Antichrist will be from the Tribe of Dan, named Adonikam

[Alfred Persson]

Here is a problem that you have to be wise to figure out. If you can, figure out what the beast's number means. It is man's number. His number is 666. (Rev 13:18 NIRV)

How does it require wisdom and understanding to connect 666 with Adonikam's name?

Inferring from the 666 correspondence by itself wouldn't qualify:
13 the people of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six; (Ezr 2:13 NKJ)

So what wisdom and understanding is necessary before we make this connection?

A clue can be found by the parallel occurrences of the need for wisdom, these either appear in Daniel, or refer to Daniel's prophecy:

10 "Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. (Dan 12:10 NKJ)

14 "So when you see the `abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not " (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Mar 13:14 NKJ)

"Let the reader understand" calls attention to the need for wisdom and understanding when interpreting the abomination of desolation in Daniel 11:31 and 12:11. The dual reference to both the Zealot abominations that ended the daily sacrifice, and to what the Antichrist does in the final week, clearly call for wisdom and understanding.

What text relevant to the Antichrist in the book of Daniel also requires careful reading? Clearly Dan 11:37 "God of his fathers" qualifies, does it refer to YHWH proving the Antichrist is of Jewish descent, or "gods of his fathers" meaning it could be a Gentile?

37 "He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. (Dan 11:37 NKJ)

The King, Antichrist, shall not regard the God of his fathers. Here his Jewish descent becomes evident. It is a Jewish phrase “the God of his fathers” and besides this, to establish his fraudulent claim to be the King Messiah, he must be a Jew.- Gaebelein, A. C. (1911). The prophet Daniel: a key to the visions and prophecies of the Book of Daniel (p. 188). New York: Publication Office “Our Hope.”

J.F. Walvoord disagrees:

One of the more important arguments supporting the conclusion that this king is a Jew is found in the opening phrase of verse 37, “neither shall he regard the God of his fathers.”,,, Gaebelein and others upholding this view, however, overlook a most decisive fact that the word for “God” here is Elohim, a name for God in general, applying both to the true God and to false gods. If the expression had been the usual one when referring to the God of Israel, the Jehovah of his fathers, the identification would be unmistakable. Very frequently in Scripture, the God of Israel is described as Jehovah, “the Lord God” of their fathers (cf. Ex 3:15–16; 4:5; Deu 1:11, 21; 4:1; 6:3; 12:1; 26:7; 29:25; Jos 18:3; Judg 2:12; 2 Ki 21:22; 1 Ch 29:20; 2 Ch 7:22; 11:16; 13:18; 15:12; 19:4; 20:6; 21:10; 24:24; 28:9; 29:5; 30:7, 19; 34:33; 36:15; Ezra 7:27; 8:28). Although Daniel uses “God (Elohim) of my fathers” in Daniel 2:23 in view of this common usage elsewhere in Scripture, for Daniel to omit the word Jehovah or Lord, (KJV) in a passage where a specific name for the God of Israel would be necessary, becomes significant. The expression should be rendered “the gods of his fathers,” that is, any god, as most revisions translate it.- Walvoord, J. F. (2008). Daniel: The Key To Prophetic Revelation (pp. 273–274). Galaxie Software.

However, these examples are dissimilar, they read "God of YOUR fathers" not "God of HIS fathers" and we can find another appearance of it in 2 Chron 33:12

12 Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, (2Ch 33:12 NKJ)

When LORD is understood in the context, the phrase can appear without "LORD" just before it.

That contradicts Walvoord sufficiently enough for us to revisit the context. If YHWH God is being discussed just before "God of his fathers" appears, then Walvoord's argument is irrelevant.

Note the God being discussed just before the phrase in question is "the God of Gods," hence this usage parallels 2 Chron 33:12 and Walvoord's argument was a hasty generalization that ignored this relevant detail in the context.

36 "Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.
37 "He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.
38 "But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things.
39 "Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.
(Dan 11:36-39 NKJ)

So wisdom and understanding are required to RECKON the Antichrist is more likely of Jewish descent than any other. Otherwise we only know the he will rise from the area where the ancient Greek (Dan 8:8-9) and Roman Empires (Dan 7:7-8) overlap. That says nothing about his heritage.

Christians during the first four centuries a.d., that the Antichrist would come from the tribe of Dan. Whether this will be the case or no, we do not know. Gen. 49:17, 18 may have ultimate reference to this Son of Perdition. Certainly Dan is the most mysterious of all the twelve tribes.- Pink, A. W. (2005). The Antichrist (p. 45). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

While early Christians cite Gen 49:16-17 and Jeremiah 8:16 for confirmation the Antichrist will come from the tribe of Dan, its more likely such a widespread belief among the Fathers had its origin in the "oral traditions" of the church, perhaps even originating from the apostles.

Jeremiah 8:16 describes Nebuchadnezzar's troops as the making the snorting sound, as being the snakes and adders that bite. They are heard in Dan's territory. Hence the text is irrelevant to the question.

But Gen 49:16-17 is material, when listing the twelve tribes we read "As one of the tribes of Israel" and "I have waited for your salvation", odd statements in a list of the Twelve tribes. Taken together these imply a time when Dan isn't laboring for the LORD and is waiting for His salvation:


16 "Dan shall judge his people As one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, A viper by the path, That bites the horse's heels So that its rider shall fall backward.
18 I have waited for your salvation, O LORD! (Gen 49:16-18 NKJ)

That would be consistent with the apparent failure of Dan to supply 12,000 for sealing (Rev. 7:4-8).

Taken all together, the Antichrist will rise from the Tribe of Dan. Then connecting the dots to Adonikam isn't such a stretch, 666 likely John's allusion to that verse.

18 There is need for shrewdness here: anyone clever may interpret the number of the beast: it is the number of a human being, the number 666. (Rev 13:18-1 NJB)

 

[John S]

1. The antichrist will be from the Tribe of Dan.
2. "Dan shall judge his people". The judicial system of the Roman Empire was so great that it was used as the model by the British Empire and then by the United States.
3. Dan is the current country of Italy.
4. The antichrist will come from Italy - and NOT the Pope.
5. I am looking for a man from Italy. Everyone else can look elsewhere. In the beginning, he will NOT be famous or even well known. He will be a relative nobody.
6. He will NOT be Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Sikh, or anything else. He will probably be Christian nominally.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

How can this "guy" be from the tribe of Dan and yet not Jewish? You're talking about Judaism right? One can be a Jew and yet not a religious individual, because Jews are an ethnic group....

 

[John S]

How can this "guy" be from the tribe of Dan and yet not Jewish? You're talking about Judaism right? One can be a Jew and yet not a religious individual, because Jews are an ethnic group....

The Tribe of Judah (Jews) will be the ONLY Tribe to maintain its identity (Jacob's prophecy in Genesis 49). All of the other Tribes will be Christian.
Of the 144,000 members of the Elect, only 12,000 will be Jewish. The other 132,000 will be Christians.

 

[Interplanner]

The guy Paul was speaking of in the Thess material was the leader of the rebels in the 7th decade. Look into the rational reading of Mt 24 thread.

 

[Douggg]

[FONT=&quot]Here is a problem that you have to be wise to figure out. If you can, figure out what the beast's number means. It is man's number. His number is 666. (Rev 13:18 NIRV)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]How does it require wisdom and understanding to connect 666 with Adonikam's name?[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Inferring from the 666 correspondence by itself wouldn't qualify:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]13[/FONT][FONT=&quot] the people of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six; (Ezr 2:13 NKJ)[/FONT]

667, if Adonikam himself is counted. If Adonikam's descendants number 667, including Adonikam himself - who was number 666 ? It was not Adonikam, but one of his descendants.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

The Tribe of Judah (Jews) will be the ONLY Tribe to maintain its identity (Jacob's prophecy in Genesis 49). All of the other Tribes will be Christian.
Of the 144,000 members of the Elect, only 12,000 will be Jewish. The other 132,000 will be Christians.

I'm not buying it... I don't think any of the 144,000 are Jews, but nothing in that suggests only a part will be Jews and the rest Christian. They'll either be all one or the other. But I agree to disagree

 

[ebedmelech]

2 John 1:7
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Antichrist can and is many indivduals...NEVER just one person. Some, more significant than others, but no one person. Antichrist is against Christ, so how many people, organizations, governments...etc are antichrist???

When you really apply what John just said...even the nation of Israel is antichrist becuase they deny Jesus is THE CHRIST!

So much for this thread...

 

[Alfred Persson]

667, if Adonikam himself is counted. If Adonikam's descendants number 667, including Adonikam himself - who was number 666 ? It was not Adonikam, but one of his descendants.

The name remains Adonikam, its the perspective of the writer that is different. If his father is also named Adonikam, then the count of his sons starting with Adonikam is 666. If the writer is only looking at Adonikam, then his "clan" by that name, is 666.

But if you count him with his father having the same name, the total is 667.

Or you can believe there are errors in the Bible, its your choice. I have always learned alleged errors, could be otherwise explained.

Rather than citing a chapter and verse as we do, John is using 666 to refer to Adonikam's name. It still requires wisdom and understanding to accept that is the Antichrist's name, because of the reasons I cited.

Also because some might fear that will change history. I think it might, but the Antichrist won't avoid or hide the name just because its in scripture, rather he will enthusiastically adopt it if it isn't already his name, advertising the identification as part of his new religion.

He doesn't want anyone confused about who it is they are serving.

 

[Alfred Persson]

2 John 1:7
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Antichrist can and is many indivduals...NEVER just one person. Some, more significant than others, but no one person. Antichrist is against Christ, so how many people, organizations, governments...etc are antichrist???

When you really apply what John just said...even the nation of Israel is antichrist becuase they deny Jesus is THE CHRIST!

So much for this thread...

Not according to John, who should know:

18 Little youths, it is the last hour; and even as ye heard that the antichrist doth come, even now antichrists have become many -- whence we know that it is the last hour; (1Jo 2:18 YLT)

ἀντίχριστος (1Jo 2:18 STE), masculine singular.

So this thread is right, but not "so much" your thesis about these things.

 

[Alfred Persson]

I'm not buying it... I don't think any of the 144,000 are Jews, but nothing in that suggests only a part will be Jews and the rest Christian. They'll either be all one or the other. But I agree to disagree

The 144000 appear listed as in a military census. From the texts referring to them, they remain on earth after the church is raptured. 144000 Christian Jews who specially witness to those "left behind" preaching repentance, consoling them all is not lost.

Think how devastated many will be, when they realize they were left behind because they were caught not doing the will of their LORD, but now would repent. God mercifully sends them help via the 144000. They are Jews---Christian Jews, preaching God does indeed love those left behind, in spite of appearances.

This explains the "judgement according to works" that happens at Christ's coming. The saved by grace church was raptured and is with Christ at His coming (1 Thess 4:17ff), already passed from death into life and they don't come under judgment (John 5:24), so they aren't among the sheep and goats here:

31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
33 "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand,`Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 `for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
36 `I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying,`Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
38 `When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 `Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
40 "And the King will answer and say to them,`Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
(Mat 25:31-40 NKJ)

Those of the left behind who treated the 144000 and those they converted to Christ, well, enter life. Those who treated them badly, are cast into the lake of fire where their master satan will be, about a 1000 years later.

The less than explicit wording is explainable by Christ's desire the essential point about charity, be heeded by every generation.

They are still being saved by grace, as its impossible giving a cup of water merit eternal life in God's Kingdom:

41 "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
42 "And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." (Mat 10:41-1 NKJ)

 

[John S]

Think how devastated everyone is going to be WHEN they realize that there is NO Pre-Trib Rapture.

 

[Alfred Persson]

1. The antichrist will be from the Tribe of Dan.
2. "Dan shall judge his people". The judicial system of the Roman Empire was so great that it was used as the model by the British Empire and then by the United States.
3. Dan is the current country of Italy.
4. The antichrist will come from Italy - and NOT the Pope.
5. I am looking for a man from Italy. Everyone else can look elsewhere. In the beginning, he will NOT be famous or even well known. He will be a relative nobody.
6. He will NOT be Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Sikh, or anything else. He will probably be Christian nominally.

At least we somewhat agree. But Paul's words give him a title Judas himself had, "son of perdition."

3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
(2Th 2:3-4 NKJ)

It follows the allusion to miracle working Christian-Jew Judas might shed some light on the antithesis, the Christ/Antichrist contrast; Christ was a Jew by birth, wouldn't the Antichrist who seeks to be worshiped instead of Him, also be a Jew by birth?

And his being a Jew goes far in explaining why the nation of Israel might trust his covenant.

However, I proved Gaebelein's exegesis is correct, Daniel revealed he will be a Jew who shows no regard for the God of his people.

A Christian Jew, who works signs and wonders and claims a personal relationship with Christ, till he betrays Him claiming he is the Christ. That's why a falling away had to come first, so Christendom can believe him.

 

[Alfred Persson]

Think how devastated everyone is going to be WHEN they realize that there is NO Pre-Trib Rapture.

I agree, the rapture is just after the abomination of desolation stands in the Church, the Temple of God, ending all sacrifice and offering to the true God and before God's wrath is unleashed upon the earth:

The earth is reaped just before the cosmic war between man and satan's angels, and Christ and His Holy myriads:

16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
(Rev 14:16-17 KJV)

24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
(Mar 13:24-27 KJV)

 

[Douggg]

The name remains Adonikam, its the perspective of the writer that is different. If his father is also named Adonikam, then the count of his sons starting with Adonikam is 666. If the writer is only looking at Adonikam, then his "clan" by that name, is 666.

But if you count him with his father having the same name, the total is 667.

What is your bible verse that says his father has the same name? And that his father is included in the 667?

Nehemiah 7:18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.

Ezra 2:13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

Or you can believe there are errors in the Bible, its your choice. I have always learned alleged errors, could be otherwise explained.

I am not saying there is an error in the bible. I am saying there is an error in your understanding of it.

If Adonikam himself is counted in the 667, then he would have 666 descendants (children of Adonikam) as the bible says. But what it is indicating by saying 667 in Nehemiah 7 and 666 in Ezra 2 - is that Adonikam is not 666. But one of his sons.

The person who would be 666 is one of his sons given in Ezra 8. And in that listing the sons of Adonikam are listed DIFFERENTLY than the others listed. Perhaps the bible is making Adonikam's sons listed differently for a reason.

Here is the passage, can you see the difference in listing Adonikam's sons?

8 These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.
2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.
3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty.
4 Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.
5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.
6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.
7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.
8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.
9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males.
10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males.
11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.
12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males.
13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.
14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.


It says the last sons of Adonikam. So that to me is an indication that those three, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, is number 664, number 665, number 666.


Number 666, if the listing is in order, is Shemaiah.

 

[Alfred Persson]

What is your bible verse that says his father has the same name? And that his father is included in the 667?

Nehemiah 7:18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.

Ezra 2:13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

I am not saying there is an error in the bible. I am saying there is an error in your understanding of it.

If Adonikam himself is counted in the 667, then he would have 666 descendants (children of Adonikam) as the bible says. But what it is indicating by saying 667 in Nehemiah 7 and 666 in Ezra 2 - is that Adonikam is not 666. But one of his sons.

Your explanation contradicts the wording of Neh 7:18, claiming he had 666 descendents when the text says 667. Therefore your explanation is wrong.

13 the people of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six; (Ezr 2:13 NKJ)

18 the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven; (Neh 7:18 NKJ)

If one is listing all the people under Adonikam, its 666.

But the reference to "the sons of", plus the tally 667, makes it plausible his father had the same name, and if Nehemiah is counting all "Adonikam", the number is 667 because it includes Adonikam and all his sons.

There are other explanations why this difference in numbers exist.

Scholars blame the difference on "the notorious difficulty in copying Hebrew numbers."-Breneman, M. (1993). Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed., Vol. 10, p. 77). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

However, regardless which theory you choose, it doesn't matter. John didn't say we had to calculate it, only use wisdom and understanding to "reckon" it.

Therefore John's allusion to the verse by citing 666, means Adonikam is the name of the beast. He is not pointing to a list of names, that we must use occult means to discover which he meant. It does require Godly wisdom and understanding to realize we should not touch the unclean thing, and that God would never have satan interpret scripture for us via one of his Babylonian devices.

 

[ebedmelech]

Not according to John, who should know:

18 Little youths, it is the last hour; and even as ye heard that the antichrist doth come, even now antichrists have become many -- whence we know that it is the last hour; (1Jo 2:18 YLT)

ἀντίχριστος (1Jo 2:18 STE), masculine singular.

So this thread is right, but not "so much" your thesis about these things.

Reconcile that with what John said in 2 John though...it doesn't work.

 

[Alfred Persson]

Reconcile that with what John said in 2 John though...it doesn't work.

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (2Jo 1:7 NKJ)

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
(1Jo 2:18-19 NKJ)

I don't see the conflict at all. "This is a deceiver and an antichrist" refers to every individual who deceives and doesn't confess Jesus as coming in the flesh. There is no denial a single chief Antichrist will appear. In fact, in 1 John, your interpretation is expressly contradicted.

 

[Douggg]

Your explanation contradicts the wording of Neh 7:18, claiming he had 666 descendents when the text says 667. Therefore your explanation is wrong.

13 the people of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six; (Ezr 2:13 NKJ)

18 the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven; (Neh 7:18 NKJ)

If one is listing all the people under Adonikam, its 666.

But the reference to "the sons of", plus the tally 667, makes it plausible his father had the same name, and if Nehemiah is counting all "Adonikam", the number is 667 because it includes Adonikam and all his sons.

Alfred, my explanation is not wrong. The translation you are using (New King James Version) is different than the KJV for Nehemiah7:18.

The KJV says children of Adonikam are 667. While the NKJV says the sons of Adonikam are 667. Hence your logic that the 667 had to include Adonikam's father. Which my rationale using the KJV, because it says the children of Adonikam - allows for Adonikam himself included to result in the 667.

So, I looked up the KJV with strong's numbers for that word, and it can be translated several ways. Both children and sons are options. So futher investigation is needed to see if it were a problem with the choice of definitions the translators of the NKJV and the KJV chose to apply.

So, I went to Ezra 8, in the NKJV to see what it said, since that is the translation you are using. It still makes that distinction of listing Adonikams' sons differently. It calls them the last sons of Adonikam.


13 of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these—Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah—and with them sixty males; (NKJV)

So in keeping with what John wrote in Revelation 13:

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (KJV)

....counting Adonikam's last three sons, (if they are in order), would be Eliphelet as 664, Jeiel as 665, Shemaiah as 666. All this is a theory, including your thinking Adonikam is the name of the Antichrist.

There are other explanations why this difference in numbers exist.

Scholars blame the difference on "the notorious difficulty in copying Hebrew numbers."-Breneman, M. (1993). Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed., Vol. 10, p. 77). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

However, regardless which theory you choose, it doesn't matter. John didn't say we had to calculate it, only use wisdom and understanding to "reckon" it.

Actually, in the NKJV you are using, it does say calculate....

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (NKJV)


In the KJV, it says...

18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

"counting" the number could be a form of calculating. Another option would be to count the number of the last three sons of Adonikam.

So, counting the names of the last three sons as numbers - it would be number 664, 665, then 666. Number 666 could be the Antichrist's name.

Therefore John's allusion to the verse by citing 666, means Adonikam is the name of the beast. He is not pointing to a list of names, that we must use occult means to discover which he meant. It does require Godly wisdom and understanding to realize we should not touch the unclean thing, and that God would never have satan interpret scripture for us via one of his Babylonian devices.

Counting the number of Adonikam's last thee sons, to theorize the name of the Antichrist is not gematria.

 

[Douggg]

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (2Jo 1:7 NKJ)

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
(1Jo 2:18-19 NKJ)

I don't see the conflict at all. "This is a deceiver and an antichrist" refers to every individual who deceives and doesn't confess Jesus as coming in the flesh. There is no denial a single chief Antichrist will appear. In fact, in 1 John, your interpretation is expressly contradicted.

eb, do you understand the concept of "likening to"? For example, Jesus said he chose the 12 and one was a devil - referring to Judas of course. Was Jesus saying that Judas was "the" devil, Satan? No, he was not. He was likening Judas to Satan. Just as when Jesus said to Peter - get behind me, Satan. Jesus was not saying that Peter was Satan.

The many antichrists - were persons likened to the Antichrist who is coming.