What is the mark of the beast 666?
The number of the beast, 666, is a topic that has intrigued people for centuries, both within and outside Christian circles. Revelation 13:18 states, “Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.”
Revelation 13:15-17 provides further insight into what the mark of the beast entails. It says,
“He [the second beast of Revelation 13] was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast [the first beast of Revelation 13], that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
The Mark of the Beast (666) is connected with:
- The second beast of Revelation 13 giving the first beast of Revelation 13 power to be ‘resurrected’ or healed from its deadly wound (Revelation 13:12-15)
- An image of the first beast of Revelation 13
- Worshipping the image of the first beast of Revelation 13,
- Persecution of those who do not worship the image of the beast through removing their ability to buy and sell, and eventually killing them
Before we seek to understand the image of the first beast of Revelation 13, lets first take time to understand what is the first beast.
Understanding the Beast of the Mark of the Beast 666
Revelation 13 describes two beasts. The first beast, depicted in Revelation 13:1-10, is a composite creature made up of a lion, bear, leopard, and a beast with ten horns. This imagery is reminiscent of the visions recorded in Daniel 7:1-8, which describes four beasts representing successive earthly kingdoms that rule over God’s people until the end times.
The Daniel 7 vision builds on the earlier vision found in Daniel 2, and the visions of Daniel 8 through 12 add further details. These visions reveal how God will fulfil His covenant first given in Genesis 3:15, where He promised to send a Messiah to crush Satan and restore humanity to their pre-fall state. God provided prophetic events and timelines to help His people understand where they were in the salvation story.
The Empires in Daniel’s Visions
The prophetically significant empires of Daniel are represented as metals in Daniel 2 and beasts in Daniel 7 and 8. According to these visions, the first kingdom is Babylon (Daniel 2:38); the second is Medo-Persia, with Persia becoming the dominant part (Daniel 8:20; Daniel 11:2); the third is Greece (Daniel 8:21; Daniel 11:2-3); and the fourth is Rome, which rose through peace-keeping efforts (Daniel 8:25).
Rome is the empire that succeeded Greece. Although not named explicitly in Daniel it is evident from Biblical descriptions and historical records. It became the dominant superpower in 168 B.C. The Bible indicates that this Roman influence would persist until the return of Jesus, though not necessarily in its original political form.
The Transition from Political to Religious Power
Rome initially emerged as a Pagan political power that conquered the world. Over time, it transitioned into a Christian authority known as the Holy Roman Empire. Daniel 7:7 notes that this beast was different from its predecessors, emphasizing its transformation into a religious power. The Roman Church mirrored the corruption and wickedness of the Roman civil power, with leaders often motivated by greed and pride.
By the early 500s A.D., the Roman Church had gained significant power and authority and was declared the mother of all churches (the Universal or Catholic Church). Influential European kings capitulated to the Church’s authority, merging political and religious power.
The Bible indicates that the last power embodies the full spirit of the antichrist, which means to replace Christ. This power presents a version of Christ that seeks to replace the original, true Christ.
The Roman Catholic church teaches that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ. Vicar is short for vicarious. This is essentially saying that the Pope acts as Christ on this earth; not in the way that we should all emulate Christ, but rather as Christ’s replacement.
Moreover, when we look at the role of the Catholic priest in the church, they claim to forgive sins and provide absolution from our sins. In the book of Mark, there is a story of a paralytic being let down through the roof of a house Jesus is preaching in. Once Jesus sees the lengths to which the paralytic’s friends have gone He says,
“Son, your sins are forgiven you.” And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
(Mark 2:5-11)
The scribes knew that it was a claim to be God to say that you could forgive sins. Now Jesus, who preferred the title ‘Son of Man’ was God and therefore He said He did have the power to forgive sins. However, He never once indicated we have that same power.
To assume the role of Christ in the forgiveness of sins is to take on the mediatorial role that is Christ’s alone. It says in 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus”.
Just like the prophecies of Daniel 7 and 8 and Revelation 13 indicate, the Roman Catholic church would be a blasphemous one. It would specifically magnify itself to and stand up against the Prince of Princes (Jesus Christ) (Daniel 8:11, 25). The Roman Catholic church does indeed open “his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven” (Revelation 13: 6).
Beyond the religious errors of the Roman Catholic church, for it to fulfil the prophecies it must also be a significant worldwide political power and religious power.
If you look at the reach of the Roman Catholic church in the political realms of today’s society it is quite alarming. The majority of the world’s governments were represented at the inauguration of Pope Francis. Furthermore, world leaders such as the presidents of Russia and the Ukraine, and Israel’s leaders look to the Pope to help bring about peace. The Pope has presented at U.S. Congress, the UN summit, the EU parliament, and, more recently, at the G6. No other religious or political figure has this amount of pull across the governments of the world.
This reach extends to private enterprises. CEOs and other leaders of big business, from Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates to the head of Pfizer and the World Bank all have personal meetings with the pope.
Then we turn to the religious sphere. One recent commentator said that Pope Francis is the bridge between all religions. Over the last few decades, the Roman Catholic church has achieved unity with protestant Christianity, the Orthodox religions, Islam, and eastern religions. All the major religious figureheads of the world look to the Pope as the ultimate spiritual leader of the world.
What is the Image of the Beast that is associated with the Mark of the Beast 666
We have identified the first beast of Revelation 13 as the Roman Catholic church. The key principle that makes this the beast power of Revelation 13 is the combination of a powerful false Christian system intermingling and seeking to have power over the secular powers (governments, private enterprise, NGOs etc.) of the earth.
When the image of the beast is set up, it will be done in such a way that the Roman Catholic church will not appear to be the power behind this religiopolitical system. It will appear to be driven by the second beast of Revelation 13. However, it will also involve an apostatised Christian power subverting the political powers.
Who is the second Beast of Revelation 13 that enables the Mark of the Beast 666 to be implemented?
Revelation 13:11 says, “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.” This second beast has a few distinct features:
- It comes up out of the earth
- It’s power (represented by the horns) look lamb-like
- It speaks like a dragon (which is Satan and is the one that gives the first beast of Revelation 13 its power – Revelation 13:2)
When we see a power rising out of the sea, the Bible tells us that the sea represents “peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues” (Revelation 17:15). In other words, these powers arise in highly populated areas. When you look at the beasts of Daniel 7 and the first beast of Revelation 13, they all arise from the sea. That is exactly what happened with the nations they represent. They arose in the Middle East and Europe which were some of the most populated areas on the earth at that time. However, the second beast of Revelation 13 arises out of the earth. That means this power does not arise in a highly populated area.
In Revelation 12, we read about the persecuted Christian church, God’s true church. In Revelation 12: 16, it says “But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.” This prophecy introduces the earth beast. It would be a power that would help the true church of God escape the flood of persecution that was being perpetrated by the Roman Catholic church.
America is the only country that fulfils the particulars of the earth power of Revelation 13. It was founded in a sparsely populated region of the world by a small number of protestants who fled the persecution of the Roman Catholic church in Europe.
At the formation of its government, America incorporated lamb-like principles of leaving secular things to secular powers and religious things to God. They separated these two powers, enabling Christ to be the ruler of the person’s soul.
As time has progressed, America has started to speak like a dragon. Many prominent Americans talk about mingling church and state. Recent documents (such as Project 2025) and ideologies have been put forth that not only promote the control of the church over secular authorities but demand it. They see this as the means of securing economic prosperity, restoration of morals and a way of ensuring our future.
The Symbolism of the Mark of the Beast 666
Revelation 13:18 identifies the number of the beast as 666, which is also described as the number of a man. To understand the symbolism behind this three-fold repetition, we must explore the first use of six in the Bible, found in Genesis 1 and further explained in Genesis 2. On the sixth day of creation, God created the beasts and man (Genesis 1:24-31), signifying the life of beasts and man originating from God.
In Genesis 2:1-3, the Bible mentions seven days, stating that God completed His work by the seventh day, signifying divine perfection and rest. Conversely, the number six represents human effort and labor, which falls short of divine completeness.
Finally, in Genesis 2:16-17, on the day man was created (the sixth day), God gave humanity a law requiring trust in Him, emphasizing faith and obedience. So six also points to the role of law in man’s life.
The Threefold Message of Satan behind the Mark of the Beast 666
In Genesis 3:1-5, Satan, in the form of a serpent introduced a threefold message that directly targeted the three messages that we get from the use of six in Genesis 1 and 2. His message can be summarized as follows:
- Distrust in God as Creator and Source of Life: Satan implied that God could not be trusted, suggesting that eating the forbidden fruit would not lead to death but to enlightenment and power, challenging God’s authority as Creator.
- Belief God does not complete the work: Satan insinuated that true completeness required humans to take matters into their own hands by eating the forbidden fruit, implying that God cannot complete His work.
- Rejection of God’s Law: Satan argued that humans could achieve eternal life and godliness by disobeying God’s law, promoting self-reliance over divine obedience.
This reliance on human work and intellect to create or provide life, to complete or perfect us, and to establish laws is symbolized by the number 666. It represents a threefold emphasis on human labour and effort as opposed to God’s labour and effort.
What is the Mark of the Beast 666
The Mark of the Beast (666) is something that is promoted by the Roman Catholic church as a sign of its authority over God and His people. Furthermore, it must be brought into force by America as it forms the image of the Beast. The Mark of the Beast must have the threefold message of Satan embedded into it.
One additional feature of the final beast of Daniel and Revelation is that it would seek to “change times and laws” (Daniel 7:25). There is one set of laws that the Roman Catholic church has attempted to change that has the biggest implications with regards to God’s people and they are the Ten Commandments. In their summary of the Ten Commandments, the Roman Catholic church has removed the second command that forbids worship of idols and they have modified the fourth commandment which commands us to remember the seventh-day Sabbath.
It is clear that those who receive the Mark of the Beast 666 are contrasted with those who keep the Commandments of God (Revelation 14: 9-12). It is the change to the fourth commandment that most clearly has the threefold message of Satan contained within the Mark of the Beast 666.
The fourth commandment (recorded in Exodus 20:8-11) identifies God as our creator and that Sabbath keeping is connected to trusting God. Sabbath is also linked to a belief in God’s ability to take care of not only our creation, but our recreation or sanctification (Exodus 31: 13). We can then rest while He works. Finally, seventh-day Sabbath-keeping is an acknowledgment that God makes the laws and not us.
The change of the Sabbath from the seventh day (Saturday) to the first day (Sunday) is a notable example of human authority supplanting divine instruction. The Bishop of London in 1923 stated in The Catholic record: Volume XLV,
“The Church is above the Bible; and this transference of Sabbath observance from Saturday to Sunday is proof positive of that fact. Deny the authority of the Church and you have no adequate or reasonable explanation or justification for the substitution of Sunday for Saturday in the Third—Protestant Fourth— Commandment of God.”
Cardinal Gibbons in his book Faith of the Fathers, in talking of the “infallible authority” of the Roman Catholic church in interpreting the scriptures, stated:
“Now the Scriptures alone do not contain all the truths which a Christian is bound to believe, nor do they explicitly enjoin all the duties which he is obliged to practice. Not to mention other examples, is not every Christian obliged to sanctify Sunday and to abstain on that day from unnecessary servile work? Is not the observance of this law among the most prominent of our sacred duties? But you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify” (p. 97).
In shifting the observance of the Sabbath from the seventh-day (which God Sanctified – see Genesis 2:1-3) to Sunday, the Roman Catholic presumes that it is able to finish the work of re-creation or sanctification. It also assumes that it can make laws contrary to God’s law because its word is above God’s word. Finally, venerating a day that is a commemoration of the Sun (Sunday), implies life is derived from something within creation and not from the Creator Himself.
Sunday-worship is not currently associated with the Mark of the Beast, but when it is enforced as a sign of allegiance to the Beast it then will be.
Many may feel that enforced Sunday observance is unlikely because of the number of people who do not associate with the Christian faith. However, the Bible never said that people who receive the Mark of the Beast would do it with conviction. It is something that is enforced by the pain of not being able to participate in society and even death. That is why some people will receive it in their hand (their actions will comply even if they don’t agree) and some will receive it in their forehead (they will be convicted that it is the right thing to do).
Many Christians also feel that it would seem ridiculous that Sunday, the day on which majority of Christians worship, will one day be enforced as part of the Mark of the Beast. However, Matthew 24:24 tells us that the final powers of the earth would seek to deceive even “the very elect” of the church.
So many faithful Christians have been deceived on this very point of worship of God. They have unwittingly not given their full allegiance to the God of Creation. However, there will come a time when the distinction between the seventh-day Sabbath and the first-day observance will be brought to the forefront of the battle between Christ (and His people), and the Beast (and his people). It is then that the Sunday worship will be enforced as part of the Mark of the Beast.
The Call to Receive the Seal of God
In contrast to the restless striving symbolized by the Mark of the Beast 666, God calls His people to rest in His completed work. Hebrews 4:9-11 calls us to enter into God’s rest, ceasing from human works and learning to trust entirely in God’s divine provision to redeem us. Let us search the scriptures today so that we may be sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13) who enables us to be among those who “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).
