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NASB | Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let the person who has enough insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the [imperfect] number of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. |
Subject: What Does 666 Mean? |
Bible Note: This is a quote from Dr. Thomas Ice: Many have tried to figure out the identity of the Antichrist through numerical calculations. Such approaches will always fail and should not be attempted. Phone books are full of names that might add up. The wisdom of "counting the name" is not to be applied in our day, for that would be jumping the gun. Instead, it is to be applied by believers during the tribulation. In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul teaches that during the current church age the Antichrist is being restrained (v. 6). Antichrist will not be "revealed" until "his time." The Holy Spirit's selection of the word "revealed" indicates that the identity of the Antichrist will be concealed until the time of his revelation at some point after the rapture. Thus, it is not possible to know before "his time" the identity of the Antichrist. Revelation makes it clear that when the time comes the identity of the Antichrist will be clear to believers. As noted above, Revelation makes it clear that every believer during the tribulation will know that to receive the mark of the beast means the rejection of Christ. This will be universally understood by Christians at that time. None of the suggestions of the past or any before the tribulation have merit. Revelation 13:17,18 clearly says that the number 666 will be the mark proposed for the right hand or forehead. No one in history has even proposed such a number in anything like tribulation conditions, so past guesses as to his identity can be nullified on this basis. The better part of wisdom is to be content that the identification is not yet available, but will be when the future false Christ ascends to his throne. The person to whom 666 applies must have been future to John's time, because John clearly meant the number to be recognizable to someone. If it was not discernible to his generation and those immediately following him-and it was not-the generation to whom it will be discernible must have lain (and still lies) in the future. Past generations have provided many illustrations of this future personage, but all past candidates have proven inadequate as fulfillments. Some have suggested that the mark of the beast will be the universal product code, a chip implanted under the skin, or an invisible mark requiring scanning technology to recognize it. Such applications do not align with what the Bible actually says. The mark of the beast-666-is not cashless technology or biometrics. The Bible speaks precisely about what the mark will be. It will be: • the Antichrist's mark, identified with his person • the actual number 666, not a representation • a mark, like a tattoo • visible to the naked eye • on you, not in you • recognized, not questioned • voluntary, not involuntary, thus not given through deception • used after the rapture, not before • used in the second half of the tribulation • needed to buy and sell • universally received by non-Christians, but universally rejected by Christians • show worship and allegiance to the Antichrist • promoted by the false prophet • the destiny of all receiving the mark will be eternal punishment in the lake of fire Probably no other number in history or in Biblical studies has captivated the minds of both Christians and non-Christians as "666." Even those who know nothing of the future plan of God as revealed in the Bible know there is significance to this number. Secular and religious writers, filmmakers, artists, and cultural critics allude to, portray, and expound upon it. It has been used and abused by evangelicals as well as others and has been the subject of much fruitless speculation. Too often sincere students of prophecy have tied the number to contemporary technology and its potential in an effort to demonstrate the relevance of their interpretation. Yet to do so is to put the "cart before the horse," for prophecy and the Bible do not gain authority or legitimacy because of culture or technology. You can read his entire article at: http://www.injesus.com/Groups/ViewMessage.cfm?MessageId(equal)EB0070X3(ampersan)GroupID(equal)2B005ZPE(ampersan)UCD(equal)pl2 (replace the three occurances of (equal) with the equal sign, and two occurances of (ampersan) with that symbol) |