What Does 666 Mean?

In an earlier article we were told that Jesus Christ would one day return to set up His kingdom, but what if an imposter comes and claims to be the Messiah? Actually the Scriptures warn of that exact thing. In fact, there will be many anti-Christs or false messiahs. Jesus gave a very clear warning about this in Matthew 24:23-27: “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
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Jesus Christ’s warning is very clear. These false christs and false prophets will even do amazing signs and wonders in order to trick people, but when the true Christ comes, there will be no doubt who He is. His coming will be as quick and powerful as lightning lighting up the whole sky from one horizon to the other. There will be no speculation on if He is the Messiah or not, because there will be no doubt.
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Although there will be many anti-Christs, there will be one specific anti-Christ called the beast who will rise to preeminence in the last days before the real Christ returns to earth again. “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 A score is 20, so 3 score would be 60. 600+60+6=666. That is the number of the Anti-Christ.
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As was shown earlier, these false Christs and prophets would be able to do signs and wonders. Let us be reminded that the ability to do the unexplainable is not proof that someone is from God. Even Pharaoh’s magicians were able to copy many of the things that God gave Moses the power to do. This beast and his false prophet will as well deceive people with wonders. Revelation 13:13-18: “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 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: 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.”
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The fact that there are false messiahs should concern us. Jesus Christ is the true Messiah. He gave His life for us, but the beast would like to take your life from you. When Jesus was on this earth, He told His followers, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:10-11
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Make sure you trust the true Christ before it is too late. What if the false christ comes along and deceives you instead? 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”