WHERE SHALL We find that mysterious number 666? Does the pope wear it on his crown, identifying him as the BEAST of Revelation 13? Or must we look for it elsewhere? Here are all the Scriptures speaking directly of this number; "And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had 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." (Rev. 13:17-18). "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God." (Rev. 15:2).
NOTE THESE POINTS
From these Scriptures, we have the following definite points: 1. The beast has a NUMBER, and may be identified, if we have wisdom, by this number. 2. The number is 666. 3. We are told to COUNT this number — that is, add it up. The same Greek word is used elsewhere only in Luke 14:28: "COUNT the cost." 4. This number, 666, is the number of the BEAST. The only BIBLE interpretation of this symbol, "beast", is a kingdom or the king who rules it, and therefore, really IS the kingdom. (Dan. 7:17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 27). Therefore 666 must be the number of the KINGDOM, or GOVERNMENT, or EMPIRE, as well as that of the king who founds or rules it. 5. The expression "the name of the beast, or the number of his name" makes plain that the number 666 is the number of the NAME OF THE KINGDOM or EMPIRE 6. The expression, "it is the number of a man" shows we must also count this number in the name of the king, or ruler, over the kingdom identified as the "BEAST."
The BEAST is not THE WOMAN
In the 17th chapter of Revelation we find a "beast," and a "woman" — a great, wealthy woman called "a whore" — who was riding the beast. The Bible describes the symbol "woman" to mean a CHURCH. See II Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7; Eph. 5:23-27, On the other hand, "beast" is a symbol of a KINGDOM, or EMPIRE, not of a CHURCH. The "woman" of the 17th chapter is described beyond possibility of doubt as the Roman Catholic Church, who did reign over the kingdoms of the Holy Roman Empire. Let us be consistent. The "beast" of Revelation 13 is not the WOMAN who rode the beast — the beast is the GOVERNMENT, and the woman is the CHURCH. The "beast" of Revelation 13 had 7 heads and 10 horns. It was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear, the mouth of a lion. This does not describe the CHURCH, but the Roman GOVERNMENT, or EMPIRE. In the 7th chapter of Daniel we find the unmistakable identification. The lion symbolized the Chaldean Empire, the leopard was the Grecio-Macedonian Empire with its four divisions, pictured by the four heads, and the other beast, mightier and stronger than all, was the ROMAN EMPIRE. And by the time events of history progressed to Rome, we had the seven heads and ten horns. The "beast" of Rev. 13 had all 7 of the heads and ten horns. It included the strongest aspects of the bear — its feet, and of the lion — its mouth, and was like a leopard — even as the ROMAN EMPIRE included the strongest characteristics of the preceding kingdoms. And so the beast of Revelation 13 is positively identified as THE ROMAN EMPIRE. This "beast" had a DEADLY wound. (Rev. 13:3). That means the "beast" DIED — it ceased altogether to exist or function. Yet its deadly wound was later healed, after which, (verse 5), it continued to exist another 1260 years! Those who believe the Catholic Church is the "beast" say this deadly wound came in 1798, when the pope was forced into exile. But the pope was not killed. The Catholic Church did not die, nor for one day did it cease to function. The popes continued to live in VOLUNTARY exile, as a protest against the Italian government, until the recent agreement with Mussolini. But that could in no sense be called a wound TO DEATH. And those who teach this do not expect the Catholic Church to continue on another 1260 years. But in 476 A.D., the Roman Empire, which is the "BEAST:, was wounded unto DEATH. The Roman Empire DIED. It ceased altogether to exist. The next three kingdoms to rule from Rome — the Heruli, the Vandals, and the Ostrogoths — were barbarian, not Roman kingdoms. But in 554 Justinian, a true Roman, Emperor of the east, re-established the Roman Empire at Rome. History calls this the "IMPERIAL RESTORATION" of the Roman Empire. The deadly wound was healed. And it continued exactly 1260 years — to 1814, when Napolean was defeated at Waterloo. "So closed, "states West's Modern History, "an Empire that had existed from Augustus Caesar." But this time the Empire did not altogether die. The germ of it remained in 12 little Italian states, united in 1870 by Garibaldi into the present nation of Italy. The EMPIRE went into "the bottomless pit" — a virtual non-existence, from which now it is once more emerging (Rev. 17:8).
THE FOUNDER OF ROME
The founder, and first king of Rome was ROMULUS. The Roman Empire was named after him. His name, the name of a MAN, also is the name of the KINGDOM. And every citizen in that kingdom bears the same name — a ROMAN. When John wrote this Revelation, telling us to COUNT the number of the Beast, he wrote in the GREEK language. The Old Testament is written in the language of God's chosen people — the HEBREW. Consequently, we should look for this name, and the number 666, in these languages recognized in the BIBLE, not in the Latin. We are all familiar with the Roman numerals, where letters are used for numbers. All understand that I is 1, V is 5, X is 10, etc. But many do not know that both the Hebrew and the Greek languages also use letters for numbers. In the Hebrew, the name of Romulus is ROMIITH. And, counting the numerical value of these letters in the Hebrew, we have exactly 666! In the Greek, the language in which Revelation was written, this name is "LATEINOS." It signifies "Latin Man" or the name of Latium" from which city the Romans derived their origin and their language. This word, too, signifies "ROMAN." In the Greek, L is 30, A is 1, T is 300, E is 5, I is 10, N is 50, O is 70, S is 200. Count these figures. They count to exactly 666! It is indeed a remarkable coincidence — or IS it a coincidence? — that in BOTH Bible languages — the only two languages we could look in for this number — that the name of the KINGDOM, it's founder and first KING, and of every man in the kingdom, counts to exactly 666! And more remarkable — catch this — no other two words can be found in two languages, meaning the same thing, and exactly counting, in the numerical value of those languages, to 666! Certainly THE BEAST stands identified!
MUSSOLINI AND THE POPE
But the same number — 666 — is branded on the man who is now bringing the Roman Empire out of its bottomless pit, and also on the pope. Mussolini calls himself "IL DUCE." Italians shout "Viva Il Duce!" which means "LONG LIVE THE CHIEF." Everywhere in Italy, you will find the printed sign, "VV IL DUCE." The "VV is the abbreviation used for "Viva". A "v" is used instead of the "u" as is very commonly done. While this is a greeting, or title, Mussolini actually employs "Il Duce" as a NAME. It is in ROMAN, Count it" V is 5, V is 5, I is 1, L is 50, D is 500, V is 5, C is 100, E has no number. Now count them, and you have exactly 666! The name of Nero Caesar, Emperor of the Roman Empire at its height, in the Hebrew language, is 666! Thus this number 666 is indelibly BRANDED upon THE ROMAN EMPIRE! But, some will ask, does not this number apply to the POPE? Some teach "the words 'VICARIUS FILII DEI' are on the Pope's triple crown." And these Latin worlds, in the Roman numerals, count to 666! The pope does, on some occasions, wear a triple crown, BUT THESE WORDS ARE NOT ON IT! We should be careful to PROVE all things. The denomination which teaches this sent Prof. C. T. Everson to Rome, where he gained access to, and made diligent search in the Vatican archives, but he could find no crown or record of such crown containing these words. Furthermore, these words are in the LATIN, not a BIBLE language. This is not a NAME, but a TITLE, and it is THE NAME of the BEAST, and the number of the name of the MAN of the beast we are told to count. Further, this title does not apply to the kingdom, or Empire, but alone to a MAN. However, while "VICARIUS FILII DEI" is not among the acknowledged titles of the pope (See Cath. Encycl.), he does claim to be VICAR OF CHRIST on earth. Also, for 1260 long years the popes did reign and rule over the BEAST. They were, in effect, the actual heads of the Empire, ruling over the emperors, as well as over the Church. And so it is indeed significant that this title, too, counts 666! And so this number is branded on the ROMAN EMPIRE, on ROMULUS, the founder and first king of Rome, on Nero Caesar, one of its great Emperors, on the name ROME, on every ROMAN, on MUSSOLINI, and on the POPE! Could anything be more conclusive?
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