A key passage from the book of Revelation declares that the Antichrist is a 666 man:
Re 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 declares that the knowledge it teaches is wisdom. It states that only those with understanding, ie with the Holy Ghost, will be able to ``count the number of the beast.''
The word ``count'' here is the Greek word psephizo: ``to calculate or reckon, as with stones.'' Stones were used for counting and arithmetic in ancient times. The Japanese use the abacus. The bits in a computer's memory serve the same purpose. The word psephizo is derived from the word pselapheo: ``to mentally seek after tokens of a person or thing.'' The number 666 is a token (or mark) for the Antichrist. What else is it a token for? Pselapheo is itself derived from psallo: ``to cause to vibrate by touching, as in to play a stringed instrument (such as a psaltry), or to be touched by the Spirit when singing psalms.''
This is exactly what happens when the spirit speaks to us. It makes us into an instrument. We cannot understand spiritual things on our own, but when we are touched by the Spirit, then we vibrate in harmony with it, and we understand as he instructs us:
1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
So to ``understand'' and ``count'' the number of the beast, we need to listen to the Holy Spirit--the Holy Ghost. We can not do this if we do not have the Holy Ghost. The phrase ``Let him that hath understanding count'' has the subject ``him that hath understanding'' and the verb ``Let ... count.'' This verb form, in the Greek, is imperative. We who have the Holy Ghost are being commanded to ``count''--to let the Holy Ghost instruct us in this matter, as stated elsewhere by John:
Re 2:7,11,17,29,3:6,13,22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches
Notice that this command is given to all seven of the churches, so that nobody is exempted. Everyone who has the Holy Ghost is commanded (that word ``let'' again...) to listen to the Spirit. We can hear the Spirit through the word. Listen to what the word says about 666.