Vol.4, No.46 – November 17, 2019, Countdown to the end – 33
This calls for wisdom; let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666 –Revelation 13:18
The world has seen dictators; there is more to come. However, there is a last dictator coming. Supervillain at his worst. This is Satan’s regent prince, the Beast, the man of sin. 666. Revelation 13 is a chapter describing the two striking rebels in all history. They cannot be described as the greatest rebels, because there is nothing great about being rebellious.
The wild Beast comes out of the sea, and a wild false prophet comes out of the land. They represent two movements; they will seek to set up a world-federation of nations for political reasons. They include a world-federation of churches for “religious” reasons. They will do this in the Great Tribulation period—Christ’s Church is no longer present; Christ has raptured them. Caught away to be forever with the Lord.
John Phillips describes these two with his words, “in the Satanic trinity now formed, the Beast is the anti-God (13:6); the false prophet is the anti-Christ (13:11-16). Satan is the anti-Spirit, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:2)
This is Satan’s imitation of the Divine Trinity, a deception.
All three are anti (especially anti-Christ). The second wild thing is actually a beast as well—the false prophet. He works collaboratively with the first Beast. He is an administrator of sorts, for the affairs of Satan. He looks and acts like a lamb, but speaks like a Dragon. Together, the Beasts are blood brothers, abetting one another, as the entire world moves toward one vast political/religious unit.
Do you want to know who the Anti-Christ is? I think we are approaching the thousands in guesswork. Some use the term to describe movements (such as the “organized” church). Is it a person we have already experienced? (Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Obama, Kissinger—they get votes of academics and preachers with an agenda.) The identity of the Anti-Christ will not be known until the Church is gone—raptured (2 Thessalonians 2:3-5).
Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead (13:16).
A simple little mark, as a token of allegiance.
Every human being required to display the “passport” of Satan’s brand; without such, no transaction great or small can be made. No billion-dollar deal can substitute for the brand; no little boy or girl can buy an ice-cream cone at the corner store. No seal, no sale! No brand, no dollars! No tattoo, no acceptance! All without the mark, the brand, the tattoo (Printer’s Ink) get rejected by the Federated government/church.
The number 666, what is that? Is it the tax system run amuck? Is it the voter registration number of the future? No one knows for sure. 666 is mystic and mysterious; it taxes the ingenuity of Bible scholars, professors, preachers, and teachers worldwide. Six is the number of man. Six is short of seven (perfect; reflecting God). If you keep adding sixes to man’s identity, you still come up with less than perfect.
If I had started a printer-ink business at age 18, to sell ink to all the folks interpreting the meaning of 666, the thousands of gallons of black ink sold would have produced enough income for me to retire at 29. Just think of the fishing time I would have had.
Worthy are you, our Lord and God! Revelation 4:11
He, who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches! Revelation 2:7
Behold, Jesus is coming soon Revelation 22:6
Life Application
Printer’s Ink. What would you do with the income you could get from selling printer’s ink? I thought about spending time fishing. I think it is still a good plan. Fishing. Perhaps if I would take the time that contemplating 666 and its person, and invest it in fishing for the lost, I could get some great nibbles on the heart strings of those needing to hear of the Lord Jesus Christ, and His great offer of salvation. Unbelievers, like dead fish are just going with the flow. Printer’s Ink. Ha!
