The number of the beast is not the number of a man, rather it is the number of mankind. The beast system will require a merit based society in which you can't buy or sale without merit. This represents glorifying man and mankinds works, and diminishes God and the works of God.

The beast system will require a merit based society in which you can't buy or sale without merit. You will sale yourself to the beast using the work of your hands and of your mind.

Rome split into two legs of the King nebuchadnezzar's statue which represented idol worship. Each leg representing one of the beasts. The West, the beast of the seas (Rome). And the East the beast from the land, Orthodoxy. The beast was, and is not, and yet is.