Six hundred and sixty six

We return to the reading of the book of Revelation in this last week of Year A. Next Sunday marks the beginning of Year B, a new liturgical year to celebrate another cycle of redemptive work of Jesus. We have come to chapter 12 of Revelation. Here, I can do no more than summarizing what John wrote. Alas! This is not very satisfactory because the whole scene is symbolic. Perhaps some "minor" details are in fact very crucial clue to the understanding of the whole book and it is unwise/unfortunate if we miss them. However, I have no better alternative. Any suggestion?
Now the mother of Christ appears in heaven. John describes her as
a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars (Revelation 12:1b)
The Blessed Virgin Mary is about to give birth to Christ. Satan appears as
a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads (Revelation 12:3).
He is so powerful that his tail sweeps down a third of stars from heaven. He is now standing in front of Mary, waiting for the delivery of the child and devours him (Revelation 12:4)
After giving birth to a male child, Mary fled into the wilderness where she was taken care of by God for 1260 days (Revelation 12:6).
Now, does this text refer to the fleeing of the Holy Family to Egypt to escape from the murderous intention of Herod the Great? Does it mean the Holy Family stayed in Egypt for three and a half year before returning to Bethlehem? All these are speculations, or may even be fancies only.
Then Michael appears, leads an army of angels and defeats Satan and his angels, which fall down on earth (Revelation 12:7-9).
The dragon is angry with the woman and tries to attack her. She is given a pair of wings and flies away into the wilderness. Then the dragon gives forth water to flood her. The earth opens her mouth and swallows all the water (Revelation 12:13-16).
Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea (Revelation 12:17).
Satan stood on the beach to raise a helper for him. John calls this Satan's helper a beast.
And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems upon its horns and a blasphemous name upon its heads (Revelation 13:1).
One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth followed the beast with wonder (Revelation 13:3).
The beast was given authority to rule for 42 months, roughly 1260 days (Revelation 13:5).
Many people would worship the beast. Then suddenly, the narrator dropped the readers some hints:
If any one is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes;
if any one slays with the sword, with the sword must he be slain.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:8-10)
Then, another beast appears. It rises out of the earth.
... it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon (Revelation 13:11).
This second beast works very hard for the first beast.
Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,
so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name (Revelation 13:16-17).
John is not clear here. Which beast does it refer to, the first or the second? The first beast rose from the sea and the second one from the earth. The second one seems to be less powerful.
This calls for wisdom: let him who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty-six (Revelation 13:18).
So, which beast is 666? The beast which emerges from the sea or the beast from the earth?

Dear Lord, deliver us from evil. Amen.