11/10/2023
The Number of the Beast
I wanted to clarify the “number of the beast” because I had a few questions about it after the Revelation class. Follow along CLOSELY:
In chapter 13 we are introduced to the popular 666 cryptogram or Gematria. Like the rest of Revelation in which the events of the first century are encrypted in symbolism, John stays consistent with this theme by wrapping up the identity of the beast out of the sea in a riddle. In many ancient languages the characters of the alphabet served as both letters and numbers. Latin, Greek and Hebrew are a few examples. Because of the dual meaning letters have in these languages, cryptograms or gematria were common in the ancient world.
Rev 13:18 “This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”
The word “calculate” is where we get our word arithmetic. So it means that John is calling the people to “add the numbers of the beast’s name” and they will get 666 and thus know the identity.
A gematria or cryptogram is a logic puzzle whose answer involves figuring out a word in which the numerical values of each letter add up to the number provided in the riddle. Look how clearly this 666 points to the multiple aspects of the beast (individual person, system and city).
The very word "beast" in Greek has a sum total of 666. When translated into Hebrew it still comes out to 666. Commentators have pointed out that one of the Hebrew words for dragon (שלשול) is also a Gematria for 666.
Greek of the great beast: τὸ μέγα θηρίον = τ (300) ὸ (70) μ (40) έ (5) γ (3) α (1) θ (9) η (8) ρ (100) ί (10) ο (70) ν (50) = 666
Hebrew of therion (beast): תריון = ת (400) ר (200) י (10) ו (6) ן (50) = 666
Hebrew of "dragon" = שלשול = ש (300) ל (30) ש (300) ו (6) ל (30) = 666
Irenaeus, in the second century, applies this prophecy to Rome, Daniel's fourth empire. He said that one of the common names for the empire of Rome as a whole was the name Lateinos. As he pointed out, Lateinos is also a Gematria for 666.
LATEINOS = L (30) A (1) T (300) E (5) I (10) N (50) O (70) S (200) = 666
η Ιταλη Βασιλεια = η (8) Ι (7) τ (300) α (1) λ (30) η (8) Β (2) α (1) σ (200) ι (7) λ (30) ε (5) ι (7) α (1) = 666
Another common name for Rome was η Ιταλη Βασιλεια. The value of that Gematria is also 666. So, we have the “beast” as 666, Rome as 666 and now you will see how amazingly accurate the 666 Gematria really is!
The first initials of the emperors from Julius Caesar to Vespasian in exactly the way that those initials were written in the famous Sibylline Oracles adds up to 666. And this confirms Chilton's view that the number must relate to the corporate beast and not just to the individual beast, or emperor.
Verse 17 also says that this number is the number of the name of the individual beast. Revelation 13 follows the precedence set in Ezekiel 32 in which Pharaoh is pictured as a fearsome sea monster. Similarly in the Revelation, the Roman hydra, or Hebrew leviathan, is represented by the name of its leader. The total numerical value of each letter of the Hebrew spelling of Nero Caesar adds up to 666. Amazingly, the Latin form of Nero Caesar totals 616 which, if you look at your Bible, the notes will tell you that some of the oldest manuscripts have 616 instead of 666. If that doesn’t convince you of who the beast was I don’t know what will.
Now for those who want a guarantee that Revelation has an early writing: Remember, the seven heads of the beast are seven kings. Revelation 17:10 implies that Revelation was written during Nero’s reign as Nero was the sixth Caesar of the Caesar Family Dynasty:
“The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come.” The “five” who “have fallen” are the first five Caesars: 1) Julius Caesar 2) Augustus Caesar 3) Tiberius Caesar 4) Gaius Caesar and 5) Claudius Caesar. The one who “is” at the time in which Revelation was written is, therefore, Nero Caesar–the sixth member of the Caesar Dynasty. Nero died in 68 AD so Revelation could not be written after that (end of story!)
Nero Caesar is specifically named in the 666 cryptogram and the 616 variant simply, and perhaps solely, because he was the emperor who reigned when Revelation was written. If any other emperor were the intended, solitary solution for John’s seven churches it would be impossible for these Christians to decode this riddle at the time in which this book was written and distributed.
On a last note, I want to add an “application” from this amazing prophesy. Verse 18 indicates that 666 is the number of a man. The following isn’t “what the Bible teaches” but just an interesting observation. The number six is the symbol of incompleteness. It falls short of 7, which is perfection. And this number six and its multiples is connected in Scripture with the day man was created.
Daniel 2 is particularly interesting. David Chilton points out that; “the meticulous Hebrew scribes counted up the numerical value of the Hebrew letters in Daniel 3:1, which describes Nebuchadnezzar's statute of man, and the value of 666 is repeated seven times.”
For the Jews, 666 was a fearful sign of apostasy, the mark of both a king and a kingdom in the Dragon's image.
The Gematrical value of the name Jesus Christ in Greek is 888. Eight signifies new beginnings in the Scripture, and early church fathers contrasted the number of man with the number of the “Restoration Man”, Jesus, who makes a new humanity. Again, Chilton said: “Man was born with the number of his creation; the repetition of the number reveals Man in opposition to God, trying to increase his number, attempting to transcend his creaturehood. But, try as he might, he can be nothing more than a six, or a series of sixes.”
Only in Jesus Christ can we transcend the frustrating limitations of the number of Man and operate in the realm of the supernatural. It is only as we live in Christ and Christ lives through us that we can overcome the limitations signified by this number." Perhaps the number 666, at the end of the day, is just as Revelation 13:8 says “it is the number of a man.” Any man without Jesus.
Attached is the homework for our next class. Due to Thanksgiving, we will not be meeting until 11/30/2023. This gives plenty of time for the homework.
• Read through Revelation 12-14 and know it well. Send me any specifics you want us to cover in the class. You can also send questions from previous classes as well. I will try and work everyone’s questions into the classes as we move ahead.
• Read through GK Beale’s book to cover these chapters. Yes, I know Beale says some things I might not agree with but he lays out his “idealist” view so the person has a good understanding of the concepts which is why I picked it. The specific details we will cover.
• Read this article by Dr Kenneth Gentry https://www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com/documents/eschatology/beast.php to cement your understanding of Nero as the beast, and not some future person during a supposed tribulation.
• Read this article as well. This is just a “booster shot” to protect you all from the “dispensational” viruses going around 😊 https://www.truthaccordingtoscripture.com/documents/church-history/destruction-of-jerusalem.php
Blessings to you all,
Scott
