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~~

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VOL, 111.

No. 4

Ap-191,

1938

i t s o n his crown, ident i f y i n g him as the BEAST

of Revelation 13? Or must we l o o k for it olsewhera? Here are all the Scriptures speaking
directly o f this number; "And t h a t no man might buy o r boll, save ha t h a t had t h e mark, or the name 6f t h e beast, or the number o f h i s name, Here is wisdom. Let him t h a t hath understanding count the nwnber of t h e boast: f o r it is t h e .number mpn; end && number is -Six hundred threescore and six,'r(Rev, 13: 17-18> "And I saw as it were a sea of g l a s s mingled w i t h f i r e : and them t h a t had gott e n t h e victory over the beast, and over his image, and over h i s mark, and over t h e nwnbar of his name, s t a n d on t h e 6 8 8 ofglass, having the harps o f God," (Rev. 15:
2)

the name of the king, o r ruler, ovet; tho kingdom i d e n t i f i e d as t h s "BEAST,

The BEAST is not THE WOMAN

I n t h e 17th chapter of Revalation we f i n d a "beast," and a 'bnonan"---a great, wealthy woman a a l l e d "a whoreI'--cWho was riding t h e beast. The B i b l e describes the symbol 'bom8n" t o mean a CHURCH. See I1 Cor. 11:2; Rave

19:7; Eph, 5:23-27,

On the other hand,

"beast" i s a symbol o f a KINGDOM, or E PR , MI E not of a CHURCH, The ''wanan'' o f th6 17th

----

NO'lT

THESE POINTS

From t h e s e Scriptures, we have t h e following d e f i n i t e p o i n t s : 1, The beast has a NUMBER, and may be i d e n t i f i e d , i f we have wisdom, by this number , 2 The number is 666. . 3 . W e nre t o l d t o COUKT this number&.-that is, add it up. The same Greek word is used elsewhere only in Luke 14:28: "COUNT t h e c o s t . " 4 * T h i s number, 666, is t h e number

chapter i s delrcribed beyond possibility of doubt as the Roman Catholic Church, who d i d reign over t h e kingdoms o f the Holy Roman Empire, Let us be consistent, The "beast" of Revelation 13 i s no6 the WOMAN whb rode t h e beast---the beast is the GOVERNMENT, and t h e woman i s the CHURCH, The "beast" of Revelation 13 had 7 heads and 10 horns. I t was l i k e a leopard, with the f e e t of a bear, the mouth o f o lion. T h i s does not describe tha Church, but t h e Roman GOVERNMENT, or IMPIRE,
In t h e 7th ohnpter of Danisl m M d n +he unmistakable i d c n k i f i a a t i o n . The l i o n symbolized t h e Chaldean Empire. The bear is the Persian Empira, the leopard woo t h e Grec Fa-Macedoni an Empire w i t h its f m r divisions, pictured by the four heads, and t h e other b e a s t , mightier and stronger t h a n a l l , was the ROMAN EMPIRE, And by the t i m e events of history p r O 6 r e S S O d t o Rona, we had t h e seven heads and t e n horns. Tha "bea6tI' of Rev. 13 had a11 7 o f the heads and t e n horns, Tt included the strongest a s p e a t s of t h e bear---its f a s t , and of t h e l i e n - - - i t s mouth, and was like a leopard---even as t h e ROMAN BMPIRE included the strongest charactaristicr of t h e preoeding kingdoms. And sb t h e b e r o t of Revelation 13 is positively i d e n t i f i e d as THE ROMAN En\PIRE, (Cont. on page 2)

o f t h a BEAST. The only BIBLE interpretat i o n of this symbol, "beast", i s a kinsdom or t h e king who rules it, and therefore, r a a l l y S S the kingdom. (Dan. 7:17, 18, 22, 23,24,27). Therefore 666 must be t h e number of t h e KIFIGDOM, or GOVERNMENT, or fMPTRE, as well as t h a t of ths king who founds o r rules it. 5, The expression "the name of t h s beast, o f t h e numbar b f his neme" makes p l a i n t h a t the number 666 is t h e number o f the NAME OF THE KINGDOM or EMPIRE,

Qage 2

T h o

P L A I N

T R U T H

April, 193%

A MAGAZINEl OF UNDERSTANDING

Edited by HERBEf?3'W. ARMSTRONG

VOL.

111.

No. 2 .

Published i n conjunction with RADIO CHURCH OF GOD

KWJJ, P e r t l a n d

loo. "So closad," s t a t e s West's Modern History, "an Ernpire t h a t had existad from Augustus Caesar." But this time t h e Empire did not a l t o g e t h e r d i e . The germ of it remained i n 12 little I t a l i a n state., united i n 1870 by Garibaldi i n t o t h o prere n t nation af Italy. The EMPSRE went i n t o "the bottomless pit"---a v i r t u a l non-exi s t e n o e , from whioh now it 1 3 once moro emerging (Rev. 17: 8 ) ,

the

THE FOUNDER OF ROME

was

KORE, Eugene

4:P.M.,

1040 kilocycles, Sundays.

1420 kilocycles lO:A.M.,Sundays

Sent FRsE to all who request it, as t h e Lord provides Address communications t o the editor, Box 111,Eugene.

The founder, and first king of Rome The Roman Empire was named a f t e r him. His name, t h e name of a MAN, a l s o is t h e name of t h e KINGDOM. And every c i t i z e n i n t h a t kingdom bears t h e 6m1

ROMULUS.

name---a ROMAN.

When John wrote t h i s Revelation, telling us t o COUNT t h e number of the NOTICE: Be sure t o n o t i f y us immediBeast, he w r o t e in t h e GREEK l a n y a g a , ately of any change o f address. The Old Testament i s w r i t t e n i n tha lon**** guagc of God's chosen people---the HEThe PLAIN TRUTH i s purely a work of BREW. Consequently, we should leak for FAITH, The RADIO CHURCH OF GOD i s a work this name, and the number 666, i n t h e s e of FAITH, We a r e not connected with any languages recognized i n t h e BIBLE, not denomination o r organization, and have no i n the Latin. means whatsoever f o r f i n a m i n g this great We a r e all f a m i l i a r w i t h the Roman num$erals, where l e t t e r s a r e used for work, except t o t r u s t our heavenly Father numbers. All understand t h a t I is I, t o impress His people t o send i n t i t h e s and l i b e r a l o f f e r i n g s , t h a t t h e Gospel may V i s 5, X i s 10, etc. But many do n o t be given, a ' t h o u t charge, t o all who w i l l know that both t h e Hebrow and ths Grrek l i s t e n o r read languages also use letters f a r numbera, : k * * * I n t h e Hebrew, t h e name of Romulus i s ROMXITH. And, counting the numerical t ? value of t h e s e l e t t e r s i n t h e Hebrew, we The NUMBER of t h e BEAST 666: have e x a c t l y 666'. I n the Greek, t h e language i n which Revelation was written, this name is (Continued from page 1) "LATEINOS." It s i g n i f i e s "Latin Man" or This ''beast'' had a DEADLY wound. (Rev. "the name o f Latiwn" from which city t h e 13:3). That means the ''beast" DIED---it Romans derived their origin and t h e i r ceased a l t o g e t h a r to e x i s t o r function. !anguage. T h i s word, t o o , s i g n i f i e s Y e t i t s deadly wound was l a t e r healed, a f I n t h e Greek, L i s 30, A is 1, ROMAN." t a r which, (verse 5 ) , it continued t o exT i 3 300, E i s 5, I s 10, N i s 50, 0 i s i ist another 1260 years! 70, S L s 200. Count t h e s e f i g u r e s . They Those who believe t h e Catholic Church count t o e x a c t l y 666! is t h e "beast" say t h i s deadly wound came It i s indeed a remarkable coincidonoe in 1798, when t h e pope was forced into ---or it a coinoidence?---that i n BOTH exile, But the pope was not k i l l e d . The Bible languages---the only two languages Catholic Church did n o t d i e , nor for one w e could look i n f o r t h i s number---that day d i d it caase t o function. The popes t h e name o f the KINGDOM, its founder and continued t o l i v e i n VOLUNTARY exile, as first KING, and of a w r y man in the kinga p r o t e s t a g a i n s t the I t a l i a n govarnment, dom, counts to e x a o t l y 666'. u n t i l t h e recent agreement with Mussalini. And mere remarkable---oatch this--But t h a t could i n na aenie ba c a l l e d a n,o o t h e r t w o worda oan be found in t w o wound TO DEATH. And those who t e a c h t h i s Languages, meaning t h 8 same thing, and do n o t expect t h e Catholic Church te aonalxactly counting, i n the numerical valuo tinue on another 1260 y e a r s r b f those languages, t o 666: C e r t a i n l y But i n 476 A.D., t h e Reman Empire, THE BEAST a t ands i d e n t i f i e d which is t h e "BISAST", was wounded u n t o DEATH, The Roman Empire DIED. It ceased MClSSOLLNI AND THE POPE a l t o g e t h e r t o e x i s t . The next t h r e e kingdoms to rule from Rome---the Heruli, the But the 5ame numbera--666---is brandVandals, and t h e Ostrogoths---were barbar- e d on the man who is now bringing the Roman i a n , not Roman kingdoms. Empire o u t of i t s bottomless p i t , end a h But i n 554 Justinian, Q t r u s Roman, on t h e p a p . Emperor a f t h e east, r e - e s t a b l i s h e d t h e Mussolini calls himself "ZL DUCE." Roman Empire a t Rome. History calls t h i s I t a l i a n s shout ''Viva T L Duoe!" whioh mean8 the "IMPERIAL RBSToRATTON" of the Roman "LONG LIVE THE CHIEF." Eucrywhare i n ItEmpire. The deadly wound was healed. a l y , you w i l l find t h e printed sign, "W And it continued e x a c t l y 1260 ye ar s---to ha "VV" i s t h e abbreviation 11, DVCE." 1814, when Napalean was defeated at Water- used for "Viv a". A "v" i s usrd instead of (cont, rn p a p 3 ) .

-0-

I s

wm.1:

you go along with them. But IF ULAR CHURCHES BE WRONG? i t , " asked the you truly FOLLOW JESUS, ko~pmnistsr of a p o p l a r denominational church, "if all the b i g i n g a l l O f His Father's Comandmontc, aa HE: kept them, instrad af t h e t r a d i t i o n s Of ohuroh o r g a n i z a t i o n s are n o t r i g h t , t h a t M E N (read Mark 7:6-9,13), you will be perSO FW seem t o know about it? A l l t h e s e secuted---and t h a t By those most sanatimanbig churches, i n c l u d i n g the majority of & BABYLON e& her HARLOT D A a l l p r o f e s s i n g C h r i s t i a n s , oould not be Jesus said, "If t h e y have peraecutad wrong me, they will persooute you." (Jchn 15:20), A g r e a t c i g r r e t t s manufacturer used and again, "ALL'that w i l l live godly in t h e same slogan. His advertisements asC h r i s t Jesus SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION! " sured UB "Millions c a n ' t be wrong," One asked J e s u s , "Lard, are there (XI Tim. 3:12), Do yaU suffer persecution? Jesus r e p e a t e d l y warned us of FALSE FCN t h a t be saved?" Jesus r e p l i e d : "Wide PROPHETS, showing they would be t h e popis the gate, and broad is t h e Way, t h a t u l a r l e a d a r s o f THE MANY, not tha few. leadeth t o d e s t r u c t i o n , and MANY thers be He s a i d it was TKE MANY they would deoePve. t h a t go i n t h e r e a t : because s t r a i t (hard, In the 17th of Revelation is revorled d i f f i c u l t ) i s t h e gate, and narrow is the a GREAT church---a FALSE church, c a l l e d a way, which Icadeth unto LIFE, and '?Whore." All n a t i o n s have been DECEIVED there be t h a t f i n d it." (Mat. 7:13,14). The REAL C h r i s t i a n walks t h e S t r a i t by her f a l s e t e a c h i n g s (Rev, 17:Z; 18:3). and narrow---the way o f t h e FCN. I t is She perseouted, martyred, the saints who popular, today, to "belong t o 8. church." form t h e TRUE church (Rev, 17:6). Many unsarupulous business men a r e members And daughter churchae have come out of popular ohurches, merely as e. cloak of her---even tho i n p r o t e s t ogaj.net and shield o f r e s p e c t a b i l i t y . some o f h e r false d o c t r i n e s , calling themA;s i n Jesus' day, the majority "love x c s "PROTESTANT," Cod's Word plainly the praise a f men, more t h a n t h e praise of c a l l s them, the daughters, HARLOTS (v.S)! Cod." (John 12:43). So they j e i n a popuIt i s t h r u Rome and her daughter l a r denomination where men have "a F R OM denominations, t o g e t h e r c a l l e d 'IBmYW)N" of godliness, den i n g t h e POWER thereof." meaning "confusion," t h a t t h e devil perse(I1 Tim. 3:l-5) ' r m Fo ruoh TURN AWAY!" cutes true Chri6tians---tho a m a l l "remnanfi" The Bible d i s t i n c t l y f o r e t e l l s that who "keep t h e Commandments of G~d"(Rev. 12: the MAJORITY Of churches would TURN AWAY 17) Are YMJ i n one of t h e popular denemfrom t h e TRUTH, "and i n a t i o n e ? Are YOU pers h a l l be turned unto secuted? Perhaps yau FABLES." (I1 T i m . 4: NOTICE: To save time and behave been hone atly da3 4 . It is POPULAR -) oause o f l a c k o f f i n d s , t h i s CeiVsd, But God now rayst t o belong t o a denomi s s u e o f The PLAIN TRUTH i s "Come OUT of her, t h r t inat ional ohurch You 8. Vary small mimeographedmm ye r e c e i v e not of her never w i l l be persecutber. The May number will be #laauee!l' (Rev. 18:4). ed, but respected, if Fear not, l i t t l i b flock" a full-sized p r i n t e d e d i t ion.

COULD ALL THESE BIO POP-

(corn. from page 2) lthe l'u" as i s v e r y comonly done. While t h i s is a g r e e t i n g , a r title, Mussolini aotually employs "I1 DUCB'I as a NAME, I t i s in ROMAN, Count it: V i s 5 . V is 5 , I is 1, L is 50, D is 500, V is 5, C is 100, E has no number. Now oount them, and you hove, exactly 666: The nme of Nero Caesar, Emperor o f the Rdmn Empire at i t s height, i n t h e Hebrew language, i s E ! Thus this number 666 is indelibly BRANDED upon THE ROMAN EMPIRE: But, some w i l l ask, does n o t this number apply to t h e POPE? Some t e a c h "the
wardr 'VICARIUS FILII DE'I' are an the
POP'#

in t h e Ramn numerals, oaunt to

t r i p l e Ofown*" And these Latin

SSS!

Wed%

W e a r a t r i p l e o C * m a BUT

The pope doee, on soma bcoasions, THESE WORDS NOT ON IT! We should be careful t o PROVE all t h i n g s . The d e n a d n a t i o n w h i c h teaches this sant Prof. C. T, Everaon t o Rome,

---

where ha gained

8 ~ 0 8 5 5to, and made d l l i gent search in the Vatican a r o h i v r s , but ha aould find no orown or raaard of' suah

orown c o n t a i n i n g the88 words Furthennore,these words a r e i n t h e LATIN, not a BIBLE language, This is not a NAME, but a TITLE, and it is THE NAME of t h e BEAST, and t h e number of the nOm6 of t h e MAN of t h e beast we are t o l d t o c o u n t . Further, .Chis title does not .o P ply t o t h e kingdom, o r Empire, but alone t o a MAN. However, while "VICARIUS FILII DEI" is not among the acknowledged t i t l a s of the pope (See Cath. Encycl.) , ha does claim to be VICAR OF CHRIST on earth. Also, f o r 1260 long years t h e popos did reign and rule over t h a BEAST. They wore, in e f f e o t , the actual heads of the Empire, ruling over tha emperors, as well as over the Church. And 80 i is indeed 8ig11ifit oant that this title, t m o , counts B ! And ~a this number is branded on t h e R M EMPIRE, on ROMULUS, th, founder and O N f i r s t k i n g OQ Rema, on Nera Caesar, one af i t s great Emperors, on naJne R ~ E on , every ROMAN, on MUSSOLTNI, and the popp! C-ld anything ba more aoncIusive?