Do Numbers Carry any Spiritual Significance? By Tony Warren I don't know what makes people think that when "GOD PUT" numbers in the Bible that it is spiritually insignificant. Our common sense should tell us (even if we look at it just superficially) that there is some method to the madness (so to speak). For example the number 12. It is foolish to think that God didn't use this number to show us some spiritual Truth. Are we to believe it has no meaning and it's just coincidence the places it is found. The 12 brothers, who were the 12 sons of Jacob, who were the progenitors of the 12 tribes of Isreal, which was the old testament congregation. And then the passing it on after the cross to the 12 apostles who were the New testament representation of the church. And how about the picture of the Bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem (THEE CHURCH) with 12 gates into the city "3" <-(A SPIRITUALLY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER) on each side. Are we to assume that this number 12 is "NOT" Spiritually significant number, and it's just coincidence that there were 12 tribes and then 12 apostles representing the congregation? 12 gates? Etc. Well then if it's not coincidence, then the number 12 "HAS" as Special meaning there. GOD Specifically made the numbers 12 match, and He is using the number symbolically. That means He did it for a reason. To show us something. Anyone who says that the number 12 has no special significance, does not fully understand that God's word is not just words. They're numbers also. And GOD puts importance on "EVERY" Jot and tittle, meaning in the literal, EVEN DOWN TO THE LEAST PARTICLE! That means each and every word and that would include, down to the last number. The word of God is Inspired and the Numbers written in the word are Inspired. And just as we can take a word like Sheep and look at every place in the scriptures where it is found and come to some spiritual understanding of the word sheep, So we can also look at a number wherever it is found in scripture and come to some spiritual understanding of what it is indicating. That's not called numerology, that's called scriptural Study. Numerology is the belief in the occult influence of numbers upon the life of an individual. On the other hand, this is called "IN DEPTH" Bible study. The accusers can call it whatever they want, but to borrow a phrase, A rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet. If we were to listen to these (and SOME of them may mean well, but nevertheless, they are in error) who say leave the numbers alone, then we would have to disobey GOD HIMSELF, as "HE" Commands us who have "UNDERSTANDING" to "COUNT" the number of the beast! (666). Now in case anyone wants to simply pretend they didn't read that, I'll repeat it for EMPHASIS!!! REVELATIONS Chapter 13:18: "Here is Wisdom. Let him that hath understanding COUNT the number of the beast: For it is the number of man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six." Now how do these people who say it's improper to assign spiritual significance to numbers get around this verse. The way they get around it is to ..."IGNOR" what it says. I WILL NOT IGNOR THE WORD. I'll repeat it, again and again, and again until purhaps the Spirit of God will cause some to take down that wall of Spiritual ignorance and start listening to the word, and not people. It says "COUNT" the number 666! When I tell people that, they tell me, Oh, that's a computor debit card. Of course then I say, ok, please direct me to scripture where it indicates that. Of course, they don't want to HEAR that, because they have "NO" scriptural basis for saying it, so they become ruffled and have an urgent meeting they have to attend. There are ONLY two ways to Understand scripture. The Right way (Understand it by searching it out IN scripture) and the Wrong way (Coming to some conclusion based on your own understanding). Shall We call GOD a "NUMEROLOGIST" because He commands us to "COUNT" the number of the beast? Is He telling us to dabble in NUMEROLOGY? Of couse not, He's telling us to search the scriptures and count the number to come to the TRUTH! NOTICE He says "HE WHO HAS UNDERSTANDING!" GOD knows everyone does not have understanding, and that Everyone will not RECIEVE His word, and everyone is not "WISE" Spiritually. Because Everyone does not read His word with an eye to "KEEP" it. Some read His word with an eye to try and make it "FIT" into whatever they already believe. Some of us go to the word looking for TRUTH, and then others of us go to it seeking justification. This is a very serious question. This is a very serious Topic. We can't ignor scripture, we have to obey it. We can't come to conclusions based on our own ideas, or politics, or History books, or what this nation or that nation is doing, or what someone taught us it means. We have to come to conclusions based on what the Bible says. Not based on what people say it says. Check it out yourselves, Be a scriptural WORKMAN, that you will not be found ashamed at our Lord's coming. Again, these people who say that there is no Spiritual significance assigned to numbers, they are not looking to follow scripture, they are trying to lead it. Well what does Revelation 13 tell us? It tells us that there is some spiritual significance assigned to the NUMBER 666. What is the Spiritual Significance? It signifies that those who are Spiritually branded (Same as a cow is branded, but in a spiritual sense) with this number, belong to Satan (just as a cow belongs to whoever brands it). 666 is the number assigned to the "UNSAVED" of the world. They are those who belong to satan. That is what the Lord is symbolizing by the number 666. When you count the number 666, as when the Lord "IN SCRIPTURE" numbers the saved and the Unsaved, he numbers the saved as 1/3 and the unsaved as 2/3 (For example in Zechariah 13:8-9) which I have already went over before here so I won't go over it again. The Saved as numbered as 1/3 and the "UNSAVED" are numbered as 2/3. Why is the Unsaved symbolized by 2/3? Well, 2/3 counted as a number to nearest 100's is .666. We saw this before. Of course the Unsaved will tell you that's just a coincidence and we shouldn't take any significance from that. But those who have studied scripture as long as I have know that there are no coincidences like this in scripture. "ALL" scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for correction and reproof. Not some, ALL! So once again we see "IT ALL FITS" together just like some gigantic Living Picture puzzel. Every piece falls perfectly in place. There is no pushing or shoving, or forcing necessary. GOD's Numbers "DO" have spiritual significance. It is a coincidence God counts the unsaved as 2/3 and then counts those who are marked of satan (The UNSAVED) as 666? Not to the "SERIOUS" Bible student it's not. But to those trying to Poo-Poo the idea that God uses numbers this way it is. Just like in Daniel 12 where God says "The Wise" will understand, but the Wicked will not, He says when speaking about this number, HERE IS WISDOM, Let him that hath UNDERSTANDING count the number of the beast, it is 666. GOD Knows that all will not understand. God knows that only the "WISE" will Recieve this! I'm going to talk a little about the number 3, but I felt that first we needed to establish that GOD does use numbers in the Bible to symbolize, or give a Spiritual meaning to certain things. So that when you hear the scoffers and the people making fun of things like 2000 Cubits of space God commanded to be between Israel and The arc of the Covenant (Symbolizing God), being a picture of 2000 years between the birth of Christ (The Israel we are in) and God & the covenant, you might not find it so amusing, but consider it. Be as "WISE" Virgins and trim your lamps at the call that the Bridegroom cometh. You won't have to go for oil when that time comes, beacuse you will have been "WISE" and have "KEPT" your lamps full. WATCHING! The number 3 is often used in the scriptures to symbolize God's Purpose or God's Will! In other words, it means that something has been ESTABLISHED as the purpose. If I could use an EARTHLY analogy, of a Biblical principle, It's like in baseball. when someone goes to the plate. he gets 3 strikes, and after the 3 strikes, then he is out. The 3 strikes have established that he is not destined to get a hit. If he doesn't get a hit in 3 strikes, then it's established that it just wasn't meant to be. Now that may be a bad analogy, but that is the way the number 3 is often used in scripture. It symbolizes the establisment of God's purpose or will. For example when the Lord smote the apostle Paul with Blindness for 3 days (acts 9:9). Was that just a number picked out of a hat. No, it was God Breathed. He was Blinded "OF THE LORD" for 3 days. It was God's purpose for him to be blind, and neither eat nor drink for 3 days. For He was bringing Paul to the LIGHT! Why not 4 days? Why not 2 days? Because God wanted to indicate by the number 3 days that it was for His own good purposes that Paul be blind. Same thing in Acts Chapter 10 when a voice from heaven told Peter to rise kill and eat the beasts of the earth, that were on a sheet decending from heaven. And Peter says No, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And then the voice says, What God has cleansed, don't call it common. And then we read in scripture (Acts 10:16) that this was done "3" times and then the sheet was recieved up again into heaven. Now when we study scripture we find that this was to indicate that The gospel was going out to the gentiles as well as the jews. Why is it meticulously pointed out that this was done "3" times and "THEN" recieved up again unto heaven? Just another number? NO! Because it is to Indicate that This is God's purpose or Will that salvation go to the gentiles as well as the jews. The 3 times it's done, gives us an indication that it is established as God's will and purpose. Christ spoke a parable in Luke 13:6 which was about a fig tree in a vineyard (Symbolizing Israel) and the man of the vinyard came "3" years seeking fruit and found none, and so said cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground. Why didn't he say cut it down after 1 year, or after 2? Well the 3 years he came seeking fruit is symbolizing the purpose of God. He gave it 3 chances and before he said Cut it down. There is One God, yet there are 3 in the GODHEAD, the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. The Purpose or will of God is worked out in "3." Look, read the Bible and understand. These things are here for our understanding. Paul sought God to remove the Thorn in the flesh, but it wasn't God's purpose or will to do so. We read in 2nd Corinthians 12:8: "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My Grace is suffcient for thee.." Here we see it again "3" Times Paul besought the Lord! Why not 5,6 4 or 2? Because GOD wants to indicate here by this number 3 that it is not His purpose, or not His Will that this be removed. He says to Paul, My Grace is sufficient for you. In other words, My grace is enough for you. Remember the 3 strikes and your out. He besought God 3 times, but it was Established as God's will that this not be removed. His Grace was sufficent for Paul. So again the number 3 was an indication to us that it's God's Will that this be. There are just so many indications of the number 3 being used to symbolize the will and Purpose of God. None more "MARVELOUS" than the atonement that the Lord made at the cross. The Atonement has the number "3" all around it and we can readily understand why. That's because though Christ was Crucified, it was God's will, or purpose that Christ go to the Cross. For example, Jesus sat with the elders in the Temple 3 days being about His father's work, there were 3 Crosses, there were three men crucified, there was writing in 3 different languages on the cross, Jesus prayed 3 times that if it was possible could this cup pass from me, 3 appostles went into the garden to pray with Him, Peter denied Our lord 3 times, Pilate sought 3 times to let Jesus go, it was the "3rd" hour when they crucified Him, Jesus was in the heart of the earth "3" days and "3" nights, When Jesus was Risen He asked Simon 3 times Loveth thou me, and on and on, the number 3 is indicated in the atonement that christ made for us. Are these "ALL" just coincidence. An unbeliecer would say so. But God put's this nuber 3 in these places to gve us a Spiritual picture that this is God's purpose. His will. Christ "HAD" to go to the cross in order for us to be saved. It is a Gift of God. It was HIS will. The number 3 being used this way is a coincidence like the sheep being used as an indication of a believer is a coincidence. They were "BOTH" put there by God to give us a Great Spiritual, or symbolical picture we could learn from. Unfortunately some people choose to remain Spiritually Ignorant. We are not to ignor numbers in scripture any more than we are to ignor the letters, alpha or Omega! They all have a Story to tell. It is not wise, but foolish to think otherwise. As the Lord hath said. Here is Wisdom! Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast.... Peace, Tony Internet: tony.warren@seekers.com