By servant@nazareneisrael.org

 

 

 

As we saw in the last chapter, Revelation 13:18 tells us that the number of the Beast is the number of a man, and its number is 666.

 

 

Remembering that we are dealing with a spiritual beast, there is more than one way to understand this passage. (In fact there are probably more than just two ways.)

 

In the Nazarene Israel study I show how the term ‘anti-messiah’ does not mean one who does away with the Messiah so much as it means a pseudo-messiah or a false messiah. It refers to one who pretends to be the Messiah, in place of the Messiah: and this is exactly what the Pope does.

 

One of the papal crowns was inscribed with the title ‘Vicarius Philii Dei.’ This title literally means, ‘In-Place of the Son of the Deity’, or ‘Instead of the Son of the Deity.’ The Pope’s title, then, is the exact definition of the term anti-Messiah. Further, Latin assigns certain numerical values to its letters, and when one adds the numerical values of the title ‘Vicarius Philii Dei’, one gets a numerical value of six hundred and sixty six.

 

Since the Roman aspect of the beast is more primary than the Islamic aspect, the Roman fulfillment of the 666 is the most important. However, that does not negate the fact that there is also an Islamic fulfillment of the 666, even if it is not without problems.

 

The Papacy is represented by a man (i.e., the Pope). However, at least at this point, there is no one single representative for Islam. That may change, as Islamic texts prophesy the coming of a ‘Mahdi’ (i.e., an Islamic Messiah) which some believe will be the anti-messiah. However, since these prophecies do not come from YHWH, the present author does not pay them a lot of attention. As we will see in later chapters, what makes more sense is that Islam and Christendom will be officially merged into the new ‘United Religion’ which will be based on Catholicism and centered on the Pope (whom we already know to be the anti-messiah).

 

In Revelation 13:18, the Aramaic Peshitta spells out the number, “six hundred and sixty six” in longhand.

 

 

However sadly, from our other studies we know that the Peshitta is not the inspired original text, so let us look at the Greek texts. Not all of the Greek texts spell out the 666 longhand. Some (including the oldest texts) represent the number 666 using gematria. 

 

Gematria is a numerical coding system by which the letters of an alphabet are assigned numerical values. Both Hebrew and Greek use gematria.

 

Below is a picture of a typewritten Interlinear Greek text of the 666 in Revelation 13:18.

 

 

Reading from left to right, the first Greek letter, χ (pronounced “chi”) has a numerical value of 600.

 

The middle Greek letter, ξ, is pronounced “xi”, and it has a numerical value of 60.

 

The third Greek letter, ς, is pronounced “stigma”. Although its assigned numerical value has changed since the first century, back in the first century the stigma had a numerical value of 6. We might also note that the stigma has a literal meaning of “scar, mark, or badge of service”.

 

When we put all of these letters together we get Χξς, which has a numerical value of 600 + 60 +6 = 666.

 

The Islamic 666 hypothesis tells us that Yochanan was shown a vision of the Arabic as the ‘Bismallah’ (the “Name of Allah”), shown below.

 

 

If we flip the Bismallah (the Name of Allah) around, we can see a striking similarity to the Codex Vaticanus, which is widely believed to be the oldest known Greek manuscript still extant, dated circa 350 CE. The line above the xi (under the words “A.D. 350”) is not an underline, but is actually part of the hand-written text.

 

 

 

Crossed swords are commonly used in Islam to denote conquest. Therefore, if we add crossed swords to the left of the middle character (xi), and remember that the stigma on the right has the meaning of ‘scar, mark, or badge of service’ we get crossed swords, the Name of Allah (Bismallah), and the word ‘mark’ (Χξς).

 

If one looks closely, one can even see all three figures (Χξς) in the Chechin (Islamic) revolutionary flag, here also flipped diagonally.

 

 

 

The thought behind the Islamic 666, then, is that Yochanan was not telling us that the number of the Beast’s name would literally be six hundred and sixty six. Rather, the thought is that Yochanan was trying to capture the image he was being shown by depicting it in modified Greek letters (Χξς), adding the horizontal line above the Xi (because that is what he was shown in the vision of the Bismallah/Bismillah). 

 

Revelation 13:18 tells us that the Mark of the Beast will be worn on the forehead or on the right hand. Not surprisingly, Islamic jihadists wear the Bismallah on the forehead and on their right arm. This would be a very good match, as the Hebrew word ‘yad’ (יַד) means both ‘hand’ and ‘arm’.

 

Islamic jihadists commonly wear head and arm bands. Below is a picture of a Hamas headband. Similar bands are typically worn on the right arm. If one looks closely and is willing to turn the images on their sides, one can see images that resemble the xi, the chi, and the stigma (Χξς).

Islam is a major world force, and it only makes sense that Scripture would speak about a major world force such as Islam, particularly since it affects both the Land of Israel and YHWH’s people Judah and Ephraim. Nonetheless, the Islamic 666 hypothesis requires us to depart from the face value of the passage, which speaks of a man, and a literal number 666.

 

 

Although this theory is not a perfect fit, perhaps it does not have to be, in order to be a partial fulfillment of prophecy. If the Papacy is the ultimate fulfillment of this passage, then the partial fulfillment is there to let us know that Islam is also somehow allied with the anti-messiah (i.e., the Pope).

 

Another issue with the Islamic 666 Hypothesis is that it requires a Greek inspiration for the Revelation. It is suggested that this makes sense in that Yochanan (John) wrote Revelation on the Island of Patmos, where Greek was probably the lingua franca (everyday language) back in the first century.

 

 

It is theorized that whatever Yochanan’s personal feelings about the Greek language may have been, had he been sent to the Dispersion to teach Greek-speaking peoples the Good News, he probably would have learned Greek, so as to be able to communicate the Good News to the people much better. This theory tells us that Yochanan did not intend to record a literal number 666 (as in the Peshitta), but that Yochanan was merely using the 666 as a means of capturing the heavenly vision that he was being shown.

 

One drawback to this theory is that Revelation has been described as ‘linguistic anarchy’ in Greek. It only makes good sense linguistically in the Semitic tongues of Hebrew or Aramaic.

 

What is the conclusion? This author believes that the Roman manifestation is prime, and the Islamic 666 is merely present to tip us off to the fact that Rome and Islam are linked; and that together they form the fifth manifestation of the Adversarial Beast.

 

To see more evidence of this, let us proceed to the next chapter.