist (v. 17:17). ----- Robert W. Johnson Computer center, The University of Turku, Turku Finland robert@kontu.utu.fi (InterNet) robert@firien.bitnet (BITNET) The preceeding is my opinion and may not express the opinion of my employer and furthermore has nothing to do with my employment.