1. The Great Numberer
(Psa 147:14 NIV) He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.
(Isa 40:12 NIV) Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?
(Isa 40:26 NIV) Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
(Mat 10:30 NIV) And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered .
Humankind is slowly uncovering great mathematical laws as we search for the rules behind the cosmos. Research into botany, take up chemistry, search the laws of light, seek the rules of music and all of knowledge and in and through the vast structures are found mathematics and numbers, laws, patterns and proportions which maintain their consistency even in chaos. This is the signature, as it were, of the Creator.
It should not be a surprise to find that certain numbers are used in a consistent way in the Scriptures and by their use support the validity of the Word of God. This short study will list some of these numbers and point to the ways in which each number helps our understanding.
2. Basic principles of interpretation
Care should be exercised not to go to extremes in using numbers as an aid to understanding.
a. The simple numbers of 1 to 13 have spiritual significance.
b. Multiples of these numbers, doubling or tripling have essentially the same meaning only more intense..
c. The first use in Scripture of a number usually conveys its spiritually meaning.
d. There is generally good and evil, true and counterfeit aspects to numbers.
1 ONE
Expresses beginning, source or commencement. Unity Particularly applies to God himself.
On the first day light is manifested.
(Gen 1:3 NIV) And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Light is one, yet three and again seven. The beginning source and first day of the new life was light. Note that there is a compound unity (echad) as in the following:
(Deu 6:4 NIV) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
And one as a singularity (Yacheed) …
2. TWO.
The next after God and reposed on one. Witness, testimony. Also speaks of separation or division
(John 8:17-18 NIV) In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. {18} I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”
Two, exemplifies the faithful and true witness … Jesus.
3. THREE
Divine completeness, perfect testimony, the Godhead.
(Deu 17:6 NIV) On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
The evidence of two is sufficient but three establishes truth beyond doubt, The triangle, God must be triune or He could not establish His own Word.
In the Tabernacle: 3 sections, 3 colours, 3 doors, 3 coverings, In Israel three feasts, The inscription on the cross in three languages, 3 hours of darkness, 3 days and 3 nights, The threefold “It is written” Jordan divided three times, 3 compartments in Noah’s ark, Man threefold in his being (body soul spirit) He was made in the image of God,
(Num 6:23 NIV) “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
Note the three blessings.
(Mat 28:19 NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ,
(Mark 15:25 NIV) It was the third hour when they crucified him.
Earth, creation, the world.
Speaks of creation. When God (3) created something then we have the number four. The three persons of the Godhead plus that which was created. Four is the number of the earth. On the fourth day of creation came four winds, 4 points of the compass, 4 corners of the earth. The waters of Eden parted into four to water the earth. Ezek2:10 The cherubim had 4 faces, 4 wings, 4 sides, 4 wheels. Four kinds of soil in the parable of the sower, 4 Gospels, Look up other “four’s” in the bible and consider them.
5. FIVE
Atonement, the cross, grace, blood.
The fifth day …
(Gen 1:20-21 NIV) And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” {21} So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
(John 10:10 NIV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
The ark floated 5 months, 5 books of Moses, 5 droves of Jacob, In tabernacle….5 pillars, 5 cubits high, Brazen altar 5 cubits square, Both anointing oil and incense had 5 ingredients, 5 wounds in Christ’s body, Paul beaten 5 times, 5 stones of David, the five offerings,
6 SIX
Man or satanic man. the beast.
Created on the sixth day and to expire on the sixth redemption day. 6 generations of Cain. The flood came in the 600th year of Noah. Goliath had six pieces of armour,
(2 Sam 21:20 NIV) In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot–twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha.
(1 Sam 17:4-7 KJV) And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. {5} And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. {6} And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. {7} And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
Antichrist 666, The image of Dan 3. Lot’s 6 steps Gen13.
Dispensational completeness and perfection in that which is temporary. 3+4. The numbers of the book of Revelation. The imprint of seven is found throughout the Bible.
Gen 1:1 consists of 7 Heb words of 28 letters. 7 days were needed for the creation in the Genesis account. 7 years of famine 7 years of plenty, 7 years to build the temple, Enoch the seventh from Adam, Moses the 7th from Abraham, 7 letters to 7 churches in Rev, 7 epistles, Jericho…7 priests, 7 trumpets, 7 times on the 7th day, 7 devils cast out of Mary, Jacob bowed 7 times, 7 fold application of blood and oil, 7 times heating of the furnace, Namen 7 times into the water,
There are many more sevens to consider and meditate upon. Seven is very significant in the economy of God. It is the most frequently used number in the Bible! The Hebrew word for seven is sheba. From it is shaba, meaning ìto be complete—to seven oneself, i.e. swear by repeating a declaration seven times.î That is how the ancients swore, by repeating the oath seven times instead of placing their hand upon a Bible or merely invoking the name of God Seven speaks of completion, fullness, perfection. Nothing can be added to or taken from it without it becoming marred. Being a prime number makes it divisible only by itself. The week is complete, full, and perfect in seven days. Seven completes the colors of the spectrum. There are seven notes in the musical scale. The cells of the human body completely replace themselves every seven years. Jesus said that when the unclean spirit is cast out of a man, but the manís house (body) is not filled with God, the spirit returns with seven others more vile than itself and the end of that man is worse than before. Mary Magdalene had seven devils cast out of her. Armed with the knowledge of the significance of the number seven in scripture it becomes clear that in both of these cases the Lord was speaking metaphorically. Rather than seven devils, there was total or complete possession by sin and demonic power! Thank God, in the midst of that unfathomable depth into which Mary Magdalene had fallen, she was forgiven, delivered, and lifted into life by Jesus!
The magnificent number seven is used for the grouping of many things which John saw in his visions on the isle of Patmos.
Resurrection, new beginnings: Christ rose on the 8th day. i.e seven days of a week then the first day 7+1=8. 8 persons in the ark, Numerical value of word Jesus = 888, Circumcision on the 8th day New heavens and the new earth on 8th day.
9 NINE.
Completeness or fullness 3×3. The Holy Spirit at work, the multiple one in fruit. and gifts. Omnipotence manifest in nine parts, Divine character manifest in nine parts, Darkness until the ninth hour, In the beginning God = two Heb. words = numeric 999. Nine months for fruit of the womb.
10 TEN.
Order, government, law. 10 commandments, And God Said 10 times in Gen 1 Noah the 10th from Adam, Abraham gave a 10th, The Most Holy measured 10×10, 10 loaves, 10 plagues, 10 kingdoms, 10 toes, 10 virgins, 10 lepers cleansed.
11. ELEVEN.
Incompleteness, lawlessness. One short of 12; when Judas died there were only eleven,
(Deu 1:2 KJV) (There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)
One day further to the promised land but unbelief turned back.
12 TWELVE.
Completeness, perfect government. Apostolic fullness, the 12 sons of Jacob, 12 wells and 12 stones. Ex15:27, Josh.4:3. 12 Apostles, 12 foundations of New Jerusalem.
Rebellion. apostasy.
(Gen 14:4 NIV) For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
Nimrod the 13th from Adam, Solomon 13 years building his own house, Gen1:2 has 14 Heb words with 4×13 letters.
14 FOURTEEN.
2 x 7 Fourteen Pauline epistles. Passover. Jacob’s two weeks.
(Mat 1:17 NIV) Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.
17 SEVENTEEN
Spiritual order.
7th prime, Gen 1 .., Two persons who walked with God Enoch 7th and Noah 10th. Enoch’s son Methuselah lived 35×17 yrs until the flood. Flood commenced on 17th day, ark came to rest on the 17th of the 7th month.
(Gen 37:2 NIV) This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending …
(Gen 7:10-11 NIV) And after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth. {11} In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, on the seventeenth day of the second month—on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened.
Jacob in Egypt 17 years.
24 TWENTY-FOUR
Governmental perfection. 2 X 12 Ex15:27. Josh 3:12, Priestly order of courses, 1 Chron 24:3-5, 12 yoke of oxen, 1 kings 19:189,:
30 THIRTY.
Maturity for ministry. Num 4:3, Joseph Gen42:48, David 2 Sam5:4, Jesus Luke3:23. consecration.
37. THIRTY-SEVEN
The word of God.
40. FORTY
Tested ,Tried. Gen 7:4, Num 14:33, Num 32:13, Judges 13:1, Matt 4:8.
42 FORTY TWO
Three and one half years. The great tribulation. Rev 11:2, James 5:17, Matt 1:17,
50 FIFTY
Pentecost, liberty. Acts 2:1, Ex 26:5-6,
70 SEVENTY
Number prior to increase. 70 Palm trees, 70 disciples sent forth, Gideon’s 70 sons,
120 ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY
End of all flesh. Gen. 5:3. One hundred and twenty in the upper room.
144 ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR
God’s ultimate in creation. 12×12 Cubic capacity of the ark, Jerusalem 144 times in NT, Rev21:17
153 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-THREE
Revival, the elect. Grace 153 times in the NT, 9×17=153. 153 fish.
666. SIX HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX
Antichrist, Satan.
(Rev 13:18 NIV) This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.
888 EIGHT HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-EIGHT
Jesus.
3 A table of numbers
| 1 + 16 | 1 | The source, beginning, God, the first |
| 16 | 4 x 4, the earth, created world, | |
| 2 + 15 | 2 | Witness, testimony, the second the son, Jesus. |
| 15 | 3 x 5. The Godhead & grace combined. | |
| 3 + 14 | 3 | Perfect testimony, Godhead |
| 14 | 2 x 7 Completion of the work of the Son, the Crosswork | |
| 4 + 13 | 4 | the earth, created world |
| 13 | rebellion, apostasy | |
| 5 + 12 | 5 | Grace, atonement, the cross. |
| 12 | Divine government | |
| 6 + 11 | 6 | man, the beast, satanic man |
| 11 | incompleteness, disorder. | |
| 7 + 10 | 7 | perfection completeness |
| 10 | Law, order, restoration. | |
| 8 + 9 | 8 | Resurrection, new beginnings |
| 9 | Finality, fullness |