I've had experiences while paying for something and either the amount or change due came up to $6.66. Cashier have given me a strange look and changed the amount by a penny or so, explaining that they were afraid of the number and wanted to change it. I usually like to take the time to explain why the number isn't one to be feared but I probably don't make an impact on their superstition, but I try. Around Halloween the number, associated with evil, gets a lot of usage in various ways. For those who subscribe to the Premillennial doctrine, this number represents the Antichrist and is thought to be represented in many forms including data systems and government identification as a sign of the end times. Concern over the number and the resulting fear is another biblical misconception that's become embedded in mainstream thinking. Preoccupation with the number has produced a number of films and books about the diabolical Antichrist and his world domination. Video games have also been created that focus on the struggles of those who aren't taken from the Earth and have to endure a great tribulation during the reign of the Antichrist, or beast, who's represented by 666.
This idea comes from the book of Revelation in which John writes, "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." (Revelation 13.18). The first thing to note is that this is a singular individual, a man. Secondly, although the image of the beast is associated with a man, and represented by the number 666, he isn't referred to as the Antichrist. As a matter of fact, the term antichrist isn't found in the book of Revelation at all. So, where does the term antichrist come from and who is the antichrist. To answer that we have to go to John's epistles.
John wrote to Christians who appear to have been dealing with gnostic ideas being introduced in the church in the first century. John addresses these ideas and states, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." (1 John 2.18). Notice what John states here. At that time, the time of his writing, there were many antichrist's in the world. What is an antichrist, or, how does one become an antichrist? He answers that later in the epistle. "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (1 John 4.3). This passage is significant in identifying the antichrist.
Antichrist wasn't a reference to a particular individual. It was a spirit of unbelief that challenged the idea that Christ had come into the world. Gnostics denied Christ's deity, since in their view a pure god couldn't come into contact with sinful man. There's a lot involved in that but we can understand that anyone who opposes the Gospel and the identity of Christ as Lord is expressing the spirit of an antichrist. There are many ways that can be done aside from denying the lordship of Christ including teaching and practicing error that contradicts the message of the Gospel which comes to us from Christ, who received it from God and revealed it through the Holy Spirit. This spirit, that of antichrist, was present in the first century and is with us today.
How did this spirit of error concerning Christ, get connected to the beast-man represented by 666 in Revelation? The beast of Revelation opposes that which is good, especially the church, and so it seems logical to conclude that this beast-man is the antichrist. Except we already know that antichrist was a spirit of unbelief, not a person, and it was already at work in the world. The beast-man of Revelation has specific characteristics that would lead us to conclude that he opposes the identity of Christ and the truth of the revealed word but the term antichrist isn't found in the book, nor is it applied to this figure. To understand this misconception and the truth about 666 we have to remember the characteristics of the book of Revelation.
Revelation contains prophecies expressed in signs or symbolic language and are difficult to understand. The context of the book limits the time in which the prophecies were to be fulfilled stating they were to "shortly come to pass" (Rev 1.1), or "shortly be done" (Rev 22.6). As with other images in the book, we have to treat the number 666 symbolically as well. A key to understanding the number is in the behavior of the beast-man. This man would have the ability to deceive through lying wonders (Rev 13.14). What then is the reason for the number? We can answer that by looking at other numbers used in the Bible that have a powerful symbolic presence.
Three principal numbers are used to signify the identity, power and work of God. These numbers are one, three and seven. Seven in the scriptures is understood to denote completion, perfection and the fullness of God's work and power. The three numbers, 666, representing an agent of Satan, having the power to deceive, is significant. We have the number 6, which is very close to 7, repeated 3 times. The repetition of this number, and the attribute of deception on the part of the beast-man, implies that he'll be able to convince people that he is the power and truth of God when in reality he's a deceiver working to destroy souls.
Christ warned about false Christ's and prophets (Matt 24.24) and the scriptures contain other warnings about those who would deceive and lead others astray. The combined ability to appear to have the power of God as well as persecuting Christians appears to denote the presence of a powerful and convincing lie used to suppress the truth. Paul the apostle warned of a falling away, or apostasy in the church, and it's characteristics (2 Thess 2.3). What better way to deceive than to teach things that are close to the revealed truth, but not close enough to lead one to salvation. The beast-man of Revelation 13 may indeed be symbolic of an individual who will be succeeded by others like him perpetuating deception and distortion of God's truth causing souls to be lost. Paul states this would be possible because those deceived wouldn't receive the love of the truth but would accept and believe a lie (2 Thess 2.10-12).
The number should be understood as a warning to fear deception, not the presence of a demonic leader who'll take control of the world. We can avoid that by cultivating a desire to know the truth that's found in the scriptures The world is filled with doctrines that have some basis in the scriptures but lack the true power of God to save by teaching partial truths eliminating essential elements of the doctrine that's present in the scriptures. We don't need to be afraid of the number 666, but we do need to fear being fooled spiritually and lost eternally.