SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE

SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE

Certain numbers functioned both as numerals and symbols.
1. One ‒ God (e.g., Deut. 6:4; Eph. 4:4-6)
2. Four ‒ the whole earth (i.e., four corners, four winds, e.g., Isa. 11:12; Jer. 49:36; Dan. 7:2; 11:4; Zech. 2:6; Matt. 24:31; Mark 13:27; Rev. 7:1).
  The term "four" was used often in the ANE.
  1. four phases of the moon
  2. four divisions of the year (NIDOTTE, vol. 1., p. 495)
    In the OT itself it represented
  3. compass directions (i.e., a man facing east)
  4. wind directions (e.g., Dan. 7:2; 8:8)
  5. corners of the earth (e.g., Isa. 11:12)
    From these came its implied meaning of completeness or fullness. Also the numbers three and four equal seven, which is another OT way to show completeness; the sins of these natons were full/complete!
3. Six ‒ human imperfection (one less than 7, e.g., Rev. 13:18)
4. Seven ‒ divine perfection (i.e., originating in the seven days of creation, Genesis 1-2). For one example of many, notice the symbolic usages in Revelation:
  1. seven candlesticks, Rev. 1:12,20; 2:1
  2. seven stars, Rev. 1:16,20; 2:1
  3. seven churches, Rev. 1:20
  4. seven spirits of God, Rev. 3:1; 4:5; 5:6
  5. seven lamps, Rev. 4:5
  6. seven seals, Rev. 5:1,5
  7. seven horns and seven eyes, Rev. 5:6
  8. seven angels, Rev. 8:2,6; 15:1,6,7,8; 16:1; 17:1
  9. seven trumpets, Rev. 8:2,6
  10. seven thunders, Rev. 10:3,4
  11. seven thousand, Rev. 11:13
  12. seven heads, Rev. 13:1; 17:3,7,9
  13. seven plagues, Rev. 15:1,6,8; 21:9
  14. seven bowls, Rev. 15:7; 21:9
  15. seven kings, Rev. 17:10
5. Ten ‒ completeness
  1. use in Gospels
    (1) Matt. 20:24; 25:1,28
    (2) Mark 10:41
    (3) Luke 14:31; 15:8; 17:12,17; 19:13,16,17,24,25
  2. use in Revelation
    (1) Rev. 2:10, ten days of tribulation
    (2) Rev. 12:3; 17:3,7,12,16, ten horns
    (3) Rev. 13:1, ten crowns
  3. multiples of 10 in Revelation
    (1) 144,000 = 12x12x1000, cf. Rev. 7:4; 14:1,3
    (2) 1,000 = 10x10x10, cf. Rev. 20:2,3,6
6. Twelve ‒ Twelve has always been a symbolic number of organization
  1. outside the Bible
    (1) twelve signs of the Zodiac
    (2) twelve months of the year
  2. in the OT (BDB 1040 plus BDB 797)
    (1) the sons of Jacob (the Jewish tribes)
    (2) reflected in
    i. twelve pillars of the altar in Exod. 24:4
    ii. twelve jewels on the high priest's breastplate (which stand for the tribes) in Exod. 28:21
    iii. twelve loaves of bread in the holy place of the tabernacle in Lev. 24:5
    iv. twelve spies sent into Canaan in Numbers 13 (one from each tribe)
    v. twelve rods (tribal standards) at Korah's rebellion in Num. 17:2
    vi. twelve stones of Joshua in Josh. 4:3,9,20
    vii. twelve administrative districts in Solomon's administration in 1 Kgs. 4:7
    viii. twelve stones of Elijah's altar to YHWH in 1 Kgs. 18:31
  3. in the NT
    (1) twelve apostles chosen
    (2) twelve baskets of bread (one for each Apostle) in Matt. 14:20
    (3) twelve thrones on which NT disciples sit (referring to the 12 tribes of Israel) in Matt. 19:28
    (4) twelve legions of angels to rescue Jesus in Matt. 26:53
    (5) the symbolism of Revelation
    i.  elders on 24 thrones in 4:4
    ii. 144,000 (12x12,000) in 7:4; 14:1,3
    iii. twelve stars on the woman's crown in 12:1
    iv. twelve gates, twelve angels reflecting the twelve tribes in 21:12
    v.  twelve foundation stones of the new Jerusalem and on them the names of the twelve Apostles in 21:14
    vi. twelve thousand stadia in 21:16 (size of new city, New Jerusalem)
    vii. wall is 144 cubits in 21:17
    viii. twelve gates of pearl in 21:21
    ix.  trees in new Jerusalem with twelve kinds of fruit (one for each month ) in 22:2
7. Forty ‒ number for time
  1. sometimes literal (exodus and wilderness wanderings, e.g., Exod. 16:35); Deut. 2:7; 8:2
  2. can be literal or symbolic
    (1) flood, Gen. 7:4,17; 8:6
    (2) Moses on Mt. Sinai, Exod. 24:18; 34:28; Deut. 9:9,11,18,25
    (3) divisions of Moses life:
    (a) forty years in Egypt
    (b) forty years in the desert
    (c) forty years leading Israel
  3. (4) Jesus fasted forty days, Matt. 4:2; Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2
  4. Note (by means of a Concordance) the number of times this number appears in time designation in the Bible!
8. Seventy ‒ round number for people
  1. Israel, Exod. 1:5
  2. seventy elders, Exod. 24:1,9
  3. eschatological, Dan. 9:2,24
  4. mission team, Luke 10:1,17
  5. forgiveness (70x7), Matt. 18:22
Good references
1. John J. Davis, Biblical Numerology
2. D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks