Introduction of Numbers in Scripture
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16)
When the Holy Spirit of God breathed these words through Paul, He revealed to us that “all” meant every word which included every number. I often tell people that not only was every word inspired by God, the Holy Spirit, but all the spaces were inspired as well. For those who have been taught and influenced by questioning the validity of Scripture, and state that inerrancy only relates to the original manuscripts, please bare with me when I say that you have a very small God indeed.  You see, I have a very huge God, a very large God — my God is the God who created the heaven and the earth, the God who made man, and the God who revealed Himself through Scripture; He is the God who keeps and maintains the universe, He is so immense in power that He can even keep a little-itty-bitty book; this book may be relatively small in size and content, but it is mighty in power. That’s my God! By listening to those who tell us that we can only know what is truly words from God is if we have the original documents, or if we know the original languages. How sad that the God of the “original documents” did not and still does not have the power to keep His words; I guess, He must have lost all His power after the original documents were penned. When the last word was finally penned then God must have put His power away, and left those words to be understood only by the “scholars” and the “elite churchmen” of the different ages to instruct the hopelessly ignorant and uneducated masses — tell that to John Bunyan. Not only did God never stop reaching out to the lost, but He has never stopped maintaining His every word for all people. It comes down to who and what God is, not the “original parchments,” or even mastery of the languages of the Bible. Thank God for that!
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. (Proverbs 30:5)
The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (Proverbs 12:6)
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:18)
Isaiah 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Every thing in God’s Word is built line upon line, precept upon precept, there a little, and here a little. Scripture is to be examined by Scripture. Scripture is to be compared to and with Scripture. What begins in the Old Testament comes to fruition in the New Testament. What is described in the Old Testament about the Messiah is fulfilled in the New Testament. The Bible is 1 book, separate, and yet unified, and cannot be divided. St. Augustine wrote, “within the Old is the New concealed, within the New is the Old revealed.” Reading and studying only one part of Scripture, whether it be only the Old or only the New, limits your horizon and stunts your spiritual growth.
Why is the number 40 so prevalent in Scripture? Why did it rain for 40 days and 40 nights, why did Israel wander in the desert for 40 years, why did the first 3 kings of Israel each reign for 40 years, why was Moses in Egypt for 40 years – then in the desert for 40 years – then as the leader of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years, why was Moses in the mount 40 days, why was Ezekial told to lay on his right side for 40 days, why was Jesus tempted in the desert 40 days, why is the Gospel of Matthew the 40th book in the Bible and the 1st book in the New Testament, why was the resurrected Saviour seen of men for 40 days, and there are many more 40’s in Scripture — why?
Why is the number 7 so prevalent in Scripture? Why 7 days, why 7 lamps in the Holy place in the tabernacle, why is the Book of the Revelation full of 7’s, why was the age of Lamech recorded as 777 years, why did Noah wait 7 days before sending out the dove 2 times from the ark, why did Jacob serve for Rachel 7 years and then for another 7 years, why did the priest in the tabernacle in the wilderness sprinkle the blood from his finger 7 times before the veil, why 7 loaves of bread to feed 4000 in the New Testament, why is the Book of the Revelation filled with the number 7, and there are many more 7’s in Scripture — why?
Why are there 7 titles of Christ in the book of Hebrews, why 7 parables in the book of Matthew, why 7 words or phrases from Christ while on the cross, why are there 2 division of the Bible — the Old and New Testaments, why 66 books in the Bible, why 27 books in the New Testament, why was Jerusalem destroyed by Rome 40 years after the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ, why was Christ 30 years old when He began His ministry, why was the Jordan divided 3 times, why are there 4 women named in the genealogy of the Lord in the book of Matthew, why did Israel go into captivity in Babylon 70 years, why is Jubilee 7 years x 7 years, why was Israel enslaved to Egypt 400 years, why 400 years from the last book in the Old Testament (Malachi) till the New Testament (Matthew) — or stated another way — why 400 ‘silent years’ from the prophecy of Malachi to the birth of Christ – why?
Do you think that all the numbers in Scripture are accidental, or coincidental, or maybe the Holy Spirit simply uses any number because He just likes numbers? Every word, and that includes every number has a meaning, has a purpose, has a spiritual reason for being in that particular place in Scripture. As the phrases in Scripture are connected to other phrases, and as words are connected to each other, so also numbers are connected to each other; they tell a story. The alphabet is one of many means by which God instructs men. He speaks with many different voices, the heavens, the stellar system, the solar system, the universe, light rays and colors; through nature and the creatures that He created, through sounds and vibrations, through elements — seen and unseen. Yes, God speaks to us in diverse manners, and one of the languages that God uses to connect to man is — the language of numbers.
© Copyright 2015, Mary Haigh
Article free to use, but not for gain – “freely ye have received, freely give.”
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJV)