Question
What is the purpose of numbers such as 40, that appear so often in the Bible? For instance the number 40 is usually used when referring to days or nights in multiple areas of the bible. Also numbers such as 7, 3, 666,. Is there an explanation to these numbers?
Answer
To fully answer to your question would take an entire book, but I will try to briefly discussed the symbolic use of some of the numbers common in the Bible. Homer Hailey in his commentary on Revelations deals with numerology, and I am referring to his book for most of my answer.
Mr. Hailey makes the following statement regarding the interpretation of numbers, “In learning the use or significance of something, one may be told plainly what its use is, or he may learn by observing the use made of it. If told plainly that something is a sign or that it signifies a certain truth, there is left no question in the reader’s mind. But if not specifically declared, the symbolic sense, if there is a symbolic significance, must be determined by the use made of the object considered. It is from the use made of numerical figures that we are to determine any symbolic significance.” So, you have to look at the context of the passage containing a number reference to determine if it is
symbolic or literal.
Mr. Hailey does not deal with 40 in his book. I believe most references to 40 are literal – 40 years reign of Saul, David and Solomon, 40 days and nights flood, 40 days fasting by Jesus in the wilderness.
In Revelation 3, 5, 7, 10, 12 and multiples of these numbers are frequently symbolic. 3 occurs hundreds of times in scripture. It appears to have been symbolic in many places of a complete and ordered whole. As all completeness and fullness n the absolute are found in God or the Godhead, 3 is thought of as a divine number, the number of deity.
As 3 represents completeness, 4 suggests beyond the fullness of God, or of the world or creation, as in 4 winds, 4 world kingdoms in Daniel 4, Ezekial’s 4 living creatures, 4 faces, 4 wings, 4 sides, 4 wheels, 4 sore judgements.
The most obvious symbolism for 6 is in 666 in Revelation 13:18. Here is a symbol for the number of the beast. In the original the article “a” in not in front of “man”. So, it the number of man, not a man. The number 666 represents that which is human, as opposed to what is of God (7). Since many of the numbers in Revelation refer to ideas rather than persons or literal quantities, the same principle should be followed here. 6 is less than the sacred 7, therefore imperfect and destined to fail. To the Jews the number 6 was a number of dread and doom. So, 666 was tripled dread and doom. If the beast is the Roman empire, then its opposition and persecution of Christians, was destined to fail. The whole theme of Revelation is the reward of those who overcome Satan, and the condemnation of those who give in to Satan.
7 throughout scripture symbolizes completeness or perfectness – 7 churches of Asia, 7 spirits, 7 angels, seventy times seven.
10 in both the old and new testaments represents a rounded total, large or small. Multiples of 10 , 1,000, 144,000 and larger numbers indicate fullness to a superlative or unlimited degree.
12 is thought to be a religious number, bearing a religious idea or concept – 12 tribes of Israel, 12 stones in Aaron’s breastplate, 12 cakes of shewbread, 12 apostles, 12 thrones, 12 foundations on the city in revelations,etc.
By Larry Snell
