If you have your Bibles before you, I encourage you to take them and to turn with me to Revelation 13.18, and not only to Revelation 13.18, but as we go throughout the Scripture, in laying out the points of the sermon this Lord's Day, I encourage you to likewise use the Scripture as a road map to follow that roadmap to the goal, to the destination, which I hope, by God's grace, to bring you by the conclusion of the sermon today. 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 three score and six." We continue this Lord's Day examining another passage of scripture from the book of Revelation to which Preterists appeal in claiming that the Apostle John penned this inspired prophecy before the destruction of the temple and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Remember that the interpretive system of Preterism claims that either most of the book of Revelation was fulfilled by 70 AD, that's partial preterism, or all of the book of Revelation, even all prophecy and scripture was fulfilled by 70 AD, that's full preterism. The only way that preterists can view the prophesied events found in the book of Revelation as mostly fulfilled or totally fulfilled by 70 AD is to defend and promote the view that evidence within the book of Revelation itself leads one to conclude that the book of Revelation was penned by the Apostle John before 70 AD. To the contrary, I do not agree with the preterists that internal evidence within the book of Revelation points to a pre-70 AD authorship, and thus the reason for the present series of sermons. In fact, it is my conviction that both internal and external evidence points to a post-70 AD authorship. of the book of Revelation, most likely in the reign of Emperor Domitian around 96 AD. In the previous sermon we examined Revelation chapter 11 verses 1-2 wherein the Preterist alleges to find a prophecy related to the destruction of the temple and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Reasons were given why we ought not to interpret the passage as prophesying the destruction of the literal temple and the literal city of Jerusalem in the previous sermon. I will not at this point in time take the time to review all of those reasons, but you may review them by examining that previous sermon for yourself. That would be number 21. in the present series. This Lord's Day we move forward to another passage which the Preterist uses to defend and promote the view that John penned the visions in this revelation before 70 AD. That passage to which we will focus our attention this Lord's Day is found in our inspired text that was read earlier, Revelation 13.18. Our main point that we will cover today is Preterism and Revelation 13.18. Once again, let us consider that text. 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." The Preterist claims that the number of the beast that is specifically revealed by 666 in Revelation 13-18 is the Emperor of Rome, Nero Caesar. Obviously, if the number 666 of the blasphemous and persecuting beast described in Revelation 13-10 is truly Nero, there would be strong That would be strong internal evidence to warrant the view that the book of Revelation was written prior to 70 AD, for Nero committed suicide in 68 AD. How does the Preterist arrive at such a conclusion that the number of the beast, 666, is Nero Caesar. The first step in identifying the number of the beast for the Preterist is to consider the beast that rises from the sea in Revelation 13.1 that has seven heads and ten horns and that has the features of a leopard, a bear, and a lion in Revelation 13.2 as signifying the blasphemous and persecuting kingdom of Rome. For we see as we compare Revelation 13.1 with Daniel chapter 7 in the vision that Daniel received of the four kingdoms that would successively rule upon the earth from the time of Daniel to the time of their destruction by the Lord. And it says in Daniel 7.3 that four great beasts came up from the sea. The first beast was like a lion in Daniel 7.4. This is Babylon. The second beast was like a bear Daniel 7.5, this is Medo-Persia. The third beast was like a leopard. In Daniel 7.6, this was Greece. All of these descriptions, if you have noted what it says in Revelation 13.1, all of these descriptions of the features of these animals are contained in the beast that comes from the sea in Revelation 13. And finally the fourth beast as found in Daniel chapter 7 verses 7 through 8 is simply described, no animal feature that's given to it like the three previous beasts. It's nondescript but it is described this way. as dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly." Note also that this fourth beast of Daniel has ten horns as does the beast in Revelation 13.1. There is clearly a prophetic parallel between the fourth beast of Daniel and Daniel 7. and the beast from the sea in Revelation 13.1. This fourth beast of Daniel is the kingdom of Rome which succeeded Greece as the next worldwide kingdom. And likewise this beast from the sea in Revelation 13.1 that embodies all of the descriptions and features of the prior three world kingdoms in Revelation 13.2. is the kingdom of Rome. Thus when our text states in Revelation 13 18, let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast. The number 666 identifies in some way the beast that rises from the sea, that is the civil power and kingdom of Rome. The second step for the Preterist in identifying the number of the beast is to consider the blasphemous and persecuting nature of the beast as related in Revelation chapter 13 verses 4 through 10. You can read that at your leisure. The Preterist explains that Just as one finds the description of this persecuting beast in Revelation 13 verses 4 through 10, even so Nero solicited and received blasphemous titles and attributes of deity unto himself, and was the first of the Roman emperors to savagely persecute Christians. Both Peter and Paul were in fact executed during the reign of Nero. Thus the Preterist argues that the description we find of this beast in Revelation 13 fits very well with what history reveals about Nero. The third step for the Preterist in identifying the number of the beast is to consider the number itself, 666. That is called both the number of the beast and the number of a man in Revelation 13.18. It is a well-established fact that most ancient languages such as Hebrew, Greek and Latin did not have their own numerical system separate from the letters of their own alphabet. Various letters of their alphabet were given different numerical values as we see exhibited for example in Roman numerals where a capital I equals 1, a capital V equals 5, a capital X equals 10, capital L equals 50, capital C equals 100, capital D equals 500, and a capital M equals 1000. Interestingly, when the numerical value of the Hebrew letters used in the Hebrew spelling of the words Nero Caesar are counted and added they total exactly 666. Thus, according to the Preterist, when the preceding three steps are weighed together they provide very strong internal evidence that Nero was the blasphemous and persecuting emperor who was reigning in Rome at the time that John penned the book of Revelation. Which, if true, would mean that the book of Revelation was written before Nero's death in 68 A.D. and obviously before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. As was observed in the previous sermon when we consider Revelation chapter 11 verses 1-2, this appears, what the Preterist has stated by way of argumentation, this appears at first glance to be a very compelling argument from internal evidence for a pre-70 A.D. authorship of Revelation. But I urge caution as we proceed to examine the scripture in regard to the number of the beast. Having laid out basically the main argument and the steps followed by the Preterist, let us now consider reasons why the number of the beast, 666, as found in Revelation 13.18 is not Nero, thus removing this as internal evidence for a pre-70 AD dating of the book of Revelation. The first reason is this. The specific time period at which this beast in Revelation 13 is warring against the saints is not prior to 70 A.D. but is rather several hundred years later. Let us turn first to the vision of Daniel. Daniel 7, which as we have already seen identifies the fourth beast with the ten horns that rises from the sea in Daniel 7 verses 3-8. With the beast with the ten horns that rises from the sea in Revelation 13-1 as the political kingdom of Rome. In Daniel 7.19, Daniel indicates that he wanted to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, that is the political kingdom of Rome. Daniel had observed that on the head of this fourth beast, that is political Rome, were ten horns that shall arise from the beast and that there shall arise after them a little horn before whom three of the horns shall fall according to Daniel chapter 7 verses 8 and 20 and 24. What does this mean and why is it important to the dating of the book of Revelation? I submit that this refers, the ten horns, refers to a period in history when the political kingdom of Rome would be broken and divided by ten kings or kingdoms who would arise. When did this occur? Did it occur before 70 AD during the reign of Nero? If so, where is the historical evidence to support such a claim? Some preterists have sought to identify these ten kings with the provincial governors or the Roman provinces that existed at the time of Nero, but there were nearly twice as many Roman provinces, provincial governors, 18 at the time of Nero, not 10. Furthermore, before the death of Nero, These Roman provinces could not be said to be dividing and destroying a unified Roman Empire. Some preterists realize they cannot find historical fulfillment for these ten horns among the Roman provinces prior to Nero's death in 68 AD, and so they have interpreted the number 10 as a symbolic rather than as a literal number. However, the same Preterists want to interpret the seven heads upon the beast as literally seven heads. The fifth head of Revelation being in Revelation 17.10 they assigned to Nero. So the beast, according to some preterists, has seven literal heads and ten symbolic horns. Where's the consistency in that? Furthermore, the ten horns are not likely to be a symbolic number when in Daniel 7, three of them are said to be plucked up by the roots. Daniel 7, 8. Three of them are said to be fallen. The same three are said to be fallen. and Daniel 7.20 and the same three are said to be subdued or humbled. Daniel 7.24. Although there is no historical evidence to which the Preterist can turn for the historical fulfillment of the Roman Empire being divided and broken by ten kingdoms prior to the death of Nero in 68 AD, I submit there is much historical evidence to confirm that this prophesied division of the Roman Empire by ten barbarian kings or kingdoms began about 376 A.D. with the advance of the kingdom of the Visigoths and ten kingdoms had contributed significant division within the Roman Empire by 538 AD, by which time three of the Ten Kingdoms had fallen. This division within the Roman Empire included the following Ten Kingdoms. The Heruli, Ostrogoths and Lombards occupied various parts of present Italy. The Visigoths occupied what is presently parts of Hungary, Austria, Croatia, and Serbia. The Suevis occupied what is presently Spain. The Franks occupied what is presently France. The Burgundians occupied what is presently part of France. The Anglo-Saxons occupied what is presently Britain. the Vandals occupied what is presently parts of Italy and North Africa, and the Alamanni occupied what is presently Germany. When we read concerning the same ten kingdoms in Daniel 2 verse 41, that there shall be a division within the fourth kingdom, namely the kingdom of Rome, and a mixture In that vision it talks of a mixture of iron and clay in the feet and ten toes of the image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. We are likewise to understand this same division that occurred within the Roman Empire by these ten kingdoms just identified, historically identified. Also observe in Daniel 7.24 that there is another prophetic character that shall appear at this very time in history after the division of the once unified Roman Empire by the Ten Kingdoms, namely a little horn that shall be, it says, diverse or different from the first ten kingdoms. Daniel's prophecy states that three of the ten kingdoms shall fall and be humbled before the little horn. The same little horn grows in power and authority to such an extent that it is prophesied to make, quote, war with the saints, end of quote. and to, quote, prevail against them, end of quote, in Daniel 721. And to, quote, wear out the saints, end of quote, in Daniel 725. Furthermore, this little horn is prophesied to blaspheme the Lord God by speaking, quote, great words against the Most High. Finally, note that the period of time in which the saints are to be given into his hand is for a time and times and the dividing of a time, that is for three and a half prophetic years, which equals 42 prophetic months and 1260 prophetic days. I submit that this little horn of Daniel 7, that is different from the ten kingdoms, and rises in power after them, before whom three kingdoms fall and are humbled, that blasphemes God, that wars against the saints for three and a half prophetic years, or 42 prophetic months, and whose throne is in Rome, is the ecclesiastical political kingdom of the Roman Catholic Church, with her Romish popes, who assumed the pagan title of the Roman Emperor's Pontifex Maximus, or Supreme Priest. For indeed, by 538 A.D., three of the ten barbarian kingdoms had fallen in defeat and were uprooted as political kingdoms before the throne of the Roman papacy. These three barbarian kingdoms had at different times conquered and sacked Rome, but were each destroyed within a few short years of one another while the Church, the Roman Church, and the Papacy of Rome withstood all of these attacks, grew in power despite these attacks, and witnessed the uprooting of each of these three kingdoms, namely the Herculi in 533 AD, the Vandals in 536 AD, and the Ostagoths in 538 AD. The destroyers were themselves destroyed, while the Little Horn, a kingdom different from the others, because it was an ecclesiastical-political kingdom, continued to increase in power, when in 538 A.D. the Roman papacy was endowed with the title of universal bishop over all Christian churches by the imperial decree of Justinian. In ages to come, anyone who dared to defy this little horn as being the Church of Christ, outside of which there is no possibility of salvation, or as the papacy being the universal bishop, or the vicar of Christ, or the head of the universal church on earth, would find a little horn united with the divided kingdom of Rome as adversaries making war with, persecuting, murdering faithful Christians into the many millions in number. The persecution of Christians in Rome by Nero pales in comparison to the persecution of Christians within the broken and divided Roman Empire and by ecclesiastical and political realm. Now when we take this information from Daniel 7 and note the parallels we find with it in Revelation chapter 13 we are given a further confirmation that the prophesied events found in Revelation 13 do not refer to the time of Nero but to a period of time some hundreds of years after the death of Nero. We've already noted that the beast that arises from the sea in Revelation 13-1 is the same as the fourth beast in Daniel 7, namely the political kingdom of Rome. We've also noted that on the head of both beasts in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 are ten horns signifying ten kings or kingdoms that would break and divide a unified Roman Empire. In fact, these ten kings or kingdoms have moved from having no crowns on their horns in Revelation 12.3, the previous chapter, you find the beast mentioned. And you find in Revelation 12.3 having seven heads and ten horns, but the crowns are on the seven heads. But when we come to Revelation 13, the crowns are on the ten horns. Interesting. simply to indicate that when we look at Revelation 13, we are not awaiting the ruling of these ten kingdoms within a broken and divided kingdom of Rome. We are looking at that very period of time when the ten kings and kingdoms have already divided Rome and they are ruling with crowns upon their head. These ten barbarian kingdoms notably began to exert the rule as we said earlier in 376 A.D. with the Visigoths and subsequently with the other nine barbarian kingdoms to follow. Let us also note that just as the little horn of Rome, as we noted in Daniel 7, and identified as the Roman Church and her Pope, is distinguishable from the fourth beast of political Rome, and yet it is inseparable from the fourth beast. just as the little horn appears on the head of the fourth beast. Not outside of the head of the fourth beast, but on the head of the fourth beast in Daniel 7. So likewise, the political beast of Rome that rises out of the sea in Revelation 13 verses 1 through 10 is distinguishable from the ecclesiastical beast of Rome that has two horns like a lamb and comes out of the earth. In Revelation 13, verses 11 through 17, notice this is the second beast. In Revelation 13, 11, And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth. This is not the same beast. This is a second beast, distinguishable from the first beast. Coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon, and he exercised all the power of the first beast before him. and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed." In the following sermon we'll talk more about what that means, the head of that beast being healed. We'll look more at that in the following sermon. But for the time being, again, note that this is a second beast that appears in Revelation 13, which I take to be the Romish church. And yet, it's inseparable from the first beast. The second prophetic character, the second beast in Revelation 13, 11 through 17, which I believe is the ecclesiastical beast, which signifies the Roman Church, is also identified elsewhere as the false prophet in Revelation 16, 13. And is identified as the false prophet in Revelation 19, 20. In Revelation 19, 20, note what it says. And the beast, that's the first beast, was taken, and with him the false prophet, that's the second beast, that brought miracles before him. with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshiped his image. We're going to talk about the image in just a moment. That's the third character in Revelation 13 we want to consider. He's called the false prophet because of the heresies and false teaching by which it deceives millions. Interestingly, the second beast is also identified as Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots, who rides upon and receives the support of the first beast, the political beast of Rome in Revelation chapter 17 verses 3 and 5, demonstrating once again that political Rome and ecclesiastical Rome are distinguishable, yet are inseparable. Mystery Babylon is even identified as the great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth in Revelation 17-18. That is, Rome is the seat of this harlot church. You have the faithful church, the faithful who worship the Lord according to His will. And you have the harlot, the unfaithful church that pervert the doctrine and worship and government of Christ's Church. So, Rome is the seat of this harlot church, whose cardinals are clothed in purple and scarlet according to Revelation 17.4. Whose cathedrals are decked with gold and precious stones according to Revelation 17.4. and who has a golden cup full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication, wherein blasphemy and idolatry fill the golden cup of her mass, when it is asserted that the wine in the golden cup is miraculously transformed by means of the priest's words into the literal blood of Christ, as is the bread into the literal body of Christ, and which are then both worshipped bread and wine, both worshipped as the actual body and blood of Christ and which are offered as a sacrifice to God. Abomination in a golden cup. Let us also note that the third prophetic character in Revelation 13 verses 14 through 15, the image of the beast, which I take to be the Romish Pope, who lives and receives his being from the Romish Church and from her cardinals and bishops according to Revelation 13-15. It's the second beast, the ecclesiastical beast that gives life to the image. And this Image of the Beast is also distinguishable from political Rome and from ecclesiastical Rome, and yet it's inseparable from them. This image of the Beast is worshipped in Revelation 13, 15. Just as we see so many bow down and offer worship to the Pope. just as the political beast of Rome is said to be worshipped in Revelation 13.4. In fact, the image of the beast is not a dead idol, but is a dynasty of living, breathing beings who have assumed the pagan title of the Roman Emperors, Pontifex Maximus, Supreme Priest, and appear with and appears with the political beast of Rome. The image of the beast appears with the political beast of Rome in Revelation 14.9, 14.11, 15.2, 16.2, 19.20, and 20.4. All the prophetic characters we have considered in Daniel 7 And Revelation 13, dear ones, are treasonous, blasphemous, co-conspirators uniting and blaspheming God by bestowing and usurping the office of Christ as the universal bishop and the head of the universal church on earth. By warring against and persecuting the faithful saints of Christ for the precise same period of time, three and a half prophetic years, or 42 prophetic months in Daniel 7.25, and 42 prophetic months in Revelation 13.5. Thus, dear ones, when we place Daniel 7 beside Revelation 13, we have an agreement as to prophesied events, which prophesied events, I submit, were historically fulfilled hundreds of years after the death of Nero in 68 AD and after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Having noted that the prophesied events of Daniel 7 parallel the prophesied events in Revelation 13 and that the prophesied events in both cases preclude a pre 70 A.D. fulfillment, we now turn to another passage of scripture, Revelation 11-2, which likewise shines light upon the time of fulfillment of the prophesied events in Revelation 13. We examined closely in a previous sermon the events prophesied in Revelation 11-2, but I simply want to summarize what was said very briefly. In summary, we concluded that it was not the literal temple that was profaned or the literal holy city that was tread underfoot as is promoted by the Preterist. To the contrary, it was rather the figurative temple of Christ's visible church, which that visible church is called a temple in various places in the New Testament, but one place in particular is 1 Corinthians 3.16. that temple, that Christ's visible church, would be profaned by, in Revelation 11-2, by profane Gentiles, it says. I submit to you, it's profaned, as we compare Revelation 11-2 with another passage of Scripture, namely 2 Thessalonians 2-3, it's profaned by the man of sin. and the son of perdition who exalts himself, quote, above all that is called God, quote, so that he, that is the Pope, as God sitteth in the temple of God, that is within the visible church of Christ, showing himself that he is God. 2 Thessalonians 2.4. It is this son of perdition, the papacy, who is the spiritual offspring of Judas Iscariot, the only other biblical character referred to as the son of perdition, and who was a devil and sat as a leader within the visible church in John 6.70 and John 17.12, just as does the Pope of Rome. The Pope together with his cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests are those that the Apostle John is told to cast out of the temple in Revelation 11.2, that is, to excommunicate from the faithful church of Christ that worships the Lord in spirit and in truth. It is also this same man of sin and son of perdition with all his officers and followers that tread underfoot the holy city of Christ's visible church by invading, oppressing, deceiving and persecuting the holy city of Christ's visible church for a period of 42 prophetic months according to Revelation 11.2. Now where have we heard that time factor mentioned? Well, we've read it again in Daniel 7 that the saints were trod underfoot for three and a half prophetic years, which is equivalent to 42 months. We read it in Revelation 13 concerning the beast that he wars against the saints for 42 prophetic months, the same period of time. Now, is it simply a coincidence or is it the Spirit's intention to reveal here the same prophesied events under two different visions in Revelation 11 and Revelation 13? Clearly, it is not coincidental, but intentional. For the Roman beast of Revelation 13 also wars against and persecutes the faithful saints of Christ in Revelation 13 profanes the tabernacle of God, that is, the visible Church of Christ in Revelation 13.6, and performs this wickedness for exactly 42 prophetic months, the precise period of time in which the temple or visible Church of Christ is to be profaned and the holy city or visible Church of Christ is to be tread underfoot, invaded, oppressed, and persecuted by profane Gentiles in Revelation 11-2 which I submit is led by the man of sin, the Pope of Rome according to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Thus as we compare the prophesied events of Revelation 11 with those of Revelation 13 we see they must prophesy about events occurring at the same period of history Which period of history we demonstrated from Revelation 11 in the previous sermon to be fulfilled hundreds of years after 70 AD, when the excommunicated Roman Church and her Pope reached their zenith in profaning and trampling underfoot the visible Church of Christ? So likewise do the events prophesied in Revelation 13 occur hundreds of years after 70 AD since they parallel the same events prophesied in a different vision, but parallel the same events prophesied in Revelation 11. Let us now consider the second reason why the number of the beasts, 666, as found in Revelation 13 is not Nero, thus removing this as evidence for a pre-70 A.D. dating of the book of Revelation. A second reason. The first reason, you'll recall, which we spent most of the sermon talking about, had to do with Nero doesn't fit into the period of history that is depicted in Revelation 13. Now, a second reason why Nero is not the guy, why he's not the number of the beast, There is a much more suitable identification for the number of the beast, 666, than Nero Caesar. The first reason why Nero Caesar, dear ones, is not a suitable identification for the number of the beast, 666, is, as we've already noted, because Nero does not fit the time period that is described by the political beast of Rome with the ten horns in Daniel 7, and the ten crowned horns who are ruling in Revelation 13.1, which as we have seen addresses a period of history in which the unified Roman Empire is broken and divided by ten barbarian kingdoms, three of which fall and are humbled at the time of the rising and exaltation of the little horn of the Roman's church and papacy by the Emperor Justinian who in 538 AD decreed that the Pope of Rome should thenceforth be given the title of Universal Bishop. It appeared that this little horn of ecclesiastical and papal Rome had almost miraculously risen out of the ashes of Rome that had been captured and sacked by the three kingdoms. But the little horn of ecclesiastical Rome and papal Rome prevailed over its captors each time. Thus to identify Nero with the beast with the ten crowned horns in Revelation 13.1 is completely out of sync with the historical fulfillment of the ten ruling barbarian kingdoms that divided a unified Rome which occurred over 400 years after the death of Nero. A second reason why Nero Caesar is not a suitable identification for the number of the beast 666 is that the actual number of the beast as found in Revelation 13 18 is recorded in Greek letters not Hebrew letters. How then is it suitable for the number of the beast to be in Greek letters and yet the name of the beast to be in Hebrew letters? Preterists point to Hebrew words in the book of Revelation that are translated into Greek such as Abaddon in Revelation 9 11 or Armageddon in Revelation 16. However, that is not what is in dispute here. That I will only grant that there are Hebrew words that are translated into Greek. What I have a problem with here with the Preterist argument is that there are not Hebrew letters that when calculated equal 666 in Revelation 13 8 but to the contrary there are Greek letters and thus we should likewise expect not the Hebrew spelling of a name but the Greek spelling of a name it also seems much more suitable for the original audience in the seven churches of Asia Minor that first received the book of Revelation and that all spoke Greek, while fewer who were Jewish perhaps spoke Hebrew, but for the most part spoke Greek. Even Hellenized Jews used primarily the Greek Septuagint. We're very familiar with the Greek Septuagint. The recipients, the first recipients of the book of Revelation were basically Greek-speaking Christians. No doubt there were some who spoke Hebrew, but to the far larger degree, Greek-speaking Christians. And he gave this number of the beast to signify, therefore I submit to you, a Greek name by the Greek numerical letters than a Hebrew name by the Greek numerical letters. A third reason why Nero Caesar is not a suitable identification for the number the B666 is that for nearly 1700 years no one in the church was known to offer Nero's name as the number of the beast, 666. Professor Moses Stewart, himself a preterist, identified Professor Benery of Berlin about the year 1840 as the first scholar to propose Nero Caesar in Hebrew letters as the name of the beast or the number of the beast 666. Now I grant although it is not impossible that the true meaning of the number of the beast 666 might be hidden from the whole church until about 1840, it does seem very unlikely that such would be the case, especially when Nero Caesar is not known to have been represented by any who came from the first century prior to 70 A.D. to whom, according to the Preterists, the Book of Revelation was intended. we do not hear any evidence or testimony coming out of the first century. Those who would have been alive at the time that John wrote the book of Revelation, in which these events were allegedly fulfilled, we hear of none, zero, at this point in time, historically identifying the number of the beast with Nero, or even furthermore with Nero Caesar in Hebrew letters, using Hebrew letters. According to the Preterists, those to whom John the Apostle wrote the book of Revelation, they were above everyone else supposed to understand that Nero Caesar was intended by the number of the beast. And yet there is not a trace or even the mention of Nero Caesar as the name and number of the beast prior to 1840. A fourth and final reason why Nero Caesar is not a suitable identification for the number of the beast, 666, is because I submit there is a name that fits very well with the historical division of the Roman Empire, that is also a number of a man, that is the number of a name in Greek and not in Hebrew, and that is of ancient origin mentioned by Irenaeus in the second century. The Greek word, the tenos, which means Latin. as in referring to the Latin Roman Empire or to a Latin man, Latinus being the founder of Rome. The Western Roman Empire with its capital in Rome was the Latin branch of the Empire. This was the branch of the empire that was broken up, divided by the ten tribes. This is the part of the empire where the language of Latin predominated, whereas the Eastern Roman Empire, which had its capital in Constantinople, was the Greek branch of the empire where the language of Greek predominated. Thus I submit that the name and number of the Roman beast in Revelation 13.18 is not Nero Caesar for all the reasons listed above, which I submit removes another alleged piece of internal evidence from the Preterist in seeking to establish a pre-70 AD date of authorship for the book of Revelation. In conclusion, dear ones, and by way of application. How we must learn from the description given by the Apostle John of the second beast which is also the false prophet and the harlot church of Rome in Revelation 13-14 in regard to quote the miracles that this harlot church shall perform and of the man of sin in second Thessalonians 2-9 in regard to the signs and lying wonders that the papacy shall perform, that we must not walk by sight, but must walk by faith in Christ, our only mediator between God and man, and the only head of the church, whether in heaven or upon earth. There was a Lord Jesus made it clear that it is not the one who performs miracles and even does so in the name of Christ, that shall enter the kingdom of heaven. But rather the one who does the will of God. In Matthew 7, verses 21 through 23. There we learn that many will say to the Lord in that day, did we not perform many miracles, many signs, many wonders? Did we not cast out demons? Did we not prophesy? Do all these things in your name. Lord, and he will say to them, depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I never knew you. Not that I knew you once, but now I don't. I never knew you. Just like Judas, that church has become inhabited by demons, by devils. It is easy to swing to the opposite extreme and to deny that God performs miracles for his people after the age of the apostles. But I would have you know God is not restrained to perform a miracle for his people or to use ordinary means to help and encourage his people, either one. For as we read in Luke 1.37, for with God nothing shall be impossible. How then do we discern between the false prophet and the faithful prophet? The false minister, the unfaithful minister, and the faithful minister? Particularly if there are various signs and wonders. Particularly if there is a very wonderful type of appeal, charismatic appeal that the speaker has. magnetic personality that the speaker has, choice of words that the speaker has. How do we discern? Well, he must teach and obey what God has revealed in his word, whether or not a miracle is performed. He must teach and obey what God has revealed in His Word, whether or not a miracle is performed. For in Deuteronomy 13, 1-3, we find a false prophet who performs a wonder, a sign, and yet seeks to lead the people from their God. They're not to follow the sign or the wonder. God says He's testing them to see if they will be faithful to Him. To see if they will walk by faith and not by sight. If the most faithful church, dear ones, was based upon miracles, signs, and wonders, the Church of Rome, I would submit, would no doubt be the most faithful church. where miracles, healings, exorcisms happen almost regularly in conjunction with their holy relics, pilgrimages, and prayers to the saints. You can find testimony after testimony of healings, of various answers to prayer associated with Rome's relics, pilgrimages, and prayers to the saints. Beware, dear ones, that your faith be firmly anchored in Jesus Christ alone in his revealed doctrine, worship, and church government, that the enemy gain no entrance into our lives by way of lies and deception. Amen. Let us stand in prayer. Our gracious God and Father, We do look to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, our only mediator between God and man, the only head of the church, whether in heaven or upon earth. We pray, Father, that Thou would keep us, Lord, from being misled and deceived by what we see in outward performance in a ministry. Help us, O Lord our God, to judge everything by the infallible standard of Holy Scripture. We pray, Father, we would not limit Thee, we would not render Thee powerless by our unbelief, but, O Lord our God, we would judge rightly. We believe that Thou art able to heal, to perform many wonders and signs if Thou should choose to do so. And we would be ever so grateful at any time should You bless us with such miracles. But Lord, our faith does not rest upon the miracles that Thou might show unto us. Our faith rests upon Christ and the promises that He has made to us in His Word, in the Gospel, in the Covenant of Grace. We pray, Heavenly Father, that we would not be mere hearers of Thy Word, but doers of it. That we would not merely have a form of godliness, but have, Lord God, the power thereof abiding in our lives We ask, O Lord our God, that thou would hear our prayers for Jesus' sake. Amen. The Puritan Hard Drive and the free online Puritan Hard Drive videos are available at PuritanDownloads.com along with many other Puritan and Reformed books for as little as 99 cents each. Hello and welcome to this introductory video for the Puritan Hard Drive by Stillwater's Revival Books. You'll soon see why the Puritan hard drive is a technological revolution in Puritan, Reformation, and Covenanter studies. For over 25 years, Stillwater's Revival Books has provided the worldwide Christian community with the finest in Puritan and Reformation resources, including classic and contemporary printed works, inspirational sermons, audio books, and videos. In recent years, our collection of great Christian works has more than doubled growing to a library that would occupy nearly 130 CDs. The Puritan hard drive is a tremendous library of over 12,500 Christian resources on an external hard drive that fits easily in your pocket or purse. It features the works of more than 800 classic and contemporary authors including John Bunyan, Matthew Henry, Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Manton, Samuel Rutherford, and Charles Spurgeon. Timeless works like the English Hexapla, Fox's Book of Martyrs, Sketches of the Covenanters, and from the Puritan Divines, the complete 34-volume set of the Puritan Fast Sermons. Many of these books are rare and classic titles unavailable anywhere else. Over 25 years in the making, The Puritan Hard Drive is simply the most extensive Christian collection ever released. The Puritan Hard Drive comprises more than 12,500 Puritan and Reformation resources, over half a million pages of great Christian books, more than 10,000 sermons and audio books in mp3 format, providing years of listening enjoyment. over 70 videos. All in all, a library of thousands of exceptional works accessible and affordable to everyone. Included on the Puritan hard drive is a custom search engine that makes it easy to find, browse, and organize the resources in your library. And much easier than trying to wade through a typical file directory on your computer. Connect the Puritan hard drive to any available USB port on your PC or Mac. The drive is self-contained, so there's no software to install or configure. Within moments, you can begin exploring the library by running the custom search interface. It's also a knowledge base with information about each work, including the author, title, description, keywords, and subject category. For you techies, this database contains over four and a half million records of information. For all of us, that means we have an extremely powerful search and study tool. A list of all resources on the Puritan hard drive is available for viewing at any time. Here we see that the list of print materials contains over 2100 works. This view is ideal for browsing all documents or media files in alphabetical order. by title or by author. The list is rather long, so using the search function of the Knowledge Base is the easiest way of finding resources of interest to you. For example, let's say that my pastor recommended a book by James Henley Thornwell. I can search the Knowledge Base by author by typing his name in this field or by selecting it from the complete list of nearly 800 authors provided at the click of a button. Clicking the search button executes the search and immediately returns a list of all resources by this author. In this case, I've quickly found the book that was recommended to me. Clicking on the green icon opens the resource, allowing me to begin my reading. Further details about any resource can be found by clicking on the book cover icon, which opens the resource detail page. From here, I can browse the details of this work, I can add and save my own notes about it, and open the resource for reading, listening, or viewing. Your search capabilities don't end there. The majority of the rare, classic works on the Puritan hard drive now contain an embedded index. This means that the actual text of these resources is now fully searchable for the first time in history. Enter a search term in Adobe Acrobat Reader. In this case, a search for the word scripture yields instant results. Having searchable text also makes it possible to highlight, copy, and paste the text into another document, such as a sermon, a lesson plan, or a school paper. Less time spent on research means more time for reading, studying, and appreciating the resources in your library. Just another reason why the Puritan hard drive is a technological revolution in Puritan, Reformation, and Covenanter studies. Thank you for watching this introduction to the Puritan hard drive by Stillwaters Revival Books, serving Christians worldwide for over 25 years. Join us in our other videos as we demonstrate even more features and functionality of the For more information, visit us on the web at puritandownloads.com. Until then, be well and God bless.