2 Chronicles 9

“The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, besides what the traveling merchants and traders brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of hammered gold went into each shield. He also made three hundred shields of hammered gold; three hundred shekels[c] of gold went into each shield. The king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. The throne had six steps, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne; there were armrests on either side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. Twelve lions stood there, one on each side of the six steps; nothing like this had been made for any other kingdom.  All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.” 2 Chronicles 9:13-20 (NKJV)

I don’t have ESP, but I know what you are thinking. You can’t get over that number, “six hundred and sixty-six,” and you’re wondering if it has any relevance to the infamous “666” in the book of Revelation. I believe the answer is “yes”; God is making a statement about Solomon’s kingdom. “Six,” the number of creations, is prominent in today’s chapter.

“This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.” Revelation 13:18 (NKJV)

“666” is not arbitrarily disclosed here, any more than the story of Melchizedek in Genesis 14 is arbitrary, although Melchizedek seems an arbitrary character until Hebrews 7. We are supposed to scratch our heads when we see that “666” pop-up again in The Revelation. We are intended to ask, “Where did I see that number before…?” as we do when we hear mention of Melchizedek in the New Testament.

So, what is the significance of “666,” and how does its mention in Solomon’s kingdom relate to the end times? While the Lord promised to establish Solomon’s kingdom, its success depended on Solomon’s seeking His Word and obeying it. The acquisition of wives and wealth directly opposed God’s requirements for kings. God is not listing His blessings as much as He is listing the setup for downfall.

“And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.” Deuteronomy 17:17 (ESV)

What we learn about in 2 Chronicles 8 & 9 are Solomon’s so-called “accomplishments,” apart from following God’s Word. “666” is an unholy trinity, where man becomes his own judge and savior and determines his own truth. God is saying Solomon’s kingdom looks impressive, but it will not stand, as in the end times. Do you see it?