Revelation 16

Some ancient copies of Revelation put the number at 616. Letters had number values. The name of Nero works with both numbers, 616 and 666. He ruled AD 37-68 and was the first emperor on record to persecute Christians. His name engraved onto coins in Latin, the official language of the Romans, is “Nero Caesar.” Numbers had numerical value in ancient times. The six letters Jews used to translate that into their language of Hebrew add up to 616. But that same name and title in Greek, the international language of the day, is “Neron Caesar.” Jews used seven letters to translate that version of the name. Those seven letters add up to 666. Another contender is Emperor Domitian (ruled AD 81-96), another aggressive persecutor of Christians. His name and title occasionally show up abbreviated on Roman coins with Greek letters that add up to 666.

Reminiscent of Egypt’s king refusing to let the Jewish slave nation leave, which would have halted the 10 plagues of Egypt (Exodus 9:35).

“East” for Jews in Bible times meant east of what is now the Jewish homeland of Israel. In John’s day, when he wrote in perhaps the AD 90s, east may have referred to kings in the Parthian Empire in what is now eastern Iraq and most of Iran. One legend about dead Emperor Nero was that he would return to power, leading a Parthian army—an empire Rome hadn’t been able to conquer. See the footnote for Revelation 13:3 for more about the Elvis-isn’t-dead kind of myth about Nero.

Ancient literature tells of demons traveling in and out of people through the tunnel of a person’s mouth or nose. First-century Jewish historian Josephus (AD 37-100) wrote about an exorcist named Eleazar using a root as demon bait. “He drew out the demon through his [a possessed man’s] nostrils . . . the man fell down immediately” (Antiquities of the Jews, 8.47).

The text simply says “false prophet,” but it describes the land beast of Revelation 13:11-17. Some scholars say they see the dragon, the sea beast, and the land beast/false prophet as an evil trinity fighting against the divine Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Some scholars link these “rulers of the world” (Revelation 16:14, New Living Translation) to the 10 rulers who fight for the sea beast, against the forces of God. Others say “rulers of the world” means all the nations that are hostile to people devoted to God. Some say John was talking about a day when the Romans would no longer persecute Christians. Others say they anticipate an end-time battle, possibly in what is now Israel and Palestinian Territory.

Sounds like Jesus: “If a homeowner knows that a thief is coming, and when, the homeowner is going to be prepared. No one’s going to break into that house. You, too, need to stay alert. The Son of Humans is coming, but you don’t know when” (Matthew 24:43-44).

Possibly a metaphor about what it would feel like to stand unprepared before God and all of humanity on Judgment Day.

Armageddon. No such word in Hebrew. No such place. Most popular interpretation: It’s Harmagedon. Not as in “harm” from battle. But har, the Hebrew word for “hill” or “mountain.” Many scholars say Armageddon is a combo word—har magedon—which means Megiddo Mountain. Megiddo was a fortress city on a 100-foot-high hill (30 meters) by a main mountain pass in northern Israel. It overlooked fertile fields some 30 miles wide by 200 miles long (48 by 320 km). French General Napoleon called it the perfect battlefield. He was talking about what is now Israel’s sprawling primo farmland: Jezreel Valley, nicknamed the Valley of Armageddon. Romans called it the Great Plain and set up a base there: Legion of the Great Plain. Armies have clashed there more than 30 times throughout the centuries.

“Babylon” became a code name for Rome after Rome leveled Jerusalem in AD 70. The Babylonian Empire had done the same thing in 586 BC.