THE MEANING OF 666
by Richard Stout
REVELATION 13:18: This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.
Firstly, I want the reader to be aware that there is a comma after the word ‘beast,’ which means it indicates a separation of ideas within the structure of a sentence. So calculate the number of the beast is one idea, and then for its “man’s number,” is another idea. There is a separation here that is very important. It is not saying to calculate the number of a man. NO! It is saying to calculate the number of the beast. Then it says for it is man’s number (plural!) Therefore MANKIND’S # & the beast’s # of 666 are the same number!
All of these non-believers who did not accept Christ as their Lord & Savior, have become one with the beast and therefore part of the beast. The following key word analysis will show the breakdown of this.
We start with the word ‘calculate’ which generally means “to evaluate the numerical value of” (as in 666.) The word ‘numerical’ means “relating to a number or series of numbers” (again 666) as a designated number. To ‘designate’ is “to give a name or title to,” which in this case the 666 represents the name & number of the beast as a whole. 666 is the name & title of the whole beast of which there are three who make up the one. ‘Designate’ in Latin means “to mark” (which may allude to the mark of the beast perhaps.) The word ‘title’ is an “identifying” name – a descriptive name, an “epithet.”
An ‘epithet’ is a term used to characterize a person or thing (the whole beast.) To ‘characterize’ is “to describe the qualities or peculiararities of;” it also means a “distinctive mark.” So the number 666 is evaluated to hold symbolic meaning for the character & qualities of the beast. Its attributes are shown in REVELATION 13:16, 13:7, & 13:13-15.
The beast will be as evil as evil can be. He will possess supernatural power (REV. 13:13) and anyone who does not worship the beast will be killed (REV. 20:3.) 666 is his name which holds the sum of his character, and is the total # of the beast. The WHOLE beast – not just the Antichrist, reflects that each number 6 represents a beast. Remember 666 is NOT the number of a man: it is the number of a beast (symbolically) which includes mankind.
The FIRST beast here is the Antichrist mentioned as the first beast in REV. 13:12. In REV. 13:11, another beast – a second beast is mentioned with two horns. He is the FALSE PROPHET. So the word beast is a culmination of the first & second beast, as well as a third beast. WHO IS THE THIRD BEAST?
Let’s look at REVELATION 13:18, where the word ‘beast’ is the culmination of all the beasts , (one & two) as well as the third beat. The beast hence is not one individual person, and the Bible makes this clear (REVELATION 13.) The Beast out of the sea is the Antichrist (also known as the first beast, per 13:12.) REVELATION 13:11 mentions another beast out of the earth with two horns; this is the second beast, but there is a third. The second Beast is the False Prophet (of REV. 19:20 & 20:10.) To find the third Beast, we must look at REV. 13:18 (NIV) that states,
“If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast,” (and the comma means a separate idea) –so continuing, “for it is man’s (as a plural of mankind) number.” How does mankind become the third beast? It contains all those people who accept the mark of the beast (the Antichrist) and who embody the number 666, and therefore who worship him with an undying spirit. All these unbelievers have become part of the beast themselves, where 666 is the number & name of the entire beast; therefore it stands for the following:
1) 6 – the Antichrist 2) 6 – the False Prophet 3) 6 – Mankind – as unbelievers.
Remember, ‘six’ is the number of man – mankind, and being that the Antichrist & False Prophet are also human beings (possessed) their numbers are also ‘six.’ REV. 13:18 states in one idea the number of the beast, for it is also man’s number, and his number is 666 - so 666 stands for the entire beast – and therefore mankind must be included.
As the true God of the Bible contain three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, so shall this beast portray deceivingly its own form with three aspects to it. The Antichrist is the first beast, so he will portray the Father. The False Prophet is the second beast so he will portray the Son (Christ.) The third beast will be the unholy spirit of mankind (all those who accept the mark of the beast and worship him; therefore they become part of this beast.
This unholy spirit of these unbelievers will portray the Holy Spirit. He is now throughout the world living within all of Christ’s true believers – His real church. The unholy spirit of mankind is also accompanied by evil spirits who also dwell within the unbelievers, which further contributes to the evil of the unholy spirit of the unbelievers.