The Number of the Beast

Everybody and their grandma has an opinion as to what the "666" represented in the Bible means.

Revelation 13:18 - Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

I've heard it all:

a) It's going to be a man whose first, middle and last name are 6 letters

b) It's going to be the man whose name adds up to 666 using Hebrew letters

c) It's going to be the man whose name adds up to 666 using Greek letters

d) It's the date that the Antichrist was born: June 1966

e) Since 6 is the Hebrew number representing "man", 6-6-6 represents a false Trinity

f) It's the Pope!

g) even more stuff that we can't prove....

Well, last night I was talking to someone and I proposed a pretty unique "THEORY" as to when the Rapture might take place and at some point in the conversation, we started to talk about the whole "666" thing.

Anyone who knows me (or has read my book), knows that I LOVE the Interlinear Bibles! An Interlinear Bible is the "end all" when you don't understand your "translation" of the Bible. It basically shows you the original word used in either Hebrew or Greek and shows you the EXACT English translation of the word.

Well, I was just curious to see what the Interlinear said about the "666" piece of that Scripture.

Check this out...

The Greek word used for "666" is: χξϝ ᾿ or simply chi xi stigma or Strongs #G5516.

If you read the definition for that word, you come up with: the twenty-second, fourteenth and an obsolete letter. Refer to Strongs # G4742.

Interesting. G5516 refers you to G4742 in order to find out about the "obsolete letter"....

The Greek word for G4742 is στίγμα, or simply Stigma. The definition for G4742: from a primary stizo (to “stick”, i.e. prick); a mark incised or punched (for recognition of ownership).

Gee, that's interesting.... "A mark incised or punched". They left out, "into the skin"!

So look... Right now, I'm not saying I figured anything out, other than the interesting relationship between G5516 and G4742 with what we actually think we know about "666".

So I did a little bit more poking, and decided to do a small bit of research on Revelation 13:16 which describes one of the things the Antichrist will do...

Revelation 13:16 - He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads...

So now I decided to look up that verse in the Interlinear and what I saw next really shocked me...

The word for "mark", is Strongs # 5480 which is: charagma, which means, a scratch or etching, a carve-effect or emblem (as a badge of servitude).

AMAZING!

666 refers us to, "a mark incised or punched (for recognition of ownership)"

mark refers us to, "a carve-effect or emblem (as a badge of servitude)"

Isn't it awesome how God always chooses the perfect words to describe everything? Every time I see someone say that the Bible has errors or inconsistencies or contradictions or even that it was written by a bunch of old Rabbi's, I can't help but laugh a little bit and think to myself, "Yeah, a bunch of old Rabbi's got together and crafted the most perfect document ever written AND accidentally wrote in hundreds of Prophesies (most of which have come true already!)

Isn't our Lord awesome?!