Numbers

 The Significance And Symbolism Of Numbers

In The Book Of The Revelation

Study of the Book of Revelation, Part 2

Timothy C. McKeown

 What the significance of numbers in Revelation is a matter of interpretation, but that the numbers have significance is not in dispute. Revelation 19:10 says “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” According to The Complete Biblical Library, one of the purposes of prophecy “is to bear witness to Jesus, to exalt Him and to reveal His redemptive work.” (Revelation, pg. 295). Studying the amazing detail in numbers and symbolism in the book of Revelation is a testimony to how marvelous Jesus is and how powerful prophetic books like the Revelation is.

It is incorrect to call the study of numbers in the Bible “numerology.” Such a name conjures up practices in the occult which are inconsistent with the Bible. However, to ignore or fail to study the repeated use of numbers, especially three, six, seven, and twelve, and multiples of those, would be a disservice to the Scriptures and an incomplete study of the book. This study is by no means exhaustive, but it will delve into the most significant elements of numbers and their symbolisms. The practical relevance of the study is to affirm the divinity and wonder of the Scriptures, to alert us to the corresponding significance (for instance, upon seeing a theme of the number three, we should look for the holiness or heavenly significance of the passage), and to help in interpreting the objects corresponding to the numbers.

Perhaps the most discussed number in the book of Revelation comes from Rev. 13:18: “Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.” The speculation that this number refers to Nero Caesar is a forced and false interpretation, since Nero had been dead for nearly 30 years by the writing of Revelation and also because the number is only arrived if you spell Nero as “Neron Kaisar”. More recent false designations have been Ronald Wilson Reagan (six letters in each name), Henry Kissinger, Hitler, Mussolini, the Pope, you name it.

The most repeated number in Revelation is seven and its multiples and divided in half, it is 3 ½ or sometimes seen as 42 months or 1260 days (a Jewish month is exactly 30 days). The number seven is used 31 times in the Greek, and represents a holy completion by God. With the Tribulation period existing for seven years in length, it is the final pouring out of wrath from God upon the earth, but it is also the time when an almost innumerable amount of persons will possibly come to Christ from every part of the earth.

Of all the significant words used in the book of Revelation, the singular and plural form of “angel” is one of the most recurring. From the Greek word aggelos, the word literally means messenger. It is likely that the angels of the seven churches are in fact the pastors, or messengers of the church, since the Lord Jesus would not need to communicate with them via a letter from John. The following study will show that the word angel is used exactly 72 times in the Greek, a holy number signifying three times 24, or the number of representatives from the Old Testament tribes of Israel and New Testament Apostles.

When the angels are not grouped together, there are exactly:

7 angels who stand alone

3 groups of angels which are in threes (the number of heaven and holiness)

2 groups of angels grouped in fours (the number of the earth)

3 groups of angels which are in sevens (including the seven “angels” of the churches)

7 groups of numerous angels which are only mentioned once in Revelation.

If this seems confusing, realize that this is merely one study of numbers as it relates to one group: angels. Volumes could be written on other divine numberings within the book of Revelation.

At the end of this study, we will see that Revelation also contains three signs in heaven, three voices from the throne in heaven, seven voices from heaven, and exactly 21 “great” (Greek: mega) voices from heaven (21 is the heavenly number of 3 times the completed by God number of 7).

We would be wise to listen to what the voices say…


  Any of these numbers squared (times itself) intensifies the significance. The division of these diminishes and incompletes the significance (half of seven years is 3 1/2 years or 42 months or 1260 days). A multiple of one number to another number combines the two; for example, Jerusalem comes to earth from heaven with three (heavenly) gates on four (earthly) sides.
  Generally accepted applications of significant numbers are as follows:

Number

Significance

Example

1 “One”

Unity,

Shortness, Suddenness

1 mind (17:12), 1 pearl (21:21);

1 day (18:8); 1 hour (17:12, 18:10, 17, 19); 

2 “Two”

Companionship, testimony,

2-edged sword, 2 olive trees, 2 lampstands, 2 witnesses, 2 eagle wings, 2 beasts (1 out of the sea, 1 out of the earth), 2 horns like a lamb, 2 beasts cast into lake of fire alive, 2 causes of persecution (word of God and testimony of Jesus—1:9, 6:9, 12:17, 20:4)

3 “Three”

Holiness, divinity, heaven, Holy Trinity

 

Refers to “Unholy Trinity” of Dragon, Beast and False Prophet

 

A short completion

“Holy, holy, holy” (4:8),  “woe, woe, woe” (8:13), 1st woe, a star from heaven (9:1), 2nd woe, an angel from heaven, and 3rd woe, Satan, the accuser cast down from heaven (12:12), 3 signs in heaven (12:1, 3, 15:1), 3 gates on each side of the holy, heavenly city (21:13); after three days, witnesses ascend to heaven (11:11)

4 “Four”

The Earth (Four seasons: fall, winter, spring, summer; four directions: North, South, East, West), Creation.

Creatures on earth and under the earth give four ascriptions of praise to the Lamb (5:13).

4 winds, 4 compass directions, 4 signs on earth (13:13, 13:14, 16:14, 19:20), 4 sides on holy city (21:13), 4 squared city (21:16), 4 times there is a 4-fold description of the world (nation, tribe, people and tongue, 5:9, 11:9, 13:7, 14:6), 4 living creatures, 4 angels to harm the earth (Rev. 7:2), 4 angels bound on earth (at Euphrates, where creation began, 9:13ff and Gen. 2:14)

5 “Five” and

10 “Ten”

Mankind, human government, able to be counted, measured, finite completion by or for mankind.

5 months to torment men (9:10), 5 fallen (dead) kings (17:10);

10 crowns (13:1), 10 horns/kings (17:12)

6 “Six”

Short of holiness of God. Fall of humanity,

666, falling short of complete number of seven three times.

7 “Seven”

Holy Completion by or for God (beginning with the days of creation);

Those in heaven give seven ascriptions of praise to the Lamb (5:12).

 

7 lampstands, stars, angels, churches, lamps, spirits, seals, eyes, horns, trumpets, plagues, vials, bowls, thunders, heads of the beast, crowns/diadems, mountains, kings;

Blesseds (1:3, 14:13, 16:15, 19:9, 20:6, 22:7, 14)

“I ams” (1:8 Alpha and Omega,  the beginning and the ending, 1:11 - the first and the last, 1:18 - he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, 2:23 - he which searcheth the reins and hearts, 22:16 - the root and the offspring of David, 22:16 - the bright and morning star)

12 “Twelve”

24 “Twenty-four”

12,000

God’s people, God’s Rule

12 stars (12:1); gates, angels, tribes (21:12); foundations, apostles (21:14); pearls (21:21); fruits (22:2);

24 elders; 12,000 sealed in 12 tribes (7:5-8); 12,000 furlongs (21:16)

42 months

42 months (same as 1,260 days) or 3 ½ years

Number of months Gentiles will tread the holy city underfoot (11:2), time authority given to AntiChrist (beast out of the sea) to continue (Rev. 13: 5)

1,260 days

42 months times 30 days, or 3 ½ years

Days given to two witnesses to prophesy (11:3), Days woman is fed in wilderness (12:6)

144,000

12,000 times 12

Rev. 7:4; 14:1, 3

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction

How Revelation Ends