666

How are you affected when you hear the number code 666? Does it bring a sense of dread, a sinister feeling, visions of a horror too sick for words? Does it suggest something satanic or occultic? Does it raise thoughts of an evil omen from some movie or do you immediately think of biblical prophecy? Do you have any idea where the number comes from and what it relates to? Or, is your knowledge of this numeric quantity totally dominated by the slant of some Hollywood movie script writer?

If that's the case, you need to know that Hollywood simply borrowed a statement from the Bible and then, wove a weird, fanciful and bizarre tale of horror around it. They, of course, aren't interested in truth of any sort or variety, especially divine or biblical truth. Their end is simply to sell tickets and make money. The number 666 is very important, however, especially in our day. Right now. And it is a code. It represents a man of evil and deception that even Hollywood would have a tough time portraying.

The Bible calls him "the man of sin" who arises at a time when sin is the predominant pastime of mankind. He is referred to as "the lawless one" at a time characterized by lawlessness. He is simply more lawless than his predecessors, the dictators of history who came before him. Though he is fully human he is a man "whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2:9). The main characteristic of this man, also referred to as "the antichrist" is that he is competing with God for His glory. He wants the world to believe that he is God and superior to the biblical God of holiness. He wants the world to believe his edicts are of greater import than the holy Word of God. He isn't and they aren't. Much suffering will be brought to bear because of him during a horrible seven year period of war, destruction, suffering and privation called the tribulation. The last three-and-one -half years are called "great tribulation" because of the stepped up advance of aggression against those who refuse to recognize him as supreme ruler and lord.

Literally, millions will suffer his injustices, anti-christian and anti-semitic purges, ethnic cleansing and imprisonment in labor and death camps for not bowing the knee to him or his image.

Why will millions suffer so under the grip of this ruthless ruler? Because they refuse to worship and honor him, a mere man over the Sovereign God of the universe. Further, he intends to form a one-world government with himself at the head of it. Benevolent and beneficent, at first, then force and brutality arise to the forefront as his chief method of operation. He becomes a full-blown dictator.

Sound far fetched? Think again. There have been parties and ideologies with just such planned purposes for centuries. These are not deep, dark secrets, but goals, freely published for decades. “It can’t happen”, you say. It can happen. It has happened in the past. It is happening right now. We fought two world wars over just these very ideals in this century.

The beleaguered Soviet Union had the same mission, the same scheme of universal domination. Believe me, that hasn’t changed. I am very happy that the iron curtain is rent in twain, at least, for the moment. But I believe other interests will win out and Russia will once again seek and find (temporarily) a quest for domination in Europe and the Middle East. That doesn’t take much of a prognosticator to figure that much out. I t is all clearly delineated in Bible prophecy. The countries and peoples involved are even identified, specifically. All one need do is to read the facts and report the evidence.

Russia will, no doubt, reunify under solid, totalitarian leadership and endeavor to carry out the old plan once again. The Humanist societies of the world are already heavily engaged in working out details for a one-world government, one-world financial control, common currency and universal behavioral standards. The world council of churches has always attempted to universalize and liberalize religion to unify the world under the pretence of tolerance.

I know that the future looks pretty bleak at this point. The scenario I’ve posited for you here is not a pretty picture or a pleasing thought. However, I am a minister of the gospel, a preacher of righteousness not of doom and gloom. It is not hopeless. There is still just cause for going on in this world, no matter what’s coming or how inevitable it is. If I were not able to conclude in hope and assurance, I would not have given this message. To the questions: Is there no hope for the world; Is there no escape from this man of evil? My answer is a resounding YES! ABSOLUTELY!

The old saying says “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”. The Old Testament declares, "Taste and see that the LORD is good".Good is both His character and His nature. His goodness both contradicts and overpowers evil. He will only allow “the man of sin” only so much rope before he allows him to trip himself up. He who defies God will find himself standing before the white throne judgment of God.

The escape is in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior from sin and Satan’s power over you. The number 666 denotes a person, three persons, with limited power and a limit to their domain, whose end is sure. This is a trinity of three less-than-perfect, created, limited persons. Those people who choose to follow thme, then receive their mark or distinction showing their rejection of the Christ, the true Son of God and Savior from God. Satan, the beast (antichrist, man of sin, the lawless one) and the false prophet (his public relations manager), with Satan as the driving force who is able to create god-like wonders before man.

Six is the number for man. Man is created. Man is temporal. Man is sinful. Man has been condemned and prejudged by God and sentenced for his sin. All three persons of this unholy trinity are thus described. The Holy Trinity or Triunity is pre-existent, Creator, righteous, perfect or complete in any or all of its Persons. The number in Scripture for the holy, complete, pre-existent, self existent Being, GOD is seven. The Trinity would be numbered as 777. All created beings are less than God and are dependent upon Him, His mercy, His grace and His patience. They are inferior. They don’t measure up. They are 666 not 777.

He may sit in the temple of God as God, showing himself as God, but he is not God. That will one day be very evident to him and the world, but it will be for them too late. It isn’t too late for you. In fact, you are right on time.

“(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Revelation 13:18 says the person is wise who can discern the identity of this man of sin by his number, “the number of man (not a man, but man)”.

Wiser still is the one who trusts or believes Jesus Christ as his or her Savior and Lord. Savior from sin, from hell, from the beast, from the tribulation, the great tribulation and all evil for eternity. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...” (Acts 16:31).