The Mark Of The Beast: 666

Revelation 13:16-18, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

This prophetic truth about the number “666” from Revelation 13:18 is one of the most well known Scriptures (if not the most) by the heathen world. “Judge not” would be the other passage of Scripture. When Justin Timberlake was arrested for a DUI in 2024 after leaving a hotel where he dined, singer Billy Joel was asked the next morning when he ate at the same place what he thought about Justin's arrest. Considering that Mr. Joel is an avowed atheist, I found it amusing that he quoted from Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”

That reminds me of Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” I do not believe there is any such thing as an “atheist,” only wicked unthankful sinners who choose not to glorify God. The vilest sinner knows the truth of God's Word. They know they are sinners. They know there is a holy God who created the universe and all therein, who disproves of sin. They know there is a Judgment Day coming after they die (John 16:8-10).

I read a helpful passage today from Dr. John R. Rice's commentary on “Revelation”...

“Shallow preachers and sensation-mongers have made a great to-do about the number 666. Some have added up the Roman numerals represented by the letters used in the titles and be stretching a point made them come out 666, trying to prove that the pope is the Antichrist, or will be. Others have tried to find the number 666 in the nations of the European Common Market agreement. 

Some sightseeing buses in Israel have the numbers in their license number including 666. Oh, in the minds of some, that must have meaning, that the coming of Christ is near, the Antichrist is about to appear, etc. All this is foolish. It is not good exposition of the Scriptures. 

Note carefully the following facts. 

1. The Man of Sin cannot appear until after the Rapture. If he were alive today, nobody in the world would know it, and he himself would not know it.
2. The Man of Sin must first rise up after the Rapture and assume some power in one of the nations that was in the old Roman Empire. The Bible does not say how long it will be after the Rapture until he appears. It is an indefinite time. 
3. He will not be made known as the Antichrist even at the beginning of the seven years. He will overcome three nations of the old Roman Empire. Which ones we do not know. Then he will form a federation of the other nations of the Roman Empire and come into the world prominence, and only then can he be recognized as having some authority over Palestine and the world; only then can he make a treaty with a remnant that will then be in Palestine, allowing them to have a temple and priesthood and and animal sacrifices and begin the ancient Jewish worship, and Israel will be a nation. Note, it will not simply be that Jews will be allowed in Palestine, but it will be that the Jewish worship of the true God will be begun in Jerusalem in some temple that Jews will then prepare and with the priesthood and sacrifices. Until that covenant of seven years is made with Israel, nobody could possible know who the Man of Sin is. That is the first identifying mark.
4. Even then, he will not begin his awful reign, manifest with the Antichrist and claim to be God on earth, until the midst of the seven years. After three and a half years he will break that covenant. He will have agreed with Jews that they will have seven years of such worship but he will break that treaty and enter into the temple, commit the abomination of desolation, and claim to be God on earth. etc.

Without the Mark of the Beast, no one will be able to sell, trade or buy anything. Also, carefully notice that the Bible doesn't say that the mark will be 666; but rather, the number of the Antichrist (the Beast) himself, “and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” That is very interesting! I humbly agree with Dr. John R. Rice that it is foolish to read into everything that contains the numbers 666. All store barcodes contain three bars of 6, 6, 6. Coincidence? 

Hey, here's another one to consider. The address of United Nation's headquarters is located at 666 11th Street NW, Suite 450 in Washington DC. I do not think these coincidences mean anything prophetic. People sometimes ask me if I think the Antichrist is alive today. I honestly have no idea. I agree with Dr. Rice that if the Antichrist is alive, he doesn't even know it yet. At the proper time, Satan will enter into him to empower the Antichrist.