Significant numbers in the Bible

Throughout the Bible God has intentionally used significant numbers to reveal to those who study diligently, spiritual truths and hidden meanings. Every single detail in the Bible is by deliberate design, written down by men who was inspired by our Heavenly Father. Some numbers in scripture are obviously intentional, while others may take a more in depth study to understand its meaning. These specific "numbers" in the Bible is just additional proof that God inspired every word. However, we must be very carful not to put to much significance on every number in the Bible.

40
1. The Israelites wondered the wilderness 40 years.
2. Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days.
3. Elijah was on Mount Sinai for 40 days.
4. The flood was 40 days and nights.
5. Jesus fasted for 40 days before being tempted by Satan.
6. Jesus spent 40 days on earth after His resurrection.

3
1. The Trinity.
2. Many individuals in the Bible were called upon by God 3 times before responding.
3. Most scholars believe Jesus died at age of 33.

10
1. The Ten Commandments]
2. Noah was the 10th Patriarch before the flood.
3. Abraham pleaded with God for 10 righteous people.
4. John 3:16.......3+1+6=10
5. Jesus performed 37 miracles. 3+7=10

12
1. Twelve tribes of Israel.
2. After Jesus feeds five thousand, His disciples pick up 12 basketfulls of left overs.
3. Daniel 12:12...."blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1335 days." 1+3+3+5=12

7
1. 7 days of creation.
2. The 7th day is called the Sabbath and is Holy.
3. The 7 fold spirit of God is mentioned in the Bible.
4. In Revelation, we find 7 letters to 7 churches.
5. 7 years of Tribulation.
6. The 144,000 Jews who spread the Gospel in the last days is a multiple of 7.

The Bible is a skillfully designed integrated message system. The ancient world did not use numbers as much as the modern person would use them today. We use numbers for just about every aspect of our daily lives. So how ought we to put specific numbers into our everyday study? How should we look at these significant numbers of the Bible? The answer is always, by how they are written in the context of the passage AND keeping in mind the cultural context of how "those" numbers are used.

Many people have claimed that there are "spiritual truths and hidden meanings " hidden behind these patterns of numbers. None have shared what these "spiritual truths and hidden meanings " are, or how they help anyone live for Christ, or help us understand the nature of God more or better than the plain text does.

I always found it interesting how in John 21:11 it specifies that they caught 153 fish which, to me, is an oddly specific number. The Bible doesn't mince words so I'm inclined to believe there is some importance here. It is no secret that numbers play a key role in scriptural interpretation and hold special significance even where none is explicitly stated.

The world that God knows, and the world we are aware of are different worlds. If we understood it we would not "see darkly". But the precision of the word is expressed in numbers. It amazes me how the tides of the ocean are so precise they can be predicted exactly.

I would just like to understand what the seventh day of the week truly means, and all about the blessing of that day. Daniel used numbers to organize his prayer life, based on the 9:00AM, noon, and 3:00 PM timing. The crucifixion of our Lord follows those times.

The net of the Apostles, if they were "fishers of men"

• needed mending
• caught nothing
• caught a lot but broke and the fish escaped (Lk.5)
• caught until it was full but did not break (Jn.21). The number of fish was 153

1. Until they were introduced to the true gospel by Jesus, their net was broken
2. They went with the gospel but Israel would not hear - they caught nothing
3. Jesus did signs and wonders. Many heard and took note, but "all" called for His blood in the end (Matt.27:25)
4. The Disciples went to the Gentiles and caught many - the full number being born again and numbered by a king - 153

"And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred" (2nd Chronicles 2:17)

John 6:1-13 (KJV)
1 "After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten"

The Sea of Galilee: By the time of our Lord Jesus, Israel's crisis was full. The Land was no more the land of milk and honey, but had wildernesses in it. If a man approached the Sea of Galilee from any side it was a huge contrats to the hot barren hills surrounding it. It was crystal clear melted snow water from Hermon. It was clean and full of fish. It watered the surrounding shores. It is a picture of God's creation - beautiful, satisfying and supplying men. But it is called "Tiberias"

Herod was an accomplished architect. To please Caesar Tiberius, he built a lovely city on the south-western shore. It was supposed to be a "Spa-City". Herod named it "Tiberius" for politics. But Herod made a fatal mistake. He built the city on a Jewish grave yard. The Dead are unclean. Nobody wanted to live in Tiberius. Herod had to populate Tiberius with all the criminals and lowlife. God's beautiful world is populated with criminals and lowlife.

Into this situation comes Jesus with many "signs". The signs should have given LIFE where the graveyard was. But Israel did not believe (Jn.20:30-31). Dead men don't react to miracles. Israel saw many, but it did not change them.

Jesus went up a high mountain. A high mountain is to show a heavenly revelation. It is that He is the Passover. Israel had lost their inheritance like the fist-born of Egypt. They were dead in their sins. Into this situation comes the Passover Lamb. Jesus had led the lost sheep of Israel to "much grass", but they were blind. Jesus makes them to sit - to cease from their works. Israel need the Lamb's blood shed for them and then to eat Him. This is the Passover. But Israel looked for the son of David - warrior-king, not a Lamb for their sins. The crisis of Israel is worsened. Into this crisis of death comes five barley loaves.

Five is the ONE God's relationship with man - the FOURTH of the Land creatures. Man has failed in his responsibility, but God takes His FIVE seriously. Barley is the First(fruits) of winter crops. The summer is not yet fro Israel are in the hard cold crisis of their winter. It is also the Wave Offering. It signifies Christ as RESURRECTION LIFE. The High Priest "waves it on the morrow after the Sabbath" - the day of resurrection. But blood must shed for the remission of sins. So Jesus must be from the animal life as well as the plant life. Two fishes.

Two is the number of Witness (Rev.11). Fish come from the sea. In Parable, the "sea" is the nations. Jesus is the Passover Lamb for BOTH Israel (the sea shore) and the Nations (the sea). In "Galilee "of the nations" the crowd of five thousand are a mixed bunch. Jews, Samaritans and other Gentiles like Canaanites - the cursed ones. Christ is FIVE loaves, and the motley crowd is FIVE thousand. TEN is the number of the Law for all the Law is TEN commandments. Israelites and Samaritans alike have the Pentateuch - the five books of Law from Moses. But the Law has called for death. It is God-given and good and spiritual, but weak in the flesh of men. It is ordained to LIFE, but convinces of death only among men. Men, both Jew an Gentile are dead in their sins. They need LIFE, not healing. Jesus enters as the Bread of LIFE.

But the Bread of Life can only help if their is FAITH. To get LIFE one must believe (Jn.3:14-16). So the five thousand eat and are filled but go away to become hungry again EXCEPT God's people - those who believe. The number of God's People is 12. Twelve baskets full of the Bread of Life remain to feed God's people - those who remain with Jesus and His disciples on a high mountain. The fish do not remain, for the animal sacrifice of Christ is not repeated.

Numbers in the Bible cannot be used to formulate doctrine, but they are used to illustrate grand truths.

If I were a betting person....Casino Night at the local Bible study

I wonder if that is how Bingo night got started

Exactly.

I would hold very lightly any conclusions drawn about numbers. It's fine to note parallels, but when people start saying "this number means that", I start wondering if they understand the plain text.