The NUMBER 666 and the NAME of the BEAST Without Using GEMATRIA

The following article will detail and clarify why many have chosen to abandon the popular theoretical practice of alphanumeric 'Gematria' as a determining instrument for revealing the Name/Number of the Scarlet Abyss Beast?

After nearly 2000 years of Church history and massive traditionally failed attempts using the gematria model, by both theological scholars and laymen alike, is in and of itself proof enough, to show the number and name of the Beast, even utilizing super computers, has little to NO bearable fruits for the 'millions' of man-hours expended. 

One of the best alleged examples by those who adamantly support the gematria theory (present company once included) is purported to be the name of NERO CAESAR.  Although, by the clear declaration of Scriptures themselves, respecting Rev. 17:8-11, reveals that the 8th King had to exist BEFORE John's day of vision, and will FUTURISTICALLY rise from the Abyss over 2000 years later to reign as a King once more.  Hence, this same said Abyss Beast must rule twice.  Thus, how can the now deceased Nero Caesar, or any other now dead mortal man, accomplish this feat?  Moreover, this alleged Nero name '666' gematria is also based on a corrupted spelling of the name Nero (NERON) itself. 

Therefore, the theory of gematria is nothing more than a wasteful time consuming beast itself, that only results in endless empty speculative assumptions and hopelessly enslaves all those who try to figure out the name of the Beast of Rev. 13:18 using this misguided alphanumeric methodology.  There are currently over 7.5 billion people on this planet today, not even counting those before John's day, whose names are all potential candidates (some more so than others) for the theory of gematria and the number 666.  Just how many of those names (if you could EVER translate them into either ancient Biblical Hebrew or ancient Biblical Greek correctly - not contemporary Hebrew/Greek) would actually equal 666 in either the Hebrew or Greek gematria methods/models.  Thus, this instrument of gematria is both hopeless and useless?

Meanwhile, there is no way with absolute certainty (which is a prophetic mandate with this particular prophecy) of determining whether or not we should use either Hebrew gematria or Greek gematria - and of these two methods - to complicate things even more, there are several variations of each of these gematria methods as well - hopeless.

Moreover, even when you are successful at deriving a name in either Biblical Hebrew or Biblical Greek that equals a total of the required 666 gematria, it will not be supported by actual Scripture(s) itself.  Why?  There is only one name in all of Scripture that equals the Hebrew gematria total of 666, which is SETHUR and it means 'hidden' (Num.13:13).  While this name may at first appear to be promising regarding the Abyss Beast, it proves to have no Babylonian connection as the 'wounded head' of Rev. 13:3 must have.                

Numbers 13:13 (KJV)
¹³ Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.

On the other hand, for those who have given up or simply do not even try to find the name of the 8th King Abyss Beast, and go about wagging that we cannot possibly know what the name of the Beast is until he actually arrives - I must say, it will be somewhat 'prophetically to late' to reveal the name/number of the Beast to people after he has already arrived and began ordering their beheading(s).  

In addition, John would most likely beg to differ with this preposterous assumption as well. 

In Rev. 13:18 the word IS (present tense) is used when referring to the number 666 which implies that the name/number of the Beast was knowable even in and from John's day. 

Revelation 13:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ 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.

Going forwards, history proves that 'gematria' has its origin/birth in the practice of the Occult, Numerology, and Astrology.  So while gematria may seem to be somewhat benign to us today, it was anything but centuries ago.  So one must logically ask, would Jesus actually expose his Children to such a pagan methodology as a prerequisite for understanding His eschatology of the Abyss Beast? 

Aside from the presumed possibility of Rev. 13:18, there is no where in all of the rest of the Bible where gematria is ever mentioned by God.  Rev. 13:18 never suggests the method or instrument intended for determining the NUMBER of the Beast nor what particular TYPE of Number is intended to relate or equate to the prescribed name of the Beast.  Therefore, is it a social security number, house number, census number, god number, gematria number, etc., - just what kind of number is implied here? 

Meanwhile, Rev. 13:18 of the Textus Recptus cites the number 666 as Strong's G5516 (chi, xi, and stigma), while other manuscripts of this same particular Passage spell each word out - hexakosioi, hexēkonta, and hex.

Thus, after years of blindly plodding along behind the unproductive plow of the celebrated traditional gematria model, with nothing to show for an enslaved commitment but unproductive frustration, and an endless derivation of non-biblical possible names equating to the number 666, many no longer find Biblical support nor logical reasoning to continue this popular but old, tired, and worn out methodology. 

However, all hope is not lost!  What cannot be denied, and should have been explored first and formost, is that Scripture itself offers both a simple and viable alternate solution to the 666 identification dilemma.  God told his people in Numbers 1:2 to "Number" their Households according to their Names (name here equates to number) and Ezra 2:13 reveals that the man ADONIKAM's (hebrew meaning Lord of Rising) - 8th King Abyss Beast - named household, had sons equal to the number 666.  To this end, after having innumerable attempts to use the celebrated gematria models (both Greek and Hebrew) to determine the KNOWABLE name (IS) of the Beast, I have never found anything that is actually in the WORD of God itself, that even comes close to this preponderance.  

Going forwards, in Rev. 13:18 we read the following: 

Revelation 13:18 (KJV)
¹⁸ 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.

Thus, the transliterated word 'count' (gr. 5585) used in the Passage above can actually be either figurative or literal - consider, evaluate, reckon, judge, figure, calculate, etc, but here with an emphasis on the figurative.  For example, Lk. 14:28, the word 'counteth' would appear to be both figurative and literal. 

Luke 14:28 (KJV)
²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

In all reality, gematria most likely plays absolutely no part whatsoever in determining and identifying the NUMBER 666 Abyss Beast.  After all, as stated the gematria theory itself has inherent problems that are far too numerous to even address here in this limited analysis of greek vs. hebrew.  And the fact that the origin of gematria can literally be historically traced to the occult, numerology, astrology, etc., and its application is never once mentioned nor suggested in ALL of the Bible.   

To this end, there is then absolutely no suggestion with reference to Rev. 13:18 to just how one is to 'derive' the Number of the Beast - 666.  Germatria has simply been the preferred traditional assumption of methodology.

With this in mind, maybe we should take a critical look at what is right in front of our very eyes, is supported by Scripture respecting the Number 666 and a Man, and requires no gematria whatsoever. 

Ezra 2:13 (KJV)
¹³ The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

Thus, Ezra 2:13 would be the same interpreted Passage and number in ALL translated languages of the Bible - Hebrew, Greek, or whatever - agreeably much more simplified.  Moreover, God Himself set in motion the NUMBERING (Num. 1:2) of the Hebrew Children.  As such, the Number of the Beast is not a number derived from gematria, but rather a 'census' number, directly related to the "name of a man" - 666.  As stated before, we are given no distinctive directions in how to actually arrive at the critical number of this man, whom it can be reasonably argued is actually the name of the 8th King Abyss Beast.  Not that the former 'mortal man' ADONIKAM who returned from Babylonian captivity was/will be the actual literal 8th Abyss Beast King but rather he had the SAME identical name as the Abyss Beast. 

Numbers 1:2 (KJV)
² Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;

This Greek word "arithmos", translated as, "number" in the KJV, et. al., is used some ten times in the New Testament (Acts 4:4; 5:36; 6:7; 11:21; Rom. 9:27; Rev. 5:11; 9:16; 13:18 twice; and Rev. 20:8) in exactly the same identical grammatical case/tense (noun/nominative/singular/masculine) as that of Rev. 13:18.  PLEASE study this word for your own advanced understanding.  Thus, it is used in each and every Passage as a calculated number, intended to signify a total of counted persons in a group/family/etc.

Therefore, this word is implied to be the basis and the manner of the taking of a census of people, or a simple, counting of heads... It does not signify the computing of a number by means of converting letters into numberal values and then searching for someone to fit into the said gematric mathematical formula.  Neither does it signify some symbolic numerological value to be transposed by assumption onto an idea of one's own making.  It simply refers to a counted census number of persons - hence, a household.

Thus, Adonikam came back to Israel from the Babylonian captivity, and ADONIKAM means (Strong's hebrew 140) Lord of rising.  What an appropriate name for the Beast of Rev. 17:8 who himself is to 'rise' from the Abyss.

In Ezra 2:2,13 we read the following: 

Ezra 2:1 (KJV)
¹ Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;

Ezra 2:13 (KJV)
¹³ The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

To reiterate, what we see then, is that ADONIKAM (Strong's H140) Lord of Rising returned from the Babylonian captivity as the Israeli Father of the Census 666 Sons (most translations) /Children/People, and goes to Jerusalem and Judea - the pagan Temple in Jerusalem is precisely where the 8th King Abyss Beast will set up his throne when he possesses the 11th Little Horn man AC - his human host.  

It can easily be suggested that Adonikam is a "type" of the coming Abyss Beast.  The future Abyss Beast is the demonic 8th King of Rev. 17:11 and Rev. 17:8, who once ruled the former Grecian Empire (Jer. 51:25) and when his Kingdom fell by the SWORD of the Lord (Jer. 50:35) he was thrown into captivity in the Abyss where he remains to this day, Rev. 9:11 - the Destroyer King Abaddon/Apollyon (his occupational/vocational name).  Thus, the Abyss Beast is Grecian and once ruled the former Grecian Empire through Alexander the Great.  (see Is the Babylonian Empire or Grecian Empire the Healed Wounded Head)

The former ancient Alexandrian Empire included today's modern countries of Greece, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and a small fraction of India in the Indus River Basin.

In a digressing side note he is somewhat similar to, but not equal to, the spirit of Kundalini/the Serpent Power which is said by deceived Yoga worshippers - to lie coiled exactly 3^1/2 turns around the sacrum bone at the base of the human spine.   

Jeremiah 51:25 (KJV)
²⁵ Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.

Jeremiah 50:35 (KJV)
³⁵ A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.

Revelation 17:9 (KJV)
⁹ And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

Revelation 17:10 (KJV)
¹⁰ And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

Revelation 13:2 (KJV)
² And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

In the above Passage when we realize that John was actually seeing the vision of this particularly described unique Beast, he referenced its symbolic constructive design as having 7 Heads and 10 Horns (from the Roman Empire), the overall bodily appearance of a Leopard (the Grecian Empire), with the Feet of a Bear (the Persian Empire).  However, here is where the symbolism becomes strained - the Mouth of a Lion.  Why? 

If we typically construct this above defined BEAST as a unique Beast with all of the symbolically ascribed bodily features John mentions, we must ask the question, "How can a Beast with 7 Heads ONLY have one singular MOUTH?"   There is something wrong with this symbolism if we interpretatively equate the 'singular' Mouth of the Beast, who has 7 Heads, with that of a physical feature equivalent to those of the described BODY and FEET of the Beast itself.   

As such, I suggest the answer lies in the definition of the greek word 'stoma' (Strong's 4750 - Mouth) itself - the meaning figuratively implies the 'mouthed' language of the Beast - the identifier of the Beast himself.   

probably strengthened from a presumed derivative of the base of <G5114> (tomoteros); the mouth (as if a gash in the face); by implication language (and its relations); figurative an opening (in the earth); specially the front or edge (of a weapon) :- edge, face, mouth. 

Thus, John both saw the MOUTH of the Beast and heard him speak great blasphemies?  Meanwhile, what is actually then being revealed in Rev. 13:2? 

Not only does the Beast described above represent the futuristic kingdom of the coming Beast 8th King, it also describes the Beast himself with respect to Rev. 17:8-11.  To this end, we see in Rev. 17:11 that the WAS/IS NOT Beast was also one of the former Kings of the 7 Heads (actually one of the former first 5 Heads) of the Scarlet Abyss Beast.  Thus, Rev. 13:2 reveals that the language (Mouth/Speech) of the Beast is that of the Lion, which we all know from the Book of Daniel would clearly identify him as Babylonian.   

Therefore, John is telling us that the 8th King Abyss Beast (the Wounded Head of Rev. 13:3) is the former King of the Grecian Empire who shall futuristically ASCEND from the Abyss - having a Chaldean language mouth and possess the man Antichrist.  Meanwhile, it will be for a period of 3^1/2 years, 42 months, 1260 days, or a Time, Times and a Half Time, that the Abyss Beast will assume ALL of the Red Dragons power (Rev. 13:2).  Why?  At the end of the battle of Armageddon the Abyss Beast and his False Prophet Mouth (the man Antichrist) will be thrown into the dreaded Lake of Fire, but Satan will be bound and thrown into the Abyss for 1,000 years, from where the Abyss Beast had formerly been locked away awaiting his release. (Rev. 20:3) 

Revelation 13:2-3 (KJV)
² And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
³ And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

Revelation 20:2-3 (KJV)
² And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
³ And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Going forwards, Adonikam's name is indeed directly associated with the number 666.   

Here is where it gets interesting.  In ancient Babylon they had an occultic device called the 'Magic Square' which the pagan priests wore as a sacred amulet around their necks and used them in the worship of their Sun god.  Moreover, this Magic Square was based on a 6 X 6 sided square with numbers ranging from 1 to 36, and the total numerical value of the entire square was equal to 666 (see example below). 

The ancients claimed that God works by mathematics.  Their religion was a conglomeration of religion, astrology, alchemy, physical and mental science, and mathematics.  Ancient astrology divided the starry heavens into 36 constellations.  These were represented by different amulets called "Sigilla Solis," or the sun seal. These amulets were worn by the pagan priests, and they contained all the numbers from 1 to 36.  By these figures they claimed to be able to foretell futuristic events.  These amulets were usually made of gold, yellow being the sun color.  While being carried, these amulets were wrapped in yellow silk, as it was thought that the bearer would thus receive the beneficial powers believed to emanate from the jewel.

These drawings from photographs taken in 1910, show actual amulets then in the Berlin Museum.  They reveal the veneration the ancients had for the sun-god.  On the front side of No.1 we see the god of the sun standing on the lion.  This indicated the sun's position in the constellation of Leo during the hot days of August.  On the back is inscribed "Nachyel," meaning "intelligence of the sun," and in 36 squares are arranged the numerals 1 to 36 (see table 1) in such a way that adding the numbers of any column either horizontally or vertically, and also the two diagonals crossing the square, the total is the same- 111. The sum of the six columns, computed either horizontally or vertically, is 6 x 111, or 666.

The solar seal was worn by the pagan occultic priests to honor the Basilisco KING - 666.

The second illustration is also a solar seal, but it honors the star Basilisco, which was the diminutive form of the Greek basileus (king), thus meaning the same as the Latin regulus.  Now, Regulus is the only first-magnitude star in the constellation of Leo.  The sun and the moon are again clearly seen on this amulet, and on the reverse side is the same arrangement of numerals, with the actual figure given of the total 666. 

The question that must be asked with reference to the above is, why were the ancient Babylonians wearing sacred amulets that were focused on the number (total) 666, seeing that John never revealed this number until Rev. 13:18 hundreds of years later - how could they have known. 

Therefore, I think we can rest assured that the ancient Babylonian occultists were not worshipping the future man AC, but they were worshipping the god 666 who is depicted on the amulet above as the god of the Sun standing on the Lion (Babylonian). 

So what can this all possibly mean?  I suggest that this 1-36 Babylonian Magic Square which totals 666 represented 36 Star constellations and the SUN was the complete master/father of the 666 Stars (ADONIKAM = 666 Sons, which implies 666 Stars, which implies 666 Angels - demonic), which most likely represents the true meaning behind the purpose of the Number of the 666 Beast.  This is no doubt something symbolic regarding the angelic members of his occultic religion and government. 

The number 666 must be more than just to say OK you have used gematria, etc., and have found my name - the number 666 represents something symbolically important to the Abyss Beast, in order that he would choose to use it to represent himself.  As I have suggested earlier, the demonic Abyss Beast once ruled the Grecian Empire and I think this ancient Magic Square which is well rooted in the Babylonian occult, has a direct correlation to the Beast and the worship of him. 

Thus, the number 666 has substantial historical Babylonian roots and involves far more than just a mere number equated to a name. 

To recap, why would I, or anyone else for that matter, choose to search the proven pagan abstract models of gematria, over the WORD itself? 

God did not make this prophecy so complicated that everyone would need to hold a Th.D., or be a graduate of Harvard University to understand it nor was it intended to be beyond the Christian knowledge - man does that.  This prophecy is a WARNING and we need to know and share its understanding, or just simply leave a gapping hole in our knowledge of God's Prophetic Word for end times. 

In closing, How could the ancient Babylonians have possibly KNOWN about the number 666 - John did not even reveal 666 until hundreds of years later and why was that particular number so important to them?  Undoubtedly, even the Babylonians, were worshipping the WAS/IS NOT Beast of Rev. 17:8 - the 8th King of Rev. 17:11 at that time - the 666 Beast.

Please note the number 666 at the bottom/center of the  photo example.

Therefore, the human host Man AC (the 11th Little Horn Beast) and the 8th King Scarlet Abyss Beast (Adonikam) are TWO different personages - one a mortal man and the other a demonic spirit.

Thus, the "unholy" trinity is the Dragon Satan, the demonic Abyss Beast and the mortal man AC (the mouth False Prophet).