The number 666 appears in 1 Kings 10, not our reading today of chapter 11. When we read that number in Revelation, it says it is the number of a man.

It only appears one other time in Scripture, in 1 Kings 10 when talking about all the gold Solomon got in each year.

Solomon was supposed to write out his own copy of the law and read it every day to keep God’s commandments before him. One of the commandments was to not multiply to himself wives, gold, or horses. He does all three.

He has around 1000 women in his life. He builds altars to their gods for them, even the god they sacrificed babies to.

When God speaks to Solomon, pointing out his sin and telling him that his kingdom will be torn from his son, Solomon doesn’t repent. There is no response on his part. There’s no sackcloth. There’s no weeping.

Somehow Solomon learns who is going to take the kingdom from his son, and instead of seeking God to stop it, he tries to kill the man.

Solomon just ignores his sin. Saul tried to justify his sin. David mourned his sin. Only one had a heart after God.

The 666 man may well be one of great reputation, of wealth and power that leaders turn to and praise. He may be praised on all sides.

He may even seem to represent God, as Solomon did at the temple dedication. But if he leads a lawless life, ignoring God’s commandments, acting like they aren’t important enough to be bothered with, that’s not God’s representative.

When God shows us our sin, that’s the time for weeping. That’s the time for humbling ourselves and worshiping, bowing before God and asking for mercy.

It’s at that moment we need to acknowledge our sin and confess like 1 John 1:9 and not try to act like nothing’s wrong as in 1 John 1:10.

If you want to discern whether a leader/teacher is operating under the antichrist spirit or the Holy Spirit, watch for the reaction to sin. Do they shrug it off, or act as if they can’t bear the thought of sin being on them for more than a moment?