666 – Pastor Tom's Community

Revelation 13:11-18

Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of all; and by the signs that it is allowed to perform on behalf of the beast, it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived; and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast could even speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred sixty-six.

How easy it is to venerate dragons and beasts. They are remarkable … or so they seem. They purport to be more than they are, and they put on a good show. God puts on a far better show, but we say, "Oh that is just nature; I want super-nature." And the super nature has never held a candle to the wonders of nature itself, and nature itself is subservient to something far greater than itself. Beasts and dragons are mortal; yet we worship them.

How odd.

Temporal power is so often an illusion.

One beast bestows it upon another. None of it is eternally real. It is a deception. Big explosions fall short. A six is one less than the number of perfection. Three sixes are a trinity of imperfection, missing the mark, and falling short.

Evil corruption of power approximates righteousness without achieving it

Jesus used signs to point people to truth, but he always emphasized that it was not the sign that mattered. It was the truth. It was the lesson.

Evil uses signs to accumulated power. Evil pretenders use signs to gain power. Jesus used the power he already had to do good, to heal the sick, to deliver the oppressed, forgive sin, and to point people toward God.

Rulers of Rome claimed divinity as a part of their reign. They demanded worship and participation in the imperial cult. Not participating had social, economic, and sometimes life-threatening consequences.

The symbols and metaphors of this part of John's vision speak to the reality of on-the-ground persecution and oppression of the people of God by those who wield and seek to acquire more illegitimate power for themselves.

"This calls for wisdom …" – Revelation 13:18

Rather than trying to figure out who the ultimate and last deceiver, trickster, miracle worker, and enslaver of souls is, one might be better informed to ask, "Who or what is it now?" What seeks to overwhelm me with something short of awe and wonder, something more like being extremely impressed. What is it and who is it that wants me to think that he or it is greater than God and calls for my loyalty, rewarding it with access by cornering the market on materialism.

Buying and selling can be restricted to those who are marked with loyalty to false gods. It has happened throughout history. "You want in? Join our club. Accept our ideology? Surrender your freedom before God? Align with our cult? Be wowed by our power? Take our mark."

Our choice to participate in the deception, temporal enticements, and inducements of the power systems of this world and age will reflect what we truly believe and value.

We can stand apart.

We can resist.

We can align with the Kingdom of God.

We can insist upon truth. We can embrace eternity. We can proclaim our loyalty to the movement and person on Jesus. We can decide to live radical lives of nonconformists. We can commit to loving God and neighbors and practicing the upside down ethics o
f God's rule. We can trust God and follow Jesus, living by grace and faith.

We can live as citizens of Heaven.

But it may cost us.

It is six – not Seven.

Seven is perfection. Six falls short.

Seven-Seven-Seven would be the genuine, real, and eternal God-head — triple perfection! The word for "sin" in Greek is missing the mark – even by an inch. Six-Six-Six is triple that!

The rulers of deception form trinities of mark-missing, impressive systems that attract masses who want the instant gratification or fear being left out.

This word was not meant just for the generation that first received it – but it was meant for them. It is certainly not meant just for our generation or any last generation. It is meant for every generation that is apt to take some mark, some easy road to access and commercial inclusion.

It is meant for me. It is meant for you – no matter what time it might be on some eternal "clock."

The Apocalypse is now; it always has been; it always applies to any generation, some, historically, more than others it seems. Yet, it is always an eternal reality breaking through i time and space. It is a spiritual battle in the material world.

It a world of cheap imitations and false heroes, luring us with their bright and brilliant sixes, choose seven, God's perfect and completeness.

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