666

It does not matter in what circumstance it is, whenever I see that number, I do a second take. 
When I lived on the south side there was a bank on a long street that was number 666.  Unfortunate, but appropriate it seemed to me.  I see number plates 666.  I suppose that is inevitable.  Every prefix (ie YGF) has numbers ranging from 001 to 999.  666 has to be one of them.  Any long book I read has that page number.
I ask myself, is the reference to 666 a warning?  Nature itself has many warning signs I ignore at my peril.   The ocean suddenly dropping has been something I have seen and heard about prior to Tsunami’s.  Wall clouds can herald a tornado.  It seems most tornadoes happen in the US but they occur all over the world.  Animals suddenly departing has been known to precede earthquakes.  I wanted to know more so I looked it up and the book of Revelation chapter 13 seems to be the original source.
I find it amazing (but I am fairly easily amazed) that numbers have meaning.  For example, the number seven signifies completion.  We have seven day in a week.  I am not sure it should be called a week.  I prefer to call it a strong.  The number three is unity.  I am not considered to have a collection until I have three of something.  For me it is three different types of Brom’s.  We have about five.  Ok so there are thousands, but it is a start.
The number six is the number of man and signifies imperfection.   The fact the number of the beast is three sixes seems significant, but I have no idea why.  Sounds deep though.
To me the beast personifies the man-made system.  Inherent in all of us is a desire to venerate.  I can overly love money or stamp collecting (I would need to be desperate), or my sport.  It seems there are a multitude of things I can venerate if it is as the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines worship “to regard with great or extravagant respect, honour, or devotion.”  To me respect and honour are ok depending on what is being venerated.
The beast recognises the worship thing and institutes “the mark of the beast.”  It is a sign of allegiance.  It goes beyond the pale though.  Without it we cannot buy or sell or be saved.  Demanding allegiance is commonplace.  In times gone by, if someone did not fall to the ground and bow when a member of royalty passed by, they were deemed to be suspect.
The mark though is to me, a bridge too far.  The implications are huge.  For me it is one of those cases of “if in doubt, don’t.”