Bible Numerology…
…refers to the study of the numbers in the Bible. This is because many believe that the numbers have meanings beyond the literal and that understanding these meanings will lead to a better discernment of God?s messages.
Is the Bible just a book full of nice stories that we should take at face value? Or is there more to the parables and tales than just life lessons, hidden in the numerological significance of the numbers, i.e. the Bible Numerology that may exist?
There are several key numbers, which are repeated throughout the Bible. These are the numbers 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 40.
The number 1 represents unity and sovereignty in Bible Numerology. It is considered God’s number. In fact, there are several scriptural references (Deuteronomy 6:4, 1 Kings 8:60, Psalm 18:31, John 17:3, Ephesians 4:6, among others) as to God being the one and only God.
The number 3 stands for divine perfection in Bible Numerology. It also represents the Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), spiritual growth, and those that are complete, substantial, and solid. This number appeared several times in the New Testament to symbolize growth and multiplication.
The number 4 signifies material things in Bible Numerology.
It represents those that God created and those of this earth, such as the seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter), the elements (earth, fire, air, and water), the regions of the earth (north, east, south, and west), the phases of the moon, and so on. It is the number of completeness.
The number 6 symbolizes the creation of man and his opposition to God in Bible Numerology. This number denotes man’s existence without God, which is probably why 666 was assigned as the number of the anti Christ. The number six is impressed upon the number of days man is to toil. It is also related to the measurements with which man does his work, such as 24 hours (6×4) in a day, 60 minutes (6×10) in an hour, 60 seconds in a minute, and so on
In Bible Numerology, the number 7 connotes spiritual perfection.
The two numbers that make up 7 are 3, which signifies divine perfection and 4, which represents the perfect world. To the Hebrews, 7 is most sacred as it indicates a perfect world through the unification of heaven and the earth. The number 7 is mentioned 287 times in the Bible, the fraction seventh appears 98 times, and seven-fold is found 7 times.
The number 40 indicates the period of trial and testing. This number is also considered the number of preparation, waiting, or punishment. We see the number 40 in the number of years the Israelites wandered in the desert, the number of days Jesus was tempted, and the number of days from the resurrection to the ascension. This is where Bible Numerology really is of deep value, as we compare the symbolic significance between these occurrences of the same number.
There is still an ongoing debate among theologians and Bible scholars as to whether or not the numbers in the Bible have secret meanings. Also, variants of Bible Numerology such as the Bible Code make one wonder what are the limits of what may be hidden in these ancient texts.? However, this shouldn’t stop us from trying to find a deeper understanding of God?s messages because it might help us realize the purpose for which we were put on this earth.
In conclusion then, Bible Numerology is a totally fascinating subject, well worthy of deep examination.
