The Beast (Revelation) The number 666 is calculated by using a form of gematria where only the letters which refer to Latin numerals are counted. In 1866, Uriah Smith was the first to propose the interpretation to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In "The United States in the Light of Prophecy" he wrote, Adventist scholar J. N. Andrews also adopted this view. Uriah Smith maintained his interpretation in the various editions of "Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation", which was influential in the church. Jimmy Akin of "Catholic Answers" and additional Catholic sources disagree with the above argument, claiming "Vicarius Filii Dei, although it
Number of the Beast death of Nero. However, rumors circulated that Nero had not really died and would return to power. It has also been suggested that the numerical reference to Nero was a code to imply but not directly identify emperor Domitian, whose style of rulership resembled that of Nero and who put the people of Asia (Lydia), whom the Book of Revelation was primarily addressed to at the time, under heavy taxation. The popular Nero Redivivus legend stating that Nero would return to life can also be noted; "After Nero's suicide in AD 68, there was a widespread belief, especially in the