The Mark of the Beast 666

I have also covered this subject in numerous posts earlier about the beasts of Revelation.

What is the mark of the Beast 666?

This mark represents the spiritual conditions of unsaved man, and unsaved mankind in general. People without the redemption of their soul and spirit by the power of salvation through Jesus Christ, are likened in scripture to a beast. When it comes to spiritual things: they understand like a beast, they live selfishly like a beast, and they have no conscience toward eternal accountability like a beast. So the devil loves to keep people under the deceptive powers of the beast spirit, which is his “mark” on them.

What does the first beast of Revelation 13 represent?

The first beast represented the fallen condition of Christianity, when it morphed into the Roman Catholic Church. Pagan Rome, or the spiritual dragon power of the first couple centuries, gave this universal, or Catholic power and jurisdiction, to the Roman Catholic Church.

What does the second beast of Revelation 13 represent?

The second beast was introduced to us in Revelation 13:11-15. This beast looked like a lamb, but spoke and worked deception through the power of Satan. This second beast represents the fallen condition that occurred during the Reformation, when Protestant sects began to form and conduct themselves with a similar spirit as the Roman Catholic Church.

Spiritually, the second beast was really a transitional creature: enabling the first beast to continue it’s life through an image to itself. The Catholic Church was intended to be universal. And so also, the image to the beast is intended to be universal. So this second lamb like beast was able to give life to this third: image of the beast. After all, it was the countries and people under the influence of Protestantism that have given life to both the World Council of Churches and the United Nations. And both are intended to have a universal, or catholic jurisdiction.

Have you ever noticed that now, whenever a Pope dies, that the key leadership of almost every nation will come to pay homage to that Pope? Catholic means universal, and it was the first beast with universal power and influence. So it is only logical that the spirit of this organization would want to mark all its subjects with this same beast nature. After all, the only way to keep people under the deception of Satan, is too keep them away from the true image of God, which is the Lord Jesus Christ!

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” ~ Colossians 1:15-16

What is the purpose of the image to the Beast?

Satan’s work is to blind people by marking them in their minds and hearts with a beast like doctrine, and a beast like fellowship. Something that keeps people in the image of a beast.

• “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” ~ 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
• “But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.” ~ Jude 1:10

And so next in Revelation we see the power of the second beast working to mark people with this deception.

“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” ~ Revelation 13:16

Why is the mark of the Beast in the right hand or forehead?

Everyone eventually is marked by a false believe or a false fellowship. It is only through the redemption power of Jesus Christ that we can have this mark removed. And once that mark is removed, we will suddenly find that we are spiritually no longer a subject of the kingdom of the beast (even though we are a citizen of some country on earth.)

So now that we are no longer part of the beast’s kingdom, we are also no longer welcomed by those who love the beast, to try to convince those of the beast’s kingdom to seek the true riches in Christ Jesus.

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” ~ Colossians 1:27

What is it that the Beast of Revelation wants to keep true Christians from “buying and selling”?

Satan wants to keep people under his control. So to keep people from the true riches and freedom in Christ, the universal beast seeks to limit the ability of true saints, to preach the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

“And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” ~ Revelation 13:17

For many years now, a preacher would not be allowed to preach at any denominational Church, unless he was not first approved by a particular leadership body and their doctrine. Whether God had called that person to preach is irrelevant to the denomination. As matter of fact, they would never allow a Holy Ghost anointed preacher to preach. Because the Holy Spirit would reprove the mark of their false doctrines and their false fellowship.

What is true Christian fellowship?

True fellowship is first with God through Jesus Christ, when he saves a soul out of sin to live obedient to God. When we first have fellowship with God, we then can have fellowship with one another.

“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” ~ 1 John 1:6-7

A true God called preacher will not preach anything except what the Word of God teaches. Therefore that preaching, and a fellowship based only on the Bible and the Holy Ghost’s leading, will never be accepted by those who are marked by the beast.

“And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the 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.” ~ Revelation 13:17-18

The mark I have now already spoken of. The name (or identity) of the beast is a name of blasphemy or disrespect: the Roman Catholic (universal) Church.

But the scripture also states: “the number of his name.”

Why does Revelation say concerning the Beast: “the “number of his name”?

Some have said that it includes the many identities of different doctrines and fellowships that people subscribe to. And it certainly does. (If you will not humble yourself to identify with Christ and his cross, another religious identity will certainly be chosen for you.) But there is an even deeper meaning the Lord wants us to understand about the number of the beast’s name. He wants us to understand the underlying mindset that causes people to be deceived, and become marked by that identity. And so he tells us the number of that identity is 666.

Why is the Beast’s number equal to 666?

The Lord has a very specific reason for choosing the number 666. And he tells us it is both the number of the beast and the number of a man. It is a mark that makes man equal to a beast in both his understanding of spiritual things, and equal to a beast in his fellowship. Therefore with this beast mark, an individual will fellowship people who claim to be “Christian” but yet they are “earthly, sensual, and devilish” in their heart. They lust, desire, and go after the wants of the flesh, just like a beast would. Therefore their “Christian fellowship” is also very carnal or fleshly. It actually has very little to do with doing the will of the Father.

Man = beast = 666 (see also Psalm 49:20)

Let’s read again the scriptures that tells us about the mark of the beast:

“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” ~ Revelation 13:16

What is the mark of the Beast in the right hand?

The right hand is a symbol of fellowship.

“And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.” ~ Galatians 2:9

Therefore the mark of the beast in the right hand stands for the mark of a beast-like (instead of God-like) fellowship.

What is the mark of the Beast in the forehead?

The mark on the forehead shows that the individual is marked in their reasoning and understanding. They don’t reason and think like God. They don’t have the mind of Christ. Consequently they reason and think fleshly, similar to a beast.

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” ~ 1 Corinthians 2:16

But to fully understand this mark, we must take time to not only examine the scriptures regarding the mindset of the Kings of Babylon, but also ancient history related to ancient Babylon. Because the deceptive spirit of Satan that controlled people back then, is the same one deceiving people today. This is why the Lord identifies in Revelation this spirit of Babylon, as the major spirit of Satan’s deception that must be defeated, to truly get people free.

Babylon represents confusion. The name originated early in the Old Testament when men began to build their own tower (Genesis 11) to reach unto heaven, and to create their own spiritual identity. It was their own way of serving God. (And essentially that is what Babylon represents today: man, who once knew God, trying to create his own way of serving God.) But In the Old Testament God confused their language and ability to agree, so that the building of their tower failed, and the people became divided. And the same is true today: God again has sent confusion among those claiming to be Christian that are building their own ways, and consequently God has divided them many times.

So let us take an even closer look into the meaning of this spiritual number 666.

Is 666 a spiritual number?

As a spiritual number, and not a literal one, 666 represents a number that has been “weighed and found wanting”. It is a spiritual condition that when weighed in the balances against God’s Word, it comes up short. People with this mark do not fully measure to the image of God: which is Jesus Christ.

The true image of God is when after being forgiven of all your sins, you consecrate your whole heart and life to Jesus Christ. Then you will receive the divine nature of God by the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

With the true divine nature ruling within, you will have the necessary spiritual wisdom to understand what the number of the beast is. The one without wisdom, is the one who weighs their spiritual life by comparing it to man, and the wisdom of man. This is why Christians are warned against being part of the number who rely on this deceptive wisdom.

“For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” ~ 2 Cor 10:12

Those with a beast nature weigh their spirituality by comparing themselves to others. But those with the image of God, by the Holy Spirit, weigh themselves by the Word of God and the Spirit of God. This will give you an accurate account of your spirituality before God.

“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” ~ 1 Corinthians 2:10-11

God measures the mountains and hills in the scales and balances of his hands (see Isaiah 40:12). So God also measures the mountains and hills of religion in the scales against the balances of his Word.

And he weighs individuals in those balances also.

In the Old Testament, when the King of Babylon, Belshazzar, thought that he could take the vessels of God’s house of worship, and use them as part of his selfish and ungodly idol worship party: the handwriting on the wall identified his final judgement to come.

“They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.” ~ Daniel 5:4-5

The prophet Daniel went on to tell the judgement pronounced against Babylon. And the judgement was final because the King of Babylon’s father, Nebuchadnezzar, had already been shown by God that he was just a beast. (He truly was marked as a beast in Daniel chapter 4.) And King Belshazzar knew all about what happened to his father.

In chapter four of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar was humbled by God to lose his mind and become like a beast, and live like a beast for a number of years because of his pride. God then had mercy on Nebuchadnezzar. And the King acknowledged that God is sovereign over all kings of the earth.

But even though Belshazzar knew what God had shown his father, he showed total disrespect towards Almighty God. So now Daniel told Belshazzar his final doom for such disrespect. Babylon’s kingdom had been numbered (notice it is also numbered in Revelation – 666) and that the King himself had been weighed in God’s scales, and he came up woefully lacking!

“And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN . This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE ; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL ; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES ; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” ~ Daniel 5:25-28

Note: later in Revelation 16, spiritual Babylon is divided into three parts as part of the judgement of God against her.

Through the mindset of beast minded religion, man has now spoken three times to minimize God down to man’s own beast image. There is no mercy for this stubborn beast minded way of worshiping God:

1. First beast – Roman Catholicism
2. Second beast – Protestantism
3. Third beast (image of the beast) – World Council Churches/United Nations

By these three beasts man has provoked God for the last time!

It is time today for man (including anyone claiming to be a minister of God) to quit trying to constrain the identity of God and his work into the tiny box of their own understanding! Instead a minister needs to have true understanding and count the number, or limitations, of beast like man. But don’t dare try to sum up the fullness of God, nor tell him how he is allowed to work!

“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.” ~ Revelation 13:18

Let us never worship our form of worship, nor any leader of worship. We are clearly warned over and over again “Worship God!” Else we will become marked by the beast, because we are simply paying homage to a system of religion, or a man, or both! The warning from Revelation after John tried to worship one of the human angel/messengers was:

“…See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.” ~ Revelation 22:9

Only worship God! When you put obedience to a religious system before obedience to God, you are worshiping that system. You are worshiping the beast or his image. When you obey and follow a man more than God and his Word, you are worshiping a beast.

How do people get marked by the Beast?

In Revelation the mark of the Beast is received only after “worship” of the beast or his image:

• “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark. . . ” ~ Revelation 14:9
• “. . . who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark. . . ” ~ Revelation 14:11
• ” . . .which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image.” ~ Revelation 16:2
• ” . . . them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. . .” ~ Revelation 19:20
• ” . . . which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark . . .” ~ Revelation 20:4

Don’t worship any system of religion, even if it is called “Christian.” Don’t worship any religious preacher, even if he has done great works for God.

Only worship God!

Note: this diagram below shows where this seventh trumpet message is within the full Revelation message. The mark of the beast spirit is revealed as part of the 7th trumpet message. To better understand a high level view of Revelation, you can also see the “Roadmap of Revelation.”