CHAPTER ONE
The Importance Of Biblical Numbers
There is inherent dynamic spiritual power in God’s Word:
For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints
and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
(Hebrews 4:12)
We cannot explain the division between the human soul and spirit. Scientists cannot even
identify the soul and spirit, much less divide them. But God’s Word is so powerful that it
can not only do this, it can also divide the joints and marrow of your body and discern
your innermost thoughts and intents.
God created the world by His Word:
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so
that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
(Hebrews 11:3)
God spoke, and there was so much power in each word He said that the elements obeyed
and our world was formed--darkness and light, day and night, the earth and the seas, the
animals, and mankind.
God never wastes words. Every Word He speaks has divine purpose and meaning:
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing
whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)
If not one Word from God is void of meaning and purpose, then this confirms that even
numbers used in His Word have great spiritual significance. Jesus said:
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in
no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Matthew 5:18).
The Amplified Version adds to our understanding of this verse:
For truly I tell you, until the sky and earth pass away and perish, not one smallest
letter nor one little hook [identifying certain Hebrew letters] will pass from the
Law until all things [it foreshadows] are accomplished.
4
,Jots and tittles are small letters and hooks that identify certain Hebrew letters and give
meaning to the words. If Jesus said that even these small marks are significant, then how
can we doubt the importance of numbers in the biblical text?
Perverting God’s Truth
From the very first temptation, a major strategy of Satan has been to pervert God’s truth.
Satan’s first words to mankind questioned the instructions that were given by God to
Adam and Eve: " ... And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?" (Genesis 3:1).
Questioning the truth of God’s Word is how Satan begins the perversion process. When
answering Satan, Eve misquoted God's Words by adding to them and minimizing the
penalty for sin. She claimed that God had said: "But of the fruit of the tree which is in the
midst of the garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye
die" (Genesis 3:3).
Compare this with what God actually said:
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou
mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not
eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
(Genesis 2:16-17)
God did not say "neither shall you touch it." This was added by Eve. God also said,
"...thou shalt surely die"--this was the penalty for eating the fruit of the tree. Eve changed
this phrase to "...lest ye die", meaning, "you might die".
In answering Eve, Satan again contradicted God's Word:
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die; For God doth know
that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as
gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:4-5)
As you can see from this exchange, Satan always perverts the Word of God. In terms of
the significance of biblical numerology, the enemy operates in two major ways:
First, through the occult and their perversion of truth. The ancient Babylonians and
Egyptians developed numerology based on astrological divination, which is forbidden in
the Scriptures. Numerology is also used in Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age, and other
pagan religions for the purposes of fortune-telling and prediction of the future. Because
numerology is used in the occult, many believers have avoided the subject.
Second, by inspiring some scholars to give bizarre interpretations of biblical numbers,
overemphasize their importance, or infer their own beliefs and thoughts into their
findings.
5
,Perversion that results in diversion is a strategy often used by the enemy. Satan perverts a
valid truth to the point that some believers are diverted from exploring its biblical
significance for fear of being classed with those who have erred from sound doctrine. For
example, consider the revelation of God in the heavens:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is
no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. (Psalms 19:1-3)
Do you know that the stars and constellations actually tell the Gospel story? They reveal
the plans and purposes of God. Astrology has so perverted the meaning of the stars and
astronomical signs, however, that many believers are unaware that God’s message is
revealed in the heavens. The legitimate study of astronomy and God's revelation in the
stars is not related in any way to the ungodly practice of astrology.
The same is true in the study of biblical numerology. The importance of numbers is
clearly seen in scripture, and you must not let the perversion of the enemy prevent you
from recognizing the true value of this subject.
Biblical Numbers Are Inspired
The Word of God is divinely inspired. You can take a word, such as love, study every
place in the Bible where it is found, and come to a spiritual understanding of its meaning.
In the same way, you can study numbers in scripture and arrive at an understanding of
their meanings.
Some people say that we should not concern ourselves with numbers, but God commands
those with understanding to count the number identifying the Satanic being that is to arise
in the end-times:
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast:
for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
(Revelation 13:18)
Should not this understanding of the spiritual significance of the number 666 extend to
other numbers in God's Word also?
There is no biblical directive to apply a code or to give letters numerical values. Neither
are there clear declarations like, "The number 7 means such and such." But by
comparing scripture with scripture, word with word, number with number, and by
studying related passages, you can arrive at the their true meanings.
The abuse of numerology must be guarded against, but not to the exclusion of a
legitimate approach to this important study. Understanding basic guidelines for
interpreting biblical numbers will help you guard against spiritual errors--and that is the
subject of the next chapter.
6
, CHAPTER TWO
Interpreting Biblical Numbers
The Bible is the divine revelation of the true and living God and every jot and tittle in His
Word is deemed important. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that every word is
significant--and this includes numbers.
Biblical numerology is defined as the study of the spiritual significance of numbers used
in the Bible. A proper understanding of numbers is possible through the application of
basic guidelines for the proper interpretation of all scripture. These include the following:
The Bible must be discerned and interpreted spiritually.
Jesus told His disciples: "And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery
of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in
parables" (Mark 4:11).
You can only understand the mysteries of God’s Kingdom if you are a true disciple of
Jesus and have spiritual discernment: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).
You cannot understand biblical truths with a carnal, unregenerate mind. As you study
biblical numerology, as well as other scriptural truths, ask God to reveal the meanings to
you through the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)
The Bible should be taken literally, except when symbolism is obvious.
God’s Word means what it says and should be taken literally. Pharaoh’s army did drown
in the Red Sea. Jonah was swallowed by a great fish. Jesus was raised from the dead.
Only where obvious symbolism is used should you take the Word symbolically.
For example, Jesus used the term "shepherd" to describe Himself, although we have no
record of Him ever herding natural sheep (John 10:11). In Matthew 9:36, we are
described as being sheep in need of a shepherd. The shepherd and his care for the sheep
are used symbolically to describe our relationship with the Lord.
7
The Importance Of Biblical Numbers
There is inherent dynamic spiritual power in God’s Word:
For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints
and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
(Hebrews 4:12)
We cannot explain the division between the human soul and spirit. Scientists cannot even
identify the soul and spirit, much less divide them. But God’s Word is so powerful that it
can not only do this, it can also divide the joints and marrow of your body and discern
your innermost thoughts and intents.
God created the world by His Word:
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so
that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
(Hebrews 11:3)
God spoke, and there was so much power in each word He said that the elements obeyed
and our world was formed--darkness and light, day and night, the earth and the seas, the
animals, and mankind.
God never wastes words. Every Word He speaks has divine purpose and meaning:
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing
whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)
If not one Word from God is void of meaning and purpose, then this confirms that even
numbers used in His Word have great spiritual significance. Jesus said:
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in
no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Matthew 5:18).
The Amplified Version adds to our understanding of this verse:
For truly I tell you, until the sky and earth pass away and perish, not one smallest
letter nor one little hook [identifying certain Hebrew letters] will pass from the
Law until all things [it foreshadows] are accomplished.
4
,Jots and tittles are small letters and hooks that identify certain Hebrew letters and give
meaning to the words. If Jesus said that even these small marks are significant, then how
can we doubt the importance of numbers in the biblical text?
Perverting God’s Truth
From the very first temptation, a major strategy of Satan has been to pervert God’s truth.
Satan’s first words to mankind questioned the instructions that were given by God to
Adam and Eve: " ... And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?" (Genesis 3:1).
Questioning the truth of God’s Word is how Satan begins the perversion process. When
answering Satan, Eve misquoted God's Words by adding to them and minimizing the
penalty for sin. She claimed that God had said: "But of the fruit of the tree which is in the
midst of the garden, God hath said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye
die" (Genesis 3:3).
Compare this with what God actually said:
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou
mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not
eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
(Genesis 2:16-17)
God did not say "neither shall you touch it." This was added by Eve. God also said,
"...thou shalt surely die"--this was the penalty for eating the fruit of the tree. Eve changed
this phrase to "...lest ye die", meaning, "you might die".
In answering Eve, Satan again contradicted God's Word:
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die; For God doth know
that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as
gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:4-5)
As you can see from this exchange, Satan always perverts the Word of God. In terms of
the significance of biblical numerology, the enemy operates in two major ways:
First, through the occult and their perversion of truth. The ancient Babylonians and
Egyptians developed numerology based on astrological divination, which is forbidden in
the Scriptures. Numerology is also used in Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age, and other
pagan religions for the purposes of fortune-telling and prediction of the future. Because
numerology is used in the occult, many believers have avoided the subject.
Second, by inspiring some scholars to give bizarre interpretations of biblical numbers,
overemphasize their importance, or infer their own beliefs and thoughts into their
findings.
5
,Perversion that results in diversion is a strategy often used by the enemy. Satan perverts a
valid truth to the point that some believers are diverted from exploring its biblical
significance for fear of being classed with those who have erred from sound doctrine. For
example, consider the revelation of God in the heavens:
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is
no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. (Psalms 19:1-3)
Do you know that the stars and constellations actually tell the Gospel story? They reveal
the plans and purposes of God. Astrology has so perverted the meaning of the stars and
astronomical signs, however, that many believers are unaware that God’s message is
revealed in the heavens. The legitimate study of astronomy and God's revelation in the
stars is not related in any way to the ungodly practice of astrology.
The same is true in the study of biblical numerology. The importance of numbers is
clearly seen in scripture, and you must not let the perversion of the enemy prevent you
from recognizing the true value of this subject.
Biblical Numbers Are Inspired
The Word of God is divinely inspired. You can take a word, such as love, study every
place in the Bible where it is found, and come to a spiritual understanding of its meaning.
In the same way, you can study numbers in scripture and arrive at an understanding of
their meanings.
Some people say that we should not concern ourselves with numbers, but God commands
those with understanding to count the number identifying the Satanic being that is to arise
in the end-times:
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast:
for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
(Revelation 13:18)
Should not this understanding of the spiritual significance of the number 666 extend to
other numbers in God's Word also?
There is no biblical directive to apply a code or to give letters numerical values. Neither
are there clear declarations like, "The number 7 means such and such." But by
comparing scripture with scripture, word with word, number with number, and by
studying related passages, you can arrive at the their true meanings.
The abuse of numerology must be guarded against, but not to the exclusion of a
legitimate approach to this important study. Understanding basic guidelines for
interpreting biblical numbers will help you guard against spiritual errors--and that is the
subject of the next chapter.
6
, CHAPTER TWO
Interpreting Biblical Numbers
The Bible is the divine revelation of the true and living God and every jot and tittle in His
Word is deemed important. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that every word is
significant--and this includes numbers.
Biblical numerology is defined as the study of the spiritual significance of numbers used
in the Bible. A proper understanding of numbers is possible through the application of
basic guidelines for the proper interpretation of all scripture. These include the following:
The Bible must be discerned and interpreted spiritually.
Jesus told His disciples: "And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery
of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in
parables" (Mark 4:11).
You can only understand the mysteries of God’s Kingdom if you are a true disciple of
Jesus and have spiritual discernment: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they
are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).
You cannot understand biblical truths with a carnal, unregenerate mind. As you study
biblical numerology, as well as other scriptural truths, ask God to reveal the meanings to
you through the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised:
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)
The Bible should be taken literally, except when symbolism is obvious.
God’s Word means what it says and should be taken literally. Pharaoh’s army did drown
in the Red Sea. Jonah was swallowed by a great fish. Jesus was raised from the dead.
Only where obvious symbolism is used should you take the Word symbolically.
For example, Jesus used the term "shepherd" to describe Himself, although we have no
record of Him ever herding natural sheep (John 10:11). In Matthew 9:36, we are
described as being sheep in need of a shepherd. The shepherd and his care for the sheep
are used symbolically to describe our relationship with the Lord.
7
