God Himself commanded us to be wise and vigilant in order to be able to correctly place the signs of the times. He even asked us to calculate with the numbers of the letters themselves when he spoke: 

Rev 13:18: "This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666."

The word that many translated as "calculate" or "to count" literally means "to count with a small smooth stone, a pebble". In fact, the Greeks and Romans used flat river pebbles marked with letters as calculating stones. This made calculating much easier. Since there were no special characters for numbers in Hebrew and Greek at that time, each letter of the alphabet was assigned a special numerical value (NV). This meant that each person and each place name automatically had a specific numerical value (NV). Calculating the "number of the beast" with flat pebbles therefore means finding a person's name whose individual letters add up to 666. The numerical values play an important role in Gematria (=interpretation of words with the help of numbers; see Wikipedia). In other words: Gematria is an alphanumeric code of assigning a numerical value to a name, word or phrase based on its letters.The numerical values of the individual letters are no secret and clearly defined (PDF download see below):

On the Internet, under the keyword "Gematria Calculator", various programs are offered which simplify the calculation of the numerical values of names in different languages.

The 22 ancient Hebrew letters were used to express also numbers. For a better overview we have added the Arabic numerals below the respective letters. A Hebrew naturally only had to orientate himself by the letters. Five of them (with the numerical values 20, 40, 50, 80, 90) had a slightly different shape at the end of the word in the lower part of the character. But the numerical value remained the same and was only changed much later, which is, however, of no importance for our question:

It should be noted that the Hebrew texts are not read from left to right, but from right to left. Thus, the order of the letters would also have to be arranged in this way. However, since most people are not familiar with this way of reading, the letters have been arranged according to the usual sequence of numbers for a better overview.

The following figure shows the 22 Hebrew letters in two fonts: Times New Roman and Arial (below):

In its classical and modern forms, the Greek alphabet has 24 letters, ordered from Alpha to Omega. The well-known letter sigma (Σ, numerical value 200) has σ within a word and ς only at the end of a word. An example: Ιησους (Iesous = Jesus). Furthermore, the letter Ypsilon (Υ, U; NW 400) is not only pronounced as Y, but also as U or W after vowels. The NT was written with the 24 main letters. They also play the decisive role in the calculation of the 666 (see also 777 and 888: Link). However, the Ancient Greek alphabet has 27 letters. There were 3 more characters in the early form of the Greek alphabet; i.e. in the alphabetic ("Milesian") system of Greek numerals (see Wikipedia: Greek Numerals): Digamma* (Ϝ, ϝ; since the Middle Ages Stigma in the appearance of a snake: Ϛ, ϛ; NV 6), Qoppa (NV 90) and Sampi (NV 900). The 27 ancient Greek letters were listed in the Milesian number system in three rows of 9 (3x9=27). The following illustrations show the uppercase and lowercase Greek letters in the Times New Roman font and their numeric values:

For more information on the numerical values of the ancient Greek letters, see Alphabets and numerical values 

Man was created on the 6th day. The 6 is the number of man. The 6 mentioned three times in the 666 symbolizes the complete human attitude and stands for the Antichrist, who fights against God or Jesus (numeric value 888, symbol for eternity). The 666 does not want to be guided by the 888 and goes its own way. There are some difficulties with the calculation, because the 666 can be calculated from several names or from different combinations of letters. Thus it is also possible to accuse the wrong person and cause great damage. For example, the name of a family member or even the mother-in-law's name could result in the number 666, so bad comments could create unnecessary conflicts. In addition, whoever accuses the wrong political leader and insults him publicly could be punished very hard in some countries. Therefore, Christians should keep the knowledge of the possible name in their hearts and remember the warning of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew:

Mt 7:6: "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."

There is also no benefit at all if someone can calculate the right person, but has no love in himself, because knowledge alone will not save a person from death (1Cor 13). Therefore, the most important thing is to listen to Jesus and to follow him in everything, so that the own name is written in the Book of Life. We must first of all seek the Christ (Jesus) and not the Antichrist.

In determining the 666, there are some unclear aspects why we need the help of the Holy Spirit:

1. First name, last name, title? The Bible does not say whether the "number of a person" means the complete name or just a first or last name? It was also not clarified exactly whether titles (e.g. king, president, minister, pope) may be added or not?
2. Language? Which language is meant? Should those letter-numbers or "flat pebbles" be taken from the Hebrew, Greek or even the Latin alphabet? The language of the Roman Catholic Church was Latin for centuries. But when John received the Revelation from Jesus, Greek was the world language and it was also the language in which the NT was written. So it is obvious to use either the Greek or the Hebrew numerical values, but not the Latin ones. Latin (Roman) is not a biblical language, otherwise any national language could have been used and the chaos with many misinterpretations would have no end.
   The choice of language is crucial, because international names have different numerical values than their Greek equivalents. An example: the name Jesus (Ιησους) has the numerical value 888 in Greek, but only 818 in English because the letter "u" is missing, when the Greek alphabet is used as a basis. In the Slavic languages a "z" is used (Jezus) and in Italian (Gesù) and Aramaic (Yeshua) the name is completely different and makes everything more complicated (see examples). Thus, the choice of language and the choice of alphabet determines a different numerical value even for the same person:
             Ι*10 + η*8 + σ*200 + ο*70 + υ*400 + ς*200 = 888
            J*10 + e*8 + s*200 + u*400 + s*200 = 818
   With other names (Matthew, John) the international difference is even greater. Therefore it makes sense to look at the Greek (or Hebrew) version of each name. So the calculation is made in the same language in which the NT (or OT) was written, and not in one that did not yet exist at the time of John. Under the keyword "Gematria Calculator", various conversion programs are offered on the Internet which simplify the calculation of the number of a name.
3. Letters? Many of today's languages have their own letters, which the Hebrew and Greek alphabets did not know at all (e.g. c, ä, ö, ü, ł). How should these be treated? Is a related Greek letter used or is it left out? The vowels are not counted at all in Hebrew. And even in Greek, some of our modern national letters or characters have no numerical value because they do not appear in the old alphabet. With some letters it is easy (e.g. A, B), because a clear assignment can be given. With other letters (e.g. C; English Claus, German Klaus) it is much more difficult because this Latin letter "c" does not exist in the Greek alphabet and either gamma (G; NV 3), kappa (K; NV 20) or chi (Ch; NV 600) are possible (or an exclusion). Therefore it is always important to consider what a person's name is in the Greek (or Hebrew) language. Then these problems do not exist, because only one specific numerical value is assigned to each letter.

In order to be able to calculate the name which is behind the 666, the characters in the alphabets are available in ones (1-9), tens (10-90) and hundreds (100-900) rows. In Hebrew, only consonants are counted, since the vowels are not represented by letters (except for the vowelised consonants). The Gematria (interpretation of words by numbers) is useful in a serious and correct application. But it can also produce a lot of nonsense. If you do not want to become a seducer of other people, you should consider all analysed results with care. We should not waste our energy looking for the 666 in the past, especially not before the time before the Revelation was even written, but concentrate on the present time and a current person. The book of Revelation spoke of the Antichrist who will appear at the end of days, just before the second return of Jesus Christ. It was never about the centuries before, even though there were several political foreshadows as Antichrists already.

Many Christians have senselessly wasted energy to seek the Antichrist in the past. And some spend more time on this than reading the Word of God (Bible) and listening to Christ. Some examples of the wrongly calculated persons:

NIMROD is often associated with the 666 in literature and internet. However, the 666 calculated by C. Bruston in the 1890s is not correct for the Hebrew "Nimrod son of Kush" (נמרד בן כש), because Bruston left out the letter Waw (numerical value 6) in the word Kush (כוש) (K*20 + W*6 + Sch*300 = 326). This interpretation is based only on the assumption that perhaps the Sumerian word root of Kush (כש instead of כוש) is meant, which is not found in the Bible, not even isolated in the word Kushites. In the Bible, Kush has the numerical value 326 (כוש, see: Gen 2:13; 10:6,7,8,9; 1Chron 1:8,9,10). The word Ben (בן, son; numerical value 52) was placed before the parent in Hebrew. Example: the son of the Hagar is called "Ben Hagar" (Gen 21:9) and of the Milka is called "Ben Milka" (Gen 24:15). The three words used in the Hebrew Bible: Kush (326), Ben (52) and Nimrod (294) together make 672, i.e. 6 too many (294+52+326 = 112x6). In the long version of the name Nimrod there are even 12 too many, so 678 (=300+52+326 = 113x6). Nimrod, like many other rulers after him, was at most a foreshadow of the so-called "beast" of the end times. But he has nothing at all to do with the Antichrist (666) mentioned in Revelation, even if both show the same attitude of mind in various points, namely disobedience and rebellion against the Law of God. 

Also EMPEROR NERO is in the Hebrew spelling (נרון קסר) as "Neron Qaesar" very often associated with the 666 (N*50 + R*200 + W*6 + N*50 = 306) + (Q*100 + S*60 + R*200 = 360) = 666. This does not help us either, because it is a person from the past and it is a translation from Greek into Hebrew. Nero was a forerunner of the future Antichrist, but not "the beast" in the end times. In Hebrew we read from right to left:

EMPEROR FREDERICK II and POPE GREGORY IX called each other the Antichrist in 1239. Not only that, even the papal candidates competing for the throne in the Vatican used this word to eliminate unwelcome candidates.

MARTIN LUTHER accused the POPE of anti-Christianity and said the famous sentence: "The Pope has always been and still is, according to God's word, the Antichrist" (The German original is rhyming: "Der Papst schon immer war und ist, laut Gottes Wort der Antichrist). For the Reformers, the Vatican, which replaced the Word of Jesus (Bible) with Church dogmas, was the origin of all anti-Christian and false teachings. The Pope on the other hand gave this title "Antichrist" back to Luther and excommunicated him. The Roman (Latin) numeral script did not know a zero and assigned specific numerical values to certain Latin letters, which were used until the Middle Ages:

I (1), V (5), X (10), L (50), C (100), D (500) and M (1000)

The first 6 letters of this series add up to 666 (1+5+10+50+100+500). In the literature it is often claimed that on the TIARA of the Pope the following words are written: "VICARIVS FILII DEI" (Vicar or Representative of the Son of God), which in Latin numerical writing would result in the sum 666: VICARIVS FILII DEI = 5+1+100+1+5+1+50+1+1+500+1 = 666. But this information does not help us at all, because Rev 13:18 is not about a title, but about a specific name. It is about the identification of a quite specific person who will briefly appear on the world stage in the Last Days, and it is not about all the popes of history as such, even if they have often manipulated the Word of God. "Contrary to some claims, no tiara has ever been inscribed with the phrase Vicarius Filii Dei" (Wikipedia). Moreover, this calculation is not made in one of the two biblical languages (Hebrew or Greek), but in one of many languages of the earth, namely in Latin (Roman). John did not write that we should look for the 666 in another language, the NT was written in Greek.

What is certain is that the basis for calculating the 666 is known, because all the necessary Hebrew and Greek letters and their numerical values have been defined for over 2,000 years (see table above and PDF below). This is not secret knowledge and it never was. Although we have the correct foundation to "calculate" the "number of the beast" (the Antichrist), we lack wisdom: "This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast..." (Rev 13:18). 

Once again, we are not looking for a person from the past, but from the present. It is about the Anti-Christ, often referred to as "the beast", who will even fight against the true Jesus Christ when he returns to earth with his saints. Yes, the Christian and the Anti-Christ will one day meet in direct battle and fight for world government:

Rev 17:12-14: "And the ten horns that you saw are 10 kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast [=Anti-Christ]. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb [Jesus], and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

At the beginning of 2020 the calculation of the numerical values of the corona virus has been published on several websites. But here, not the letters in which the Bible was written were used, but the Latin alphabet. The word "Corona" consists of 6 letters and the sum of all numerical values (order of the letters in the alphabet) gives 66, from which some have put together the 666. This is interesting, but it does not help us to answer our question, because we have to pay attention to the biblical letters and look for a real person's name, which gives the number 666. The Corona-666, on the other hand, is an artificial calculation in which the 6 letters are placed next to the Latin numerical values:

• 1Jn 2:21-23:"I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ [=Messiah]? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also."
• 1Jh 4:1-6: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us [Bible]; whoever is not from God does not listen to us [Bible]. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error."
• 1Jh 2:18: "... and as you have heard that Antichrist is coming, so now many Antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour." 
• 2Jh 1:7-11: "For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the Antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ [=written in the Bible], does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching [=written in der Bible], do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works."

The Greek word used in the New Testament for "Antichrist" is Antichristos. It occurs only 5 times in the NT (1Jn 2:18 (2x); 2:22; 4:3; 2Jn 1:7; Strong No. 500). It was only mentioned by the last surviving apostle John, when the persecutions of Christians increased greatly. The other authors of the NT use similar terms such as "false Christ [Messiah]" (Mt 24:23-27), "false prophets" (Mt 24:24; 1Jn 4,1), "false apostles" (2Cor 11:13), "the man of lawlessness" (2Thess 2:3), "the son of destruction" (2Thess 2,3), "proclaiming himself to be God" (2Thess 2:4), "the lawless one" (2Thess 2:8-9) or "the beast" (Rev 13-14; 19:20-21). "The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing..." (2Thess 2:9-10).

The word Christos (=Christ), which is even mentioned in the Septuagint, is nothing other than the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word ha-Mashiach (the Messiah), which means "the anointed one". This is how the Bible describes a king appointed (= anointed) by God, who was to rule not only Israel but the whole world. The words "Messiah" and "Christ" therefore mean the same. An anti-Christ is therefore one who wants to put himself in the place (position, honor) of the Messiah, who wants eliminate him and his followers, and introduce new teachings in place of the Word of God (Bible). There is therefore a twofold meaning: (1.) to take a position that is not his (to rule the whole world) and (2.) to abolish the laws of God and replace them with his own teachings.

There are many anti-Christs, but there is only one Jesus Christ, who will reign over the earth for all eternity. Jesus is the Messiah for whom creation has been waiting. Only in his name could the sick be healed and demons cast out. Only His name (numeric value 888) saves the world and not the name of the Antichrist (666):

Acts 4:10-12: "Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead - by him this [sick] man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”"

The people of Israel did not recognize that Jesus Christ was indeed the promised Messiah. A great many biblical passages in the Old Testament pointed to him. Even the smallest details of Jesus' life were prophesied or predicted exactly. Nevertheless, Israel had the Lord Jesus Christ, their Messiah, killed by the Romans, because it overlooked the fact that Jesus was to come to earth twice, once to die for the world (so that the death penalty for sin would be removed and eternal life would be possible) and then a second time to save the world from total destruction. The first Christians knew this, as the words of Paul prove:

Heb 9:27-28: "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him."

Jesus' second coming is yet to come. But before that, many prophecies of the Last Days must still be fulfilled, which have been prophesied in both the Old and the New Testament. They occupy a large space in the book of Revelation. The Bible often uses the name "Day of the Lord" for the last terrible epoch. But it is above all this that the Rapture of the righteous people (the elect) takes place, who are compared in the parable of the 10 virgins with the bride of Christ (see Rapture). Then comes the terrible time of the Great Tribulation, in which a man will come to the fore who will present himself as the Messiah and he will be accepted by the world.

Now it becomes understandable why he will make so much effort to forbid the Bible, because the teachings of Jesus are contrary to his religious views. Jesus teaches love, non-violence and forgiveness, but he teaches hatred, sexual liberty and the fight against everything that gets in his way. He describes the good as bad and the evil as good. John writes that there is not one, but many antichrists in the whole world (1Jn 2:18). The fact is: only a few people (and even few Christians) in the world really believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Therefore, most people do not follow Him in his way of love, but invent religious traditions and dogmas how to justify and trivialize lies, violence, war, theft, sexual sins. In doing so, they not only deny Jesus, but they drag the whole of Christianity into the mud. But in the last days a very specific antichrist will appear on the world stage who has never existed in this way before because he will cooperate with spiritual powers: with Satan and his demons, who disguise themselves as aliens from other planets (2Thess 2:9-10).

"God is spirit" (John 4:24). Thus, every person who believes in God and prays to Him knows that there is also a spiritual dimension with which he is in contact. This is nothing new. But only few know that there are also fallen angels who work here on earth with the goal of seducing people. This is also nothing new; the subject is dealt with in detail not only in the Bible, but also in Wikipedia  (Lucifer,  Satan,  demons,  Antichrist).

In contrast to the many previous (small) Antichrists of world history, the Antichrist of the Last Days will be completely different. He will have a never before seen global power and together with the false prophet (a religious leader) he will do great signs and wonders (Rev 13:11-17; 19:20), with which he will impress and attract many people. He will appear in a time of chaos and will promise peace, a world government, a world religion and wealth, i.e. the solution of all problems. Therefore he will be celebrated and worshipped by the world as a Messiah (anointed one), while at the same time the followers of the true Messiah (Jesus Christ) will be persecuted and killed.

In order to secure his power, he will establish total global surveillance that will affect all world trade. To this end, he will place a mark on his hand or forehead, bringing all people under his control. Everyone must starve who does not accept the mark, because he can no longer buy anything.

However, what many will realize too late, the Antichrist will not be a normal man, but one through whom Lucifer (Satan) can work with full power (2Thess 2:9-10; Rev 13). Worse than any science fiction movie. Only then will the great visible miracles be possible. Many people will think that the righteous were raptured by aliens before (more info). They will realize too late that these are in reality old known fallen angels who pretend to be aliens in order to unite the world completely against God (more info). There will be an alliance between the physical (humans) and the spiritual (the fallen angels; so called "aliens") world. This is not a normal fight, but in reality much worse. It is the spiritual war of Lucifer (Satan) against Jesus. It is about world domination and the destruction of God's order here on the physical globe and in the spiritual dimension. 

As soon as the Holy Spirit is taken from the earth through the Rapture, then the Antichrist and his religious and political followers will appear with an unprecedented visible seduction, with the direct help of Satan:

2Thess 2:7-12: "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he [= the Holy Spirit because through him the evil spirit world is restricted and blocked in its effectiveness] is out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan [and not aliens from an other planet] with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

During the 7 years of tribulation, evil will prevail for a short time (Rev 13), but then Jesus will return and bring peace, stability and love to the earth. This is why even Catholics pray in their Apostles' Creed: "He [Jesus] will come again to judge the living and the dead." But who really believes this? The Bible is full of information on this subject, especially as far as the spiritual world is concerned; hardly a question remains unanswered. The Bible reports on the cooperation (or alliance) of the eschatological Antichrist with the spiritual powers described in the Book of Revelation. This is nothing new, as can be read further there, for the first Christians already knew this: "Like the ancient environment, the Original Christians judged these opponents in their ranks as people who were seduced and possessed by the devil or demons, such as Judas Iscariot according to Lk 22,3 and Jn 13,2.27." (Wikipedia; German). Anti-Christianity, then, is always connected with the spiritual world.

The spirit world that has fallen away from God is always about the same thing, namely to ally with mankind and to fight together against Jesus and his commandments of love. The life here on earth serves as spiritual preparation for eternity. It is a kind of school to learn love. God will not give eternal life to criminals, violent people, egoists, liars, thieves and rapists, otherwise it would go on in the spirit world as it does here on earth. The risen Christians (the elect) will one day stand far above Satan and even judge him (1Cor 6:3; Rom 16:20; Rev 20:1-2). Satan therefore hates especially the converted Christians. He wants to destroy God's plan and destroy all life on the whole earth through nuclear wars and environmental destruction.

It is not at all just about a fight here on earth; it is about much more, namely also about a rebellion against God in the spiritual dimension. The earth is only the scene (arena). All this is not only a physical but much more a spiritual fight. But this is completely hopeless because the victor (Jesus Christ) is now already certain because created beings can never place themselves above their creator and degrade him. Therefore, the Bible describes the end of the Antichrist and the fallen angels (2Thess 2:8; Rev 17:14; 19:11-21; 20:1-3). It is not worth obeying the loser (Lucifer, Satan, Antichrist), who instead of light (as the former Light-Bringer) brings only darkness, suffering and death. It is much better to follow the way of the winner (Jesus Christ), because only He is the light and gives eternal life in a spiritual dimension, in peace, harmony and love.

The Bible reveals in the Book of Revelation the appearance of a great leader who will spread his power over the whole earth. It is the Anti-Christ, the false Messiah. In the prophetic language of the Bible, he is often referred to as "the beast". He will want to impose his mark on all people. But God urgently warns all people not to accept this sign. This can even lead to the loss of eternal life:

Rev 13:11-18: "Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. 16 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, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666."

Rev 14:9-12: "And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb [Jesus]. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” 12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus."

Those who refuse to accept the mark of the beast will rise after the Great Tribulation, receive eternal life and will reign together with Christ. It is much better to resist the false Messiah and to follow Jesus, for after the brief suffering, there will follow an all the greater reward in eternity:

Rev 20:4-6: "Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years."

The Bible was written to teach us love. Love is the key to eternity. The purpose of life is to learn love so that our names may be written in the Book of Life. The short temporary life here on earth corresponds to a place of training (school) for spiritual eternity. The one who has no love in him cannot possibly receive eternal life, as otherwise we would have the same terrible conditions in the spiritual kingdom of heaven as we have here on earth. Life is not a right, but a gift from God to all who love Him and other people, and who obey God's commandments of love. There was already a person who showed us this love and the way to eternity. His name is Jesus Christ, the Messiah (Yeshua ha-Mashiach). The New Testament was written in Ancient Greek, the world language of the time. Here the Greek name Iesous (=Jesus) has the numeric value 888, a number that symbolizes eternity, love (the Hebrew word for "to love" has the numerical value 8; the name Jesus means to love, love and love again) and the victory over evil. The eternal 888 stands above the earthly 666. Love (888) and hate (666) are in strong contrast. Love is eternal life, but hate is eternal death.

In the first sentence of the Bible the Hebrew words "God, the heavens, the earth" add up to 777 (more info). So 777 is the Hebrew numerical value for the universe and the creation before the Fall. This is the area (777) where we live right now to learn for eternity (888). Jesus (888) is the light, the love and the eternity in person. The 888 (Jesus) came into the world (600) as a human being (6) to save us from eternal death and to free us from the power of evil (666). There are two opposite ways of life, which are symbolized by two numbers:

• The number 888 symbolizes love and eternity in a world without sin, without selfishness, without song and without death. Those whose names are written in the Book of Life will live forever with God. Love is the strongest power in the universe and it cannot tolerate that others suffer.
• The number 666 symbolizes the opposite, namely, rebellion, selfishness, hatred, lies, suffering, war and eternal death. Those who have followed this rebellious, lying and egotistic spirit will receive eternal death so that they can never again cause suffering to others. Their name is not found in the Book of Life. 

What number do people follow? It depends on the answer, where they will spend their eternal future.