Thought for the Month - May 2008

"666" - By Pastor Ian Wilson

Robert Thorn is a senior American diplomat whose wife, Katherine, endures a difficult childbirth. Unknown to Katherine the new-born child has died. Thorn knows the news will devastate Katherine, who had suffered two previous miscarriages.

The hospital priest presents Thorn with another child born that night, whose mother died in childbirth. The priest compels Thorn to take the infant boy as his own; Katherine will never know the truth, and their son, which they name Damien, will be raised as their flesh and blood.

This is the introduction to the latest movie from Hollywood to cash in on the 666 issue (a 2006 re-make of ‘The Omen’).

The movie was released on the 6th June 2006 as the producers sought to use the date to promote the movie. This date has caused many to think about the Antichrist and Satan. In some places expectant mothers did what they could to prevent the children from being born on that ‘dreaded’ 666 date!

Some papers at the time carried an article about widow June Dumas, who turned 66 on the 6th June 06. She feared that this ‘satanic date’ would be the death of her. She was born at 6am on June 6, weighed 6llb 6 oz at birth and her mother had always warned her to beware of the 6th June 06. Thankfully she survived!

There is certainly a lot of hype and fear regarding the number 666.

Rev. 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.

What can we learn from this number? Six in scripture is a number associated with man. When something is repeated three times in scripture it is for emphasis. Another example of this repetition is found in Isaiah.

Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

I believe that antichrist will one day come to this world and he will be the ultimate in mans’ achievement, ingenuity and cleverness. I think this is what the 666 would teach us. Most of the other things you hear about the number 666 are just foolish speculation.

One of the names given to the antichrist is found in Paul’s letter to Thessalonica.

2 Thes. 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

He is called the “man of sin”. However, there is a greater man for you to consider, He is not the man of sin but He is the sinless man. Hebrews 4:15 describes Jesus Christ as being “without sin”.

If you trust the sinless man as your Saviour then you need not be concerned about the man of sin.

Are you SURE that you have your place booked in Heaven? Read this if you're not!