But 666 was the secret symbol of the ancient pagan mysteries connected with the worship of the Devil. It is to day the secret connecting link
between those ancient mysteries and their modern revival in Spiritualism, Theosophy, etc. The efforts of the great enemy are now directed towards uniting all into one great whole. The
newspapers, wordldy and religious, are full of schemes as to such a union. "Reunion" is in the air. The societies for the re-union of Christendom, and the Conferences for the re-union of
the Churches, are alike parts of the same great movement, and are all making for and are signs of the coming Apostasy. During this age, "Separation" is God's word for His people, and is the
mark of Christ; while "union" and "re-union" is the mark of Antichrist.
The number 6 was stamped on the old mysteries. The great secret symbol consisted of the three letters SSS, because the letter S in the Greek alphabet
was the symbol of the figure 6. a = 1, b = 2, g = 3, d = 4, e = 5, but when it came to 6, another letter was introduced! Not the next—the sixth letter
(z, zeta)—but a different letter,
a peculiar form of S, called "stigma" (V). Now the word stigma (stigma), means a mark, but especially a mark made
by a brand as burnt upon slaves, cattle, or soldiers, by their owners or masters; or on devotees who thus branded themselves as belonging to their gods. It is from stizw, stizo, to prick, or brand with a hot iron. Hence it came to be used of scars or wound-prints, and it is thus used by Paul of
his scars, which he regarded as the tokens of his sufferings, the marks which he bore on his body for the sake of his Lord and Master, and marking him as belonging to the one who had bought
him (Gal 6:17).
This letter is becoming familiar to us now; and it is not pleasant when we see many thus marked (ignorantly, no doubt) with the symbolical "S," "S,"
especially when it is connected, not with "salvation," but with judgment, and is asociated with "blood and fire," which, in Joel 2:30, 31, is given as one of the awful signs "before
the great and terrible day of the Lord come."
Apostasy is before us. The religion of Christ has, in the past, been opposed and corrupted, but when it once comes, as it has come in
our day, to be burlesqued, there is nothing left but judgment. There is nothing more the enemy can do before he proceeds to build up the great apostasy on the
ruins of true religion, and thus prepare the way for the coming of the Judge.
It is remarkable that the Romans did not use all the letters of their alphabet, as did the Hebrews and Greeks. They used only six letters,* D,
C, L, X, V, and I. And it is still more remarkable, and perhaps significant, that the sum of these amounts to 666:—
* The M appears to have been merely two D's.
| 1. D = |
500 |
600 |
666 |
| 2. C = |
100 |
| 3. L = |
50 |
60 |
| 4. X = |
10 |
| 5. V = |
5 |
6 |
| 6. I = |
1 |
In each of the three pairs there is an addition of one, for 6 = 5 + 1. It is the grace of God superseded by the corruption of man.
It will be seen from this that the number 666 is very far-reaching, and is filled with a meaning deeper, perhaps, than anything we have yet
discovered. One thing, however, is certain, and that is, that the triple 6 marks the culmination of man's opposition to God in the person of the coming Antichrist.
Further illustration of the significance of this number is seen in the fact that
THE DURATION OF THE OLD ASSYRIAN EMPIRE
was 666 years before it was conquered by Babylon.
JERUSALEM WAS TRODDEN DOWN
by the Roman Empire exactly 666 years from the battle of Actium, BC 31, to the Saracen conquest in AD 636.*
* See The Witness of the Stars, by the same author.
THERE ARE THREE MEN
which stand out in Scripture as the avowed enemies of God and of His people. Each is branded with this number six that we may not
miss their significance:
1. GOLIATH, whose height was 6 cubits, and he had 6 pieces of armour;* his spear's head weighed 600 shekels of iron (1 Sam 17:4-7).
2. NEBUCHADNEZZAR, whose "image" which he set up,** was 60 cubits high and 6 cubits broad (Dan 3:1), and which was worshipped when the music was
heard from 6 specified instruments,*** and
3. ANTICHRIST, whose number is 666.
* In Ephesians 6:14-18, the Christian's armour has a seventh piece—"Prayer." See under "Seven."
** We must distinguish the "image" which he set up, from the "man" of whom he afterwards dreamt. The proportions are not the same. The height
of a man is to his breadth not as 10:1. Some have therefore thought that this "image" may have been an obelisk. But as the word for "image" denotes a form or likeness, it may have been like
the form of a man standing on a pedestal of which the height was included. The pedestal being probably 24 (6x4) cubits, and the image 36 (6x6).
*** The numerical value (by gematria) of the words in Daniel 3:1, which describe the setting up of this image is 4662. The very figures are
significant, but still more so are the factors of this number. 4662 = 7 x 666.
In the first we have one six connected with the pride of fleshly might.
In the second we have two sixes connected with the pride of absolute dominion.
In the third we have three sixes connected with the pride of Satanic guidance.
THE TALENTS OF GOLD
brought to Solomon in a year were 666 (1 Kings 10:14). But this perfection of money-power was only "vanity and vexation of spirit" (Eccl
2:8,11; compare 1 Tim 6:10).
As to the triple number 666, we have already seen (see note in discusion on number 3) that while one figure (6) is
significant, two figures (66) are still more so; and three figures (666) seem to denote the concentration or essence of the particular number.
We see further examples of this in
Jesus, 888, the dominical number;
Sodom, 999, the number of judgment;
Damascus, 444, the world number;
The beast, 666, the number of man.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you," 888;
The Lord God made, 888; etc., etc.
"The children of Adonikam" who returned from the Captivity (Ezra 2:13) numbered 666. Adonikam means the lord of the enemy. This is
suggestive, even though it may be vague.
The number 666 has another remarkable property. It is further marked as the concentration and essence of 6 by being the sum of all the
numbers which makes up the square of six! The square of six is 36 (62, or 6x6), and the sum of the numbers 1 to 36 = 666, i.e., 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 11
+ 12 + 13 + 14 + 15 + 16 + 17 + 18 + 19 + 20 + 21 + 22 + 23 + 24 + 25 + 26 + 27 + 28 + 29 + 30 + 31 + 32 + 33 + 34 + 35 + 36 = 666.
They may be arranged in the form of a square with six figures each way, so that the sum of each six figures in any direction shall be another
significant trinity = 111.
| 6 |
32 |
3 |
34 |
35 |
1 |
| 7 |
11 |
27 |
28 |
8 |
30 |
| 19 |
14 |
16 |
15 |
23 |
24 |
| 18 |
20 |
22 |
21 |
17 |
13 |
| 25 |
29 |
10 |
9 |
26 |
12 |
| 36 |
5 |
33 |
4 |
2 |
31 |
GEMATRIA
It is remarkable that the numerical value of the "SONG OF MOSES" (Exo 15:1-18) is 41626, which is the product of the significant factors 13 x
42 x 70.
On the other hand, if we compare "the Song of Moses and of the Lamb," in Revelation 15:1-5, the remarkable value is 9261, which has the
remarkable factors 33 x 73.
CONCLUSION
We have now come to the end of our survey of number as used by God in His works and in His Word, and we have seen that all is perfect.
Our apprehension and interpretation of the phenomena may be marked with many imperfections, and we are conscious that after all we have but touched
the fringe of this great and important subject.
One thing, however, is certain, and that is, that we have, in the Scripture of Truth, a revelation from God absolutely without error, and whatever
difficulties we may encounter in seeking to understand it, they are all the outcome of our own infirmities.
Of another thing we are also certain, that the Written Word cannot be separated from the Living Word, nor the spiritual meaning of the one understood
without a living union with the other.
It may be said of the Word of God, as it is written of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:23),
"THE LAMB IS THE LIGHT THEREOF." |
