Dear friends:

Yesterday I was reminded of the government Web site that reveals the population of the world, updated every 60 seconds.  It is at http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html.

As I am writing this sentence, the world population is shown as 6,661,463,302 and rising minute by minute.

How rapidly?  My latest reading shows a rate of rise as 146 in one minute, although the rate fluctuates.  But at 146 per minute, that is 8,760 per hour, and 210,240 per day.

I asked myself, "At that rate, how long will it take for the world population to reach 6,666,666,666?" 

My high-tech, solar-powered, hand-held, cheapo calculator (from Wal-Mart) says the answer if 24.75 days, just a few days from now, which from today would be about May 10 , 2008.  Because the rate fluctuates, that date could come slightly sooner or later.  Also, the Web site numbers are obviously only a best estimate.  The actual population and changes are no doubt somewhat different, causing the total population to reach 6,666,666,666 slightly sooner or later than May 10, 2008.

Some interesting observations:

1. Biblically, the number 6 represents man, or humanity.  The number 666 represents the antichrist. The number 6,666,666,666 would seem to be the ultimate number of man.

2. The total population number of 6,666,666,666 would seem especially significant in the history of man and in Bible prophecy. 

3. Already, many consider the year 2008 to be prophetically significant, especially the spring of 2008.

4. The total world population will reach 6,666,666,666 in the Spring of 2008!  Coincidence?  I doubt it.

Will that be some kind of prophetic marker?  Will it tell us something?  Will it coincide or closely coincide with a great prophetic event?  I suspect it will.  I don't know for sure, but I find it interesting.

After the Tribulation begins, that number will drop drastically, as millions or maybe billions die, so maybe 6,666,666,666 will be history's peak population for mankind.  Also, some will have been removed by the rapture, but we do not know how many.  But I want to be in that number!

Jim