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.

This verse begins with the words: Here is wisdom. The phrase refers to the wisdom of God imparted through John¹ rather than the wisdom of people who think they are wise.² The Lord repeatedly used this phrase when he revealed great truths in the Doctrine and Covenants.³ Through the Book of Revelation and other modern scriptures,⁴ members of the true church⁵ and other religious people can have God's wisdom⁶ and understanding [to] count the number of the beast.⁷ Not only can they count or compute⁸ the number of the beast,⁹ God holds people accountable to do so.¹⁰ He expects all people to discern the signs of the times,¹¹ and fully comprehend¹² the identity of the Second Beast¹³ and its meaning.¹⁴ Only then can spiritually literate people ensure that they do not receive name and number of the Second Beast on their right hand or in their forehead.¹⁵

The number of the Second Beast is the number of a man,¹⁶ which means it is worldly like the natural man, not godly.¹⁷ The number of the Second Beast is also its name,¹⁸ which has a numerical value of 666.¹⁹ Some Greek manuscripts for the book of Revelation from the time of Irenaeus (140-202 AD) have the number 616 instead of 666.²⁰ However, most Greek manuscripts have 666 as the number revealed to John originally.²¹

Many scholars identify Nero Caesar as the Second Beast²² based on creative calculations called gematria (juh-MAAH-tree-ah).²³ Gematria assigns a numerical value to the letters of the Greek or Hebrew alphabet²⁴ to create a number in the place of the letters in a name.²⁵ Using Hebrew letters, the number 666 is the numerical equivalent of Nero Caesar.²⁶ Nero was the bloodthirsty emperor who openly persecuted the Christians in 64 AD²⁷ and then committed suicide in 68 AD.²⁸ Obviously, his life does not fit the latter-day time frame of the Second Beast.²⁹ Furthermore, the Second Beast is not a specific person.³⁰ The number of a man for the Second Beast is emblematic of all wicked people and institutions that possess the mark of the Second Beast.³¹

Gematria is not a reliable method to identify the Second Beast.³² It yields a wide assortment³³ of names that can be manipulated to equal 666.³⁴ Some result-oriented scholars conclude that 666 is the Catholic Church,³⁵ principally because the letters in certain words that describe the Latin church can be added up to 666.³⁶ This conclusion cannot be correct.³⁷ The Second Beast includes many churches, governments, and Satan-supported institutions of every kind rather than any one person or religious organization.³⁸ Furthermore, it seems highly unlikely that John would even use gematria to describe the Second Beast because this numerical word association is a common pagan practice associated with idol worship.³⁹

The name and number of 666 is best understood from the symbolism of the number itself,⁴⁰ rather than flawed calculations based on gematria.⁴¹ In symbolic terms, the number six (6) is an imperfect world number because it is one short of the perfect number seven (7).⁴² Some scholars therefore conclude that the three sixes in 666 correspond to the trinity of evil symbolized by the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet from Revelation 16:13.⁴³ However, the number six (6) probably repeats three (3) times in 6-6-6 because the number three (3) represents wholeness, completeness, and perfection.⁴⁴ Therefore, the Second Beast has the name and number of 6-6-6 because it represents perfect imperfection.⁴⁵ Based on the foregoing, the number and name of 666 symbolically describes the highest state of evil the Second Beast will achieve just before the Second Coming,⁴⁶ which fits exactly the chronological context of John's vision in Revelation 13:18.

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.

— Revelation 14:1