[B-1] Use Of Numbers In Scripture {Signature of God}

{Updated 3/4/10}

Numbers are the language of all nature and scientific study. The use of numbers in Scripture is a fascinating study all its own, not only because certain words and phrases do in fact occur mathematically consistent numbers of times, but the numerical values of words and phrases {'gematria'} themselves is significant. In Hebrew and in Greek, letters have numerical values – for this reason, every word has a numerical value called its ‘gematria.’ {See Values of Hebrew & Greek Letters.} The role of numbers in the study of Bible prophecy is mind boggling to say the very least. Its use is far beyond our mortal comprehension. In Daniel 8:13 one angel asks another "How long...". The name of "that certain saint" is given in Hebrew as "Palmoni" {פלמוני}and the name means: "the wonderful numberer." In March, 1991, I came across an excellent book dealing with these facts in a manner that far expands the short study I originally presented in my Revelation notes. The book: Number in Scripture, by E.W. Bullinger (1837-1913), Published by Kregel Publications, P.O. Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501 {ISBN 0-8254-2238-8} is an absolute must for anyone willing to take the time and effort to really deal with this subject.

The general rules set forth in Mr. Bullinger's book are stated:
"Where there is no such special significance in the meaning or use of a word, there is no special significance in the number of its occurrences. But where there is a general importance in the word, apart from its direct significance , the word occurs according to law.

All such general and important words-- i.e. such words on which the Holy Spirit would have us place special emphasis, or would wish us to lay special stress-
- occur a certain number of times. These are either--
(1) A square number, or {a number multiplied by itself -- i.e. 4[2x2], 9 [3x3], 16 [4x4], 25 [5x5], 36 [6x6], etc.}
(2) A cube, or {a number multiplied by itself twice -- i.e. 8 [2x2x2], 27 [3x3x3], 64 [4x4x4], etc.}
(3) A multiple of seven, or
(4) a multiple of eleven

It is interesting to notice why these numbers should be thus associated together. They are significant in themselves for seven is one of the four so-called perfect numbers, 3, 7, 10, and 12, as we shall see below.
3 is the number of Divine perfection
7 is the number of Spiritual perfection and completion
10 is the number of Ordinal perfection and fullness
12 is the number of Governmental perfection."

NUMBER:

**Note: All number counts are based on the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament. See also Interesting Biblical Number Facts and Interesting Nature Number Facts.

Note on prime numbers -- Prime numbers are numbers that are only divisible by themselves and one. They represent a unique attribute of God: Although He is three-in-one, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, He is indivisible-- where one is, all members of the God-head are -- which is everywhere at all times. Prime numbers: 2[1],3[2], 5[3], 7[4], 11[5], 13[6], 17[7], 19[8], 23[9], 29[10], 31[11], 37[12], 41[13], 43[14], 47[15], 53[16], 59[17], 61[18], 67[19], 71[20], 73[21], 79[22], 83[23], 89[24], 97[25], 101[26], 103[27], 107[28], 109[29], 113[30], 127[31], 131[32], 137[33], 139[34],149[35], 151[36], 157[37],  163[38], 167[39], 173[40], 179[41], 181[42], 191[43], 193[44], 197[45], 199[46], 211[47], 223[48], 227[49], 229[50]...

1-- a reference to unity in God (one or first) The first commandment - "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." "Seek first the kingdom of God..." Mat. 6:33 "The first and greatest commandment... Hear, O Israel the Lord our God is one..." Mat 22:37-38 Eph. 4:4-6 -- "One Lord, one faith, one baptism..."

2--[a prime number] number of witnesses required by law (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; Ex. 31:18) Note two testaments to God's plan--Old Testament and New Testament; two witnesses-- Israel and the Church; two witnesses in the Revelation (Rev. 11:4f) There are two genealogies of Jesus given in Scripture. Matthew gives the "Royal" descent (through Joseph) and is in ascending order, Luke gives the "human" descent (through Mary) and is in descending order. Also the number two is used for contrast: The first Adam, the Second Adam, etc.

3--[a prime number] number for God (a reference to the Trinity) The word for God (Eloheem) in Hebrew is a plural noun which requires at least three individuals because of the ending (eem) used. Hebrew has a different ending for singular and duo (two). Also a reference to "resurrection"; the land rose out of the water on the third day of creation, Jesus arose from the grave on the third day, the future resurrection of God's two witnesses in Jerusalem will occur after three days.

4-- number for all the world (Probably a reference to the four directions-- north, south, east, west.) On the fourth day the heavens and earth were completed. (The fifth and sixth days God added plants, animals and man.)

5-- [a prime number] number for the grace of God (4 + 1)  -- Peter's number -- see notes on Peter in Interesting Biblical Number Facts

6-- number for mankind (man was created on the sixth day) also six is one less than seven-- the number for completion. (Man is incomplete without God.) The Greek name for Jesus (ιησους) consists of six letters.

7-- [a prime number] number for completion (6 days of creation plus 1 day of rest gives the complete week of creation) Also, number for spiritual perfection. The Greek name for Christ (χριστος) consists of seven letters. The numbers 6 and 7 are often used together in Scripture.

8-- (2³) a number used throughout the Scripture for our Lord.  The cube of the number 2. The name Jesus {ιησους} in Greek totals 888 {10+8+200+70+400+200}, { 2³x3x37} the name Lord {κυριος}in Greek totals 800 {20+400+100+10+70+200}, the name Savior in Greek {σωτηρ}totals 1408 which = 8² x 2 x 11, the name Messiah in Greek {μεσσιας}totals 656 which = 8 x 82 The numbers 7 and 8 are often used together in Scripture.

9-- number for finality or judgment (666 =2x3²x37) (The name Dan in Hebrew totals 54 which is 6x9) {The tribe of Dan is excluded from the list of tribes listed in the Revelation.} The Greek words for Abyss(αβυσσος), ungodly (ασεβης), lightning (αστραπη), and lasciviousness (ασελγεια) all occur exactly 9 times. The sum of the 22 Hebrew letters is 4995 which is 5 x 999 the numbers of Grace and Finality!  Nine comes before 10 -- for christians, our judgement comes before our perfection.  For the children of Satan these numbers are reversed: i.e. : they think they have perfection, but their end is judgment.

10-- number for perfection or cleansing (perfecting of someone or something) The Ten Commandments are the perfect law. (See Rom. 7:12-16) (Seven plus three equals ten-- the complete (seven) Law of God (three). Noah was the tenth generation. The commandments are divided up into three positive 'Thou shalt' and seven negative 'Thou shalt not.' There are four duties of the world (four) to God and six duties of mankind to one another. The Church at Smyrna is told that it will have affliction ten days. (Rev. 2) There are ten days referred to as the days of affliction by the Jews which occur from Rosh Hoshanah to the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur.) There are ten parables of the Kingdom in Matthew. (Seven in chapter 13, and three in chapters 22 and 25.) Also, 2 times 5 -- see 2 and 5 above.

11-- [a prime number] one short of the number 12, Nebuchadnezzar began his destruction of Jerusalem during Jehoiakim's eleventh year (II Ki. 23:36, 24:1, II Chron. 35:5-6) The fifth prime number.

12-- the number for God's (three) witness to the world (four) [3x4=12] Twelve tribes of Israel-- Israel is still a witness to the work of God and His great love for all of mankind. There were twelve apostles. Also the number of governmental perfection.

13--[a prime number] the number for rebellion, corruption, and apostasy The numbers 8 and 13 are often used in opposition. The numerical values of the names in the line of Seth (Adam to Japheth = 3168 which is 8 x 396) {Jesus came through the line of Seth.} The numerical values of the names in the line of Cain (Adam to Tubal Cain = 2223 which is 13 x 9 x 19 . The sixth prime number.

17-- [a prime number] the sum of 7 and 10 it is also the seventh prime number. See the numbers 7, and 10 above. In Rom. 8:35-39 there are 17 things listed which cannot separate us from the love of Christ.

19-- [a prime number] the eighth prime number. The sum of 9 and 10. See notes on 7, 9 and 10 above.

23-- the ninth prime number

24-- number of elders mentioned in Rev. 4 (6x4=24 and 12x2=24) These elders probably are representatives of God's people from all the world (from all nations) Note also 12 tribes of Israel and 12 apostles (The Church)-- God's two witnesses to the present world.

29-- tenth prime number

31-- eleventh prime number

37-- [a prime number] the twelfth prime number. I am not presently aware of its significance except that it appears in both the numbers 666 and 888. See the number 12 above.

40-- cleansing, perfecting, testing (ten) of the world (four). It rained 40 days and 40 nights during the Great Flood to cleanse the earth. Moses, Elijah, and Jesus each spent times of 40 days in the mountains for testing and cleansing. Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness to cleanse her from the rebels against God.

51-- {3x17} number of Divine revelation (24 books of the Old Testament + 27 books of the New Testament)[Note: the double books: I & II Samuel, I & II Kings, I & II Chronicles are taken as single books in the Hebrew Old Testament. The 12 "minor" prophets made up a single book. Ezra and Nehemiah made up a single book. -- Thus there were 24 books in the original Hebrew Old Testament.]

84-- number of generations to complete (seven) God's (three) witness to the world (four) [7x3x4=84 and 7x12=84] 3x7 generations from Adam to Abraham (See Luke 3) 6x7 generations from Abraham to Christ (See Matt. 1) 3x7 generations from Christ to this present generation (See Gen. 15:13-16 -- one generation= 100 years) Also: 3x7 generations of witness by individuals 6x7 generations of witness through Israel 3x7 generations of witness through the Church Plus note that this last generation includes both a witness through Israel and the Church, a further confirmation to the required number of witnesses given in the Law of Moses.

153-- {3² x 17} The number of fish caught in the apostles' net (John 21:11) The Hebrew expression 'Sons of God ' (Beni Ha-Elohim) occurs 7 times {one slightly different Beni El-Hai 'Sons of the living God'} and the first expression totals 153. The sum of the numbers from 1 to 17 totals 153. The phrase 'joint heirs' in Greek (Rom. 8:17_) totals 1071 which is 7 x153. The phrase "the creation of God" (της κτισεως του θεου) in Greek [Rev 3:14] totals 1224 which is 8 x 153.{2³ x 3² x 17}

666- man claiming to be God (three- sixes)--man in his most powerful form and majesty-- without God. The number for the Anti-Christ. (Rev. 13:18; Dan. 11:36; II Thes. 2:4) The number 666 occurs exactly three times in the Bible- twice in the Old Testament (I Kings 10:14, and Ezra 2:13) and once in the New Testament (Rev.13:18) In both Ezra and the Revelation the number is associated with a name! Much debate has arisen through the years concerning the number in the Revelation, but the number in the Old Testament is explicit-- it is associated with the name- Adonikam {אדניקם} (translated it means "The lord of the enemy" or "Come My Lord" depending on how vowels are added to the Hebrew consonants) Three descendants of Adonikam are mentioned by name: Eliphelet {אליפלט}(my God delivers), Jeuel {יעיאל }(God carries away), and Shemaiah {שׁמעיה}(she [Israel?] listened) {Ezra 8:13} It is also interesting to note that in Ezra the number is in reference to a family returning from exile in Babylon and in the Revelation it is in reference to one who will cause Israel to once again go into exile. The sum of the numbers from 1 to 36 (36 is 6 ²) = 666         {2x3x3x37 or 2x3²x37}

888- the number for our Lord. Three- eights. { 2³x3x37} See the number 3, 8, and 37 above.  Jesus is the perfect witness.