The eighteenth verse of the thirteenth chapter of the Revelation of Jesus Christ in the King James version reads like this: “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.”
From an old Iron Maiden song to the movie Omen, the media has had a field day with the number of the beast. I do not think I personally know a single person who do NOT know of this number.
After getting saved, I’ve read many different theories on this, from computer chip implants to some US Presidents (why only US, I do not know) and even it being Islam. Since the Bible told us that “it is the number of a man”, I did not give much credit to that.
Now I have come across something that I felt I should share, not because I am convinced of it, but because I felt it is worth looking into.
The theory goes like this.
- In the Greek manuscripts, the number 666 in Revelation 13:18 is rendered in Greek numerical form as χξϛʹ, which then got rendered in the written form as as ἑξακόσιοι ἑξήκοντα ἕξ, hexakósioi hexēkonta héx, “six hundred and sixty-six”.
- “number of a man” in Rev 13:18 is better translated “Multitudes” of a man thus: “Here is chochmah. Let him that has binah consider the multitude of the beast: for it is the multitude of a man; and his multitude is encoded in ‘chi, xi, sigma’” Gilyahna (Revelation) 13:18 (RSTNE).
- John the Apostle was not shown the number 666, but rather three symbols which he copied down to the best of his understanding. In other words, what John saw was not the number 666, but symbols which he wrote in Greek as χξϛʹ (chi, xi, sigma).
- The hand written text from codex vaticanus shows that the last Greek letter is an accent not a letter and that the first Greek letter ‘chi’ looks like two crossed swords.
Based on the above points, the proponents of this theory believe that what is written as “χξϛ” is the very symbol of Islam!
I found the following video illustrating this in what I felt was the most unbiased manner possible. If you are interested in pursuing this more, google Walid Shoebat. Please note that I did not make this video and have nothing to do with its host site.
If the above video does not load, please try this link