Where did 666 come from and why does it symbolize the devil?

Question

Where did 666 come from and why does it symbolize the devil?

Answer 1

It is first found in Chapter 13 of Revelation (the last book of the Bible):

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 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.

If one assume that Revelation was originally composed in Latin, then 666 becomes DCLXVI. DCLXVI is a decreasing sequence of Roman numerals (the modern equivalent would be 987654321) - so the obvious meaning is: 'that which diminishes to annihilation'.

But Revelation has come down to us in Greek - so most people prefer a more complicated explanation.

I shall stick to the obvious one.

....

I notice another poster on this thread has trotted out the old chestnut that David Selzer invented the name Damien for his 1976 movie 'The Omen'.

But Hermann Hesse published his novel 'Demian' in 1919 - and in fact the name with various spellings goes back at least 1500 years.

Answer 2

I know that this symbol is mentioned somewhere in the Book of Revelations and it actually symbolized the Anti-Christ that is supposed to come just before Christ reappears again on earth.  But I can't quote you chapter and verse.

Answer 3

The "number of the beast," 666, is derived from the book of Revelation -- the last book in the Christian Scriptures (a.k.a. New Testament). It is perhaps appropriate that it comes from the 13th chapter -- itself an unlucky number among the superstitious.

Revelation 13:11-18: And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 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." (King James Version)

A great deal of attention has been paid to the meaning of this number, particularly by conservative Protestants. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that "666" is simply a code referring to the Roman Emperor Nero. Many religious historians agree. Check http://www.religioustolerance.org/666.ht... for more information.