This is a short tract on 666.   It goes into more detail on the hierarchy
and compliments the article "666 and 144,000 - a comparison."  These
notes are intended to compliment the main articles, and to go into
greater detail on some points, but aren't intended to replace them. 

(update: 1/30/06) 

An excellent resource for some commentary on 666 and early bible
manuscripts is http://geneva.rutgers.edu/src/faq/666.txt, written about
14 years ago.  While comparing 144,000 to 666, and the
gospel to the beliefs of the catholic church is enough to prayerfully
determine the actual meaning of the bible without spending scholarly
time comparing bible manuscripts, there may be an additional clue for
readers of the greek manuscrips according to the above link:

a) The Textus Receptus writes out 666 as a number, with a horizontal
line as done in greek. 144,000 is also like this with a line as greeks did
when writing numbers.  And there are no verse numbers or chapter
numbers separating those two verses, 13: 18 and 14:1 - they didn't
exist in the original. 

b) Father in verse 14:1 also has a horizontal line in the oldest existing
copy. A helpful clue to readers of the original greek manuscript,
because all three key things are overlined and separated by only a
few words.  This is also figurable in other ways, since Babylon is a great
whore with many fathers for her children.  

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666 is a hierarchy of numerals by mathematical definition. It isn't likely to change depending on which common number system you use.
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=hierarchy


Roman: DCLXVI
Greek: 600 60 6 (when translated)
Hebrew: Likewise

We didn't use the Arabic system until 700+ years after Revelation was written, but if you write out the numerals as independent values (something that is taught in elementary school)

Arabic: 6*10^2 6*10^1 6*10^0

These are all by definition hierarchies. The Roman Catholic church also claims to be a hierarchy, and has since at least 100AD.  The concept of the hierarchy is an important part of Roman Catholic system, its what distinguishes a community of believers, where everyone is equally part of the body of Christ from the system of the antichrist, where the pope rules at the top, replacing Jesus Christ as the head of the church, and the laity (common people) have absolutely no say in the church itself.  Its the system that spawned the inquisitions, wars, and the entire system of kings/serfs that operated under the pope.


666 is suppose to contrast the 144,000 in Chapter 14.  The 666 all claim to be fathers, while the 144,000 all have the name of Jesus's Father written in their foreheads. Babylon is literally a whore with many fathers of her children.

And as assurance that this is true, this is fundamental to what being a Christian means. Who is your father?  Are you born again?

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
John 17:11