Apocalypse Revealed #610
610. And its number is 666. This symbolically means, their character being this, that by them all the Word's truth has been falsified.
The number of the beast symbolizes the character of the arguments the clergy use from the Word to defend their doctrine and faith (nos. 608, 609). Six hundred and sixty-six symbolizes every truth having to do with goodness, and because the statement is made in application to the Word, it symbolizes every truth in the Word having to do with goodness, in this case that truth falsified, because the number is the number of the beast.
This is the symbolic meaning because six has the same symbolism as three multiplied by two, and three symbolizes completeness and all and is predicated of truths (no. 505), while two symbolizes the marriage of truth and good. So, because six is composed of these two numbers multiplied together, therefore it symbolizes every truth in the Word having to do with goodness, in this case that truth falsified. That it also was falsified by the clergy may be seen in no. 566 above.
The number is said to be 666, because it contains the number six repeated three times, and tripling it makes it complete. Multiplying six by one hundred to make six hundred, and by ten to make sixty, does not change the number's symbolic meaning, as may be seen in no. 348 above.
[2] That the number six symbolizes completeness and all, and is used when the subject is truths having to do with goodness, may be seen from passages in the Word where that number is mentioned. However, the symbolism of the number appears clearly only to people who see the things contained in the spiritual sense. As for instance, the Lord's saying that the seeds that fell on good ground yielded fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred (Mark 4:8, 20, Matthew 13:8, 23); and that a landowner went out and hired laborers for his vineyard at the third hour and at the sixth hour (Matthew 20:3, 5). Also that the table in the Tabernacle had on it cakes of showbread arranged in two rows, each containing six cakes (Leviticus 24:6). That there were set six waterpots for the purification of the Jews (John 2:6). That there were six cities of refuge or of asylum (Numbers 35:6-7, Deuteronomy 19:1-9). That the measuring reed with which the angel measured all parts of the new temple and new city was six cubits long (Ezekiel 40:5). That the prophet drank water by measure, a sixth of a hin (Ezekiel 4:11). That they took as an offering a sixth of an ephah of a homer of wheat (Ezekiel 45:13).
Since the number six symbolizes completeness, therefore words for separating a sixth part came into use, which in the spiritual sense symbolizes something that is complete and entire, as that they gave a sixth part of an ephah of a homer of barley (Ezekiel 45:13). And regarding Gog, "I will turn you around and leave but a sixth part of you" (Ezekiel 39:2). This last symbolically means that in Gog all truth in the Word having to do with goodness is destroyed. Just who are meant by Gog may be seen in no. 859.
Revelation 12
1
A great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
2
She was with child. She cried out in pain, laboring to give birth.
3
Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.
4
His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
5
She gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to God, and to his throne.
6
The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.
7
There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war.
8
They didn't prevail, neither was a place found for him any more in heaven.
9
The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he 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.
10
I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now is come the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.
11
They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life, even to death.
12
Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time."
13
When the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
14
Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15
The serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.
16
The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon spewed out of his mouth.
17
The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep God's commandments and hold Jesus' testimony.
