The Name of the Beast, the Number of a Man: 666

In the passage above, “he” (verse 16) refers to the second beast that appears in Revelation 13 (Revelation 13:11; having two horns like a lamb, and speaking as a dragon). This beast causes people to make an image to the first beast that appeared before it (Revelation 13:1-2; having seven heads and ten horns, ten crowns upon its horns, and names of blasphemy upon its heads. This beast received power and authority from the dragon, and later, after being wounded, gave its authority to the second beast), and causes them to receive a mark in the name of that beast.

Therefore, some people become curious about the mark that this beast causes people to receive, that is, the name of the beast and the number of his name, because Scripture says that no one may buy or sell except those who have this mark. However, in truth, for those who truly believe in Jesus, and who have faith to lay down their lives for Jesus at any time, following the example of His death and resurrection for us, being forbidden to buy or sell will not be a great problem.

Romans 14:7-8 “7For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”

Hebrews 11:33-38 “33Who through faith... others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”

And Jesus not only said that man shall not live by bread, or food, alone, but by the Word of God; He also said that because our heavenly Father already knows what we need to eat, drink, and wear, these are not things we should worry about.

Matthew 4:2-4 “2And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred. 3And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Matthew 6:25-30 “25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?”

Therefore, what matters most is not that we may be unable to buy or sell. The greater issue is whether we live in the name of the beast, or in the name of Jesus. Some people say various things about the name of the beast and the number of the beast, which is the number of a man, 666. Some say it refers to a certain specific person, while others say it is something like a barcode. However, Scripture does not record exactly what it is, except that it is connected with “names of blasphemy.” And because it is something made by the beast in order to “deceive” people (Revelation 13:14), it will surely be difficult for us to discern by our own understanding.

But there is something Scripture has clearly made known to us, and that is “the name of Jesus.” And when we see that the Bible divides things into only two sides, such as truth and falsehood, good and evil, life and death, blessing and curse, sheep and goats, wheat and chaff, we may understand that anything that stands against the name of Jesus belongs, in the end, to the side of the beast. In other words, we should not be curious about what the name of the beast, the number of his name, the number of the beast, or 666 is. Rather, we simply need to live only in the name of Jesus. Therefore, unlike the brief record concerning 666, the Bible teaches us through countless passages to live in the name of God, that is, in the name of Jesus.

Ezekiel 36:21-23 “21But I had pity for Mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. 22Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for Mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. 23And I will sanctify My great name, which was profaned among the heathen...”

Matthew 6:9 “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.”

John 5:43 “I am come in My Father’s name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.”

John 14:13-14 “13And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it.”

John 16:24 “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

Acts 5:27-29 “27And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood upon us. 29Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”

Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”

Besides the passages above, many other Scriptures teach us that, as the people called by the name of God, we must live in the name of God, that is, in the name of Jesus (Acts 9:15). In this way, when we live only for the name of Jesus (Matthew 19:29), unlike those who receive the name of the beast, that is, the blasphemous name, and are destroyed (Revelation 14:9-11), we will dwell forever with Jesus as final victors, like the hundred forty and four thousand below.

Revelation 14:1 “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads.”

Revelation 22:1-5 “1And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: 4And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. 5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever.”

Amen.