Week 3: What's With All Those Numbers?
Symbolism
runs rampant in apocalyptic literature, so lets do a quick run through of what
numbers can symbolize in scripture. This information will not only help us
discuss what we find in apocalyptic texts as we proceed through the study, but
will help us frequently in the future when we read your Bible. All of the information
below was taken from one Web site (http://www.biblestudy.org/) on January 22, 2011, so all credit
goes to this site. I have simplified the information and cut out quite a bit in
order to simplify it and make it easier to read and remember. However, you will
find a lot more information and examples at the Web site along with discussion
of the examples. Some of these discussions are pages long. You will also find a
discussion of quite a few numbers not represented here. This Web site seems to
be a bit "fundamentalistic," so read with a wee bit of skepticism.
Also, there are many more sites on the Web where you can reference more
information. Keep in mind that anyone can post anything on the Web so you need
to use your own discretion when giving credence to any of the information. So
if you want more information on any particular number, you can either go to
Biblestudy.org or follow the links provided.
Number One
The number one is a primary number and in most all
culture symbolized unity or primacy. One symbolizes unity because it is not
made up of other numbers, is a source of all numbers and is independent.
Likewise with God. God is independent of all and all stand in need of the One.
One excludes all differences and symbolizes harmony.
When it is
written: "Hear, O Israel, the LORD
thy God is one LORD," it does not deny the Doctrine of the Trinity,
but it excludes absolutely another Lord: it excludes, therefore, all idolatry.
It asserts
that there is in God a sufficiency which needs no other; and an independence
which admits no other.
Number Two
While number
one excludes all difference, the number two affirms that difference exists and
there can be division. It is instrumental in the discussion of dualism (two
sides or opposing forces, such as good vs. evil) and is therefore important in
the Bible. It can stand for opposition, enmity or oppression. The second of any
number of things always bears upon it the stamp of difference, and generally,
of enmity.
Number
Three
Three stands for what is solid, real,
substantial, entire and complete. All things that are specially complete are
stamped with the number three. In regards to scripture, completion becomes
divine and therefore, three marks divine completion or perfection. Three has
special significance in the Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Creator,
Redeemer, Sustainer.
God's
attributes are three - omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence.
Many other
concepts embody the number three:
There are
three great divisions completing time - past, present and future.
Thought, word and deed complete the sum of human capability.
Thought, word and deed complete the sum of human capability.
Three is the
first of four perfect numbers
- Three denotes divine perfection
- Seven denotes spiritual
perfection
- Ten denotes ordinal perfection
- Twelve denotes governmental
perfection
- The fullness of God - Ephesians
3:19
- The fullness of Christ -
Ephesians 4:13
- The fullness of the Godhead - Colossians
2:9
The number four is comprised of three and one (3+1=4)
and marks what follows the revelation of God in the Trinity, namely, God's
creative works, and the world. Creation is the next thing - the fourth thing,
and the number four often references that which is created, symbolizes
creation, and symbolizes man in his relationship to the created world. As a
symbol for the world, it represents man's weakness, helplessness and vanity.
On the fourth
day of creation, material creation was completed, so four is the number of the
great elements - earth, air, fire and water; regions of the earth - north,
south, east and west; divisions of the day - morning, afternoon, evening and
night; seasons of the year - spring, summer, fall and winter; lunar phases.
There are four "heads" of animal creation: the lion (wild beasts),
the ox (tame beasts), the eagle (birds), and man (head of all). Three animals and
one human make the 3+1=4 formula, seen in scripture.
Because it is
the first square number it marks a kind of completeness called material
completeness. However, because it is the first non-prime number and the first
that can be divided, it can also mark division.
Number
Five
The number five represents redemption and grace.
Creation came under a curse with the fall of mankind and God is needed to
redeem it (4+1=5). Redemption must follow creation. Five is significant in that
weakness (4) is made perfect through divine strength (1) by grace (5).
Grace means
favor. Favor comes in many forms. Favor shown to the miserable we call mercy;
favor shown to the poor we call pity; favor shown to the suffering we call
compassion; favor shown to the obstinate we call patience; favor shown to the
unworthy is called grace.
Number Six
The number six has to do with man, and is the number
of imperfection and destitution. Six can be 4+2 (man's world and division) and
can signify man's enmity to God. Six can also be seven minus one, indicating
man falling short of God's spiritual perfection.
Humankind was
created on the sixth day and six days were appointed for humankind's labor.
Therefore, the number six can also signify man's labor as apart and distinct
from God's rest (on the seventh day).
The sixth
Commandment relates to murder, man killing man.
Number
Seven
The number seven is the number of spiritual perfection
and is found often throughout the scriptures, especially in conjunction with
the word of God as inspired by the Holy Spirit. When found in conjunction with
other numbers it contains meaning as well, as in fifty and seven or one hundred
and seven, and seventy.
In Hebrew,
seven is "shevah" and is from the root "savah," to be full,
satisfied or to have enough. God rested ("shavath" - to cease,
desist, rest) on the seventh day because God's creation was full, complete,
good and perfect. Nothing could be added to it or taken from it without marring
it. Another word from the root Hebrew is "shavagh," to swear or make
an oath, especially an oath taken as an end of strife.
Instances of
seven include Abraham's seven-fold blessing in Genesis 12:2-3; seven-fold
qualification for service in Judges 6; seven miracles in John's Gospel (2,
4:47, 5:4, 6, 9:1, 11, 21); seven gifts in Romans 12:6-8; seven unities in
Ephesians 4:4-6; seven characteristics of wisdom in James 3:17; seven words of
Jesus from the cross (Luke 23:34,43,46; Matthew 27:46,43; John 19:26,28,30).
E. W. Bullinger in his book Number in Scripture says of the number 8, "As seven was so called because the seventh day was the day of completion and rest, so eight, as the eighth day, was over and above this perfect completion, and was indeed the first of a new series, as well as being the eighth. ... EIGHT... is the number specially associated with Resurrection and Regeneration, and the beginning of a new era or order.
Nine is the last of the digits and thus
marks the end, and can signify the conclusion of something, the end of man and
the summation of all man's works. Nine is the number of finality or judgment..
Number Ten
Ten is one of the perfect numbers and
signifies the completeness of order and perfection of divine order. It
signifies a complete cycle. The number ten can be seen in the Ten Commandments
(completeness and order), ten plagues, and multiple incidences of ten
generations.
The Lord's
Prayer has ten clauses that have significance in their placement in the prayer:
The first, God's sovereignty.
The second, Jehovah's manifested Name. The third, the realization of God's kingdom.
The fourth first mentions the earth.
The fifth, the gift of grace supplying our need.
The sixth treats of man's sin.
The seventh pleads for spiritual guidance.
The eighth pleads for final deliverance from all evil.
The ninth sums up the divine glory (32), while
The tenth completes the eternal cycles.
If ten is the number which marks the
perfection of Divine order,
then eleven is an addition to it, subversive of and undoing that order. If twelve is the number which marks the
perfection of Divine government,
then eleven falls short of it. So that whether we regard it as being 10 + 1, or
12 - 1, it is the number which marks, disorder,
disorganization, imperfection, and disintegration.
There is not
much concerning it in scripture, but it does have significance when it appears,
such as:
Eleven sons of Jacob (disintegration
and disorganization in Jacob's family)
Eleventh hour (Matt. 20:6,9)
(contrary to order and arrangement)
Eleven apostles (disintegration of
the Twelve)
Twelve is a perfect number and signifies
governmental perfection. When found in multiples it has to do with rule.
There were
twelve sons of Israel. Jesus was twelve when he was found in the Temple. The
measurement of the new Jerusalem is 12,000 furlongs square while the wall is to
be 144 (12x12) cubits (Rev. 21:16-17). The number of the sealed in Rev. 7:4 is
144,000, relating to the Twelve Tribes of Israel. There are twelve stones in
the High Priest's breastplate, twelve spies and twelve stones taken out of the
Jordan. There are many references to the number twelve in scripture.
Number
Forty
Forty occurs frequently and is associated
with periods of probation, trial or chastisement with sons or the covenant
people. It points to the action of grace (5) usually leading to and ending in
revival and renewal (8).
Examples
include the Hebrews forty years in the wilderness and Jesus forty days of
temptation in the wilderness.
Six
Hundred and Sixty Six
If the number
six is the number of secular or human perfection, then 66 is more emphatic, and
666 is even more so. Six sixty-six represents the "trinity" of
human perfection or in other words, the perfection of imperfection; the
culmination of human pride in independence from God and in opposition to
Christ.
The number 666
is filled with deep meaning and more can be read about this number at
biblestudy.com, but in Revelation, 666 marks the culmination of man's
opposition to God in the person of the antichrist.
More Information On-line
Again,
there is much more information concerning numerology online, but this should
suffice to give us a little insight into some numbers we might run across in
the near future. There is no way you could have read Revelation without
noticing the amount of numbers it contains. Do they have meaning? Absolutely.
Do scholars know what all of it is about? Actually, no. But it sure is
interesting to think about.
Thinking
About It
Find
a few examples of numbers in Revelation and talk about what you think they mean
or why they are used. Post your observations online and comment on others'
observations as well. See if you can get a discussion thread going.
5 Comments
Person 1 said:
Person 2 said:
I love the information
contained in this third week. The meanings behind the numbers in the Bible is
something that has always interested and confused me. So now I sit with my
Bible open to Revelation and I try to compare to the Numerology info I just
read. I am first struck by just how many numbers are used within the book of
Revelation. So I'm looking at Chapter 4 and trying to decipher what story all
of those numbers are trying to tell me. I get the 4 creatures since that
specifically was mentioned in the number four paragraph. Then I come to the six
wings. I'm wondering that since these creatures will soon take part in
releasing the four horsemen to start the second coming and deaths of many
poeple, do the six wings symbolize the known imperfection of man? Then there
are the 24 elders which I suppose signify the heavenly government, according
the the website. Do I understand what the heavenly government would be? No. But
I suppose just understanding why there were 24 is a start. So all of that
information was sqeezed into the very small Chapter 4. Understanding there is a
lot of numerology going on in every chapter, I'm skipping ahead to Chapter 12.
So now we have this Dragon, trying to steal the Messiah. So this should be
Satan, right? If so, why does this Dragon get to have 7 heads, seven crowns and
10 horns? Both of these numbers signify perfection, spiritually and divine
order. Such an evil beast shouldn't get to be described with these numbers that
should be reserved for God and all things holy. Moving on, something I had a
question about when reading Chapter 7 and 14 was what was up with only 144,000
being saved? Interesting to know that 144 goes back to the number 12 (government
perfection)but still doesn't explain to me why only 144,000 people will be
sealed. Not very good odds for me! I think the only information I feel
confident about is understanding why satan is assigned the number 666
(concentrated expression of human imperfection). Also interesting to note that
the name of the antichirst name will add up to the number 666. I would be
interested in studying that gematria stuff, but one confusing study at a time
is all I can handle!! I sure hope that I am understanding something that I am
reading, but I may be way off too. All I know is that if this blog doesn't
spark any conversation, nothing will. There are more questions than answers in
it. Please help me figure this out my friends!!!
Compare the four creatures in Rev 4 with the description of the 4 creatures in
Ezekial 1:5-10. Do you see any commonalities?
There are 24 elders. Keep in mind that 24 is 12+12. We now know that what numbers can be broken down into can be as significant as the number itself. That goes for the 144,000 as well. 144,000 is 12x12. What can you think of that is significant, that numbers 12?
As for the dragon, I would place a pretty good bet that it stands for satan. Compare what you observed about the dragon to what is written in Rev. 17:9-14 and Daniel 7:7,20 and 24. What do you think?
Understand that numerology is only a starting point. There is much more to the symbology than what the numbers can stand for. Imagery can represent a great many things, from satan to Jesus, to empires to apostles, from power to pride. Scholars think they have a handle on some of this imagery but haven't a clue about others, because they are specific to the context/time period in which they were written. We may never know what some of this stuff stands for and it is quite possible that what we think we understand is wrong. Ah...the joys of apocalyptic literature.
As for the 144,000, I'm not worried about the "odds." Why? Read Rev. 7:9. Since I'm not from one of the 12 Tribes as far as I know, I hope to be hanging with this group. I think I'd look rather appealing robed in white and waving a palm branch.
As far as more questions than answers, you may finish this study with just as many as you started it with. I just hope they are different questions than your initial ones.
You will hopefully have a good time looking at parts of Enoch, but I need to start writing that one or it won't get posted till Easter!
There are 24 elders. Keep in mind that 24 is 12+12. We now know that what numbers can be broken down into can be as significant as the number itself. That goes for the 144,000 as well. 144,000 is 12x12. What can you think of that is significant, that numbers 12?
As for the dragon, I would place a pretty good bet that it stands for satan. Compare what you observed about the dragon to what is written in Rev. 17:9-14 and Daniel 7:7,20 and 24. What do you think?
Understand that numerology is only a starting point. There is much more to the symbology than what the numbers can stand for. Imagery can represent a great many things, from satan to Jesus, to empires to apostles, from power to pride. Scholars think they have a handle on some of this imagery but haven't a clue about others, because they are specific to the context/time period in which they were written. We may never know what some of this stuff stands for and it is quite possible that what we think we understand is wrong. Ah...the joys of apocalyptic literature.
As for the 144,000, I'm not worried about the "odds." Why? Read Rev. 7:9. Since I'm not from one of the 12 Tribes as far as I know, I hope to be hanging with this group. I think I'd look rather appealing robed in white and waving a palm branch.
As far as more questions than answers, you may finish this study with just as many as you started it with. I just hope they are different questions than your initial ones.
You will hopefully have a good time looking at parts of Enoch, but I need to start writing that one or it won't get posted till Easter!
The numbers in Revelation
are so interesting as well as confusing. I assume they are used so much in
Revelation because they were important to the people of that time and that they
would understand, maybe better than us (??), what they mean. I think the dragon
symbolizes Satan - and it was pointed out to me in another study that perhaps
he has 7 heads because he is trying to "copy" God. In addition to the
7 heads, there are three creatures (the dragon and two beasts), he marks his
followers (like God) and he was "healed from a fatal wound" (like
Christ). The good news is that he fails. There is on ONE God, the Alpha and the
Omega! Amen!
Lynn, are you going to talk more about the difference between prophetic and apocalyptic? It helped me wrap my head around Revelation to know it is not prophesy. The "big picture" became clearer and the symbolism popped out even more I think.
_____________________________________________________
Person 4 said:
Interesting post, Lynn. I
have, throughout the years, heard what some of these numbers are supposed to
represent (perfect numbers, etc) but it's great to get a refresher. I have to
confess that I have not been flipping back through Revelation as I've been
reading your blogs, so it's great to read everyone else's comments about what
they've read. Thank you all!
What I've realized as I read this and as I think about what I have read of Revelation: my first response to what is written is that it's prophecy and that it will one day come to pass as it is written. This is what I believed as I was growing up, and it's hard to get past that as a knee-jerk reaction when I think of Revelation. What I know and believe now, is that this was written for a specific group of people at a specific time as a message of hope. I do not necessarily believe this is what we should expect with the second coming of Christ, whenever that will happen.
Has anyone else had a similar (or opposing!) thought or reaction as they're going through and taking a different look at Revelation?
What I've realized as I read this and as I think about what I have read of Revelation: my first response to what is written is that it's prophecy and that it will one day come to pass as it is written. This is what I believed as I was growing up, and it's hard to get past that as a knee-jerk reaction when I think of Revelation. What I know and believe now, is that this was written for a specific group of people at a specific time as a message of hope. I do not necessarily believe this is what we should expect with the second coming of Christ, whenever that will happen.
Has anyone else had a similar (or opposing!) thought or reaction as they're going through and taking a different look at Revelation?
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