Why 666 Is The Number Of The Beast
The symbolism of numbers in the Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation (the final book of the Bible’s New Testament) mentions 666 as the “Number of the Beast”. But what exactly is the significance of that number?
Revelation and the Beast
The Book of Revelation has been subject to interpretation all through the ages, mainly because of its many cryptic references. The author (who may or may not have been the John wrote the Gospel or the three short letters that are also part of the New Testament — indeed, almost certainly neither of them) describes a vision that is chock full of strangeness and symbolism, much of which is expressed in numerical form, with the number seven being particularly prominent.
Chapter 13 verse 18 reads (in the King James version):
“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”.
Many people have puzzled over this reference, with the general consensus being that it refers to Satan and that there is therefore something fundamentally evil about the number 666. Movies have been made in which people possessed by demons have been found with the number 666 tattooed on their heads. 666 therefore signifies the…
