There are many speculations about the number 666, the number mentioned in the book of Revelation. No one could exactly pinpoint a single and definitive interpretation of it because the Bible does not explain it explicitly as to what it really stands for. All we know is that it is the number of the anti-Christ. What you are about to read here is my understanding of it.
Tracing the mention of the number six in the Bible, we find these relevant facts:
* The number six is the number of man. Man was created on the sixth day of Creation (see Genesis 1).
The anti-Christ therefore will be a man, a human being.
Re 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is six hundred and sixty-six.
* The number six was also associated with Goliath, the champion of the enemy of God's people Israel. Goliath was six cubits and a span. He had six pieces of armor and his spear's head weighed 600 shekels of iron (see 1 Sam 17:4-7).
Just as Goliath represented the champion of the enemy of God's people, Israel, so the anti-Christ will be the champion of Satan and the world against Israel during the Tribulation period.
Re 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?"
* The number six was also associated with Nebuchadnezzar's idolatrous image of gold. It had a height of sixty cubits and its width six cubits. All people were commanded to bow down to it and worship it when they hear six different times of music (Daniel 3:5). Anyone who will not bow down to it will be killed.
Just as Nebuchadnezzar set up an idolatrous image to be worshiped by all people under his dominion, the anti-Christ also will set up his own idolatrous image and demand that all people will bow down to it. Anyone who refuses to do so will be put to death.
Re 13:14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed
* The number six is the number of man since he was created on the sixth day of Creation. However, during the time of Noah, humanity was divided into three. Humanity since then was divided into three different subdivisions, humanity could be traced into three different lines--the lines of Shem, Ham and Japeth (see Gen. 10:1).
To have dominion over the three is to have dominion over all humanity. The anti-Christ will have worldwide dominion over all humanity during the Tribulation Period.
Re 13:7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
Conclusion
Based on the facts we gathered, it seems that 666 represents a man, a human being, who will have worldwide dominion, who will be Satan's champion and the people of the world against God's people, Israel, during the Tribulation period, who will set up an idolatrous image of his own to be worshiped by all. Anyone who refuses to do so will be put to death.
