Mr.Bebe
03-16-2013, 07:41 AM
(Rev 13:11 ESV) Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.
(Rev 13:12 ESV) It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.
(Rev 13:13 ESV) It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people,
(Rev 13:14 ESV) and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
(Rev 13:15 ESV) And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
(Rev 13:16 ESV) Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,
(Rev 13:17 ESV) so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.
(Rev 13:18 ESV) This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.
NOTE: This post is just part of an article – Revelation And Its Mysteries (http://johanansel.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/revelation-and-its-mysteries/). Please bear with the poor English of the author.
The Belief
Look at the passage above, the “another beast” in verse 11 up to verse 15 or 16 is known as the 2nd beast of Revelation 13. It is also known as the false prophet. That is the belief of almost every student of the Bible including the author of this topic. In verse 18, there’s a “man” mentioned and this man has a number – 666. This “man” of verse 18 is widely believed to be the false prophet symbolized by the “another beast” or the 2nd beast in verse 11 up to verse 15 or 16.
Now, here are questions that will help the reader understand correctly what is meant in this topic:
1) Is it true that this “man” of verse 18 is really the false prophet?
2) Does the “another beast” or the 2nd beast truly represent also the “man” of verse 18?
3) Or could it be that the “man” of verse 18 is distinct and a different person from the false prophet or the 2nd beast?
Remember these questions!
The Number
This number is believed to be encoded in the false prophet’s name.
In English Bibles, this number is written as “six hundred sixty six” or “six hundred sixteen” not “six six six” or “six one six”. In the Greek Texts where most English NT bible translations came from, this number is written in two ways:
1) Letters only: chi(600) xi(60) stigma(6).
2) Words: word for 600 word for 60 word for 6.
In ancient Hebrew and maybe in the Aramaic this number could be written as:
Tav(400) Resh(200) Samech(60) Vav(6)
The number 600 was divided into two parts (400 and 200) because Hebrew alphabet ends with the letter Tav which has a numerical value of 400. The number 600 is written [anciently] as Tav Resh (400 + 200). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_numerals#Main_table
For the adherents of Aramaic Primacy, these things can be viewed the other way around. If this number (666) was written in the original Aramaic Revelation as Tav Resh Samech Vav, that is probably because of their individual meanings and not because of the numerals assigned to each of them.
Who Are the Ones Who Have This Number?
Surely, the “man” in verse 18 has this number and that is a solid biblical fact. But in verse 17, people are divided over the ownership of the word “number”. Some people including NT Bible translators believed that this word “number” belongs to the name of the 1st beast while the others to the name of the 2nd beast or the false prophet. That’s why we see two renderings of this verse:
(Rev 13:17 ESV) so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.
(Rev 13:17 KJV) 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.
The 1st translation which has the pronoun “its” is the rendering used by those who believed that the word “number” belongs to the 1st beast. The 2nd rendering which has the pronoun “his” is the one believed by the pro 2nd beast/false prophet. As for the author, this matter can be resolved by the following verses:
(Rev 15:2 ESV) And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
It says here that the beast that has an image is the beast that has the number of its name. This beast according to…
(Rev 13:14 ESV) and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
…is the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived and that is the 1st beast (Rev 13:3).
The number of the name of the beast in verse 17 is very likely to be the mark itself of the (1st) beast. Read the verse below:
(Rev 14:11 ESV) And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.“
The mark belongs to the name of the 1st beast that has an image.
The Man of Revelation 13:18
Almost everyone in the Christian world views this “man” of verse 18 as the false prophet, but if you will examine carefully the passage (Rev 13:11-18) above with the help of Rev 15:2 and Rev 14:11 as what we have done, it can be said that this “man” could be anybody else aside from the false prophet/2nd beast. The passage does NOT say that this “man” is the 2nd beast/false prophet. Six hundred sixty six is the number of the 1st beast and not of the 2nd beast or the false prophet. This “man”, as you will see, is distinct from the 2nd beast/false prophet. The following three are distinct and different from each other:
1) 1st Beast with the number 666 (Rev 13:1)
2) 2nd Beast (“another beast”) or the False Prophet (No Number) (Rev 13:11)
3) the “man” of verse 18 with the number Tav Resh Samech Vav (Rev 13:18)
The number of this man (verse 18) could be the same, in whatever form, with the number of the name of the 1st beast but that doesn’t automatically mean that this man is the false prophet or the 2nd beast of verse 11. You will also notice that it’s the number of the name of the beast (the 1st beast) that should be counted or calculated or reckoned. Who is this man if he is not the false prophet or the 2nd beast? We should search the bible first, shouldn’t we?
There’s a man in the bible that has this number. We don’t have to calculate his name by his number – we have to know the meanings of his number to identify him. In Biblical Hebrew, numbers are represented by the letters of the alphabet. Each letter of the alphabet has its numerical value and each has its own name and each has its own meanings.
Let’s now find the individual meanings of the number of the “man” in verse 18 starting with the smallest number. Click the link below and a new tab or window will open:
http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/ubp/v15n11p635_symbolic-meaning-of-the-hebrew-letters.htm
The link page includes all the Hebrew letters and their individual meanings. The Hebrew section is in the lower part of the page. If you want an in depth study of the Hebrew letters, you can use the Internet.
Vav (6)
This letter which also represents the number 6 has the meaning of a peg or hook for securing something. Compare this definition to:
(Isa 22:23 ESV) And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.
Samech (60)
It has the meanings of uphold, support, prop, etc.
(Isa 22:23 ESV) And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.
Here are the definitions of the Hebrew word “secure” in this verse:
H539
‘âman
BDB Definition:
1) to support, confirm, be faithful
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, nourish
1a1a) foster-father (substantive)
1a1b) foster-mother, nurse
1a1c) pillars, supporters of the door
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be established, be faithful, be carried, make firm
1b1a) to be carried by a nurse
1b1b) made firm, sure, lasting
1b1c) confirmed, established, sure
1b1d) verified, confirmed
1b1e) reliable, faithful, trusty
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to stand firm, to trust, to be certain, to believe in
1c1a) stand firm
1c1b) trust, believe
Part of Speech: verb
You will notice that this word “aman” is a verb. The writer does not know why it was translated as an adjective here in Isaiah 22:23.
Resh (200)
This letter has a meaning of head or chief.
(Isa 22:21 ESV) and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
Now look at the definition of the Hebrew word “father” in Isaiah 22:21:
H1
אב
‘âb
BDB Definition:
1) father of an individual
2) of God as father of his people
3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan
4) ancestor
4a) grandfather, forefathers – of person
4b) of people
5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6) of producer, generator (figuratively)
7) of benevolence and protection (figuratively)
8) term of respect and honour
9) ruler or chief (specifically)
Tav (400)
It has the meanings mark, sign or signature.
Let’s know first who this man is before we discuss the meaning of the letter Tav. Here’s the whole passage about this man:
(Isa 22:20 ESV) In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
(Isa 22:21 ESV) and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
(Isa 22:22 ESV) And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
(Isa 22:23 ESV) And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.
(Isa 22:24 ESV) And they will hang on him the whole honor of his father’s house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons.
Who is this man Eliakim son of Hilkiah mentioned here? In verse 22, it says that God will lay upon this man’s shoulder the key of the house of David. Ask this key to a serious bible student, Rev 3:7 will come to his mind. Here it is:
(Rev 3:7 KJV) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
According to this verse, this Eliakim the son of Hilkiah (Isaiah 22:20-24) could be a “type” of our Lord Yehua.
Let’s go back to the meaning of the Hebrew letter Tav. Does it have something to do with Eliakim son of Hilkiah of Isaiah 22:20-24? The answer will also prove that this man is a “type” of our Lord Yeshua. Let us look at the meaning of the name Eliakim in the Hebrew.
H471
אליקים
‘elyâqîym
BDB Definition:
Eliakim = “God raises” or “God sets up”
1) the son of Hilkiah, master of Hezekiah’s household
2) Josiah’s son, enthroned by Pharaoh
3) a priest who assisted Nehemiah
We can see here that Eliakim means “God raises” or “God sets up”. Now, read the following verses:
(Rom 15:12 Etheridge) And again, Eshaia hath said, there shall be a root of Jeshai, and he who shall arise shall be the chief of the peoples; and upon him will the Gentiles hope.
Jesse (Jeshai) is the father of David.
(Isa 11:10 KJV) And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
(Isa 11:11 KJV) And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
(Isa 11:12 KJV) And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Who is this man that God will raise or set up as an ensign? The root of Jesse – our Lord Yeshua.
Since it is God’s intent that we use the meaning of the name Eliakim to resolve the identity of the Man with the number Tav Resh Samech Vav, the author deemed it right if we also study and apply the meaning of the name Hilkiah. Here’s the meaning of the name of Eliakim’s father:
H2518
chilqîyâh chilqîyâhû
khil-kee-yaw’, khil-kee-yaw’-hoo
From H2506 and H3050; portion of Jah; Chilhijah, the name of eight Israelites: – Hilkiah.
The word “portion” here came from H2506.
H2506
chêleq
khay’-lek
From H2505; properly smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotment: – flattery, inheritance, part, X partake, portion.
So, this Hebrew word “portion” also means “inheritance”. Now, read the following verses:
(Deu 9:26 KJV) I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
(1Ki 8:51 ASV) (for they are thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron);
Here are the definitions of the Hebrew word for “inheritance” in these two verses:
H5159
nachălâh
BDB Definition:
1) possession, property, inheritance, heritage
1a) property
1b) portion, share
1c) inheritance, portion
Notice that it also means “portion”. It can be said that the word “Hilkiah” meant the people of God, that is, Israel. It could be that the house of Eliakim’s father mentioned in Isaiah 22:22-23 refers to the people of Israel (12 tribes).
Other Things About This Man’s Number
Some people say this number is 616. In Hebrew that would be Tav Resh Yod Vav. Samech replaced by Yod.
Yod (10)
It has the meanings: hand, the right hand, to strike or pierce, a stroke, a blow. Compare the definition “hand” to these two verses:
(Isa 22:21 ESV) and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
(Isa 11:11 ESV) In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.
Here are BDB’s Definitions of “hand” in these verses:
H3027
יד
yâd
BDB Definition:
1) hand
1a) hand (of man)
1b) strength, power (figuratively)
1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaphorically) (figuratively)
1d) (various special, technical senses)
1d1) sign, monument
1d2) part, fractional part, share
1d3) time, repetition
1d4) axle-trees, axle
1d5) stays, support (for laver)
1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)
1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)
1d8) wrists
Part of Speech: noun feminine
Looking at these definitions, the possible characteristics of the Lord Yeshua are in blue colored words. Is it Tav Resh Yod Vav (616) or Tav Resh Samech Vav (666)? Just continue reading and you’ll know it later.
What about these two verses:
(Eze 8:1 ESV) In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there.
(Dan 3:1 ESV) King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
The year and the month in Ezekiel 8:1 and the measurements in Daniel 3:1 could be denoting false objects of worship as in Revelation 13 but there’s more to them than we think. (The false objects of worship in Ezekiel 8 are detailed in verse 3 up to verse 16.)
Many students of the Bible say that the man clothed in linen in Ezekiel chapter 9 which is a continuation contextually of Ezekiel chapter 8 represents the Lord Yeshua. I agree with them and the following verses support it:
Daniel 10:5-6 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Daniel%2010.5-6)
(Rev 3:12 ESV) The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
(Rev 14:1 ESV) Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
It is our Messiah who writes on the foreheads of His servants.
Likewise, the 4th man in Daniel 3:25 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Daniel%203.25) – the son of the god(s) and an angel (verse 28) – according to the words of King Nebuchadnezzar was also regarded by many as the Lord Yeshua. King Nebuchadnezzar was a polytheistic and he might not know about the pre-incarnate Lord Yeshua at that time. Should we consider what he had said about the 4th man? Whether we consider it or not, this 4th man could only be either:
- An angel or
- The Lord Yeshua Himself who is the Head of Angelic orders and was called the Angel of the Lord or the Angel of God several times in the Old Testament.
Who is this man? Let’s consider these things, the measurement of the false object of worship was 6o cubits height by 6 cubits breadth. In the middle of this chapter, the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were also measured – their faith to the true object of worship who also has the numbers 60 (Samech) and 6 (Tav).
Our Messiah was called the Amen in Revelation 3:14 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Revelation%203.14). The Hebrew word “Amen” came from the word “aman” which corresponds to Samech (60).
H543
‘âmên
aw-mane’
From H539; sure; abstractly faithfulness; adverbially truly: – Amen, so be it, truth.
H539
‘âman
aw-man’
A primitive root; properly to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain; once (in Isa_30:21; by interchange for H541) to go to the right hand: – hence assurance, believe, bring up, establish, + fail, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right.
Give attention also to the other meanings of “aman” above (blue lettered words) and compare them to:
(Rev 3:14 ESV) “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
(Rev 19:11 ESV) Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
This proves that the number of the Lord Yeshua is Tav Resh Samech Vav (666).
Now read the verses below and compare the meaning of the letter Vav (peg or nail) which has a numerical value of 6:
(Zec 10:3 KJV) Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.
(Zec 10:4 KJV) Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.
H3489
yâthêd
yaw-thade’
From an unused root meaning to pin through or fast; a peg: – nail, paddle, pin, stake.
The word “corner” in Zechariah 10:4 is understood to be the Lord Yeshua, see Isaiah 28:16. This word was translated as “cornerstone” by other bible translators.
With these things in mind, we can now see a pattern between Ezekiel chapters 8 to 9, Daniel chapter 3 and Revelation 13:
Number(s) : False Object(s) of Worship : True Object of Worship (Not necessarily in order)
Let’s go back to Ezekiel. Here’s the starting verse of chapter 8:
(Eze 8:1) In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there.
Look at what is written in chapter 9 which is the continuation contextually of chapter 8:
(Eze 9:2 KJV) And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
(Eze 9:3 KJV) And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;
(Eze 9:4 KJV) And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
Notice the word “mark” in verse 4. Here’s its definition:
H8420
tâv
tawv
From H8427; a mark; by implication a signature: – desire, mark.
This Hebrew word “mark” is the name of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet – Tav. This letter has a pictograph of a cross. A cross could be what this “mark” means.
This vision came before the incarnation of our Messiah.
Now, somewhere in the Internet, I’ve read about another interpretation of Tav Resh Samech Vav that also points to the Lord Yeshua. Here’s how it was interpreted:
Tav – has a pictograph of a cross.
Resh – has a pictograph and meaning of a head – The Lord Yeshua is the head of the church.
Samech – has a meaning of a prop.
Vav – meaning of a nail.
Put all these meanings and pictographs in one big picture then we’ll see our Lord Yeshua the Messiah crucified.
NOTE: The writer believes that the works of the hands of men should not be worshiped. We should worship God and the Lord Yeshua in spirit and in truth.
Biblically, the numbers 60 and/or 6 may sometimes be denoting false object of worship but they could be also denoting true object of worship as we have seen above. These numbers are NOT bad numbers as some people think. The measurements of the image/idol in Daniel 3:1 (60 cubits height and 6 cubits breadth) can also be found in the Temple of God and its courts:
(Ezr 6:3 ESV) In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits,
(Eze 41:1 ASV) And he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle.
(Eze 40:14 LITV) He also made the pillars, sixty cubits, even to the court pillar, from the gate all around.
(1Ki 6:2 ESV) The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.
Other things that have the number six or sixty:
(Gen 46:26 ESV) All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own descendants, not including Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all.
(Num 7:88 ESV) and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.
In Revelation, there are deep mysteries that are hidden behind the number “six” or “sixty”.
What about this verse:
(Rev 15:2 ESV) And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire–and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
It is the number of the name of the beast that is meant here to have been conquered. It could not mean to include the MEANINGS of the number of our Lord Yeshua because they are His people (church or body) and He is their chief or head.
Observe in Revelation 13:11-18 that because the “man” in verse 18 is distinct from the 2nd beast/false prophet and that the word “number” in verse 17 belongs to the name of the 1st beast, the false prophet/2nd beast HAS NO NUMBER attached to himself or to his name!
The belief that the “man” of verse 18 is the false prophet could be one of the biggest lies in the Christian world. Does the reader still remember the questions at the opening of this topic? Here they are:
1) Is it true that this “man” of verse 18 is really the false prophet?
2) Does the “another beast” or the 2nd beast truly represent also the “man” of verse 18?
3) Or could it be that the “man” of verse 18 is distinct and a different person from the false prophet or the 2nd beast?
It is now clear that the answers to the first two questions are both “NO”. The “man” in verse 18 is NOT the false prophet. The “man” in verse 18 is NOT symbolized by the “another beast” or the 2nd beast. The answer to the third question is “YES”. The “man” in verse 18 is distinct and a different person from the false prophet or the 2nd beast. The “man” in verse 18 is the Rider on the white horse who is called Faithful and True (Rev 19:11). The “man” in verse 18 is the Lord Yeshua. LET’S BE CAREFUL. The Lord Yeshua is the True Prophet and the Christ – the Real Christ!!!
This Man’s Number and the Structure of Revelation
Yes, our Lord’s number (Samech(60) and Vav(6)) and its actual location in the book of Revelation has something to do with the structure of this book. This is shown and explained in the article – Revelation And Its Mysteries.
To understand what is said in this subtopic, one must read at least the two topics listed below which are included in the article mentioned:
- The Divisions of Revelation
- The Long Story (“Linkable Sections”)
Then he/she needs to read again in that article the explanation of this same subtopic “This Man’s Number and the Structure of Revelation” under the same topic “The MAN and His Number 666 (Tav Resh Samech Vav)”. Here’s the link of that article:
http://johanansel.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/revelation-and-its-mysteries/
THE WISDOM AND HONOR TRULY BELONG TO GOD AND TO OUR LORD YESHUA!!!
(Rev 13:12 ESV) It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.
(Rev 13:13 ESV) It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people,
(Rev 13:14 ESV) and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
(Rev 13:15 ESV) And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
(Rev 13:16 ESV) Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,
(Rev 13:17 ESV) so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.
(Rev 13:18 ESV) This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.
NOTE: This post is just part of an article – Revelation And Its Mysteries (http://johanansel.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/revelation-and-its-mysteries/). Please bear with the poor English of the author.
The Belief
Look at the passage above, the “another beast” in verse 11 up to verse 15 or 16 is known as the 2nd beast of Revelation 13. It is also known as the false prophet. That is the belief of almost every student of the Bible including the author of this topic. In verse 18, there’s a “man” mentioned and this man has a number – 666. This “man” of verse 18 is widely believed to be the false prophet symbolized by the “another beast” or the 2nd beast in verse 11 up to verse 15 or 16.
Now, here are questions that will help the reader understand correctly what is meant in this topic:
1) Is it true that this “man” of verse 18 is really the false prophet?
2) Does the “another beast” or the 2nd beast truly represent also the “man” of verse 18?
3) Or could it be that the “man” of verse 18 is distinct and a different person from the false prophet or the 2nd beast?
Remember these questions!
The Number
This number is believed to be encoded in the false prophet’s name.
In English Bibles, this number is written as “six hundred sixty six” or “six hundred sixteen” not “six six six” or “six one six”. In the Greek Texts where most English NT bible translations came from, this number is written in two ways:
1) Letters only: chi(600) xi(60) stigma(6).
2) Words: word for 600 word for 60 word for 6.
In ancient Hebrew and maybe in the Aramaic this number could be written as:
Tav(400) Resh(200) Samech(60) Vav(6)
The number 600 was divided into two parts (400 and 200) because Hebrew alphabet ends with the letter Tav which has a numerical value of 400. The number 600 is written [anciently] as Tav Resh (400 + 200). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_numerals#Main_table
For the adherents of Aramaic Primacy, these things can be viewed the other way around. If this number (666) was written in the original Aramaic Revelation as Tav Resh Samech Vav, that is probably because of their individual meanings and not because of the numerals assigned to each of them.
Who Are the Ones Who Have This Number?
Surely, the “man” in verse 18 has this number and that is a solid biblical fact. But in verse 17, people are divided over the ownership of the word “number”. Some people including NT Bible translators believed that this word “number” belongs to the name of the 1st beast while the others to the name of the 2nd beast or the false prophet. That’s why we see two renderings of this verse:
(Rev 13:17 ESV) so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.
(Rev 13:17 KJV) 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.
The 1st translation which has the pronoun “its” is the rendering used by those who believed that the word “number” belongs to the 1st beast. The 2nd rendering which has the pronoun “his” is the one believed by the pro 2nd beast/false prophet. As for the author, this matter can be resolved by the following verses:
(Rev 15:2 ESV) And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
It says here that the beast that has an image is the beast that has the number of its name. This beast according to…
(Rev 13:14 ESV) and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
…is the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived and that is the 1st beast (Rev 13:3).
The number of the name of the beast in verse 17 is very likely to be the mark itself of the (1st) beast. Read the verse below:
(Rev 14:11 ESV) And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.“
The mark belongs to the name of the 1st beast that has an image.
The Man of Revelation 13:18
Almost everyone in the Christian world views this “man” of verse 18 as the false prophet, but if you will examine carefully the passage (Rev 13:11-18) above with the help of Rev 15:2 and Rev 14:11 as what we have done, it can be said that this “man” could be anybody else aside from the false prophet/2nd beast. The passage does NOT say that this “man” is the 2nd beast/false prophet. Six hundred sixty six is the number of the 1st beast and not of the 2nd beast or the false prophet. This “man”, as you will see, is distinct from the 2nd beast/false prophet. The following three are distinct and different from each other:
1) 1st Beast with the number 666 (Rev 13:1)
2) 2nd Beast (“another beast”) or the False Prophet (No Number) (Rev 13:11)
3) the “man” of verse 18 with the number Tav Resh Samech Vav (Rev 13:18)
The number of this man (verse 18) could be the same, in whatever form, with the number of the name of the 1st beast but that doesn’t automatically mean that this man is the false prophet or the 2nd beast of verse 11. You will also notice that it’s the number of the name of the beast (the 1st beast) that should be counted or calculated or reckoned. Who is this man if he is not the false prophet or the 2nd beast? We should search the bible first, shouldn’t we?
There’s a man in the bible that has this number. We don’t have to calculate his name by his number – we have to know the meanings of his number to identify him. In Biblical Hebrew, numbers are represented by the letters of the alphabet. Each letter of the alphabet has its numerical value and each has its own name and each has its own meanings.
Let’s now find the individual meanings of the number of the “man” in verse 18 starting with the smallest number. Click the link below and a new tab or window will open:
http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/ubp/v15n11p635_symbolic-meaning-of-the-hebrew-letters.htm
The link page includes all the Hebrew letters and their individual meanings. The Hebrew section is in the lower part of the page. If you want an in depth study of the Hebrew letters, you can use the Internet.
Vav (6)
This letter which also represents the number 6 has the meaning of a peg or hook for securing something. Compare this definition to:
(Isa 22:23 ESV) And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.
Samech (60)
It has the meanings of uphold, support, prop, etc.
(Isa 22:23 ESV) And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.
Here are the definitions of the Hebrew word “secure” in this verse:
H539
‘âman
BDB Definition:
1) to support, confirm, be faithful
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to support, confirm, be faithful, uphold, nourish
1a1a) foster-father (substantive)
1a1b) foster-mother, nurse
1a1c) pillars, supporters of the door
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be established, be faithful, be carried, make firm
1b1a) to be carried by a nurse
1b1b) made firm, sure, lasting
1b1c) confirmed, established, sure
1b1d) verified, confirmed
1b1e) reliable, faithful, trusty
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to stand firm, to trust, to be certain, to believe in
1c1a) stand firm
1c1b) trust, believe
Part of Speech: verb
You will notice that this word “aman” is a verb. The writer does not know why it was translated as an adjective here in Isaiah 22:23.
Resh (200)
This letter has a meaning of head or chief.
(Isa 22:21 ESV) and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
Now look at the definition of the Hebrew word “father” in Isaiah 22:21:
H1
אב
‘âb
BDB Definition:
1) father of an individual
2) of God as father of his people
3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan
4) ancestor
4a) grandfather, forefathers – of person
4b) of people
5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6) of producer, generator (figuratively)
7) of benevolence and protection (figuratively)
8) term of respect and honour
9) ruler or chief (specifically)
Tav (400)
It has the meanings mark, sign or signature.
Let’s know first who this man is before we discuss the meaning of the letter Tav. Here’s the whole passage about this man:
(Isa 22:20 ESV) In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
(Isa 22:21 ESV) and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
(Isa 22:22 ESV) And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
(Isa 22:23 ESV) And I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father’s house.
(Isa 22:24 ESV) And they will hang on him the whole honor of his father’s house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons.
Who is this man Eliakim son of Hilkiah mentioned here? In verse 22, it says that God will lay upon this man’s shoulder the key of the house of David. Ask this key to a serious bible student, Rev 3:7 will come to his mind. Here it is:
(Rev 3:7 KJV) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
According to this verse, this Eliakim the son of Hilkiah (Isaiah 22:20-24) could be a “type” of our Lord Yehua.
Let’s go back to the meaning of the Hebrew letter Tav. Does it have something to do with Eliakim son of Hilkiah of Isaiah 22:20-24? The answer will also prove that this man is a “type” of our Lord Yeshua. Let us look at the meaning of the name Eliakim in the Hebrew.
H471
אליקים
‘elyâqîym
BDB Definition:
Eliakim = “God raises” or “God sets up”
1) the son of Hilkiah, master of Hezekiah’s household
2) Josiah’s son, enthroned by Pharaoh
3) a priest who assisted Nehemiah
We can see here that Eliakim means “God raises” or “God sets up”. Now, read the following verses:
(Rom 15:12 Etheridge) And again, Eshaia hath said, there shall be a root of Jeshai, and he who shall arise shall be the chief of the peoples; and upon him will the Gentiles hope.
Jesse (Jeshai) is the father of David.
(Isa 11:10 KJV) And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
(Isa 11:11 KJV) And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
(Isa 11:12 KJV) And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Who is this man that God will raise or set up as an ensign? The root of Jesse – our Lord Yeshua.
Since it is God’s intent that we use the meaning of the name Eliakim to resolve the identity of the Man with the number Tav Resh Samech Vav, the author deemed it right if we also study and apply the meaning of the name Hilkiah. Here’s the meaning of the name of Eliakim’s father:
H2518
chilqîyâh chilqîyâhû
khil-kee-yaw’, khil-kee-yaw’-hoo
From H2506 and H3050; portion of Jah; Chilhijah, the name of eight Israelites: – Hilkiah.
The word “portion” here came from H2506.
H2506
chêleq
khay’-lek
From H2505; properly smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotment: – flattery, inheritance, part, X partake, portion.
So, this Hebrew word “portion” also means “inheritance”. Now, read the following verses:
(Deu 9:26 KJV) I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
(1Ki 8:51 ASV) (for they are thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron);
Here are the definitions of the Hebrew word for “inheritance” in these two verses:
H5159
nachălâh
BDB Definition:
1) possession, property, inheritance, heritage
1a) property
1b) portion, share
1c) inheritance, portion
Notice that it also means “portion”. It can be said that the word “Hilkiah” meant the people of God, that is, Israel. It could be that the house of Eliakim’s father mentioned in Isaiah 22:22-23 refers to the people of Israel (12 tribes).
Other Things About This Man’s Number
Some people say this number is 616. In Hebrew that would be Tav Resh Yod Vav. Samech replaced by Yod.
Yod (10)
It has the meanings: hand, the right hand, to strike or pierce, a stroke, a blow. Compare the definition “hand” to these two verses:
(Isa 22:21 ESV) and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
(Isa 11:11 ESV) In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.
Here are BDB’s Definitions of “hand” in these verses:
H3027
יד
yâd
BDB Definition:
1) hand
1a) hand (of man)
1b) strength, power (figuratively)
1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaphorically) (figuratively)
1d) (various special, technical senses)
1d1) sign, monument
1d2) part, fractional part, share
1d3) time, repetition
1d4) axle-trees, axle
1d5) stays, support (for laver)
1d6) tenons (in tabernacle)
1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)
1d8) wrists
Part of Speech: noun feminine
Looking at these definitions, the possible characteristics of the Lord Yeshua are in blue colored words. Is it Tav Resh Yod Vav (616) or Tav Resh Samech Vav (666)? Just continue reading and you’ll know it later.
What about these two verses:
(Eze 8:1 ESV) In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there.
(Dan 3:1 ESV) King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
The year and the month in Ezekiel 8:1 and the measurements in Daniel 3:1 could be denoting false objects of worship as in Revelation 13 but there’s more to them than we think. (The false objects of worship in Ezekiel 8 are detailed in verse 3 up to verse 16.)
Many students of the Bible say that the man clothed in linen in Ezekiel chapter 9 which is a continuation contextually of Ezekiel chapter 8 represents the Lord Yeshua. I agree with them and the following verses support it:
Daniel 10:5-6 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Daniel%2010.5-6)
(Rev 3:12 ESV) The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
(Rev 14:1 ESV) Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
It is our Messiah who writes on the foreheads of His servants.
Likewise, the 4th man in Daniel 3:25 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Daniel%203.25) – the son of the god(s) and an angel (verse 28) – according to the words of King Nebuchadnezzar was also regarded by many as the Lord Yeshua. King Nebuchadnezzar was a polytheistic and he might not know about the pre-incarnate Lord Yeshua at that time. Should we consider what he had said about the 4th man? Whether we consider it or not, this 4th man could only be either:
- An angel or
- The Lord Yeshua Himself who is the Head of Angelic orders and was called the Angel of the Lord or the Angel of God several times in the Old Testament.
Who is this man? Let’s consider these things, the measurement of the false object of worship was 6o cubits height by 6 cubits breadth. In the middle of this chapter, the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were also measured – their faith to the true object of worship who also has the numbers 60 (Samech) and 6 (Tav).
Our Messiah was called the Amen in Revelation 3:14 (http://biblia.com/bible/esv/Revelation%203.14). The Hebrew word “Amen” came from the word “aman” which corresponds to Samech (60).
H543
‘âmên
aw-mane’
From H539; sure; abstractly faithfulness; adverbially truly: – Amen, so be it, truth.
H539
‘âman
aw-man’
A primitive root; properly to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain; once (in Isa_30:21; by interchange for H541) to go to the right hand: – hence assurance, believe, bring up, establish, + fail, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right.
Give attention also to the other meanings of “aman” above (blue lettered words) and compare them to:
(Rev 3:14 ESV) “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
(Rev 19:11 ESV) Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
This proves that the number of the Lord Yeshua is Tav Resh Samech Vav (666).
Now read the verses below and compare the meaning of the letter Vav (peg or nail) which has a numerical value of 6:
(Zec 10:3 KJV) Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.
(Zec 10:4 KJV) Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.
H3489
yâthêd
yaw-thade’
From an unused root meaning to pin through or fast; a peg: – nail, paddle, pin, stake.
The word “corner” in Zechariah 10:4 is understood to be the Lord Yeshua, see Isaiah 28:16. This word was translated as “cornerstone” by other bible translators.
With these things in mind, we can now see a pattern between Ezekiel chapters 8 to 9, Daniel chapter 3 and Revelation 13:
Number(s) : False Object(s) of Worship : True Object of Worship (Not necessarily in order)
Let’s go back to Ezekiel. Here’s the starting verse of chapter 8:
(Eze 8:1) In the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there.
Look at what is written in chapter 9 which is the continuation contextually of chapter 8:
(Eze 9:2 KJV) And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.
(Eze 9:3 KJV) And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhorn by his side;
(Eze 9:4 KJV) And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
Notice the word “mark” in verse 4. Here’s its definition:
H8420
tâv
tawv
From H8427; a mark; by implication a signature: – desire, mark.
This Hebrew word “mark” is the name of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet – Tav. This letter has a pictograph of a cross. A cross could be what this “mark” means.
This vision came before the incarnation of our Messiah.
Now, somewhere in the Internet, I’ve read about another interpretation of Tav Resh Samech Vav that also points to the Lord Yeshua. Here’s how it was interpreted:
Tav – has a pictograph of a cross.
Resh – has a pictograph and meaning of a head – The Lord Yeshua is the head of the church.
Samech – has a meaning of a prop.
Vav – meaning of a nail.
Put all these meanings and pictographs in one big picture then we’ll see our Lord Yeshua the Messiah crucified.
NOTE: The writer believes that the works of the hands of men should not be worshiped. We should worship God and the Lord Yeshua in spirit and in truth.
Biblically, the numbers 60 and/or 6 may sometimes be denoting false object of worship but they could be also denoting true object of worship as we have seen above. These numbers are NOT bad numbers as some people think. The measurements of the image/idol in Daniel 3:1 (60 cubits height and 6 cubits breadth) can also be found in the Temple of God and its courts:
(Ezr 6:3 ESV) In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits,
(Eze 41:1 ASV) And he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle.
(Eze 40:14 LITV) He also made the pillars, sixty cubits, even to the court pillar, from the gate all around.
(1Ki 6:2 ESV) The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.
Other things that have the number six or sixty:
(Gen 46:26 ESV) All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own descendants, not including Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all.
(Num 7:88 ESV) and all the cattle for the sacrifice of peace offerings twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication offering for the altar after it was anointed.
In Revelation, there are deep mysteries that are hidden behind the number “six” or “sixty”.
What about this verse:
(Rev 15:2 ESV) And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire–and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
It is the number of the name of the beast that is meant here to have been conquered. It could not mean to include the MEANINGS of the number of our Lord Yeshua because they are His people (church or body) and He is their chief or head.
Observe in Revelation 13:11-18 that because the “man” in verse 18 is distinct from the 2nd beast/false prophet and that the word “number” in verse 17 belongs to the name of the 1st beast, the false prophet/2nd beast HAS NO NUMBER attached to himself or to his name!
The belief that the “man” of verse 18 is the false prophet could be one of the biggest lies in the Christian world. Does the reader still remember the questions at the opening of this topic? Here they are:
1) Is it true that this “man” of verse 18 is really the false prophet?
2) Does the “another beast” or the 2nd beast truly represent also the “man” of verse 18?
3) Or could it be that the “man” of verse 18 is distinct and a different person from the false prophet or the 2nd beast?
It is now clear that the answers to the first two questions are both “NO”. The “man” in verse 18 is NOT the false prophet. The “man” in verse 18 is NOT symbolized by the “another beast” or the 2nd beast. The answer to the third question is “YES”. The “man” in verse 18 is distinct and a different person from the false prophet or the 2nd beast. The “man” in verse 18 is the Rider on the white horse who is called Faithful and True (Rev 19:11). The “man” in verse 18 is the Lord Yeshua. LET’S BE CAREFUL. The Lord Yeshua is the True Prophet and the Christ – the Real Christ!!!
This Man’s Number and the Structure of Revelation
Yes, our Lord’s number (Samech(60) and Vav(6)) and its actual location in the book of Revelation has something to do with the structure of this book. This is shown and explained in the article – Revelation And Its Mysteries.
To understand what is said in this subtopic, one must read at least the two topics listed below which are included in the article mentioned:
- The Divisions of Revelation
- The Long Story (“Linkable Sections”)
Then he/she needs to read again in that article the explanation of this same subtopic “This Man’s Number and the Structure of Revelation” under the same topic “The MAN and His Number 666 (Tav Resh Samech Vav)”. Here’s the link of that article:
http://johanansel.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/revelation-and-its-mysteries/
THE WISDOM AND HONOR TRULY BELONG TO GOD AND TO OUR LORD YESHUA!!!