Pray first
A lot of people speculate on the meaning of the 666 in Revelation. Research turned up some interesting information that is too much of a coincidence so I wanted to pass it on.
Background: The Bible tells us the only true way to God is by having a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. However, a lot of religions in the world today tell people that if they say certain prayers over and over they can get God to hear them. This type of worship is false and is blasphemy to God. God doesn't want us to repeat empty prayers over and over to Him..
Matthew 6:7 says: But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:7 not to use vain repetitions when we pray. God wants to have a personal relationship with you. When you pray just tell Him what your needs are, thank Him for His blessings, ask forgiveness when you do wrong and basically just have a chat with Him about things going on in your life.
Ok so now the 666 part:
Revelation 17:3 says: So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
This beast in Revelation 17 seems to represent a religious and government organization that evolves and then merges together during the tribulation.
The seven heads are interpreted in Revelation 17:9 as seven hills and probably represent Rome. The ten horns seem to be government leaders, probably the UN Security Council, because it already has ten ambassadors that represent the whole world right now.
The names of blasphemies on the beast may represent the different false religions in the world. The color scarlet represents sin and means this beast organization is covered completely in sin and is totally against God,- both the government and the religious sections.
In doing research (after asking God for guidance) on the world religions today we found a strange common denominator with these false religions.
We found out that each of the main religions in the world have prayer beads. (Not including the Jews.) Below is a description of prayer beads from www.wikipedia.com Notice the description says the beads are used to "count" prayers.
"Prayer beads are traditionally used to keep count of the repetitions of prayers, chants or devotions by adherents of religion. Since the beads can be fingered in an automatic manner, they allow one to keep track of how many prayers have been said with a minimal amount of conscious effort..."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_beads
Below I've included a list of all the major world religions and the number of their prayer beads.
Bahá'í Faith (95 counts) Bahá'ís recite the phrase "Alláhu Abhá", a form of the Greatest Name, 95 times per day...There are two main types of Baha'i prayer beads. One consists of 95 beads... The other main type has 19 beads strung with the addition of five beads below. This counts Alláhu Abhá 95 times (19*5).
Buddhism (111 counts) Prayer beads, or Japa Malas, are also used in many forms of Mahayana Buddhism, often with a lesser number of beads (usually a divisor of 108).Malas are also used in many forms of Mahayana Buddhism, often with a lesser number of beads (usually a divisor of 108). In Pure Land Buddhism, for instance, 27 bead malas are common. In China such malas are named "Shu-Zhu" (数珠）; in Japan, "Juzu". These shorter malas are sometimes called 'prostration rosaries', because they are easier to hold when enumerating repeated prostrations. In Tibetan Buddhism malas are also 108 beads: one mala counts as 100 mantras, and the 8 extra are meant to be dedicated to all sentient beings (the practice as a whole is dedicated at its end as well). because they are . In Tibetan Buddhism, often larger malas are used of for example 111 beads: when counting, they calculate one mala as 100 mantras, and the 11 additional beads are taken as extra to compensate for errors.
Catholic (60 counts) The Rosary is an important and traditional devotion of the Roman Catholic Church, combining prayer and meditation in sequences of reciting prayers of an Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and a Glory Be to the Father, as well as a number of other prayers (such as the Apostle's Creed and the Hail Holy Queen) at the beginning and end.
Anglican Rosary (33 counts) In the mid-1980s the Anglican Rosary or "Christian prayer beads" was developed in the Episcopal Church. They have since been adopted by some Protestants. The set consists of 33 beads (representing the 33 years of the life of Christ) arranged in four groupings of symbolic significance.
Pearls of Life (18 counts) The contemporary Pearls of Life, Lutheran Church, is a set of 18 beads, some round and some elongated, arranged in an irregular pattern.
Hinduism (108 counts) The earliest use of prayer beads can be traced to Hinduism, where they are called Japa Mala. Japa Mala is the repeating of the name of a deity. Japa mala are used for repetition of a deity, for other forms of spiritual exercise, and as an aid to meditation. The most common Japa mala have 108 beads.
Islam (99 counts) In Islam, prayer beads are referred to as Misbaha or Tasbih, and contain 99 beads, corresponding to the 99 Names of Allah. Sometimes only 33 beads are used, in which case one would cycle through them 3 times to equal 99. Use of the Misbaha to count prayers and recitations is an evolution of Muhammad's practice of using the fingers of his right hand to keep track. They are most commonly made of wooden beads, but also of olive seeds, ivory, amber, pearls or plastic.
Sikhism (108 counts) Sikhs use ...108 beads.
Non-denominational (28 counts) Non-denominational prayer beads borrow from many traditions without adhering solely to any one religion or creed. They are neutral in nature so that, as a spiritual practice, they can fit into an already existing belief set as easily as they can stand on their own. Non-denominational prayer beads can act as a focusing tool in prayer or meditation.
Here’s the verse in Revelation 13:18
“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 you total up the prayer beads from the major world religions you get 660. If you total up the prayer beads from all religions except Christian (the Catholic rosary) then you come up with 600. The Catholic rosary makes up 60 beads.
My theory is the Vatican Catholic church plays a big part in combining the religions together to make up the beast talked about in Revelation 17, so the number 60 may be important when you reference the way the verse in Revelation states the number. Revelation 13:18 says the number is 600 – 60 – 6.
But the number we are looking for is 666. So where does the other 6 come in?
Tony Blair, the former prime minister of Britain, is starting a "Faith and Globalization" organization that is working to unite all faiths, concentrating on the 6 major religions of the world today. 6! According to Revelation 13:18 the number six is the number of a man.
You can watch or read Tony Blair's speech here: http://tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/2008/05/tony-blairs-speech-to-launch-t.html
Here's the home page: http://tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/
This organization is in its beginning stages right now and will be operating under the pretense of saving people from malaria. I say it will be operating under the pretense of fighting malaria because I think this is the "good intention" that will be used as a deception by Satan. If you look at the other objectives of this organization you will see one of the major reasons for its existence is to unite faiths together. It will also be working with the United Nations in pursuing the UN's Millennium Development Goals.
This Faith and Globalization organization could be the perfect way for Satan to bring together the "false" Christian faith (through the Vatican located in Rome), the United Nations and all other false religions in the world to create the beast spoken of in Revelation 13 and 17. The organization’s ability to unite the religious, governmental and false religions into one may be the final “6” needed.
Notice in the quotes below taken from the Faith and Globalization website that "faith has to be rescued from those who would use it to divide". In other words it sounds like if you don't accept their method of Faith and Globalization then you will be closed out. According to God's Word there is only ONE way to heaven and to unite religious faith together just to bring peace to the world would be wrong.
Also notice in the quotes below how the organization will use "modern communication" to "educate". Take a look at Revelation 13:15 and think about how an image of this beast agenda could be portrayed on a computer or even a cell phone.
Here are some quotes from the website:
"Tony Blair has argued that faith has to be rescued from those who would use it to divide and those determined to write it off as an irrelevance. By stressing the values of respect, justice and compassion which the great religions hold in common, he believes faith can help unite the World and shape its direction for the better.
It will use the power of modern communications to step up efforts to educate, inform and develop understanding about the different faiths and between them.
In the first three years of the Foundation, priority will be given to encouraging inter-faith initiatives to tackle global poverty and to improve understanding of the great religions through education at every level."
The website tells us that for the first three years of the Foundation, priority will be given to encouraging inter faith initiatives. According to the Bible, for the first three and a half years of the tribulation, there will be a appearance of peace. What will the foundation require after the first three years, mandatory inter faith initiatives??
I previously thought the rapture would be before the United States inauguration; however after some careful study I found that the Hebrew meaning of the word "strong" in Daniel 8:8 is different than what I originally took it for.
Daniel 8:8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
The original meaning of the Hebrew word atsam, interpreted as "strong" in the King James Bible among other things means "to shut" (eyes) or "to shut tightly" (eyes). It's possible if President Bush was indeed the he-goat then the rapture would have to be as soon as he was out of office. Maybe even a little while afterwards because his term in office must tightly be shut.
I'm not predicting a date for the rapture, only God the Father knows the day and hour. But there are TOO many things going on right now that validate Christ's SOON return and Christ's Word tells us that we as His children are NOT in darkness that that day should overtake us like a thief. (1 Thess 5:4)
He tells us in Matthew 24:44 to watch and be ready. He also tells us over and over that we will not know the day or the hour of Christ's return but it doesn't say we won't know the season, month or even the week. Matt 24:36, Matt 24:42, Matt 24,44, Matt 24:50, Matt 25:13, 1 Thess 5:2, 1 Thess 5:4, 2 Peter 3:10, Rev. 3:3, Rev. 16:15