Mark of the Beast

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KATHLEEN DIMICK wrote:

> "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."
> Revelation 13:18 (KJV)
> 
> This verse clearly says it is the number of **A** man,
> not 'of man'.  I understand the reasoning throughout the
> numerology thing.
> 
I hope I am not intruding, but I would like to offer a more viable
understanding than that of Pastor Dan's spiritualization of Rev. 13:8. 
I noticed that you agree the ideas that he proposes has very little
scriptural support, and his conclusions tend to be arbitrary.

I am of the opinion that the scriptures are not written in some esoteric
fasion, with hidden meanings and secretive phrases to be understood by
numerology and whatnot.  Too many people use numerology as if it is a
science, which, it is not.  

I believe you are right when you note that the number 666 is the number
of **A** man who represents the beast.  666 is a NUMERIC VALUE and not
not a numerological puzzle.  John says "**count* the number of the beast
for it is the number of a man."  A simple statement in which the
ancients would immediately understand and calculate.    

As in most ancient languages the alphabet served double duty.  Hebrew,
as well as Greek, had each letter serve alphabetically and carry a
numeric value.  

For instance, the Greek Alpha (a) carried the value of one, Beta = 2,
Gamma = 3, Delta = 4, Epsilon = 5, Zeta = 6....Xi = 60.....Chi = 600
etc.

Thus any word or group of words could also have a numeric value.  We
(modern day Christians) have avoided this by using the Roman alphabet
for letters and the Arabic alphabet for numbers.  But with the ancients
it was a natural thing to comprehend both the name and the numeric value
at the same time.  

This fact tells me once again that the book of Revelation was not John's
labored attempt to describe technology future to his day but a
comtemporary epistle to the seven churches of Asia Minor.  John tells
his contemporaries "Let him who has understanding count".  It would
require someone with knowledge of the language.  Nero Ceasar just
happens to calculate as the numeric value 666.  

I think this is a more viable expaination than that of the esoteric
symbolism of Pastor Dan.