666
For fun, take a trip to The Beast Page of Felix Just SJ :-). Here's a bit towards the end of it ...
What or Who Is the Beast?
The answer to this nearly 2000-year-old question depends on how you choose to interpret the Book of Revelation (a.k.a. the Apocalypse), the last book of the New Testament.
Near the middle of this highly symbolic book are descriptions of several strange creatures:
* First, "a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads"; it is described further after being defeated by Michael and his angels in a battle in heaven: "The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him" (Rev 12:3-18);
* Second, "a beast rising out of the sea having ten horns and seven heads; and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names... [it] was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority..." (Rev 13:1-10);
* Third, "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..." (Rev 13:11-18).
At the end of the paragraph about this third beast, the author challenges the reader with an intriguing puzzle: "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." (13:18).
.... What about June 6, 2006?
Relax! Although this date could be abbreviated 6/6/6, it has absolutely nothing to do with the "Beast" of the Book of Revelation!
***
Learn more about Fr. Just, Jesuit and Assistant Professor of Theology & Religious Studies at University of San Francisco, here
What or Who Is the Beast?
The answer to this nearly 2000-year-old question depends on how you choose to interpret the Book of Revelation (a.k.a. the Apocalypse), the last book of the New Testament.
Near the middle of this highly symbolic book are descriptions of several strange creatures:
* First, "a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads"; it is described further after being defeated by Michael and his angels in a battle in heaven: "The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him" (Rev 12:3-18);
* Second, "a beast rising out of the sea having ten horns and seven heads; and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names... [it] was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority..." (Rev 13:1-10);
* Third, "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..." (Rev 13:11-18).
At the end of the paragraph about this third beast, the author challenges the reader with an intriguing puzzle: "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." (13:18).
.... What about June 6, 2006?
Relax! Although this date could be abbreviated 6/6/6, it has absolutely nothing to do with the "Beast" of the Book of Revelation!
***
Learn more about Fr. Just, Jesuit and Assistant Professor of Theology & Religious Studies at University of San Francisco, here
posted by crystal | 9:55 AM
11 Comments:
So, three beasts??? I never had the patience to read the Book of Revelation carefully.:-).The site is really funny, thanks Crystal.
Do you know that a new "The Omen" movie is due soon? (Or is already playing since yesterday?I am not sure).
Crystal, I am going to post the link from your post.:-).
Hi Paula. I saw commercials for the movie, but haven't read a review yet ... I haven't read Revelation either - too scary! :-)
Very funny!
Did you take the Anti-Christ Quiz?
Jeff, no, not yet . I'll probably fail as I haven't been keeping up with my end of days info ... isn't it Bill Gates ? :-) Who did you pick?
If you picked all of them, you'd pretty much be right. :-)
Took the quiz and the result was "very good: you have all the instincts of a sleuth". :-).
I read a novel about the end time and the anti-christ was the last person you would have expected ... a clone of Jesus, made from the skin cells found in the shroud of turin, named Christopher :-) He seemed like a great guy until the very end.
Part of my dissertation has to do with the book of Revelations (there was a lavishly illustrated commentary on it that was big in medieval Spain -- google "Beatus of Liebana" for some beuatiful and weird medieval illuminations). The Book of Revelations is a strange and beautiful text.
a clone of Jesus, made from the skin cells found in the shroud of turin, named Christopher
Interesting premise. Sounds like 'The Boys From Brazil' gone biblical.
He seemed like a great guy until the very end.
Ah, that can be said about a lot of us guys! :-)
Jeff, that book was a trilogy written by a guy who had worked for the NSA :-) and it was actually pretty good ... a better "left behind" kind of story - The Christ Clone Trilogy
Liam, I looked the term up ... I like the picture that says "Somni de l'arbre gegant" ... I don't know what that means, but it had a nice tree :-)
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