The Numbers of the Book of Revelation
By Mark Berrier
It is necessary to stop here and say
something about the numbers of the Book of Revelation. Since at least the
fifteenth century B. C. the Jews have used certain numbers to mean certain
things. When Moses wrote Genesis 1, he used the numbers symbolically. For
example: Genesis 1:1, in Hebrew, has 7 Hebrew words. It has 28 Hebrew letters.
Twenty-eight is 4X7. Genesis 1:2 has 14 words, and 14 = 2X7. And the conclusion
to Genesis 1 (chapter 2, verses 1-3) is 35 Hebrew words, which is 5X7. Genesis
2:1-3 also has 144 letters, which is 12X12. It is obvious that the creation has
seven days; God says it is good 7 times. There are eight acts of creation (one
act in days 1, 2, 4 and 5; but 2 each in days 3 and 6). God speaks ten times to
create the world. Numbers are the very foundation of the Hebrew alphabet. Each
letter of the alphabet stands for a certain number. This numbering system was
later called the Gematria.
So what's the point? God reveals some amazing things
through the numbers of the Bible. Here is a summary of some of the meanings of
some of the more important numbers of the Gematria:
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1 |
means unity or superiority. [Example: God is one; Adam and
Eve become one.]
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2 |
means fact. [Examples: Under the Law of Moses, a person can be put to
death at the word of two witnesses; the Ten Commandments were written on
two tablets.]
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3 |
means God's signature. [Example: It is always "Holy, Holy, Holy," never
two or four. See the song to God in Revelation 4:8—three sets of three.
Also, God is "Father, Son and Holy Spirit."]
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3½
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means the same as 1260 days, 42 months and "time and times and half a time." All
these symbols mean trouble or terrible times. You can see all of
these in one chapter—Revelation 11.
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4 |
means the world or the universal number. [Examples: Seven
times the Book of Revelation speaks of "nations, tribes, tongues and peoples"
or some such list; it is always four. (See Revelation 5:9, 7:9,
10:11, 11:9, 13:7, 14:6 and 17:15.) And look at the universal chorus in
Revelation 5:13; also notice that God's "living throne-chariot" is 4 living
creatures (in Revelation 5 and Ezekiel 1 and 10), meaning God is everywhere.]
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6 |
means man and sin. [Man was created on the 6th day in Genesis 1.
Also, see the comment on 666 in Revelation 13:18.]
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7 |
=3+4 and means complete or perfect. [See the 7 days of creation,
the 7 spirits of God, the seven seals, the seven lampstands, and many others.
The whole book of Revelation is filled with the number 7.
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8 |
means new beginning or deity. [God commanded circumcision on the
eighth day; 8 people passed through the Flood in the ark of Noah, etc.]
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10 |
means enough or sufficiency. [Ten is a "round number;" there are
"Ten Commandments," 10 fingers, 10 toes, 10 days of suffering in Revelation
2:10.]
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12 |
=3X4 and means God's people. [There were 12 patriarchs, 12 tribes, 12
apostles. (In Revelation 4:4, there are 24 elders [2X12] seated on thrones.)]
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There are many other numbers with meanings in the Bible. These are
the main ones. These numbers are one of the keys to understanding the Book of
Revelation. As you read through the book, and through the rest of >The Bible for
Busy People, you will notice the use of numbers over and over.