The Number of Man

It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

Rev 13:16-18

During the last days, all commerce will be rigidly controlled from a central headquarters. The technology to do this is already in place. If you have a credit card, you know that your entire credit information can be imprinted on that little metallic strip on the back. Whenever you present that card, everyone will instantly know whether you are a cheapskate or pay your bills. You cannot hide.

The mark is Satan's imitation of God's seal on his own people. In Chapter 7, 144,000 from the tribes of Israel were sealed on their foreheads by God. That indicates they belong to him. Paul says that every believer in Christ is sealed by the Holy Spirit. It is the sign that we belong to God. You are not your own, you are bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20a). You cannot live your life for yourself anymore. Christians in the first century often had to make a public choice between declaring Caesar is Lord or Jesus is Lord. Many of them died because they would not say, Caesar is Lord. So here again is a scheme to force people to declare whether they belong to the beast or to the Lord.

The mark is said to be either the name of the beast or the number of his name — 666. Many different people have been identified as the Antichrist over the centuries. It is ridiculous to try to identify him. Look what it says, This calls for wisdom. No ordinary person with a computer can figure this out. If any one has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast.

Now here is the clue: it is the number of a man, or better translated, it is the number of man. It is not an individual in view here. It reveals the character of one who is talking and acting. If you see someone acting like God, claiming unusual powers, and teaching people that man is in charge of all things, you are listening to a man, and his thinking reflects the number of man, 666. John is showing us how the devil works. He attempts to organize behavior, and from that always comes violence. The Antichrist tries to organize belief as well as behavior, and when belief is organized it always produces deceit. There is nothing more deceitful than false religion. These are the weapons of Satan; he either intimidates or deceives. He has only two weapons, force and fantasy, brutality and lying.

This text is saying that when he is violent, then wait, endure, be patient! God will work this all out. Sooner or later Satan's instrument will be caught up in his own web. And when he lies, Think, God says, be critical, evaluate! When anyone acts godlike, makes pretentious claims, claims supernatural gifts, and demands obedience, that is not God talking. It is just a man. But be prepared to hold out even unto death!

Lord, grant me discernment to see through the lies of the evil one. Amen.