[Stumpmaster]

The web is chock full of sites that give food for thought regarding numbers and their meaning. Some of the stuff is occultic and some of it is just drivel, but there definitely are numerical associations represented in significant themes and threads throughout Scripture. The fact that adding all the numbers from 1 to 36 yields the symmetrically triangular number 666 should be enough to peak the interest of the average researcher into the subject of the Christian Gematria, which is the name that has been given to the Biblical association between numbers and letters. The following link deals briefly with some interesting associations: http://www.revivalfe...le_Numerics.asp Commentators differ in their opinions when it comes to interpreting the significance of various numbers and I have my own preferences with regard to the associated themes they represent based on Scripture, as seen here from 1 to 12.

• Unity
• Division
• Power
• Foundation
• Centrality
• Humanity
• Perfection
• Transcendence
• Finality
• Command
• Disorder
• Government

It's a start if anyone's interested in picking up on this thread.

[MickinEngland]

Numbers are funny things, they crop up a lot in assorted coincidences in our daily lives, for example we can be reading a newspaper while the TV is running in the background, then when we come to a particular number in a sentence, the same number is spoken by somebody on TV at the same time.For example I once came across the numbers 17 and 22 in the paper just as somebody on TV said "17 and 22". Quite a coincidence..

[Benoni]

The Bible has spiritual numbers. The Quran does not. The book of Mormon does not.1 Corin 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world (age) are come. example Example: NT:5178 a : Strong’s: tupikos (toop-ee-kos'); an adverb related to NT:5179; found only in 1 Cor 10:11: as a warning, by way of example, typologically (i.e. figuratively, as a prophetic type, a typological interpretation of Scripture)Pro. 25: 2It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matterMatthew 13 13:13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.13:14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;13:15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.' 13:16 "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

[Guestman]

One. This number, when used figuratively, conveys the thought of singleness, uniqueness, as well as unity and agreement in purpose and action. “Jehovah our God is one Jehovah,” said Moses. (De 6:4) He alone is Sovereign. He is unique. He does not share his glory with another, as is the case with pagan trinitarian gods. (Acts 4:24; Rev 6:10; Isa 42:8) There is oneness in purpose and activity between Jehovah and Jesus Christ (Joh 10:30) and there should be complete unity of Christ’s disciples with God, with his Son, and with one another. (John 17:21; Gal 3:28) Such oneness is illustrated in the marriage arrangement.(Gen 2:24; Matt 19:6; Eph 5:28-32)

Two. The number two frequently appears in a legal setting. Agreement in the accounts of two witnesses adds to the force of the testimony. Two witnesses, or even three, were required to establish a matter before the judges. This principle is also followed in the Christian congregation. (Deut 17:6; 19:15; Matt 18:16; 2Cor 13:1; 1Tim 5:19; Heb 10:28) Doing something a second time—for example, repetition of a statement or vision, even in only a parallel way—firmly established the matter as sure and true (as in Pharaoh’s dream of the cows and the ears of grain; Gen 41:32).

Three. While the testifying of two witnesses to the same matter established proof sufficient for legal action, three made the testimony even stronger. The number three, therefore, is used at times to represent intensity, emphasis, or added strength. “A threefold cord cannot quickly be torn in two.” (Ec 4:12) Emphasis was achieved in Jesus’ threefold questioning of Peter after Peter’s three denials of Jesus. (Matt 26:34, 75; John 21:15-17) The vision telling Peter to eat of all kinds of animals, including those unclean according to the Law, was intensified by being given to him three times.

The intensity of God’s holiness and cleanness is emphasized by the declaration of heavenly creatures: “Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah.” (Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8) Before taking the last earthly king of the line of David off the throne, God said: “A ruin, a ruin, a ruin I shall make it. As for this also, it will certainly become no one’s until he comes who has the legal right, and I must give it to him.” Here he emphatically showed there would be no Davidic kings sitting upon the throne at Jerusalem in his name—the throne would be absolutely vacant—until God’s time to establish his Messiah in Kingdom power. (Eze 21:27) The intensity of woes to come to those dwelling on earth is forecast by the triple repetition of the declaration “woe.”(Rev 8:13)

Four. Four is a number sometimes expressing universalness or foursquareness in symmetry and form. It is found three times at Revelation 7:1. Here the “four angels” (all those in charge of “the four winds,” ready for complete destruction) stood on earth’s “four corners” (they could let loose the winds obliquely or diagonally, and no quarter of the earth would be spared). (Compare Dan 8:8; Isa 11:12; Jer 49:36; Zec 2:6; Matt 24:31.) The New Jerusalem is “foursquare,” equal in every dimension, being in fact cubical in shape. (Rev 21:16) Other figurative expressions using the number four are found at Zechariah 1:18-21; 6:1-3; Revelation 9:14, 15.

Six. This number at times represents imperfection. The number of “the wild beast” is 666 and is called “a man’s number,” indicating that it has to do with imperfect, fallen man, and it seems to symbolize the imperfection of that which is represented by “the wild beast.” The number six being emphasized to a third degree (the six appearing in the position of units, tens, and hundreds) therefore highlights the imperfection and deficiency of that which the beast represents, or pictures.(Rev 13:18)

Seven. Seven is used frequently in the Scriptures to signify completeness. At times it has reference to bringing a work toward completion. Or it can refer to the complete cycle of things as established or allowed by God. By completing his work toward the earth in six creative days and resting on the seventh day, God set the pattern for the whole Sabbath arrangement, from the seven-day week to the Jubilee year that followed the seven-times-seven–year cycle. (Ex 20:10; Lev 25:2, 6, 8) The “seven congregations” of Revelation, with their characteristics, give a complete picture of all the congregations of God on earth.(Rev 1:20–3:22) The “seven heads” of the “wild beast” (Rev 13:1) show the limit to which the beast would be allowed to develop.

Seventy-seven, a repetition of seven in a number, was equivalent to saying “indefinitely” or “without limit.” Jesus counsels Christians to forgive their brothers to that extent. (Matt 18:21, 22) Since God had ruled that anyone killing Cain, the murderer, must “suffer vengeance seven times,” Lamech, who apparently killed a man in self-defense, said: “If seven times Cain is to be avenged, then Lamech seventy times and seven.”(Gen 4:15, 23, 24)

Eight. The number eight was also used to add emphasis to the completeness of something (one more than seven, the number generally used for completeness), thus sometimes representing abundance. God reassured his people of deliverance from the threat of Assyria, saying that there should be raised up against the Assyrian “seven shepherds, yes, [not merely seven, but] eight dukes of mankind.” (Mic 5:5) As a fitting climax to the final festival of the sacred year, the Festival of Booths, the eighth day was to be one of holy convention, solemn assembly, a day of complete rest.(Lev 23:36, 39; Num 29:35)

Ten. Ten is a number denoting fullness, entirety, the aggregate, the sum of all that exists of something. It may be noted also that, where the numbers seven and ten are used together, the seven represents that which is higher or superior and ten represents something of a subordinate nature.

The Ten Plagues poured upon Egypt fully expressed God’s judgments upon Egypt—all that were needed to humiliate fully the false gods of Egypt and to break the hold of Egypt upon God’s people Israel. The “Ten Words” formed the basic laws of the Law covenant, the approximately 600 other laws merely enlarging on these, elucidating them, and explaining their application. (Ex 20:3-17; 34:28) Jesus used the number ten in several of his illustrations to denote entirety or the full number of something.(Matt 25:1; Luke 15:8; 19:13, 16, 17)

One of the beasts of Daniel’s vision and certain beasts described in Revelation had ten horns. These evidently represented all the powers, or “kings,” of earth making up the beastly arrangement. (Dan 7:7, 20, 24; Rev 12:3; 13:1; 17:3, 7, 12) The fullness of the test or period of test that God determines for his servants or allows them to undergo is expressed at Revelation 2:10: “Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison that you may be fully put to the test, and that you may have tribulation ten days.”

Twelve. The patriarch Jacob had 12 sons, who became the foundations of the 12 tribes of Israel. Their offspring were organized by God under the Law covenant as God’s nation. Twelve therefore seems to represent a complete, balanced, divinely constituted arrangement. (Ge 35:22; 49:28) Jehovah chose 12 apostles, who form the secondary foundations of the New Jerusalem, built upon Jesus Christ. (Matt 10:2-4; Rev 21:14) There are 12 tribes of “the sons of [spiritual] Israel,” each tribe consisting of 12,000 members.(Rev 7:4-8)

(Source of information - Insight on the Scriptures, Vol 2)

[Pharmboy]

I personally have a great respect for the numbers found in nature and it is no accident that they figure so prominently in scripture. I have been looking into them for a while now and have come to a couple of conclusions. First and foremost is that the symbolism of numerology like that found in the Bible is still mostly lost to us. People can venture guesses all they like but the fact remains that it was an Ancient Near Eastern phenomenon that spread throughout the ancient Mediterranean world (the Greeks took hold of it late in the game). It is certain that the numbers seven and twelve have a great deal more meaning than just completeness. They were vastly important numbers likely coming directly from the lunar/solar calendar. There are roughly twelve lunar cycles in a year. It is roughly 14.5 days from new moon to full moon and vice versa, which divides into two weeks of 7 each according to the four basic phases of the moon. If you think that is hokey then consider that the ancient Israeli calendar is based on the lunar cycle (from the first harvest of barley to the full moon marks the beginning of the festival cycle). The Babylonians shared a similar calendar. The cycles of the moon were synchronized to the cycles of the sun as it appeared near certain star clusters. Both of these were very important in determining signs from heaven as well as season changes. And it was not strictly used as a planting calendar. The Qumran community, a Jewish sect who held the Deuteronomic law in the highest regard, had lists of omens that corresponded to the appearance of the sun or moon at certain times. It is certain that the story of Joshua and the sun standing still is a reference to an ancient phenomenon that was quite well known then, not so well known now, that was called literally "the sun waiting on the moon". It is when the sun and moon appear at opposite ends of the earth (sun setting in the west, moon in full rising in the east) and the sun does not go down until the moon fully rises. This omen was considered a very bad omen in war which would have demoralized the armies against which Joshua was fighting, as the Lord helped Joshua from heaven.

We have very little understanding of the meaning of numbers to those who wrote the Bible but discoveries of Babylonian, Sumerian and Egyptian tablets have been aiding in this interesting subject. I wont post what I have learned at this time about numbers but I would say that there is some interesting ideas floating around. A great book on an unrelated subject, the author does not intend to discuss numerology but does in the course of his subject matter, that explains the seven days of creation as they were understood in ancient Biblical times is "Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Bible" (or something very similar to that) by John Walton. Fantastic book.

[Guestman]

Certain numbers in the Bible have specific meanings and without grasping these, there will be a failure to understand God's everlasting purpose regarding the restoration of the earth that was lost in the Garden of Eden. One must comprehend God's established view of certain numbers. For example, the number seven is used consistently throughout the Bible as representing completeness or doing a work completely from God's standpoint, as the completion of a literal week (Ex 20:8-10) or of God completely satisfying his justice with regard to Cain, for after his murdering Abel, said that should anyone want to kill him: "For that reason anyone killing Cain must suffer vengeance seven times."(Gen 4:15) Lamech multiplied this ten fold, seventy-seven times, with regard to killing a "young man for giving me a blow."(Gen 4:23, 24)

God told Noah that "in just seven days I am making it rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights."(Gen 7:4) Thus, God's patience came to completion at the end of "seven days" from the time of telling Noah, with now the deluge forcefully coming upon the earth.(1Pet 3:20; Gen 7:10) Likewise in the dream that God caused Pharoah to have during the time of Joseph, whereby Pharoah saw ' seven fat-fleshed cows ' (meaning seven years of plenty, Gen 41:29) and ' seven thin-fleshed cows' (meaning seven years of famine, Gen 41:27), with each group of ' seven cows ' representing a time period of "seven years" coming to completion from God's standpoint.

The Israelites exercised full faith and obedience by marching for seven days around Jericho, encompassing it seven times on the seventh day, after which the city wall collapsed. (Joshua 6:2-4, 15) Elijah showed full faith in the efficacy of his prayer to God by commanding his servant up on Mount Carmel to go looking at the sky seven times before a rain cloud appeared. (1Kings 18:42-44) Naaman the leper had to bathe seven times in the Jordan River. He, as a mighty Syrian general, had to display considerable humility to carry out this procedure recommended by the prophet Elisha, but for his obediently doing it, Jehovah God cleansed him. (2Kings 5:10, 12)

The purity, completeness, perfection, and fineness of Jehovah God’s sayings are likened with poetic force and intensity to silver refined in a smelting furnace, clarified seven times. (Ps 12:6) Jehovah’s mercy is magnified by the statement: “The righteous one may fall even seven times, and he will certainly get up.” (Prov 24:16) His deserving all praise is declared by the psalmist: “Seven times in the day I have praised you.”(Ps 119:164)

The book of Revelation abounds with symbolic use of the number seven in connection with the things of God and his congregation, and also the things of God’s Adversary, Satan the Devil, in his all-out fight to oppose God and his people.—Re 1:4, 12, 16; 5:1, 6; 8:2; 10:3; 12:3; 13:1; 15:1, 7; 17:3, 10.

Since the Bible is a book of both history and prophecy, the numbers given therein may be either literal or symbolic. The context usually reveals in which sense a number is used. Certain numbers appear often in the Bible in an illustrative, figurative, or symbolic sense, and in such cases an understanding of their significance is vital to an understanding of the text. However, this Bible usage of numbers should not be confused with numerology ("study of the supposed influence of numbers: the study of the occult use and supposed influence of numbers", Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2005), in which occult mysticism is attached to figures, their combinations, and numerical totals. Numerology apparently had its origin in ancient Babylon and, along with other forms of divination, comes under divine condemnation.(Deut 18:10-12)

The Bible does not mention numerology by name. But it does tell of Haman, an Amalekite who plotted the extermination of the Jews living in Persia during the fifth century B.C.E. The account says: “Haman ordered the lots to be cast (‘purim,’ they were called) to find out the right day and month to carry out his plot. The thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, was decided on.” (Italics ours.)—Esther 3:7, Today’s English Version.

In ancient times, casting lots was a legitimate way of settling a controversy. (Proverbs 18:18) But Haman cast lots to practice divination—something that the Bible condemns. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 states that God detests “anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events . . . Everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah.”

The Bible links divination and uncanny power to spiritism. Wicked spirits can maneuver events to suit their purpose. Whether this is the case in a specific instance or not, one thing is certain: The practice of spiritism is condemned by God, and it can bring one under the control of wicked spirits.(1 Samuel 15:23; Ephesians 6:12)

Numerology is devoid of scientific basis, and it fares badly when examined under the light of reason. More important, because it is a form of divination, numerology conflicts with Bible teachings. In view of that, numerology is not a beneficial means of regulating your life or planning your future.

[Deutisa]

Guestman, on 26 June 2010 - 03:36 PM, said:

Certain numbers in the Bible have specific meanings and without grasping these, there will be a failure to understand God's everlasting purpose regarding the restoration of the earth that was lost in the Garden of Eden. One must comprehend God's established view of certain numbers. For example, the number seven is used consistently throughout the Bible as representing completeness or doing a work completely from God's standpoint, as the completion of a literal week (Ex 20:8-10) or of God completely satisfying his justice with regard to Cain, for after his murdering Abel, said that should anyone want to kill him: "For that reason anyone killing Cain must suffer vengeance seven times."(Gen 4:15) Lamech multiplied this ten fold, seventy-seven times, with regard to killing a "young man for giving me a blow."(Gen 4:23, 24)

God told Noah that "in just seven days I am making it rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights."(Gen 7:4) Thus, God's patience came to completion at the end of "seven days" from the time of telling Noah, with now the deluge forcefully coming upon the earth.(1Pet 3:20; Gen 7:10) Likewise in the dream that God caused Pharoah to have during the time of Joseph, whereby Pharoah saw ' seven fat-fleshed cows ' (meaning seven years of plenty, Gen 41:29) and ' seven thin-fleshed cows' (meaning seven years of famine, Gen 41:27), with each group of ' seven cows ' representing a time period of "seven years" coming to completion from God's standpoint.

The Israelites exercised full faith and obedience by marching for seven days around Jericho, encompassing it seven times on the seventh day, after which the city wall collapsed. (Joshua 6:2-4, 15) Elijah showed full faith in the efficacy of his prayer to God by commanding his servant up on Mount Carmel to go looking at the sky seven times before a rain cloud appeared. (1Kings 18:42-44) Naaman the leper had to bathe seven times in the Jordan River. He, as a mighty Syrian general, had to display considerable humility to carry out this procedure recommended by the prophet Elisha, but for his obediently doing it, Jehovah God cleansed him. (2Kings 5:10, 12)

The purity, completeness, perfection, and fineness of Jehovah God’s sayings are likened with poetic force and intensity to silver refined in a smelting furnace, clarified seven times. (Ps 12:6) Jehovah’s mercy is magnified by the statement: “The righteous one may fall even seven times, and he will certainly get up.” (Prov 24:16) His deserving all praise is declared by the psalmist: “Seven times in the day I have praised you.”(Ps 119:164)

The book of Revelation abounds with symbolic use of the number seven in connection with the things of God and his congregation, and also the things of God’s Adversary, Satan the Devil, in his all-out fight to oppose God and his people.—Re 1:4, 12, 16; 5:1, 6; 8:2; 10:3; 12:3; 13:1; 15:1, 7; 17:3, 10.

Since the Bible is a book of both history and prophecy, the numbers given therein may be either literal or symbolic. The context usually reveals in which sense a number is used. Certain numbers appear often in the Bible in an illustrative, figurative, or symbolic sense, and in such cases an understanding of their significance is vital to an understanding of the text. However, this Bible usage of numbers should not be confused with numerology ("study of the supposed influence of numbers: the study of the occult use and supposed influence of numbers", Microsoft® Encarta® Reference Library 2005), in which occult mysticism is attached to figures, their combinations, and numerical totals. Numerology apparently had its origin in ancient Babylon and, along with other forms of divination, comes under divine condemnation.(Deut 18:10-12)

The Bible does not mention numerology by name. But it does tell of Haman, an Amalekite who plotted the extermination of the Jews living in Persia during the fifth century B.C.E. The account says: “Haman ordered the lots to be cast (‘purim,’ they were called) to find out the right day and month to carry out his plot. The thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, was decided on.” (Italics ours.)—Esther 3:7, Today’s English Version.

In ancient times, casting lots was a legitimate way of settling a controversy. (Proverbs 18:18) But Haman cast lots to practice divination—something that the Bible condemns. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 states that God detests “anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events . . . Everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah.”

The Bible links divination and uncanny power to spiritism. Wicked spirits can maneuver events to suit their purpose. Whether this is the case in a specific instance or not, one thing is certain: The practice of spiritism is condemned by God, and it can bring one under the control of wicked spirits.(1 Samuel 15:23; Ephesians 6:12)

Numerology is devoid of scientific basis, and it fares badly when examined under the light of reason. More important, because it is a form of divination, numerology conflicts with Bible teachings. In view of that, numerology is not a beneficial means of regulating your life or planning your future.

[Deutisa]

In Acts 1:24 - 26 The disciples drew lots to choose between the two men who were up to replace Judas. Everything has a place, including numbers. The key to everything is who or what are you focusing on, if you keep your eyes on Jesus, and allow Him to use what He needs to perform, administer and use for His honor and glory, and not focus on the circumstances it will allow the Lord to use you. God used a donkey to talk to a prophet, I am sure that there were some who wanted to worship that donkey and make it special, Then there is the prophet who laid on his side for 40 days and another one married a harlot then killed her and shipped her to all the nations ..... Numbers are fun to look at and to use and God has certain numbers He uses all the time .... 3 crosses, 3 days, 40 years in the wilderness, Moses was 40 years preparing for the exodus from Egypt. I could go on and on but the point is when we start taking our eyes off Him and focusing on the in's and out's of how He chooses to work in all our lives, and we start deciding what is what ... we miss the whole point, that He is God! .... Our God is an awesome God He reigns in heaven above ...... (to borrow a phrase from the song .... LOL ) Whether it is a set of numbers or a bird crossing in front of us or a "black cat" running under a ladder ......... God is still in control! I have had many signs past through my life, things that I am positive God orchestrated to give me a sign to help me through that particular time in my life .... Sometimes He speaks to us in that still small voice and sometimes He sends signs and wonders to cross our path at that given moment we needed to see to believe. We follow those who laid out fleeces, rode in the belly of a whale, Married a king and delivered her people from death, Followed her mother in law to a distance foreign land and gleaned grain from a field only to become one of the bloodline to Jesus. Numbers are in God's plan and He may use them as He pleases! They are of His creation for His honor and glory. May God be praised!