One of the great mysteries concerning Bible prophecy and the end times is the national identity of the Antichrist. This is an important topic because it will eventually aid the last-days generation of Christians in the correct identification of the Antichrist. Fortunately, the Bible provides us with several details regarding the nationalistic origins of this sinister personality.

His Roman Nationality
Although much debate surrounds his national identity, the book of Daniel clearly states that the Antichrist will come from among the people whose armies destroy the Temple.

“A ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple” (Daniel 9:26, NLT).

The city and the Temple referenced in this passage were destroyed in ad 70 by Titus and the Roman legions, but Titus was not the ruler referenced in this verse. Daniel 9:27 describes the ruler as one who will make a seven-year treaty with Israel, put an end to the sacrifices and offerings, and set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration. These are events that will be fulfilled in the life of the Antichrist. According to Daniel, the Antichrist will come from among the people who destroyed the Temple. Therefore, we can be certain that the Antichrist will come from among the Roman people.

However, coming from among the Roman people does not automatically mean that the Antichrist will be of Italian heritage or Roman ethnicity. It simply means he must come from among the people who were part of the Roman Empire at that time. From an ethnic standpoint, this leaves the door open to countless possibilities. The Roman Empire covered most of the known world in its day, and Roman citizenship was extended to many non-Italian peoples. So, how do we interpret this passage?

Most likely, Daniel 9:26 refers to the power base from which the Antichrist will operate. The book of Daniel clearly states that the final world empire before the establishment of Christ’s millennial kingdom will be a resurrected form of the Roman Empire. In all likelihood, the Antichrist will be the ruler of this revived Roman Empire, which will “devour the whole earth,” and in this way, Christians will be able to identify him as the Antichrist.

Is the Antichrist Syrian?
Daniel chapter 8 provides us with further clues in regard to the life and times of the Antichrist. In it, the angel Gabriel explains Daniel’s vision of a ram and a goat as events relating to the Greek empire of Alexander the Great. In a claim verified by history, Gabriel states that following the death of Alexander, the empire will be divided into four parts. From one of those four parts, the Antichrist will arise:

“The shaggy male goat represents the king of the Greek Empire. The four prominent horns that replaced the one large horn show that the Greek Empire will break into four sections with four kings, none of them as great as the first. At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people” (Daniel 8:21-24, NLT).

Daniel 11 provides an in-depth examination of the history of the breakup Alexander’s empire, describing historical events relating to the king of the North and the king of the South. The latter part of the chapter describes the Antichrist, identifying him with other historical figures who have held the title “king of the North.” This, along with the passage cited above, clearly links the Antichrist to the northern kingdom of the divided Greek Empire. This kingdom was ruled by one of Alexander’s generals, Seleucus, who ruled the areas of Syria, Mesopotamia, and Persia. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the Antichrist will in some way be linked to this geographic area of the Middle East.

Isaiah Chapter 10
In addition to Daniel 8, the prophet Isaiah also offers some interesting insight concerning a “king of Assyria”:

“After the Lord has used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purposes in Jerusalem, he will turn against the king of Assyria and punish him – for he is proud and arrogant. He boasts, ‘By my own power and wisdom I have won these wars. By my own strength I have captured many lands, destroyed their kings, and carried off their treasures. By my greatness I have robbed their nests of riches and gathered up kingdoms as a farmer gathers eggs. No one can even flap a wing against me or utter a peep of protest” (Isaiah 10:12-14, NLT).

Although not directly identified by Isaiah, this king of Assyria bears a striking resemblance to the Antichrist. Both the books of Daniel and Revelation describe the Antichrist as proud and arrogant, boasting arrogantly and blaspheming God Himself. His boast that “no one can even flap a wing against me or utter a peep of protest” also fits the description of the Antichrist as given in Revelation:

“They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast. ‘Is there anyone as great as the beast?’ they exclaimed. ‘Who is able to fight against him?'” (Revelation 13:4, NLT).

Isaiah 10, coupled with Daniel 8, lends support to the idea that the Antichrist will somehow be connected to political power in this region of the world.

Is the Antichrist Jewish?

Is the Antichrist Jewish? Although there is no definitive answer, two Bible verses provide good reason to believe he will be. The first appears in the book of Genesis, where God prophesies the coming of Israel’s Messiah and Satan’s Antichrist.

“From now on, you and the woman will be enemies, and your offspring and her offspring will be enemies. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15, NLT).

Later, when Jacob is blessing his sons, he makes this prophecy about Dan:

“Dan will govern his people like any other tribe in Israel. He will be a snake beside the road, a poisonous viper along the path, that bites the horse’s heels so the rider is thrown off” (Genesis 49:16-17, NLT).

This reference to a serpent striking a heel may indicate that the Antichrist will be a Jew from the tribe of Dan, but it isn’t certain, and many reasonable people are divided on this issue.

In addition to this reference to the tribe of Dan, Daniel points out that the Antichrist will worship himself above all else:

“Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all” (Daniel 11:37, KJV).

This passage is often referenced by those who believe the Antichrist will be of Jewish heritage. The fact that he will have no regard “for the God of his fathers” is viewed as a reference to the monotheistic God of the Jews.

Adding further fuel to speculation that the Antichrist might be Jewish is the following passage from the book of Revelation:

“Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a lamb, and he spoke with the voice of a dragon” (Revelation 13:11, NLT).

This verse states that the Antichrist will “come up out of the earth,” a biblical phrase often associated with the Promised Land and the Jewish people. Throughout the Old Testament, the earth is used as a symbol for Israel, while the sea is used as a symbol for the Gentile peoples:

“And now in my vision I saw beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God” (Revelation 13:1, NLT).

The verse above is a reference to the Antichrist’s kingdom, which, as stated before, will be a revived form of the Roman Empire—thus emerging from among the Gentile people. But all the authority of this kingdom will be exercised by “the beast from the earth” referenced in Revelation 13:11:

“He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and those who belong to this world to worship the first beast, who death-wound had been healed” (Revelation 13:12, NLT).

The first beast, whose “death-wound had been healed,” is the revived Roman Empire. Daniel clearly states that this world empire will reemerge in the last days, thus becoming healed of its mortal wound. But the one who rules it will “come up out of the earth.” Could this be a reference to the Antichrist’s Jewish heritage?

Will the Jews Accept the Antichrist as Messiah?
All the speculation surrounding the Antichrist’s possible Jewish heritage lends itself to another question: Will the Jews accept the Antichrist as their Messiah? Many believe that the following statement by Jesus is really a prophecy that the Jewish people will do so:

“I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43, KJV).

The Antichrist would have to be Jewish in order to be accepted by Israel as the Messiah. Many believe this Scripture points to a specific person in the future who will “come in his own name” and be accepted as the Redeemer of Israel.

Conclusion
It is an absolute certainty that the Antichrist will arrive on the world scene as the ruler of a revived Roman empire. However, it is less certain whether he will be of actual Italian descent or some other ethnic background. Several Scriptures offer the possibility that he could be Assyrian, Greek, or Jewish. But none of them offers us the definitive statement contained in Daniel 9:26.

So how do we rectify these seemingly contradictory prophecies concerning the Antichrist’s nationality? Is he Roman? Italian? Jewish? Assyrian? Greek? He doesn’t necessarily have to be exclusively one or another. He could be an Assyrian who is Jew born and raised in Italy, or any number of possible combinations. We don’t know for certain, but history indicates that each of these prophecies will be harmonized when the Antichrist finally appears.

Two thousand years ago, the seemingly contradictory prophecies of the first coming of the Messiah were all harmonized in the life of Jesus Christ, a Nazarene born in Bethlehem who came out of Egypt. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see how this was possible, but for the Jewish scholars who lived before the birth and ministry of Jesus, these prophecies were a topic of intense debate. Would the Messiah come from Nazareth, Bethlehem, or Egypt? The answer, of course, was all three.

In similar fashion, a debate continues today in regard to the prophecies of the Antichrist and his national identity. But no matter how much we speculate on the ultimate meaning of the Scriptures, we won’t know the absolute truth until God’s appointed time. As such, it is wise to study these prophecies and teach them to others, so that Christians of the Antichrist’s generation will be able to positively identify him based on sound scriptural evidence.

May the Lord Jesus Christ, upon His return, find us actively engaged in teaching these truths to others. Until then, live with a patient and enduring faith that His return is soon upon us.

Britt Gillette is the author of Signs of the Second Coming: 11 Reasons Jesus Will Return in Our Lifetime and Coming to Jesus: One Man’s Search for Truth and Life Purpose. He’s also the founder of End Times Bible Prophecy.

Even those who have never read the Bible will recognize it. Revered by the occult and feared by the superstitious, it’s a number forever linked with infamy. It is the number six hundred sixty-six. For over two millennia, this number has been used as a proxy for Satan himself. It’s been the subject of endless speculation, hearsay, and confusion.

And during this time, it’s been used to justify the false identification of hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of individuals as the Antichrist. These false identifications have only served to confuse people as to the original, biblical meaning of the number 666, and unfortunately, they also cause many to dismiss Bible prophecy as a mere superstition of crackpots and conspiracy theorists.

So where does the number 666 come from? And what does it mean?

All the speculation concerning 666 comes from a single verse in the book of Revelation. In a passage describing the Antichrist and his world empire, we learn the following:

“He required everyone—great and small, rich and poor, slave and free—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. Wisdom is needed to understand this. Let the one who has understandingsolve the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666” (Revelation 13:16-18, NLT).

During the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist will require everyone on the earth to be given a mark on the right hand or the forehead. Those who refuse this mark will be unable to buy or sell anything, effectively cutting them off from all economic activity – the purchase and sale of food, water, shelter, and the basic necessities of life.

This mark will have the following characteristics:

1) It will be the name of the beast.
2) It will be the number representing his name.
3) It will be the number of a man.
4) The number is 666.

Let’s address each of these aspects individually in order to gain a firm grasp of their intended meaning:

The Name of the Beast
Who is the beast? Traditionally, “the name of the beast” is interpreted as being the name of the Antichrist, who is clearly referenced in verses 11-18 of Revelation chapter 13 (this topic will be addressed in depth in a later article). However, in these verses, the Antichrist is described as a second beast who exercises “all the authority of the first beast.” The first beast is described in verses 1-10 of the same chapter, but this beast does not represent the Antichrist, as some believe. Rather, it represents the world empire the Antichrist will rule.

We know this because the first beast has “seven heads and ten horns” (verse 1), and this is a beast students of Bible prophecy have seen before.

In the book of Daniel, we are introduced to this being as “the fourth beast,” a global empire that will destroy everything in its path:

“Then he said to me, ‘This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling everything in its path. Its ten horns are ten kings that will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and wear down the holy people of the Most High'” (Daniel 7:23-25, NLT).

Does this fourth world power sound familiar? It has “ten horns” (Revelation 13:1) and will trample everything in its path, probably prompting people to ask, “Is there anyone as great as the beast? Who is able to fight against him?” (Revelation 13:4). It will also devour “the whole world,” gaining authority over “every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7).

We also learn that the Antichrist will “require all the earth and those who belong to this world to worship the first beast, whose death wound had been healed” (Revelation 13:12). Who is this beast whose death wound has been healed? The wounded beast who will be resurrected is the fourth beast in Daniel 7—the world empire of ancient Rome, which was never completely destroyed like previous world empires. In the last days, the Roman Empire will appear once again, and the world will marvel at its appearance.

Daniel confirms this when he states that the Antichrist will be a ruler from the people who destroy the Temple in ad 70 (Daniel 9:26). The Romans destroyed the Temple, and they will have a ruler once again in the last days, confirming that the Roman Empire must once again exist.

The book of Revelation also predicts this resurrection of Rome:

“Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief” (Revelation 17:10, NLT).

The angel reveals to John that five of the kingdoms have fallen:

1) Egypt
2) Assyria
3) Babylonia
4) Medo-Persia
5) Greece

The sixth kingdom “now reigns”:

6) Rome (John’s vision occurred in the first century, when Rome still ruled the known world)

And the seventh “is yet to come”:

7) The Revived Roman Empire

In the last days, this resurrected Roman Empire will rule all of humanity. Its reign will be brief, but it will be like no other kingdom before it.

The Antichrist will require all the earth and those who belong to this world to worship the revived Roman Empire, a global government that will rule “over every tribe and people and language and nation” (Revelation 13:7).

So the “name of the beast” described in Revelation 13:17 is not the name of the Antichrist, as widely believed, but instead, it will be a name associated with the world empire he requires the world to worship.

The Number Representing His Name
If the mark of the beast is “the name of the beast,” how can it also be “the number representing his name”? Ancient Greek and Hebrew, the two languages most associated with the book of Revelation, both used an alphanumeric system in which each letter of the alphabet correlates with a number. What verse 18 reveals is that the mark, which is the name of the beast, will have a numeric value that can be calculated as the number 666. The only way to “calculate” this number is if it appears as letters that need to be interpreted in a numerical form. Therefore, we can say with certainty that the mark of the beast will not be a literal brand of “666”; rather, it will be a word or a phrase that, when converted into its numerical equivalent, will represent the number 666.

How this is properly calculated depends on whether John originally wrote the book of Revelation in Greek or Hebrew. Tradition says he wrote the book in Greek. However, a strong case has been made that the book was originally written in Hebrew, then quickly translated into Greek. Not knowing for sure multiplies the difficulty of calculating the number of the beast, because each letter of the Greek and Hebrew alphabets is associated with a different numerical value.

The Number of a Man
If the number 666 represents the revived Roman Empire and not a man (the Antichrist), as traditionally believed, then why does verse 18 say, “for it is the number of a man”? The answer is that some translations interpret this verse as “for it is the number of humanity.” Either way, in both cases, the verse can be interpreted as “mankind” or the “entirety of the human race.” If this is the case, it tells us that the number 666 will not only be the name of the beast (the revived Roman Empire), but it will also be reflective of the entire human race, especially those who freely choose to accept the designation on their right hand or forehead.

When Daniel conveys God’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the empires of the world are symbolized in the form of a statue–a statue of a man.

“Your Majesty, in your vision you saw in front of you a huge and powerful statue of a man, shining brilliantly, frightening and awesome” (Daniel 2:31, NLT).

The association of this statue with mankind and world government provides a strong indication that the mark of the beast is more akin to the number of humanity rather than to any particular individual.

The Number Is 666
From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible associates certain numbers with an overall theme. The number six is often associated with mankind. For instance, man was created on the sixth day. Similarly, the number seven is often associated with perfection and rest. As an example, God rested on the seventh day.

In contrast to the number seven, six is viewed as highly symbolic of incompletion or imperfection. Just as man has “fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), the number six is symbolic of man’s shortfall of the perfection of God’s seven.

When the number six is repeated three times in the number 666, many believe it’s indicative of Satan’s attempt to imitate the Trinity.

The Price of Accepting the Mark of the Beast
The Antichrist and his followers will pay a hefty price for accepting the mark of the beast. The Bible tells us that ALL who accept the mark will face eternal judgment for their decision. The following verses reveal the consequences of this rebellion against God:

“Then a third angel followed them, shouting, ‘Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or the hand must drink the wine of God’s wrath. It is poured out undiluted into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. The smoke of their torment rises forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name”( Revelation 14:9-11, NLT).

“So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl over the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue”( Revelation 16:2, NLT).

“And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast – miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue”( Revelation 19:20, NLT).

Acceptance of the mark is not a matter to be taken lightly. Anyone who accepts the mark denies Christ in favor of a false god. This decision, once made, is irrevocable, and the consequences are everlasting.

However, for those who refuse the mark, a future of eternal bliss awaits. Although they will suffer persecution to the point of death, their steadfast faithfulness in honor of Jesus Christ will open the door to an eternity in the presence of God.

“Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the word of God. And I saw the souls of those who had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands” (Revelation 20:4, NLT).

These verses are clear. Under no circumstances should anyone, especially a believer in Christ, accept the mark of the beast. To do so leads only to ruin.

Superstition Surrounding the Number 666
The world is filled with superstition, especially when it comes to numbers. Some feel the number thirteen is unlucky, and they avoid anything associated with the number. For a lot of people, the number 666 has the same effect. But God makes it clear that we are not to fear this number. Having a license plate, a sales receipt, or a street address with the number 666 is nothing to be concerned about. Anyone who thinks so it attributing supernatural power to a number, and the Bible clearly states that believers should fear God and God only:

“Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear him, you need fear nothing else” (Isaiah 8:13, NLT).

Jesus underscores this command while teaching His disciples not to fear persecution:

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell”( Matthew 10:28, NLT).

The things of this world are fleeting, but the Lord Almighty, and He only, will determine our eternal destiny. Therefore, don’t be concerned with such trivial superstitions as the random occurrence of the number 666.

Conclusion
Ultimately, the true meaning of the number 666 will not become apparent until the Great Tribulation, when the Antichrist forces the world population to accept the number as a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. Contemporary attempts to calculate this number ahead of time as either the name of a person, human beings, or the revived Roman Empire will only lead to frustration. Even worse, these attempts may end up having a negative impact in that, once proven false, they will damage the credibility of those who teach end-times Bible prophecy in general. If the devil can convince the world that Bible prophecy is the exclusive domain of crackpots and conspiracy theorists, then he can snatch away a valuable tool for spreading the gospel of Christ.

In the end, it is the duty of our generation to carefully examine the meaning of Revelation 13:16-18 and convey an accurate historical interpretation of these verses for others. If we succeed, the end-times generation will have the ability to properly interpret the number of the beast. Once the Antichrist arrives on the world scene and announces his intention to require the mark, it will become clear to everyone on earth what acceptance of this number really means. Whether it’s the number of an individual, a kingdom, or mankind itself, acceptance of the number 666 will be tantamount to a public rejection of Jesus Christ.

Britt Gillette is the author of Signs of the Second Coming: 11 Reasons Jesus Will Return in Our Lifetime and Coming to Jesus: One Man’s Search for Truth and Life Purpose. He’s also the founder of End Times Bible Prophecy.