Sifnigicant Numbers in The Bible

[Sing40King]

I have been workling on a study for my Biblical Studies class on numbers that repeat themselves a lot in the Bible. Therer are a few but I'll just talk about 2 or 3 depending on how long it gets. I believe that numbers do have significance to God and should to us as well.

The number 7 is used a lot in the Bible and things come in sevens. Seven seems to be the number of Completeness.

Genesis 1. God spends six days creating the heavens and the earth, and then rests on the seventh day.

Deuteronomy 5:12. God sets the seventh day as the Sabbath Day.

Exodus 22:30. Animals used for sacrifices must be at least 7 days old.

2 Kings 5:10 . Naaman was told to wash in the Jordan 7 times to be healed of leprocy.

Joshua 6:3–4. Joshua was commanded to march around Jericho for 7 days. On the seventh day 7 priests were to blow their trumpets and the walls came down.

(Genesis 7:2. 7 pairs of all clean animals were taken with Noah on the ark. These were the animals that could be eaten as all the vegetation had been destroyed by the flood. I am sure that Noah was instructed to bring seeds along to plant later but that's just my idea.

Exodus 25:37. There were 7 lampstands on the tabernacle.

Isaiah 11:2. talks about the 7 qualities of the Messiah.

In the book of Revelation, the number 7 is used there more than fifty times in a variety of contexts: there are seven letters to seven churches in Asia and seven spirits before God’s throne (Revelation 1:4), seven golden lampstands (1:12), seven stars in Christ’s right hand (1:16), seven seals of God’s judgment (5:1), seven angels with seven trumpets (8:2), etc. In all likelihood, the number 7 again represents completeness or totality: the seven churches represent the completeness of the body of Christ, the seven seals on the scroll represent the fulness of God’s punishment of a sinful earth, and so on. And, of course, the book of Revelation itself, with all its 7’s, is the capstone of God’s Word to man. With the book of Revelation, the Word was complete (Revelation 22:18).

In all, the number 7 is used in the Bible more than seven hundred times. If we also count the words related to seven (terms like sevenfold or seventy or seven hundred), the count is still higher. Of course, not every instance of the number 7 in the Bible carries a deeper significance.  However, there are times when it seems that God is communicating the idea of divine completeness, perfection, and wholeness by means of the number 7.

The number 40 shows up often in the Bible. Because 40 appears so often in contexts dealing with judgment or testing.” This doesn’t mean that 40 is entirely symbolic; it still has a literal meaning in Scripture. “Forty days” means “forty days,” but it does seem that God has chosen this number to help emphasize times of trouble and hardship.

Here are some examples of the Bible’s use of the number 40 that stress the theme of testing or judgment:

In the Old Testament, when God destroyed the earth with water, He caused it to rain 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12). After Moses killed the Egyptian, he fled to Midian, where he spent 40 years in the desert tending flocks (Acts 7:30). Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18). Moses interceded on Israel’s behalf for 40 days and 40 nights (Deuteronomy 9:18, 25). The Law specified a maximum number of lashes a man could receive for a crime, setting the limit at 40 (Deuteronomy 25:3). The Israelite spies took 40 days to spy out Canaan (Numbers 13:25). The Israelites wandered for 40 years (Deuteronomy 8:2-5). Before Samson’s deliverance, Israel served the Philistines for 40 years (Judges 13:1). Goliath taunted Saul’s army for 40 days before David arrived to slay him (1 Samuel 17:16). When Elijah fled from Jezebel, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights to Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).

The number 40 also appears in the prophecies of Ezekiel (4:6; 29:11-13) and Jonah (3:4).

In the New Testament, Jesus was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights (Matthew 4:2). There were 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:3).

Whether or not the number 40 really has any significance is still debated. The Bible definitely seems to use 40 to emphasize a spiritual truth, but the Bible nowhere specifically assigns any special meaning to the number 40.

[Ezra]

3 hours ago, Sing40King said:

I believe that numbers do have significance to God and should to us as well.

There are several books on this subject which you should study. Numbers in Scripture by E. W. Bullinger (Kregel) is an excellent treatise.  He discusses every significant number in the Bible.

[Bill16652]

Yes there are many symbolic numbers 8 new beginnings,  among others

[Snow]

On 29/12/2016 at 0:05 AM, Sing40King said:

I have been workling on a study for my Biblical Studies class on numbers that repeat themselves a lot in the Bible. Therer are a few but I'll just talk about 2 or 3 depending on how long it gets. I believe that numbers do have significance to God and should to us as well.

The number 7 is used a lot in the Bible and things come in sevens. Seven seems to be the number of Completeness.

Genesis 1. God spends six days creating the heavens and the earth, and then rests on the seventh day.

Deuteronomy 5:12. God sets the seventh day as the Sabbath Day.

Exodus 22:30. Animals used for sacrifices must be at least 7 days old.

2 Kings 5:10 . Naaman was told to wash in the Jordan 7 times to be healed of leprocy.

Joshua 6:3–4. Joshua was commanded to march around Jericho for 7 days. On the seventh day 7 priests were to blow their trumpets and the walls came down.

(Genesis 7:2. 7 pairs of all clean animals were taken with Noah on the ark. These were the animals that could be eaten as all the vegetation had been destroyed by the flood. I am sure that Noah was instructed to bring seeds along to plant later but that's just my idea.

Exodus 25:37. There were 7 lampstands on the tabernacle.

Isaiah 11:2. talks about the 7 qualities of the Messiah.

In the book of Revelation, the number 7 is used there more than fifty times in a variety of contexts: there are seven letters to seven churches in Asia and seven spirits before God’s throne (Revelation 1:4), seven golden lampstands (1:12), seven stars in Christ’s right hand (1:16), seven seals of God’s judgment (5:1), seven angels with seven trumpets (8:2), etc. In all likelihood, the number 7 again represents completeness or totality: the seven churches represent the completeness of the body of Christ, the seven seals on the scroll represent the fulness of God’s punishment of a sinful earth, and so on. And, of course, the book of Revelation itself, with all its 7’s, is the capstone of God’s Word to man. With the book of Revelation, the Word was complete (Revelation 22:18).

In all, the number 7 is used in the Bible more than seven hundred times. If we also count the words related to seven (terms like sevenfold or seventy or seven hundred), the count is still higher. Of course, not every instance of the number 7 in the Bible carries a deeper significance.  However, there are times when it seems that God is communicating the idea of divine completeness, perfection, and wholeness by means of the number 7.

The number 40 shows up often in the Bible. Because 40 appears so often in contexts dealing with judgment or testing.” This doesn’t mean that 40 is entirely symbolic; it still has a literal meaning in Scripture. “Forty days” means “forty days,” but it does seem that God has chosen this number to help emphasize times of trouble and hardship.

Here are some examples of the Bible’s use of the number 40 that stress the theme of testing or judgment:

In the Old Testament, when God destroyed the earth with water, He caused it to rain 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12). After Moses killed the Egyptian, he fled to Midian, where he spent 40 years in the desert tending flocks (Acts 7:30). Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18). Moses interceded on Israel’s behalf for 40 days and 40 nights (Deuteronomy 9:18, 25). The Law specified a maximum number of lashes a man could receive for a crime, setting the limit at 40 (Deuteronomy 25:3). The Israelite spies took 40 days to spy out Canaan (Numbers 13:25). The Israelites wandered for 40 years (Deuteronomy 8:2-5). Before Samson’s deliverance, Israel served the Philistines for 40 years (Judges 13:1). Goliath taunted Saul’s army for 40 days before David arrived to slay him (1 Samuel 17:16). When Elijah fled from Jezebel, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights to Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).

The number 40 also appears in the prophecies of Ezekiel (4:6; 29:11-13) and Jonah (3:4).

In the New Testament, Jesus was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights (Matthew 4:2). There were 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:3).

Whether or not the number 40 really has any significance is still debated. The Bible definitely seems to use 40 to emphasize a spiritual truth, but the Bible nowhere specifically assigns any special meaning to the number 40.

Hi Sing40King

Good stuff! Thanks for sharing..

Be Blessed

[Neighbor]

Hi,

Keys To Scripture Numerics by Ed.F. Vallowe is another good reference work.

But what of the Bible itself? The great expanse of time over which  it has been recorded, the various  backgrounds of the human authors, the patterns of speech even, all speak of numbers, and the near impossibility of  it being of only human authorship.

 The acrostic Psalm 119 as one simple example; even if one cannot read  the original language, is  visually beautiful, methodical, melodious, and complex. The play of numbers and the meter of it, the flow of the Hebrew alphabet, all speak of God's "hand" upon it.

Example: "Psalm119 is one of several acrostic poems found in the Bible. Its 176 verses are divided into 22 stanzas, one for each of the 22 characters that make up the Hebrew alphabet. In the Hebrew text, each of the eight verses of each stanza begins with the same Hebrew letter."

It may have been written  by King David for the learning of  a spiritual alphabet, as is contended by some. But it seems it must be written of God's inspiration for it's numbers to found within it are so very extensive as to be unlikely the work of a man alone of his own doing. The Hebrew language having a numeric-alphabetical value system, there seems to me a likely correct value for Hebrew  letters to be found in the PS 119 that predates the late 2nd century BC concept that  the number values come from Roman numerals of that period late 2BC. As I say " it seems to me", it is just a thought.

 

Have geat fun with your study, may it never end, and may it bring you joy and insights.

[Neighbor]

15 hours ago, Neighbor said:

 

 

Edited December 31, 2016 by Neighbor

[Sing40King]

Some of my favorite verses including my signature come from Psalms 119.

[Dennis1209]

On 12/28/2016 at 10:05 AM, Sing40King said:

I have been workling on a study for my Biblical Studies class on numbers that repeat themselves a lot in the Bible. Therer are a few but I'll just talk about 2 or 3 depending on how long it gets. I believe that numbers do have significance to God and should to us as well.

The number 7 is used a lot in the Bible and things come in sevens. Seven seems to be the number of Completeness.

Genesis 1. God spends six days creating the heavens and the earth, and then rests on the seventh day.

Deuteronomy 5:12. God sets the seventh day as the Sabbath Day.

Exodus 22:30. Animals used for sacrifices must be at least 7 days old.

2 Kings 5:10 . Naaman was told to wash in the Jordan 7 times to be healed of leprocy.

Joshua 6:3–4. Joshua was commanded to march around Jericho for 7 days. On the seventh day 7 priests were to blow their trumpets and the walls came down.

(Genesis 7:2. 7 pairs of all clean animals were taken with Noah on the ark. These were the animals that could be eaten as all the vegetation had been destroyed by the flood. I am sure that Noah was instructed to bring seeds along to plant later but that's just my idea.

Exodus 25:37. There were 7 lampstands on the tabernacle.

Isaiah 11:2. talks about the 7 qualities of the Messiah.

In the book of Revelation, the number 7 is used there more than fifty times in a variety of contexts: there are seven letters to seven churches in Asia and seven spirits before God’s throne (Revelation 1:4), seven golden lampstands (1:12), seven stars in Christ’s right hand (1:16), seven seals of God’s judgment (5:1), seven angels with seven trumpets (8:2), etc. In all likelihood, the number 7 again represents completeness or totality: the seven churches represent the completeness of the body of Christ, the seven seals on the scroll represent the fulness of God’s punishment of a sinful earth, and so on. And, of course, the book of Revelation itself, with all its 7’s, is the capstone of God’s Word to man. With the book of Revelation, the Word was complete (Revelation 22:18).

In all, the number 7 is used in the Bible more than seven hundred times. If we also count the words related to seven (terms like sevenfold or seventy or seven hundred), the count is still higher. Of course, not every instance of the number 7 in the Bible carries a deeper significance.  However, there are times when it seems that God is communicating the idea of divine completeness, perfection, and wholeness by means of the number 7.

The number 40 shows up often in the Bible. Because 40 appears so often in contexts dealing with judgment or testing.” This doesn’t mean that 40 is entirely symbolic; it still has a literal meaning in Scripture. “Forty days” means “forty days,” but it does seem that God has chosen this number to help emphasize times of trouble and hardship.

Here are some examples of the Bible’s use of the number 40 that stress the theme of testing or judgment:

In the Old Testament, when God destroyed the earth with water, He caused it to rain 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12). After Moses killed the Egyptian, he fled to Midian, where he spent 40 years in the desert tending flocks (Acts 7:30). Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18). Moses interceded on Israel’s behalf for 40 days and 40 nights (Deuteronomy 9:18, 25). The Law specified a maximum number of lashes a man could receive for a crime, setting the limit at 40 (Deuteronomy 25:3). The Israelite spies took 40 days to spy out Canaan (Numbers 13:25). The Israelites wandered for 40 years (Deuteronomy 8:2-5). Before Samson’s deliverance, Israel served the Philistines for 40 years (Judges 13:1). Goliath taunted Saul’s army for 40 days before David arrived to slay him (1 Samuel 17:16). When Elijah fled from Jezebel, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights to Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).

The number 40 also appears in the prophecies of Ezekiel (4:6; 29:11-13) and Jonah (3:4).

In the New Testament, Jesus was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights (Matthew 4:2). There were 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:3).

Whether or not the number 40 really has any significance is still debated. The Bible definitely seems to use 40 to emphasize a spiritual truth, but the Bible nowhere specifically assigns any special meaning to the number 40.

I believe every number in the Bible is significant and has meaning. Attached, is a quick reference I use. If memory serves, I think I gleaned it from a book by the late Pastor Noah Hutchings?

 

[HisFirst]

Guys, is this the same thing as numerology?

 

[missmuffet]

52 minutes ago, HisFirst said:

Guys, is this the same thing as numerology?

 

Yes, and we should not take it very seriously.

uestion: "What is biblical numerology?"

Answer: Biblical numerology is the study of numbers in the Bible. Two of the most commonly repeated numbers in the Bible are 7 and 40. The number 7 signifies completion or perfection (Genesis 7:2-4; Revelation 1:20). It is often called “God’s number” since He is the only One who is perfect and complete (Revelation 4:5; 5:1, 5-6). The number 3 is also thought to be the number of divine perfection: The Trinity consists of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The number 40 is often understood as the “number of probation or trial.” For example: the Israelites wandered for 40 years (Deuteronomy 8:2-5); Moses was on the mount for 40 days (Exodus 24:18); 40 days were involved in the story of Jonah and Nineveh (Jonah 3:4); Jesus was tempted for 40 days (Matthew 4:2); there were 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:3). Another number repeated in the Bible is 4, which is the number of creation: North, South, East, West; four seasons. The number 6 is thought to be the number of man: Man was created on the 6th day; man labors 6 days only. Another example of the Bible using a number to signify something is the number 666, the number of the Antichrist in Revelation chapter 13.

Whether or not the numbers really do have a significance is still debated in many circles. The Bible definitely seems to use numbers in patterns or to teach a spiritual truth. However, many people put too much significance on “biblical numerology,” trying to find a special meaning behind every number in the Bible. Often a number in the Bible is simply a number. God does not call us to search for secret meanings, hidden messages, and codes in the Bible. There is more than enough truth in the words and meanings of Scripture to meet all our needs and make us “complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16).

https://www.gotquestions.org/Biblical-numerology.html