Revelation 13 – 666

The number 666 is notorious.  It represents evil.  This number comes from the Apocalypse of John (Revelation).  The Apocalypse is the mystical prophecies of a first century AD Christian by the name of John.  The Apocalypse is the last book in the Bible (Revelation).  666 is the number of the incarnation of evil in the last days just prior to the final battle between good and evil.  It is the number of a person, pejoratively called the beast, who will have all the authority of the Devil just as Jesus has all the authority of God.

The Apocalypse says:

“This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is 666.” (Revelation 13:18)

The Apocalypse invites us to calculate the number and thereby to identify the person.  The most likely theory is that the number stands for Nero who was emperor of Rome from AD54 to 68.  Nero initiated in those days a terrible persecution of Christians.

In classical Hebrew and Greek, the letters of the alphabet represent numbers.  In the first century, this provided an opportunity to make secret codes for the initiated.  The formal title of Nero in Greek was NERON KAISER.  If we transpose that into Hebrew letters we get NRON KSR.  There are no vowels in ancient Hebrew except the letter O.  If we add up the value of each letter we get 666!  N is 50. R is 200. O is 6.  N is 50.  K is 100. S is 60 and R is 200 = 666.  Nero’s formal title was sometimes written as NERO KAISER that is without the final N in NERON.  This fact is very important and adds weight to the theory that 666 is Nero.  Some ancient manuscripts of the Apocalypse have 616 instead of 666.  If we drop the final N = 50, lo and behold, we get 616.

The Apocalypse seems to be saying that in the last days the decisive battle between good and evil will take place.  In those days evil will be embodied in a person who will be like Nero but much worse and much more powerful.

Rev Dr Peter Pimentel

Isaiah 6 & Revelation 4 – Be transformed into the Body of Christ

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.” (Rev 4:8)

Holy, holy, holy is the lord almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory’. (Isaiah 6:3)

These verses from the prophet Isaiah and from the book of revelation are echoed in lots of Communion liturgy:

‘Holy, holy, holy Lord,

God of power and might,

Heaven and earth are full of your glory’

Holiness means to be set apart.  God called on Israel to be holy, to be set apart from other peoples.  God called for the Sabbath to Holy and to be set apart, a time where no work should take place.  God is holy, God is uniquely set apart, because of his uncreatedness.

God calls us to be holy, to be set apart, and this is what we enact as we move through the communion liturgy.  We sing or say ‘holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might’. This comes just as before we ask God to enact change.  We invoke the holy spirit over the bread and wine, and over the people. We also repeat the transforming words of Jesus: ‘this is my body … this is my blood’.  We call upon God’s promise of transformational holiness. (Paul Kennedy)

Augustine of Hippo an African bishop (354-430AD) tells us that this is not just about transforming bread and wine, but rather it is mainly about our own calling to be holy, to be the body of Christ.

If you, therefore, are Christ’s body and members, it is your own mystery that is placed on the Lord’s table! It is your own mystery that you are receiving! You are saying “Amen” to what you are: your response is a personal signature, affirming your faith. When you hear “The body of Christ”, you reply “Amen.” Be a member of Christ’s body, then, so that your “Amen” may ring true! (Augustine, sermon 272, a sermon on pentecost)

We are called to be holy, as we move through communion, we affirm our decision to become the body of Christ, and we are transformed