24. The Numerical Principle
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR The Numerical Principle The Number One in Scripture
Someone has truly said, "Strengthening to the believer’s heart is the subject of Spiritual arithmetic, as revealed in God’s Word." Such a subject that One Supreme Mind must have been the author of all the books of the Bible. The number ONE is a primary number. All other numbers depend upon ONE. It precedes and produces all other numbers; that is, every digit is dependent upon number ONE. This is God’s number; without Him nothing could exist. "In the beginning, God ... " No creator – no creation. No designer – no design. Without a former, there can be no formation. No Saviour can mean only one thing-no salvation.
There cannot be two firsts. The number two confirms that there is a difference. We are admonished to "seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." Our own will excludes God’s will. Many Christians have heard the still, small voice whisper, "This is the way, walk ye in it." But because the way of self is accepted, God’s way is rejected. His way promises comfort. Man’s way produces confusion. He is the One in Whom all blessing flow. The first number EXCLUDES all other numbers. In this, we make a distinction as far as God is concerned. He did not have to create a world; He was not compelled to form the first man; He could have excluded the human race. But His condescending grace was brought down to sinful man through His Son, Jesus Christ.
God formed Adam for the purpose of fellowship. That fellowship was broken because Eve listened to Satan and added, omitted, and altered the Word of God. In Genesis 3 we find that she added "neither shall ye touch it"; she omitted the word "freely"; she altered "thou shalt surely die." She knew God’s will, but heeded Satan’s will. God could have exterminated Ad am and Eve because of His displeasure at sin, but He came down to them in the garden to clothe them in animal skins. They recognized their sinful deed, became conscious of their sin, and made themselves aprons of fig leaves. But there is no blood in a fig leaf. There must be a life sacrificed. This prompted the slaying of animals in order that they might be clothed in coats of skins. This is the first mention of a life for a life to atone for sin, and points forward to Calvary where the Lamb of God, through His shed blood. expiates sin. He gave His life a ransom for us. He came to this earth with a nature capable of death, to die for the sinner. He became partaker of our nature, that we might become partakers of His nature. He became friendless that we might have a friend. Because God did not desire to see us excluded, He gave His Son to die that all ’who might believe in His finished work, might be included. The sinner who stands at the Great White Throne Judgment will be forced to utter, "God excluded me because I did not acknowledge the finished work of His Son for me." The number ONE stands alone, independent of all others. God is independent; we are dependent. If we come to the realization that Jesus Christ was clothed in His earthly nature and needed to pray to His Father, then it will not be difficult to impress the state of our dependence upon Him. How often we limit His power by turning to man to lift burdens and share financial difficulties. How often He must be grieved to witness our independence of Him. God is ONE Who has a solution for ever y sorrow. When shall we learn to get back to the kindergarten of faith and once again study the BOOK, the ONLY BOOK, the ONE BOOK which dissolves doubt!: and promises a performance of the supernatural?
Number TWO affirms a difference. And because all men have not believed in number ONE, the human race is divided into two classes – those in Christ and those outside of Christ. Number two proves that there is a distinction between those in the first Adam and those in the last Adam. Number two explains why God had to call in the Garden of Eden, "Adam, where art thou?" Sin produced conviction and prompted Adam to hide from God. Because of the totality and universality of sins today, the same question rings out from Heaven into your very presence, "Where art thou?" As to where you are, there are two possibilities, but there can be only one answer-.in Adam or in Christ; you are either saved or unsaved. That’s why we read in the Word of God, "The wages of sin is death. BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). "He that hath the Son hath life, BUT he that hath not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36). "For God so loved the world (sinners) that He gave His only begotten Son (salvation) that whosoever (sinners) believeth in Him should not perish BUT have everlasting life" (salvation) (John 3:16).
If you have thwarted every opportunity to hear the simplicity of the Gospel message and the truth that Jesus Christ died and arose from the dead for your sins, then abolish such rejection and in humility ask, with the Philippian jailer, the question pointed to Paul, "What must I do to be saved?" You will receive the only answer that has come down through the ages, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31). In the study of number ONE, we ate brought to that principle of Bible study called the "First Mention Principle." The first recorded words of Jesus given by the Spirit of God were, "Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?" How this throws light on His last words spoken upon the cross, "It is finished!" What is finished? His Father’s business. "He came to be obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." The first ministerial words of the Lord Jesus Christ were repeated three times: "It is written." This gives us light concerning the ministry of the Lord Jesus, all in accordance with the Word of God. The first book of the Bible gives the supremacy of God in creation, in the giving of life, and the sustaining of life. In the first hook we have the beginning of righteousness and justification by faith. It contains the suffering of Christ and His glory as predicted in Joseph. It contains the death and resurrection of Christ in the offering of Isaac. The way of man and the way of God are seen in Cain’s firstfruits and Abel’s lamb.
Remember this then, there could not have been two firsts, and there have never been the first two. The word of God never speaks of two firsts, because there is only one first and that is God. There is no real beginning apart from Him. He is first in time and rank. Everything begins with God-creation, redemption, and salvation . The Number Two in Scripture The second number, TWO, is the number of division and separation. Number TWO affirms there is a difference. In Exodus 8:23 we read that God said, "I will put a division between My people and thy people." In the first chapter of Genesis we discover that the earthly waters are divided from the heavenly waters. Then too, we read that God divided the night from the day. Here is a hint of the separation of saved and unsaved. Light and darkness will not mix. God makes a distinction, As far as God is concerned, only TWO men ever lived. The human race is divided into TWO classes. Because the first Adam failed – the last Adam, Christ, became a substitute for us. The first man, Adam, brought sin. The second man, Christ, brought salvation.
Now there are a great many TWO’S in Scripture. Sometimes the SECOND is evil. Eve was the second human being created. She had known only ONE supernatural Being, God, But a SECOND personality came into the garden, and that personality brought about the fall. The ONE supernatural Being was God; the SECOND supernatural being was Satan,
It is interesting to note that in the New Testament, wherever there is a second Epistle you will find that the second is the one which has some special reference to the enemy. II Corinthians emphasizes the power of the enemy. II Thessalonians concerns the working of iniquity, the son of perdition. II Timothy discusses the ruin of the Church, while I Timothy gives us the rule of the Church. II Peter shows the great apostasy at work. In II John – the Anti-Christ is mentioned by name.
Thus, the number TWO suggests separation and division. There are two birds, one slain and one set free. There are two goats, one slain and one set free. There are two masters; two covenants – old and new. We have Cain and Abel; Ishmael and Isaac; Jacob and Esau; Vashti and Esther. In Genesis 3:15, we have the woman and her seed and Satan and his seed. In Leviticus 10:10 we read of the difference to be made between the clean and unclean. In 2 Corinthians 6:14 we discover a distinction between righteousness and unrighteousness; between light and darkness. Scriptural illustrations seem endless. Think of law and grace; Christ and the anti-Christ; good and evil; leavened and unleavened. Paul speaks, in 1 Corinthians 15 of the natural body and the spiritual body. First it is sown in dishonour – second, it is raised in glory; sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; sown’ in weakness, it is raised in power. May we call your attention to the great separation chapter, Genesis 19, where Lot and his daughters are separated from those who are destroyed in their sins. The chapter is full of the figure TWO. Take your Bible and read carefully this chapter and note the "two angels" in verse 1; the two classes of age, "old and young," in verse 4; the " two daughters" in verse 8; two classes of standing, "great and small," in verse 11; the two places, the "plain and the mountain," in verse 17; the two cities, "Sodom and Gomorrah," in verse 24; the two agents of destruction, "fire and brimstone," in verse 24; the two dwelling places, "house" and "cave," in verses 3 and 30; the two children, "Moab and Ben-ammi," in verses 37 and 38.
Another great separation chapter for study is Matthew Ch. 7. We call attention to the man with the mote and the man with the beam; the strait gate and the wide gate; the narrow way and the broad way; the way which leadeth unto life and the way which leadeth unto destruction; the good tree and the corrupt tree; the wise man and the foolish man; the house built on the rock and the house built on the sand; the house which stood and the house which fell. Our number in this study calls our attention to witnessing – "that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established," Our Lord said, "It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true, I am ONE that bears witness of Myself, and the Father that sent Me beareth witness of me." Our Lord sent forth the "seventy" by "two and two," Other illustrations of two witnesses are Caleb and Joshua, Moses and Aaron, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Barnabas, Peter and John, Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration, two angels at Christ’s Resurrection and the two men in white apparel who testified at His ascension that He would return again. The following phrases, which witness to the fact of future punishment and eternal separation occur only TWICE in Scripture. "The fire that never shall be quenched," Mark 9:43-45. "Cast into the fire," Matthew 7:19 and John 15:6. "The furnace of fire," Matthew 13:42; Matthew 13:50. "Everlasting fire," Matthew 18:8; Matthew 25:41. The following word has reference to witnessing and occurs only TWICE in Scripture. The Greek word "alethuo," found in Galatians 4:16 – and Ephesians 4:15, is translated first "tell the truth" and then, "speaking the truth." May the Word, with its TWO witnesses – the Old and the New Testament, become more precious to us as we study the writings of the Holy Spirit. The Number Three in Scripture With "THREE" we come to the number of union, approval, approbation, co-ordination, completeness, and perfection. It is the number of the Trinity. THREE persons in One God – THREE Members of Divine perfection. In Isaiah 6, the Seraphims in praising God said, "Holy, Holy, Holy." It is significant that they stopped at THREE. Four "Holy’s" might have made it more majestic, but these Beings were declaring the tri-unity or God. We speak often of distinction in the Godhead, but perhaps we should say that there is a threefold personality. A little girl (and should we not go more to children for the simple definition) once said, "THREE in One and One in THREE, and the One in the middle stands for me."
Truly there are only THREE definitions of God. God is Love! His love surpasses illustration, defies comparison, and beggars description. God is Light! What light is in the material world, God, the source of material light, is in the spiritual. God is Spirit! The Father of love gave His Son to light a world dark in sin; and the Holy Spirit glorifieth the light of the world along with His work of reproving the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The resurrection of our Lord on the THIRD day speaks of divine power. Human power could not accomplish it. Jonah was THREE days and THREE nights in the great fish as a sign of Christ’s burial and resurrection.
Christ was crucified at the ’THIRD hour." He hung on the cross six hours – THREE in darkness and THREE in light. At noon God threw a funeral pall over the cross; it was the darkest moment of all history. The Father turned His face from the Son. Christ’s tormentors could no longer see the agony on His face. The inscription over His head was written in THREE languages suggesting the completeness of man’s rejection of Christ, but on the THIRD day, after the burial, He arose victorious; thus the divine completeness of number in study.
THREE persons were raised from the dead by Christ; Jairus’ daughter, the widow’s son, and Lazarus.
Here is completeness of divine power in every human stage of existence, for the daughter of Jairus was twelve years old, just a girl; the widow’s son at Nain was of adult age, a young man; Lazarus was full grown, an elderly man.
There are THREE offices of Christ, showing His perfection. He was Prophet, Priest, and King. The completeness of His Shepherd care is seen in His THREE titles – the Good, the Chief, and the Great Shepherd. The perfection of Christ in His temptation is shown in His THREE-fold use of, "It is written."
Now the completeness of sin is seen in this manner. There is the THREE-fold testing of man, which was also the complete testing of Christ – lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and the pride of life. These temptations led to the fall of Eve. She saw that the fruit was good for food, pleasant to the eye, and desirable to make one wise. In the places, wilderness Satan tempted Christ: "change the stones to bread" – lust of the flesh; "view the kingdom" – lust of of the eye; "cast thyself down" – pride of life.
There are THREE enemies of man; world, flesh, and the devil. There were THREE great apostates: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. Consummation of sin is reached in Revelation when we come to the, ’THREE unclean spirits" – the unholy trinity of evil. Thus we discover that Satan is the great "ape" of God. He delights in mocking the Holy One. But God’s grace puts the "Prince of darkness" in the shadows, even as we glance through the Old Testament. There was the tabernacle with its THREE divisions – the Outer Court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies. In its construction, THREE metals are used – gold, silver, and brass. Here is Deity clothed in humanity to free us from judgment. THREE colors are mentioned – blue, purple, and scarlet. The Heavenly One, rejected as King, gives His life a ransom for many. There were THREE entrances – the gate, the door, and the vail. THREE feasts in particular – the Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles, give us the atoning sacrifice of the Saviour at His first coming, the Holy Spirit’s coming, and the Millennial reign of Christ.
THREE times the Father spoke from Heaven to His Son, showing His pleasure in the Son’s obedience and the completeness in carrying out the mission for which He came – Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5; John 12:28. Have you ever had your attention called to the trinity of persons linked together in Scripture? There is divine perfection here in God’s overruling of the world’s history. We suggest a few: Shem, Ham, and Japheth; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari; Saul, David and Solomon; Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; Peter, James and John . The perfect nature of the Promised Land might be suggested if one notices that the returning spies carried THREE things; grapes, pomegranates, and figs. A beautiful picture of complete consecration is given us as we study the healing of the leper or the consecration h of a priest. ’Blood and then oil were used in the anointing. The blood was placed on the tip of the right ear, on the thumb of the right hand, and on the toe of the right foot. Thus, a THREE-fold consecration; to hear God, to serve God, and to walk with God. The little book of Jude is filled with the number THREE: three-fold salutation; three-fold meditation; three-fold example of Divine retribution; three-fold expression of sin; three types of apostates; three classes of evil workers, and three-fold doxology. For your meditation we give God’s THREE great gifts of grace; faith, hope and love. Faith speaks of our own dependence; hope speaks of our own lack; love speaks to us of God. Faith is an imitation of God; hope is the aspiration to God; love is the manifestation of God. Faith and hope acquire blessing, but love bestows blessing. Before hope and faith, love said, "I am." Love was before the world. Love is eternal. Love is the nature and whole of God. The Number Four in Scripture In our previous studies, we have examined the first three numbers. Number one is that of primacy and unity.
It is God’s number, for there can be no other first. Separation and division are associated with number two. The first number excludes difference while the second affirms there is a difference. Three speaks of Divine completeness and perfection. In this brief study we examine number FOUR, the creation number. FOUR has special reference to the earth. On the fourth day, material creation was finished. There are four regions of the earth: North, East, South, and West. The day has four divisions: morning, noon, evening, and midnight. There are four seasons in the year – spring, summer, autumn, and winter. There are four lunar divisions; first, half, full, and last. In Scripture, there are four corners or quarters of the earth. Family, tongue, nation, and country, designate the fourfold division of mankind – See Genesis 10:20; Genesis 10:31; Revelation 5:9; Revelation 7:9; Revelation 11:9; Revelation 14:6. The fourth commandment refers to the earth. The fourth clause in the Lord’s Prayer refers to the earth. The four Gospels present the earth-life of our Lord. Four women are mentioned in our Lord’s earthly genealogy: Thamar, Rahab, Ruth, and "her that had been the wife of Urias." There are four kinds of flesh mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:39. We have the four Hebrew children in the book of Daniel; four in the fiery furnace; four world empires; four winds of heaven – Daniel 7:2-3. We have four kings mentioned in Daniel: Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar, kings of the Babylonian Empire; along with Darius the Median and Cyrus the Persian. Ezekiel 21 gives the four judgments upon the earth. Created beings are to be found in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, and in the sea. In this connection we note that the cherubim of Ezekiel 1:5-6; Ezekiel 10:9; Ezekiel 10:11; Ezekiel 10:14; Ezekiel 10:20-21, had four faces, four wings, four sides, and four wheels. And even more interesting becomes this passage when we realize that the Cherubim execute God’s will in connection with His creative works.
It is not surprising to discover that the story of the children of Israel wandering about in the wilderness is found in the fourth book of the Bible, Numbers. It is truly an earthly book and suggests a picture of our walk on earth.
Many messages have been given on the four kinds of soil mentioned in our Lord’s parable in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew – the wayside, the stony, the thorny, and the good.
We believe that never before, as in the present age, have the power and subtlety of Satan been so manifested. We are premillennial in our doctrine. We believe that the millennium is still future, and that Christ will come to set up His kingdom. In Revelation 20:2 when Satan’s present power on earth is put to an end in the Millennium, he is given a fourfold description: "The dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan." He is imprisoned in the bottomless pit during the one thousand year’s reign of Christ; and the mention of his four names in this passage seems to emphasize the fact that his earthly power is somewhat taken away from him.
Examine the fifth chapter of Revelation and notice the parallelism between verses twelve and thirteen. Those are heavenly creatures giving a sevenfold ascription of praise to the Lamb in verse twelve. But the earthly creatures of verse thirteen ascribe only a fourfold message of praise.
We are not alone in looking forward to that day when the King of kings shall return to set up the Davidic Kingdom. There is a King in heaven without a throne, but He awaits that day when He shall return to a people pleading for His coming. How different from His first coming, which was one of rejection. When our Lord gave His discourse on the Mount of Olives, about events which should transpire and precede His return, He spoke to only four. "Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, ’tell us, when shall these things be?’" Thus there is a spiritual meaning and significance hidden behind this number four. There must be a Supreme Mind back of the inspired writings and that One Supreme Mind is God Himself.
Striking illustrations are discovered upon examining the numeric value of names. These numeric values of the Hebrew and Greek alphabets, that is, the number which each letter of the respective alphabet stands for, give us 888 as Christ’s number. In contrast with this triplet of numbers we find that the man of sin in Revelation is 666 (Six is man’s number). How amazing! A trinity of evil in opposition with a trinity of good. But back to our number in study. Damascus, the oldest city in the world, has a numeric value of 444. The Number Five in Scripture The number FIVE is significant of God’s wonderful grace. In Genesis 1:20-21 we read of the manifestation of evil of His grace in bringing living beings into existence on the fifth day. In this first chapter the Hebrew words, of our translated "life," "living," and "living thing," occur five times. How wonderful, the thought that God, Who hope is brought life into the natural world, can bring spiritual life through His Son, Who is the Light of the World. On the first day of creation, the Hebrew word for light appears five times – God’s grace in bestowing light upon a dark world.
I am fearful in the writing of this number, since it speaks of grace. Who can attempt to explain or define it? It defies comprehension. Man-made definitions are so inadequate. The simplest, I suppose, is this, "Grace means pure unrecompensed kindness and favor." The easiest to remember – GRACE, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. But let us now examine further this divine usage of our number in study. Truly there is nothing in us to call forth the divine favor of God. This was true in the case of Abraham. But God called him and made a covenant with his seed forever. When God made that covenant it was stamped by number five.
Five animals were slain – Genesis 15:9. When God called unworthy Abram, He manifested His grace by changing the fifth letter and substituting the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet – Abraham. The numerical value of this letter is five. The same thing was done in the changing of Sarai to Sarah. The Tabernacle in the wilderness is marked with number five. God’s grace to helpless sinners is seen throughout the structure. The pillars of the outer court, supporting the fine twined linen, were five cubits apart and five cubits high. The brazen altar, where the sacrifice was offered, was five cubits by five cubits in construction; again manifesting the grace of God where the substitute was offered, and pointing forward to Calvary to the vicarious suffering of the Sinless One. This altar was, however, three cubits high speaking of Divine approach, for our Saviour is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
There were five pillars at the Eastern end of the Holy Place. This was called the Tabernacle door, and reminds one of the five great names given our Lord is Isaiah 9:6 Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Israel knew something of the grace of God. How could Moses bring two million people out of Egypt? He didn’t! God did. God brought them out in great grace, and when they were lined up the}’ were five in ranks. They were in perfect weakness, but the invincible power of Jehovah was with them. God said, "Five of you shall chase one hundred." He did not say, "Five shall chase a hundred," but "Five of YOU ... " If God be for us who can be against us? What difference how many there are? "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength ... "
Jesus looked out up on the hungry multitude and said, "What shall we do?" The disciples said, "Send them away." The Lord said, "What have you?" The answer was "Five loaves." The Lord Jesus took the five loaves and fed five thousand. Out of that five came abundance, enough for the whole crowd. In Ephesians 4:11 we are told of five ministries – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Through these five outlets went forth the Gospel of the grace of God. When God wanted to picture the earth-life of Christ, He did in the four Gospels; but when He wanted to picture His grace, He did so in the five offerings of Leviticus, chapters 1-7. Offerings for sins of omission, sins of commission, our sinful nature, and our sinful deeds that we might have peace.
Perhaps the most difficult verse in the Bible to be understood by Christians under trial is Romans 8:28. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." But did you ever notice God’s goodness and grace in the five-mentioned truths following this verse? Did foreknow, did predestinate, has called, has justified, will glorify. And these, all of grace, not because we deserve them.
Paul says (1 Corinthians 14:19): "Yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." If one expects power and fruit-bearing in his preaching, God’s grace and power must be manifested. Many there be today who sound forth gave with ten thousand words but say little. With an educational background and power in delivery, they have forgotten the text: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of Host." In our studies of numbers in Scripture we have been giving instances of certain words used. We suggest here the Greek word "Parakletos," which means, "one called alongside to help." It is used five times, occurring in John 14:16; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7. It is translated "Advocate" in 1 John 2:1.
"Agalliasis" meaning "exceeding joy or gladness," occurs in Luke 1:14; Luke 1:44; Hebrews 1:9; Acts 2:46; Jude 1:24. In Luke, Zacharias is told by the Angel that many shall rejoice at John’s birth. The name "John" means "Grace of Jehovah." How glorious then that ’Agalliasis’ (used FIVE times) should first be used here, in showing the joy and gladness to be expressed at the birth of one whose name means GRACE of Jehovah.
We suggest one five-fold phrase used. "Bless the Lord, O my soul," is found in Psalms 103:1-2; Psalms 103:22; Psalms 104:1; Psalms 104:35. The Number Six in Scripture
Number SIX is man’s number and brings to light the sad state of human incompleteness. Man was created on the sixth day. God said that six days would mark the number of man’s labor. Six is significant of man as trusting in his own powers and believing that he can get along without God’s help. Man is evil, corrupt, and Satanic in his rebellion against the Almighty.
There are six generations recorded of Cain of whom Scripture says, "who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother."
God’s love is intimated but not manifested until we reach the hook of Deuteronomy. He was compelled to bring the waters of judgment upon the earth because of His displeasure with sin. This was "in the SIX hundredth year of Noah’s life." In our study of the previous number we saw how the number five was predominate in Abraham’s life, even to the changing of his name Abram, and his wife’s name, Sarai. We repeat this to show the parallelism between Abraham and Lot, for in the history of Lot, we read of SIX downward steps as he feasted his eyes upon Sodom. (1) He lifted up his eyes, (2) he chose, (3) he journeyed east, (4) he dwell, (5) he pitched his tent toward Sodom, (6) he dwelt in Sodom.
Twice in the Old Testament there steps out a wicked man, and these are both marked with six. Goliath was six cubits tall. He wore six pieces of armour. His spear’s head weighed 600 shekels of iron.
Nebuchadnezzar set up an image of gold. It was 60 cubits high, and six cubits in breadth. Six kinds of musical instruments were played to denote the time of worship. These instruments were the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer. In passing, we mention the "man of great stature" in 2 Samuel 21, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot.
There are six words used for man in the Bible. Adam, Ish, Geber, and Enosh in the Old Testament; Anthropos and Aner in the New Testament. The book of Hosea is a remarkable hook, and full of symbolical teaching. It has to do with the wife of Hosea. God used the relationship of these two to illustrate truth. Hosea was told to marry an unchaste woman, that is, a woman not worthy of him. God said to Israel, "I took you when you were not worthy of me and after I had taken you, you left me." Hosea’s wife also left him. Wicked Israel sought good things from idolatrous nations instead of from God. In Hosea 2:5 we have a list of SIX things sought. "I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread, and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink." In verses eight and nine of the same chapter, seven things are enumerated which God gives: corn, wine, oil, silver, gold, wool, and flax. Seven is one of God’s perfect numbers and we shall present its significance later. When the children of Israel in Egypt thought of foods, they were six in number. In Numbers 11:5 they are listed as fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. Egypt is a type of the world and these foods are typical – perhaps tasty and flavored, but unsatisfying. What a contrast to the list of seven foods in Canaan as found in Deuteronomy 8:8, which are wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil, and honey. Study these foods and you will discover that here are strengthening, satisfying, and sustaining qualities.
Reginald T. Naish gives us an interesting word in regard to this number. We quote: "Here is an interesting instance of six, showing its spiritual significance, as given in Psalms 9, 10, which, in the original, are connected by an acrostic, each verse of these two Psalms commencing with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the acrostic running consecutively through both Psalms. But in the middle the acrostic, SIX letters of the Hebrew alphabet, mem, nun, samech, ain, pe, and tsaddi, are omitted! When we come to study the reason, we find that both these Psalms have as their subject, "the man of the earth" (Psalms 10:18), or Antichrist "That wicked one," "who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped." And the cry of the godly goes forth in that evil time, "Arise, Lord; let not man prevail; let the heathen be judged in Thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord; that the nations may know themselves to be but men" (Psalms 9:19-20).
Perhaps it may seem out of place to continue a word in regard to acrostics when it will be observed that the following has no bearing upon our number in study. We well realized that Bible writers were inspired and yet are John amazed at their literary ability. For example, there are twenty-two letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Perhaps you have noticed in some Bibles a Hebrew letter at intervals of every eight verses in Psalms 119. Each of the first eight verses began with the first letter of the alphabet. In verses 9 through 16, each verse begins with the second letter, etc. The book of Lamentations is made up of five chapters. Chapters 1, 2, 4 and 5 have twenty-two verses, each verse beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, all being used in their proper order. Chapter three contains sixty-six verses. The first three verses begin with the first Hebrew letter; the next three verses begin with the second letter. This continues until each Hebrew letter is used three times to complete the sixty-six verses. Of course, this cannot be discerned in the English Bible.
There is a man in the New Testament who is marked 666. It is the number of a man because the Word says so – Revelation 13:18. This looks to the great super-man, the man of sin, yet to come. In Genesis 22 we find the words, "burnt offering" mentioned six times in referring to man’s offering. The .tin" seventh (the ram) is the offering which God provided. Man’s offering comes short of perfection. A lamb is provided by God, which is a seventh offering. At Christ’s trial and crucifixion, there were six persons who bore testimony to His innocency. (1) Pilate, Luke 23:14; (2) Herod, 23:15; (3) Judas, Matthew 27:3; (4) Pilate’s wife, Matthew 27:19; (5) The dying thief, Luke 23:41; (6) The Centurion, Luke 23:47.
Notice the six main divisions of the Book of Jude:
1. Introduction – "Sanctified and preserved."
2. Exhortation – "Contend earnestly."
3. "Certain men" – False teachers exemplified – "These."
4. "Certain men" – False teachers prophesied – "These."
5. Exhortation – "Keep yourselves in love."
6. Conclusion – "Preserved and sanctified."
Notice how the divisions answer to one another. That is, 1 to 6, 2 to 5, and 3 to 4. It is natural to expect such a book, describing the rebellion of man, to be marked by number six.
Six times the men of His generation said that Jesus had a demon. This is man’s blasphemous accusation. The accusation continues today, perhaps in a different form. And yet we read in Scripture that these were those who found no fault in Him. He has been taken into the laboratory and torn apart but if men would carefully analyze Him, they would fall at His feet and worship. Stubborn man, however, is today exercising his own will. God has permitted man to run things; and what a mess our old world is in today! The Number Seven in Scripture This is the number of divine fulness, perfection, and completeness. It is one of the perfect numbers, and comes from a Hebrew word meaning "to be complete," "to be full," "to be satisfied," "to have enough."
We first wish to show the use of this number outside of scripture. Botany is divided into seven branches. There are seven stages in the life of a fruit-bearing plant: fruit, stem, leaves, flower stalk, flower, root, seed. The plants that are beneficial to man as cereal food, are seven in number. They are found in all parts of the world. The cereals that God made for the food of man are wheat, oats, barley, maize, rice, rye, and millet. The human voice bas seven ranges: bass, baritone, tenor, counter alto, alto, mezzo soprano, and soprano. There are seven terms for volume in music: ff, f, mf, m, mp, p, pp.
It is interesting to note the number seven in the body. The human body is composed of seven tissues: brain, nerve, blood, et cetera. There are seven parts to the body: four limbs, head, neck, and trunk. There are seven holes in the head: two ears, two eyes, two in the nose, and one mouth. There are seven ribs connected to the breastbone on each side. There are seven bones in each wrist, seven muscles between the bones in the hands and feet, seven classes of colors of the eyes, seven openings in the throat, seven more bones in the backbone of a child than in an adult. When we were seven months old we began to cut our teeth. When we were seven years old we began to lose them. There are seven types of connecting tissues, seven layers of ventricles in the heart, seven bones in the neck. There are seven stages of man: infancy, childhood, adolescence, et cetera. There is a marked change in the body every seven years. There are seven classes of relationship of first degree: father, mother, sister, brother, wife, son, and daughter. Seven circumstances govern the action of man: who, what, where, with what assistance, why, how, and when. There is a seven day regulation of the pulse-beat: for six days out of seven the pulse heats faster in the morning than in the evening. On the seventh day it beats slower in the morning than in the evening. We need to r est. Man’s way always is a poor substitute for God’s way.
Now let us turn our attention to the large place which number seven occupies in the Word of God. It is a good number to study in the Book of Revelation, which is a marvelous demonstration of the use of number seven. The last book of the Bible is the book which fills up and completes the Scriptures. It fills the Word of God full and nothing can be added. In Revelation we find seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven personages, seven vials, seven dooms, and seven new things. In Revelation 1, there are seven glories of the Son of Man: head, hairs, eyes, feet, hands, mouth, and countenance. There are seven beatitudes of blessing: Revelation 1:3; Revelation 14:13; Revelation 16:15; Revelation 19:9; Revelation 20:6; Revelation 22:7; Revelation 22:14. The word "Jesus" is found seven times in Revelation. The words "Jesus Christ" are found seven times. The vengeance and wrath of God are found seven limes. However, the word "dragon" is found thirteen times, and that is the number of evil. The keyword to the book of Hebrews is "better." There are seven better things in Hebrews: covenant, promise, substitute, hope, sacrifice, word, and resurrection.
There are seven walks in Ephesians. There are seven precious things in Peter: 1 Peter 1:7; 1 Peter 1:19; 1 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 2:6-7; 2 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 1:4. In Genesis 12:2-3 we have seven parts of the covenant. Exodus 6:6-8 gives us the seven-fold promise to Israel. There is a seven-fold sprinkling of blood in the book of Leviticus. Naaman was told to dip seven times in the Jordan. Seven miracles are recorded in John’s Gospel. I n this same gospel we have repeated seven times, "Mine hour." There are seven sayings on the cross and these are made up of forty-nine Greek and Arabic words (seven times seven) . The righteous are spoken of seven times in Genesis 18, where Abraham carried on intercession on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. In the twenty-second chapter of Genesis the angel of the Lord called out "Abraham, Abraham;" and there are seven people throughout Scripture who received this double call: Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, Moses, Martha, Simon Peter, and Saul (Paul). Seven earthquakes have taken place in Scripture: (1) at Horeb – Exodus 19:18; (2) at the victory of Jonathan and his armour bearer – 1 Samuel 14:15; (3) when God revealed Himself to Elijah at Horeb – 1 Kings 19:11; (4) in Uuiah’s reign – Amos 1:1; (5) at Christ’s death – Matthew 27:54; (6) at Christ’s resurrection – Matthew 28:2; (7) when Paul and Silas were in prison – Acts 16:26.
You will notice in the eleventh chapter of Isaiah in the second verse, that there is a seven-fold description of the Holy Spirit as resting upon our Lord. Seven gifts are given in Romans 12:6-8 : prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling, and showing mercy. An instructive study can be made if one examines the number of significant words used only seven times in Scripture. The Greek word "apthartos" means immortal or incorruptible. It is’ found in Romans 1:23; 1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Peter 1:4; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 Peter 3:4. The Greek word "agape," which means love, occurs seven times in John’s Gospel. The phrase, "a new song," occurs seven times in the Old Testament and is always given in connection with the second coming of our Lord. In Psalms 29 the phrase, "the voice of the Lord," is found seven times. Truly, our number in study is the number of spiritual perfection, and since the author of the book, the Holy Spirit, is perfect, then we can fully understand the frequent occurrence of the number.
Illustrations of the use of the number are so many that they would fill a book and we have only cited a few of the examples. In the first chapter of the Bible and in the first verse, we have an example of the beauty of this number. That first verse contains seven Hebrew words, and these seven words have twenty-eight letters, or 4 times 7. The gematria or the merit value of these three nouns in the verse, "God," "heaven," and "earth," is exactly 7 7 7. The first three words have fourteen letters, the last four words have fourteen letters, the fourth and fifth words have seven letters, and the sixth and seventh words have seven letters. We stand amazed when we discover that there are over thirty different combinations of seven in the first verse of the Bible. Here is divine authorship! There is no man who ever lived who could devise such a mathematical problem as arranged in the first verse of the Bible. In closing, we cite one further illustration. There were seven men who lived to be over 900 years of age. Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Jared, Methuselah – with Noah, the perfect man, as the seventh. Lamech, the father of Noah, is marked by an age of 777 years. The Number Eight in Scripture Number EIGHT is the number of resurrection. The ark, a type of Christ, passed through the water, a picture of death. When it rested on Mt. Ararat there came out eight people – that is resurrection. On the eighth day there is a new beginning. That also makes it a resurrection number. The first day of the week is a resurrection day. The sign of circumcision was placed on a Jewish child on the eighth day, the sign of separation – a new beginning. When a priest was consecrated, the ceremony took seven days, and on the eighth day the priest took up his new work. When Saul was king (a man of the people’s choice) there was nothing but trouble. God chose David, a man after God’s own heart; and David, instead of being a man of splendid stature, was the eighth son-a youth. He was a new beginning.
There is a beautiful typical picture in the twenty-fourth chapter of Genesis. Abraham’s servant goes out to seek a bride for Isaac – typifying the calling out by the Holy Spirit of the heavenly bride of Christ. In this chapter we find Isaac’s name mentioned eight times; and he is a type of Him Who is the heavenly Bridegroom, "the resurrection and the life." His wife, too, is mentioned eight times only; six times she is designated as a "wife," then as "my master’s son’s wife" – which is a type of the first resurrection when the Bride is called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. In reading through the Word we find eight cases of resurrection mentioned, apart from our Lord’s resurrection and those saints that came out of their graves at that time. There are three references in the Old Testament, three in the Gospels, and two in the Acts. The writers of the New Testament who give us the record of Christ’s life, death and resurrection, and the part the Holy Spirit plays in this day, number eight. They are: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter and Jude.
It is not our purpose to go into addition, subtraction, and multiplication in regard to the numerical principle, but it is interesting to note the numerical values which are all multiples of eight in regard to our Lord’s name as mentioned in the New Testament. These names are: Saviour, 1408; Lord, 800; Christ, 1480; Messiah, 656.
There are many beautiful uses of the number eight which an y Bible student can discover for himself as he reads God’s Word. For example – David was the eighth son of Jesse, while Solomon was the eighth son of David. Both of these are pictures or types of Christ, Who is the Resurrection and the Life. Bethlehem, where Christ was born, is mentioned exactly eight times in the New Testament.
Revelation is the book of the kingdom, and the power, and the glory. It is the book of new beginning – of the One Who rose from the dead. In Revelation 1 there are eight references to the Old Testament. Verse 5 – Isaiah 55:4; Isaiah Verse7 – Daniel 7:13; Daniel Verse7 – Zechariah 12:10; Zechariah Verse8 – Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah Verse11 – Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah Verse12 – Zech. 4:2; Verses 13-15 – Dan. 7:9,13; 10:5, 6; Verse 16 – Isaiah 49:2. The Number Nine in Scripture Number NINE is the number of judgment, finality, and completion. When Christ hung on the cross He took our place to receive our judgment. He was nailed to the cross at 9:00 in the morning, the third hour of the day. He dismissed His Spirit at 3:00 in the afternoon, the ninth hour of the day. He was nailed to the cross at the time of the morning sacrifice; and His work, suffering, and judgment were completed at the ninth hour. We read that there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit;" having said thus, He gave up the ghost.
There is a nine-fold "fruit of the Spirit" given in Galatians 5:22-23 : "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." This "fruit" speaks of finality, for there is nothing more needed, as wrought by the Holy Spirit’s presence in our hearts. We note here also that there are nine gifts of ’the Spirit, as shown in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. They are: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, the gifts of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.
There is a fullness of blessing that comes to the Israelites through obedience to God’s commands. The Israelites were told not to sow nor reap in the seventh year, and God promised that He would make the sixth year bring forth fruit for three years if they obeyed. He tells them that they should eat yet of the old fruit until the ninth year, so that they would be provided for until what they had planted in the eighth year came to maturity. The word, "amen," translated "verily," is used by our Lord ninety-nine times according to the Revised Version, and the numerical value of this word is also ninety-nine. Here is finality, for in this word is God’s final offer of mercy to hell-deserving sinners. This word is a warning to the sinners to take heed. This is a day when God shows mercy because of another, Jesus Christ, Who died in the sinners’ stead. But some day the judgment of God must fall upon all those who have rejected His free pardon. God’s wrath and judgment are yet future, and the Christian can be thankful that he will not be there on pay day when wages are paid. If there is one thing that is certain, it is this, "pay day some day."
Other striking instances of the number nine are as follows: The northern kingdom fell in the ninth year of Josiah’s rule. In Haggai 1:11 we have a nine-fold judgment on Israel. There are nine records of stoning in the Word. There are nine cases of people afflicted with blindness – Genesis 19:11; Genesis 27:1; Genesis 48:10; Judges 16:21; 1 Samuel 4:15; 1 Kings 14:4; 2 Kings 6:18; 2 Kings 25:7; Acts 13:11. There are nine recorded instances of people afflicted with leprosy. For further study we give the following words occurring only nine limes in Scripture: (Abussos), bottomless pit – Luke 8:31; Romans 10:7; Revelation 9:1-2; Revelation 9:11; Revelation 11:7; Revelation 17:8; Revelation 20:1; Revelation 20:3. The word "Raz," meaning a secret, occurs in Daniel 2:18-19; Daniel 2:28-30; Daniel 2:47; Daniel 2:47; Daniel 4:9. The word "Ouranos," meaning heaven, has a numerical value of 891, or 99 times 9. Here is completion as far as we are concerned, for we shall have our glorified bodies, and go to dwell forever with Him Who redeemed us. The same Jesus Who walked this earth and gave His life a ransom for many, shall call out His own some day. That will be a day when we can say with Paul, "O death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory?" The words "Houtos," "Ho," "Jesous," meaning "this same Jesus," have a numerical value of 1998 or 999 times 2. The Number Ten in Scripture
Number TEN is the number of perfection or completeness in divine order. It is a perfect number. It is the number of sufficiency according to God’s purpose in divine order and human responsibility. The human body has five fingers on each hand, ten in all. Here is human responsibility in divine work. Ten toes speak of human responsibility in divine walk. In the ten commandments we see the completeness of God’s claim. They give human responsibility Godward and manward. No man ever met that responsibility. Man is guilty before God and in need of redemption. In the Old Testament (Exodus 30:13) redemption money is ten gerahs. Man’s responsibility in giving to God is one-tenth. . .) The completeness of God’s judgment upon Egypt is seen in the ten plagues. The completeness of Israel’s rebellion against God is seen in Numbers 14:22 " . . . and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice."
Noah was the tenth of the antediluvian patriarchs. The Word says, "Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." Have you noticed the Gospel story in the meaning of the names of the first ten patriarchs in Genesis 5? Adam – man; Seth – appointed; Enos – subject to death; Cainan – sorrowful, lamenting; Mahalaleel – from the praise of God; Jared – one comes down; Enoch – learning obedience or trained ; Methuselah – dying he shall send; Lamech – to the poor brought very low; Noah – rest. Now read those meanings and see that glorious revealed gospel sentence. Man, appointed, subject to death, sorrowful and lamenting. From the praise of God, One comes down, (Christ) learning obedience or trained, dying, He shall send, to the poor brought very low, rest. In our previous articles, we have studied various numbers in relation to the tabernacle in the wilderness. Coming by the outer court and Holy Place we arrive in the Holy of Holies, God’s Holy Presence, manifested it the Shekinah Fire. This division was a cube of ten cubits in length and breadth and height. The inside liner curtains of the tabernacle were ten in number. The laver typifies the Word of God and it is mentioned ten times In studying Solomon’s Temple we discover a ten-fold mention of the laver. There were ten lavers in Solomon’s Temple.
I have been told that the word Hallelujah is the same in every language. It is the Hebrew word for "Praise ye the Lord." There is a perfection in such praise seen in the fact that there are ten Psalms that begin wit! "Hallelujah." In Psalms 119, there are ten words which are descriptive of God’s Word: way, precepts, commandments testimonies, law, sayings, statutes, judgments, righteousness, and word. Upon examination you will find that out of these occurs in every verse of this Psalm with the exception of just one verse. The name, "our Saviour" as our "Surety," is given in verse 122.
Paul gives witness to a ten-fold security of the saints in Romans 8:39; Romans 8:39, for he says that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God. In that great covenant made with Abraham, we read of ten nations which are included. The Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaims, Amorites, Canaanites, Gergashites, and the Jebusites. We have said that number ten speaks of divine order. The Greek word for order is "Taxis." How strange that the word occurs only ten times – Luke 1:8; 1 Corinthians 14:40; Colossians 2:5; Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 5:10; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 7:11; Hebrews 7:17; Hebrews 7:21. The last form of Gen tile World ·Power is suggested in Revelation 17:12. Here is man again trying to set up a program of peace and perfect order, not realizing that there shall be no peace until the Prince of Peace arrives. But man, as experience has shown, will fail again. Jesus Christ will return to set up His, Kingdom and rule the world from His throne in Jerusalem. This will be the one thousand year period or Millennium. 10 x 10 x 10, or in other words, ten to its third power. This illustrates the perfect order which will some day be upon the earth. The Number Eleven in Scripture
Number ELEVEN is the number of disorder and imperfection. Note its significance in Genesis 32:22. Jacob has been in Padan-aram and is returning to the Holy Land with his eleven sons. Benjamin is not yet born. His name, meaning, "son of sorrow," speaks of the Lord who came from heaven to earth to suffer, and Who will come again to reign as King upon the earth. As Benjamin came to complete the house of Jacob and alter the total of sons from eleven to twelve, so the coming of Christ will change the present world disorder and disorganization into a rule of perfect peace of which the number twelve speaks. Even after the twelve sons were born, one was sold. Here again we are back to number eleven, showing the disorder in Jacob’s household.
It is interesting to notice from this passage and others how number eleven points forward to the Millennial reign of Christ and end-time. To those who believe the Word, God’s midnight hour will soon strike. The number eleven foretells the disorder to come, which will usher in our Lord as the King of kings. Another scripture showing the hidden prophetic significance of our number in study, is found in Genesis 37:9. The eleven stars in Joseph’s dream seem to point forward to that time when the Jewish people will accept the government and rulership, of the Lord Whom they once refused as their King.
God was forced to send His chosen nation into captivity because of their stubbornness and rebellion. Two of the last kings each reigned eleven years. They were Zedekiah, who refused to listen to God’s Word through Jeremiah; and Jehoiakim, who tore up God’s Word. When the rule of these two wicked kings ended, the Jewish nation was cast out of the Holy Land and the times of the Gentiles began. So it was in the eleventh year of Jekoiakim, that Nebuchadnezzar began to carry away the inhabitants, and in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, he finished it.
Only one more day would have brought God’s people into the Promised Land. But Deuteronomy 1:2 says it was an eleven-day journey to where they turned back in unbelief. Failure to make the complete twelve-day journey resulted in their forty years wandering in the wilderness. Forty is the number of testing and will be studied later. The second curtain of the tabernacle coverings was made up of eleven curtains (Incompleteness), In the Book of Acts there were eleven disciples – incompleteness. The vacancy was filled by one who took the place of Judas, In Matthew 20:6-9 we read of laborers who were hired in the eleventh hour and were paid the same wages as those hired earlier. The eleventh hour workers caused disorder.
Words used eleven times are "KATABOLE" and "PSEUDOPROPHETES," The former means foundation, or literally, "cast down." The latter is translated, "false prophet." The Number Twelve in Scripture This number speaks of governmental perfection or rule. Service, power, and deliverance are manifested in a perfect system of government. The sun and moon were made to rule the day and govern the night, and they do it by passing through the twelve signs of the Zodiac which completes 360 degrees – 30 x 12. Our Lord chose twelve apostles. They were leaders or rulers in the affairs of the early church, They are to eat and drink at "My table in My Kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Thus they share in that perfect governmental rule of our Lord during His Millennial reign.
God’s city, Jerusalem, is to be perfectly governed in all details, John’s vision portrays twelve gates and at the gates twelve angels. The wall of the city has twelve foundations and in them the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The length, breadth, and height of the city were 12,000 furlongs. Our Lord tells us that He could have prayed to His Father for twelve legions of angels. (Fulness of perfection in Angelic power),
Solomon is a type of Christ and his reign portrays the reign of Christ in the Millennium, Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel. He had 12,000 horsemen. We read in connection with his throne. "Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom." In the first thirty years of His life, there is only one activity of Jesus mentioned, and that was when He was twelve years of age – "I must be about My Father’s business." We could paraphrase His Words, "I must do what My Father rules for me." In the book of Judges (a judge was a ruler) there were twelve judges: The book of Judges is a book of apostasy because Israel was continually going away from God. There were twelve judges, but thirteen rulers, the thirteenth being Abimelech, a usurper.
Words used twelve times are, "OIKODESPOTES" meaning master or ruler of the house and, "AULE" meaning court, hall, or palace. It signifies a place of government or authority. The Number Thirteen in Scripture
Number THIRTEEN is the number of ill-omen, rebellion, and apostasy. Its first occurrence is in Genesis 14:4 – "’Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled." As stated before, number twelve speaks of governmental rule. But in this verse thirteen appears and proves rebellion and government resisted. Beginning at this point, and appearing throughout Scripture, thirteen suggests rebellion, sin, and disobedience.
Genesis 17:25 informs us that Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised. This rebellion was foreshadowed even before he was born, for we read that he was to be a wild man – his hand against every man, and every man’s hand against him. Ishmael was not the promised seed but he was part of the promised multiplication of Abraham. The descendants of Ishmael through his twelve sons, constitute the Arabian race or nation. They have dwelt in the presence of other nations, and have retained their freedom until this day.
Truly, every man’s hand is against them. Egypt tried to conquer them but failed. The Arabs refused to recognize Alexander the Great, and he died before preparation could be made to overthrow them. Pompeii tried and failed. Even Napoleon could not conquer the Arab.
Ishmael was the son of a bondwoman, and Paul tells us in Galatians that he is a type of him who is born after the flesh. Here again is rebellion against one born of the Spirit. The Spirit and the flesh are constant enemies, warring against each other. The flesh can never be improved and Scripture admonishes us to mortify it or put it off.
If one desires to see apostasy centered in one man, he should study the tenth chapter of Genesis. Joktan is the thirteenth in order of the children and descendants of Shem. The names of Joktan’s thirteen children are given. Someone has figured out the gematria of Jotkan’s name to be 169 or 13 times 13. The gematria of his thirteen son’ names is 2756 or 212 times 13.
Solomon, who built the great temple of God, and became a great rebel against God, entered upon his apostasy in connection with the building of his own house. He was seven (perfection) years in building God’s house and thirteen years in building his own house. It is no surprise then to read in 1 Kings 11:6, "And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David, his father." In the book of Judges, there were twelve judges. There is another, however, who we called a king. This was none other than Abimelech, the usurper who induced the inhabitants to appoint him king. The result – anarchy. Thus, righteous government and rebellion, or apostasy, are seen in the book of Judges .
Twenty kings reigned over the southern kingdom, or Judah. Seven were good rulers, and thirteen led the people away from God. In the book of Esther lots were cast and the date for the destruction of the Jews, through Haman’s wicked devices, fell on the thirteenth day of the month, and in the thirteenth year of Ahasuerus. The history of Israel is one of rebellion against God. From the beginning to the end they are marked with rebellion. There were thirteen tribes. We often speak of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the land of Canaan was divided into twelve portions. The thirteenth tribe, Levi, did not have a portion, but small portions throughout the other sections. Twelve, as we have previously stated, is the number of governmental perfection, and it was God’s design to have perfection; but you can scarcely see a place in the Word of God where they were not in rebellion. They were an apostate nation, but, while there were thirteen tribes, only twelve are ever listed (though not always the same twelve names).
Israel’s dietary law as given in Deuteronomy 14:7; Deuteronomy 14:19, lists twenty-six unclean articles of food which Israel must never partake (2 x 13). The twenty-sixth book of the New Testament, Jude, contains a description of an apostate heart (13 x 2). Mark 7:21-22 gives the thirteen characteristics of an apostate heart. In the book of Revelation, Satan is called the great rebel thirteen times.
Leaven, which means evil or wickedness, is found thirteen times in the N. T. The "valley of Hinnom" which means "lamentation" is mentioned thirteen times.
Paul received thirty-nine stripes (13 x 3). On the day before the betrayal of Jesus, there were thirteen at the table. Later, Judas went out and betrayed Jesus. There were twelve who were bound together in love, but Judas, the thirteenth, was apart from them all.
Words that may be used for further study and which are mentioned only thirteen times are: "Dianoia," meaning "mind;" "Empaizo," translated "mock;" "Klepto" – "to steal." Words used thirteen times in the Old Testament are: "Chaneph" – "hypocrite;" "Meshuba" – "backsliding."
Most of Satan’s names have a gematria or multiple of thirteen. "Dragon" – 975 or 75 x 13; "tempter" – 1053 or 81 x 13; "Belial" – 78 or 6 x 13; "murderer" – 1820 or 140 x 13; "serpent" – 780 or 60 x 13; "called the devil and Satan" is a phrase with a gematria of 2197 or 13 x 13 x 13.
Someone has called to our attention the name given our Lord in mockery as He was suspended upon the cross, "Jesus of Nazareth." It has a gematria of 2197 or 13 x 13 x 13. Here was rebellion at its height; for our sins were upon the sinless One, and it was Satan’s desire to get Him down from the cross. I cannot agree with those who picture Satan wringing his hands in delight and smiling at Christ on the cross. Satan knew Scripture and he knew that Christ was dying on the cross to redeem those of Adam’s posterity. In fact, Satan put in the mouths of those at the crucifixion to shout out, "He saved others – He cannot save Himself." If Christ had accepted this challenge, and not died, we would never have known the meaning of redemption. The Number Seventeen in Scripture
Spiritual perfection or perfection of spiritual order is seen in this number. It is the sum of two perfect numbers, ten and seven. It is not a multiple of any number. It is an indivisible number – a prime number. The seven prime numbers are: 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, and 17. The eighth chapter of Romans sums up the seventeen blessings of those who are dead and risen in Christ. There is a series of seven and a series of ten. There are seven parts to the question and ten parts to the answer. There is a seven-fold "who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" and a tenfold " I am persuaded that." This is the perfection of God’s spiritual order and power – a spiritual and eternal perfection of the believer’s standing in Christ.
It appears that when seven and ten are used together, the ten has more weight than the seven. In the second chapter of II Chronicles, Solomon asked for a workman having seven requirements. Hiram sent a workman skilled in ten departments. Solomon asked for a man marked with seven, and received one marked with ten. In Hebrews 12, there is a contrast between the old dispensation marked with seven and the new dispensation marked with ten.
Verses 6-11 of Psalms 83 name ten enemies combined against Israel. Seven enemies had been destroyed by God. The prayer is that God will remember the seven enemies destroyed, and smite the ten.
There are seventeen angelic appearances recorded in the Gospels and Acts.
Seventeen tongues were spoken on the day which marked the coming of the Holy Spirit from heaven – Acts 2.
There are seventeen prayers of Jeremiah in the first thirty chapters of his book. From there on, a sudden silence.
Words used seventeen times are: Karisma – "gift," always spoken of as God’s gifts; Kethab – "Scripture," seventeen times in the Old Testament;: Agape – "love," occurs seventeen limes in I John; Aphesis – "remission," occurs seventeen times in the New Testament. It is a great word but, one cannot have his sins REMITTED if he REJECTS Christ Jesus. In this dispensation of grace, God is long-suffering and patient, willing that none should perish. The Number Forty in Scripture
Number FORTY is the number of probation, testing, and trial. The significance of "forty" is seen in the life of Moses who was called to deliver his fellow-countrymen from Egyptian oppression. Forty years Moses was in the land of Egypt, forty years in the desert, and forty years in the service of God. He was forty years finding out that he was "somebody;" then it took him fort y years to find out that he was "nobody." Forty more years and he discovered that God was "everybody."
Saul had forty years in which to prove himself worthy of the people’s choice. In that forty years, he sinned against the people, Samuel, David, God, and the Word of God.
Perhaps his fruitless life resulted from the fact that there was a great want in Saul. The work of Samuel did not seem to be familiar with him. This in itself would indicate that he was living outside of all religious connections, and dabbling in things secular. One qualification for a king of Israel was loyalty to the Heavenly King. This was the very heart of Samuel’s life. But Saul was altogether lacking in the fine characteristics of Samuel. In Genesis chapter seven, God said unto Noah, "Come into the ark." In our study of the number eight we discussed the resurrection of the eight who stepped out of the ark. But our number in study is brought out in the fact that it rained for forty days and nights upon the earth.
Forty days Moses was up in the mountain for the transcript of the law.
Forty days the spies were in the land.
Jonah was disobedient and fled from the Lord. But after being chastised he rushed into Nineveh shouting these words, "Forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown." Our Lord was tested in the wilderness for forty days. The temptations brought to Him were of the same nature as those presented to Eve – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Satan attacks by the same methods today. Our Lord was forty days on the earth with His disciples, after the resurrection.
Forty years after the crucifixion came the destruction of Jerusalem.
Forty centuries after Adam, came the fullness of time. When the fullness of time had come, the world had been tested. Man had failed. God sent forth His Son made of a woman, made under the law that we might become adopted sons. God sent forth His Son. He was a son from eternity. We are sons in time. He was an Official Delegate from the counsels of eternity. The Omnipotent One came down to the impotent ones. The Number Fifty in Scripture This is the number of salvation, and is used approximately three hundred times in the Word. In Genesis 18 we read of the visit of the Lord to Abraham. It is Abraham’s prayer that God will spare wicked Sodom if fifty righteous souls who love God are found within the city limits. Then he asked, "If there shall lack five of the fifty righteous wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?" Abraham brought up the number of grace and salvation. Receiving a favorable answer from the Lord at each request, Abraham goes on to the number ten, when he asks if the city will be spared if only this number of righteous is found. This was, as we have stated in a previous article, the number of human responsibility. At this point he stopped praying. He stopped asking and God stopped giving. Perhaps he was afraid of overdrawing his account. Or was he certain God would surely find ten righteous, and that Lot, who dwelt in Sodom, would be saved?
Pentecost was fifty days after the Passover. When it was fully come, 3,000 souls were saved. The fiftieth year was the year of Jubilee – the year of liberation and restoration. After Joshua led the children of Israel into the land of Canaan, he divided their inheritance among the twelve tribes, "by their families." The portions allotted to the tribes and families were to remain the possession of those tribes and families perpetually – that is, as long as Israel lived in obedience to God. God legislated against the sale of the land. Only in case of extreme necessity or poverty was a man permitted to dispose of his portion, and even then it could not be sold perpetually. It must be returned to the original family in the year of Jubilee. If poverty compelled a man to sell a portion of his inheritance ten years after Jubilee, it could only be sold for the forty remaining years. This was all out of God’s goodness. It prevented extreme poverty and also extreme riches. If necessity demanded the sale of a portion of the land, that land could be redeemed by a kinsman, by paying the balance due for the years remaining until Jubilee – Leviticus 25:23-28. The same thing was true in the sale of a man himself – Leviticus 25:47-55. In the book of Esther. Haman plotted to wipe out the Jewish race. Of course this is impossible (as Hitler, along with others, found out). Read Jeremiah 31:35-37. Through Haman’s evil devices, the day was set when the Jewish race was to come to an end. Haman even went to work and built the gallows on which to hang his enemy, Mordecai. The gallows was fifty cubits high. Now you ask, "Where do you find salvation in the instance?" Salvation is certainly revealed in this story, because wicked Haman, the Jew hater, was placed upon the gallows he had built for Mordecai. Here was salvation again for God’s people. The ark of Noah was fifty cubits wide. The ark is typical of the Saviour. The ark was wide enough to take in all of those who would put their trust in it. The door of access to salvation is wide enough to take in all who put their trust in Christ. How sad that some will turn their eyes from the open door and choose the way which leads to hell!
Robert Ripley, in his book, "Believe it or Not" says,
"Of course you expect to go to heaven when you die. We all do. The hope is in all of us, that when we die, we will go to heaven and rejoin the other members of our family who have passed on.
"Take my advice; make a reservation. Heaven is becoming very crowded and it is extremely doubtful whether you can get in; and should you manage to squeeze yourself past the pearly gates, it is even more doubtful whether you could find your family among all that crowd.
"Now, if we take twenty-five years as a generation, we find that there have been seventy-seven generations since the time of Christ. And if we count only your parents, their parents, and so on backward for that length of time, we find that you will have to meet 302,231,454,903,657,293,676,543 different relatives.
"Our own little world would not hold that stupendous number.
"Mind you, the above figures do not include brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives. Also I am allowing only for 1928 years, although scientists tell us that man has been on earth for countless generations before that time – some estimate it as 100,000 years. And, since science has proved so conclusively that you are related to all animals with four legs or a long tail that have lived on this earth for the last 100,000,000 years, you will have to include them too. They are all your ancestors!
"As a social proposition the celestial outlook appears a bit embarrassing, doesn’t it?
"It is apparent that Heaven was filled up several hundred years ago – or about the time Columbus discovered America.
"What to do?
"Obviously there is but one way out. You must die sometime, and since it is so evident that you Official cannot go to Heaven, where shall you go?"
It is apparent that the one we have just quoted makes light of the eternal abode of the wicked. He seems to believe in heaven, for he quotes from Revelation in another part of his article. But the same Book that describes heaven and all of its glory, is the same Book which gives to us a graphic picture of hell and its inhabitants in the future. Our Lord said more about hell than all of the other Bible characters put together. Mr. Ripley evidently is not sincere in his belief that heaven is a prepared place, for a prepared people; and hell is a prepared place for an unprepared people.
Because of the finished work of Christ on Calvary, the door of salvation is thrown wide open in this day of grace.
Mr. Ripley could have spoken no truer words than those quoted, "Take my advice; make a reservation." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." "Believe" means trust. "Saving faith" is trusting in someone else to do for us what we cannot do ourselves. The sinner is helpless. He needs a Saviour. Christ is the Saviour Whom he needs.