What is your number?

There are many Chinese people, especially businessmen, who try to get good numbers for their home, business, phone numbers and cars. Even dates for important transactions are fixed based on this. The number 8 is especially well used because it sounds like the word for prosperity in the Chinese language. There is also another set of numbers that is commonly used. 666. However, it means something else in the Bible.

Revelation 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 666.

2 beasts and a dragon are pictured as doing everything possible to speak against God and force everyone to worship them to the point of killing those who refuse. There will be great trouble at that time, and it will not be pretty. Were these literal beasts? Or, perhaps John's spiritual eyes were opened to see what these were. To the ordinary man they may not see the demonic nature of these individuals.

Revelation 13:1, Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.

Revelation 13:11, Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.

There are many movies and computer games that build their characters around this imagery and I sometimes wonder what is the agenda. We must be wise in these end times. Perhaps, they seem to be charismatic leaders with great ability, but we do not have the spiritual view of these leaders. I don't think they would be well accepted if they came looking like monsters. They would come subtly and camouflaged taking authority over mankind.

Father, give me wisdom in knowing what consumes my day (and night). Fill me with your Word so that I may be built up to build others.

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