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
The Beast (Revelation) the revived Roman empire, noting that the reference to Rome's seven hills and the connection to the beasts in Daniel seven indicate that the beast represents a kingdom. Futurism interprets the beast from the earth, or false prophet, as the future head of the apostate church or as a future expression of false religion in general. Interpretation of the mark or number of the beast is similar to the idealist view suggesting that the number six refers to imperfection, falling short of the divine number seven. The Beast (Revelation) The Beast (, "Thērion") may refer to one of two beasts