Page 68 - The Mark of the Beast

666 - The Number of the Beast

hroughout this book I have endeavored to focus on the spiritual understanding of the
Tabundant symbolism relating to the beast. There has been much debate about the
significance of the number which is given to represent the beast, and I believe God would
have us to understand this number and not be in doubt about it. That God desires that we
should have understanding is revealed in the following Scripture:

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.

John declares that it is possible to understand this symbolism. This is not one of those
things that God told John to seal up. Instead, we are told that those who have
understanding can arrive at the meaning of this number. The number is specifically related
to a man, and the number of this man is 666.
Many have set out to decipher this riddle, and they have used various means to do so.
One of the most common methods in days past and present is through the study of
Gematria. In Hebrew and Greek, as well as some other languages, each alphabetic character
has a corresponding numeric value. By summing up the value of each alphabetic character
in a name, or title, one can arrive at a numeric value. In this manner many have
demonstrated that various persons throughout history, from ancient Nimrod to present day
Popes, as well as various world political figures, have borne names and titles whose
corresponding numerical value has added up to the number 666.
It is not my intent to disprove any of these associations between individuals and the
number 666. In fact, I believe that many of them are valid and correct. Yet, just because we
can say that the Roman Pontiffs have borne this number, or we can link it to some other
figure past or present, we cannot declare that this is sufficient proof that they are THE
Beast. These individuals may be ones who have manifested the beast nature, as have
multitudes of men and women down through the ages, they may have even been key
instruments of Satan in his warfare against the elect of God, but in this book we want to
delve down deeper to the fullest understanding of this symbolism and, with the help of God
and the anointing that He has given to His elect, we hope to do so.
One problem I see in declaring that the Popes, or some other individual(s), are the
person to whom this number points is that the influence of these men upon mankind has
not been universal. I believe that John is speaking of that which is a threat to all men, and
which all saints have an opportunity to overcome. There have been ages when the Popes
held tremendous power over a large portion of the “civilized world,” but even at their zenith
they did not have power over all men. With the advent of the Reformation the power of the
Popes began to wane, and though they still have considerable influence in the world today,
they are not someone, or something, that all men universally strive with.
We have already seen that from the very first chapter of the Bible, both the man and
the woman were commanded to subdue and rule over all the beasts. Since Adam and Eve
were at the head of the race of mankind, this command was universal and has applied to all
those who have been born of woman. Ruling over the beasts is a universal injunction, and
no man, woman, or child is exempted from this command of God. Therefore, when we read