There is a theological idea going around that needs to be clarified. It concerns the Beast of Revelation in chapter 13. This idea states that 666 is not the number of 'a' man, but is the number of 'Man', the human race. This is, strictly speaking, wrong on a number of points.
Point 1: It is the number of a certain man because chapter 13 has just explained that the Beast is a man.
Point 2: Revelation tells us this because the Beast is captured at Armageddon and has it out with Jesus, who defeats and destroys both him and the False Prophet.
Point 3: Both Daniel and Ezekiel talk about the Antichrist in length as a world leader who arises in the latter days, takes over Israel briefly, and leads the forces of Armageddon.
Point 4: Jesus himself clearly refers to the antichrist as a man who "comes in his own name", and who occupies the "abomination of desolation" in the 3rd Temple for a short time.
Point 5: The Greek word for "man" in verse 18 is not "anthropos", meaning "human race", but "anthropOu", meaning something slightly different. Jesus called himself the son of "man", with the word "anthropou" used. But Jesus was not born of the entire human race, but of a focal point of it, namely Mary. The definite article "aner" for an individual man is not used because the Beast is not being named at that time. It wouldn't be wise to do so due to the fact that other people would have that name also, and it would cause trouble. The antichrist was not born yet, and the human race would continue until he rises out of it. Different languages have different expressions and intentions. We use the term "human race", refering to multi-beings, but human race is also the concept of "Man', a singular term referring to the whole as a concept, like "universe", consisting of many stars and galaxies, or "I am" as a concept term of "I live in space-time".
Point 6: It is out of context with the rest of the chapter to say that 666 is the number of the human race, as it makes no sense. This idea is not stated anywhere else in scripture. 6 might be the number of Man, since Adam was created on the 6th 'day', but not 666. There's no rationale given for it. Adam wasn't number 666 in God's plan. Besides, I know what 666 refers to, and what it is. It is a number on the concept-reality progression with its "zero factor" added. It is referring to the next level, that of 1998, the year of the European Union. 1998 is 7th level source, 3rd level "manifestation" or realization. Briefly explained, existence is first one basic idea - that of progression from source. But it is not just that. It is also "progression of source", due to the consecutive nature of the intervals. This causes a progressing union of laws, and so a progression in the manner of 2, 6, 18, 54, 162, etc. The Beast will take over the European Union, and will go out to conquer the world. He doesn't take over by himself, and so is part of a force. But he is a man, as is clearly indicated in the Bible.
Point 7: It is redundant in that we already know 666 refers to the antichrist, and the chapter is building up to a hint of the actual identity of this person who will be revealed in the latter days (which we have been in since 1944).
The confusion comes from the conflict between words used and ideas intended. Expressions change with each language, and it's many times important to use context to identify exact meanings.
Point 1: It is the number of a certain man because chapter 13 has just explained that the Beast is a man.
Point 2: Revelation tells us this because the Beast is captured at Armageddon and has it out with Jesus, who defeats and destroys both him and the False Prophet.
Point 3: Both Daniel and Ezekiel talk about the Antichrist in length as a world leader who arises in the latter days, takes over Israel briefly, and leads the forces of Armageddon.
Point 4: Jesus himself clearly refers to the antichrist as a man who "comes in his own name", and who occupies the "abomination of desolation" in the 3rd Temple for a short time.
Point 5: The Greek word for "man" in verse 18 is not "anthropos", meaning "human race", but "anthropOu", meaning something slightly different. Jesus called himself the son of "man", with the word "anthropou" used. But Jesus was not born of the entire human race, but of a focal point of it, namely Mary. The definite article "aner" for an individual man is not used because the Beast is not being named at that time. It wouldn't be wise to do so due to the fact that other people would have that name also, and it would cause trouble. The antichrist was not born yet, and the human race would continue until he rises out of it. Different languages have different expressions and intentions. We use the term "human race", refering to multi-beings, but human race is also the concept of "Man', a singular term referring to the whole as a concept, like "universe", consisting of many stars and galaxies, or "I am" as a concept term of "I live in space-time".
Point 6: It is out of context with the rest of the chapter to say that 666 is the number of the human race, as it makes no sense. This idea is not stated anywhere else in scripture. 6 might be the number of Man, since Adam was created on the 6th 'day', but not 666. There's no rationale given for it. Adam wasn't number 666 in God's plan. Besides, I know what 666 refers to, and what it is. It is a number on the concept-reality progression with its "zero factor" added. It is referring to the next level, that of 1998, the year of the European Union. 1998 is 7th level source, 3rd level "manifestation" or realization. Briefly explained, existence is first one basic idea - that of progression from source. But it is not just that. It is also "progression of source", due to the consecutive nature of the intervals. This causes a progressing union of laws, and so a progression in the manner of 2, 6, 18, 54, 162, etc. The Beast will take over the European Union, and will go out to conquer the world. He doesn't take over by himself, and so is part of a force. But he is a man, as is clearly indicated in the Bible.
Point 7: It is redundant in that we already know 666 refers to the antichrist, and the chapter is building up to a hint of the actual identity of this person who will be revealed in the latter days (which we have been in since 1944).
The confusion comes from the conflict between words used and ideas intended. Expressions change with each language, and it's many times important to use context to identify exact meanings.