garden at night for a source of light. After the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, the populace searched for a scapegoat. Rumors soon erupted that Nero was responsible. To deflect blame, Nero targeted Christians and ordered many thrown to dogs, while others were crucified and burned. Artists continued to create images of Nero long after his death, and a widespread belief persisted for centuries that he would somehow return.
The "mark of the Beast" was regarded by many Jews and Christians as the stamped image of Nero's head on the Roman coins that were issued and circulated before and during his reign, without which no one could buy or sell. Coins with the image of Nero were being issued as early as 50 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Claudius, who adopted Nero that same year and made him the successor to his throne. The author of Revelation envisions a future time when new coins will be issued and circulated bearing images or numbers representing a revived system of equally brutal and demanding rulership through economic slavery.
"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy...
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." --Revelation 13:1,11-17
Of note is a recent revival of the interpretation of 666 as the Quran and the identification of the final Antichrist as one who will usher in a revival of the Islamic caliphate mirroring that of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The Islamic world will believe him to be their longed-for redeemer. Both Sunni and Shia Muslims anticipate the approaching arrival of this Islamic leader, whom they refer to as the Mahdi . A hadith (or 'tradition', meaning a report of the teachings of Muhammad) about the Mahdi says that "he will have a broad forehead, a prominent nose and a mark on his right cheek. He will fill the earth with equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny, and will rule for seven years." Many Muslims believe that the Mahdi is identified in the Book of Revelation as the rider of the white horse who will "judge by the Quran". Radical jihadist groups and individual members are often seen wearing a bandana on their foreheads or around one of their arms with Arabic writing displayed that either reads There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger - or - In the name of Allah! The latter phrase in Arabic is the single word, "Bismillah". The same Arabic letters used to form this word read as the number "666" in the Greek language.
"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." --Revelation 6:2
The beast out of the earth in Revelation 13 is also called the false prophet. He performs great miracles and "signs" and commands that anyone who does not worship
The "mark of the Beast" was regarded by many Jews and Christians as the stamped image of Nero's head on the Roman coins that were issued and circulated before and during his reign, without which no one could buy or sell. Coins with the image of Nero were being issued as early as 50 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Claudius, who adopted Nero that same year and made him the successor to his throne. The author of Revelation envisions a future time when new coins will be issued and circulated bearing images or numbers representing a revived system of equally brutal and demanding rulership through economic slavery.
"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy...
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." --Revelation 13:1,11-17
Of note is a recent revival of the interpretation of 666 as the Quran and the identification of the final Antichrist as one who will usher in a revival of the Islamic caliphate mirroring that of the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The Islamic world will believe him to be their longed-for redeemer. Both Sunni and Shia Muslims anticipate the approaching arrival of this Islamic leader, whom they refer to as the Mahdi . A hadith (or 'tradition', meaning a report of the teachings of Muhammad) about the Mahdi says that "he will have a broad forehead, a prominent nose and a mark on his right cheek. He will fill the earth with equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny, and will rule for seven years." Many Muslims believe that the Mahdi is identified in the Book of Revelation as the rider of the white horse who will "judge by the Quran". Radical jihadist groups and individual members are often seen wearing a bandana on their foreheads or around one of their arms with Arabic writing displayed that either reads There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger - or - In the name of Allah! The latter phrase in Arabic is the single word, "Bismillah". The same Arabic letters used to form this word read as the number "666" in the Greek language.
"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." --Revelation 6:2
The beast out of the earth in Revelation 13 is also called the false prophet. He performs great miracles and "signs" and commands that anyone who does not worship
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