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Number 666

“This calls for wisdom. Whoever is intelligent can figure out the meaning of the number of the beast, because the number stands for the name of someone. Its number is 666.” — Revelations 13:18

Popular Belief 

We have been warned that something evil might happen last June 6, 2006 because it was 666. It was the sixth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of the year 2000. Popular Christianity claims that number 666 is the mark of the devil. Hence, some people are apprehensive that something devilish might happen if this number would appear in the historical horizon.

Thank God, there was no worldwide catastrophe on that day. Otherwise, if something had happened as expected, perhaps the aforementioned popular belief might have been validated and reinforced.

But what is the meaning of this number symbolism? And how should we understand it today?

Apocalyptic Writing

To understand the meaning of this number symbolism, we have to look into the historical context of its origin. The number 666 is found in the Book of Revelation. This last book in the Christian Scripture is an apocalyptic writing. It is a form of a literary material that became popular between 200 BCE to 200 CE. This kind of writing usually emerges in times of crisis, like persecutions. In the case of Revelations, it was written during the time of the persecutions of Christians in the Roman Empire under Emperor Domitian (81-96 CE). John, the writer of the book, was apparently one of the first victims of such persecutions.

One of the unique characteristics of an apocalyptic writing is the use of symbols, codes, and pseudonyms. It is like today’s underground papers. Since Christians at the time were being persecuted, they had to communicate with each other through symbols. And one of the symbols used in Revelations is the number 666.

The main message of an apocalyptic writing, like Revelations, is a message of hope. Although the forces of evil dominate the present situation, the apocalyptic writer believes that God’s intervention in the fullness of time will overcome it.

Number Symbolism

In the Book of Revelations, number 666 is the mark of the “beast”. The “beast” is no other than the Emperor. For the Israelites, number 3 is a perfect number, but number 6 is an imperfect number. If you have 3 imperfect numbers, it would simply mean that the “beast”, which is the Emperor, is perfectly imperfect. In other words, the Emperor is evil and has his own limitations.

One of the propaganda of the Roman Empire is that the Emperor is benevolent and powerful, and that there is peace and prosperity in the whole empire. And so, the people should bow down before the Emperor and worship him as Lord.

However, the Early Christians realized that the Emperor was not really benevolent, but cruel like a beast, and that there was no genuine peace and prosperity. People were poor and were victims of persecution. The Emperor was a master of deception, indeed. For the Christians, Jesus Christ, not the Emperor is the Lord. And so, instead of bowing down before the Emperor, they had to resist this “beast”.

Revelations, therefore, is a book of expose’. That’s why it is called Revelations. It reveals the truth in symbols. It shows the real nature of the Roman Empire and the real character of the Emperor. And the hope of Christians is that the forces of evil will come to an end when God intervenes and creates a new beginning, a new heaven and a new earth (cf. Rev. 21). And so, believers should remain faithful to God, hoping that genuine peace and justice will triumph in the end.

Meaning for Today

How then should we understand number 666 today? Number 666 today are leaders who are like the emperors of the ancient Roman Empire, like Nero and Domitian, who love to be praised or even worshipped by people, but made it an unwritten policy to exterminate all those who are opposed to them. They are like “wolves in sheep clothing”. They appear to be democratic and compassionate before cameras, but they are, in fact, authoritarian and cruel. They distort the truth and deceive people.

It is not difficult to recognize today those who bear the marks of number 666. Just open our eyes and ears to the world around us. #

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