THEOLOGY

Word Meanings!

by
Robert E. Schoenle

The first printing of, “The Numerical Bible,” by Mr. F. W. Grant was in 1890. “The Numerical Bible” was copyrighted by Loizeaux Brothers, Inc. in 1903, and most recently published by them in 1974. It is in this classic seven volume work that a “numerical structure” is found to be evident throughout the holy Scriptures. Mr. F. W. Grant declared the following, “In each number there is . . . a central thought, derived from some natural significance, and from which all other meanings take their rise.”1 In other words, each of the numbers used in the Holy Bible has a definite or specific meaning!

This should not surprise anyone “. . . when. . .” to again quote Mr. Grant, “. . . you remember how all the natural sciences in the present day are ranging themselves under arithmetical law; when, as Herschel says, every law of nature tends to express itself in terms of arithmetic. . . .2 Why should not a law of numbers pervade Scripture also, and link God’s work and His Word together,—-or show His Word also to be His work?3 We must now look, though briefly, at the symbolical meaning of the numbers themselves. . . .4 As there are seven notes in music, and the eighth is but the octave—the beginning again of the series in another key, so there are seven numerals which are alone fundamental in Scripture—symbolism. . . . All other significant numbers derive their meaning from these, which combine in some way to produce them.”5

We will now briefly look at the fundamental thought, for these seven numbers when used in the holy Scriptures!
The fundamental thought for the number – One – is “Exclusiveness.”
The fundamental thought for the number – Two – is “Difference or Division.”
The fundamental thought for the number – Three – is “Fullness or Completeness.”
The fundamental thought for the number – Four – is “Weakness.”
The fundamental thought for the number – Five – is “Whole responsibility under God.”
The fundamental thought for the number – Six – is “Manifestation of evil.”
The fundamental thought for the number – Seven – is “Perfection.”

The meaning for the following four numbers are derived from a mathematical combination of the first seven numbers when used in the holy Scriptures.
The fundamental thought for the number – Eight – is “New Beginning.”
The fundamental thought for the number – Ten – is “Natural responsibility to God.”
The fundamental thought for the number – Twelve – is “Manifest Sovereignty.”
The fundamental thought for the number – Forty – is “Full testing according to the whole responsibility.”

Through these numbers we can trace a connection of thought, which unites the holy Scriptures. These numbers also reveal and confirm the meaning of the whole and of each separate part! This explains, for example, why the Lord Jesus Christ used the numbers “ten” and “five” in His telling of the “Parable of the Ten Virgins.” The “virgins” represent individuals who are each “wholly responsible” in both a “natural” and a “spiritual” way to God. The fact that there are “two” groups of people described in this “parable” also reveals that they are different from each other, and therefore “divided” from each other.

The study of the numbers used in the holy Scriptures, also explains why the number given by God to the Antichrist is six hundred sixty-six [666] (Rev. 13:1-18). This number is given to the Antichrist, by God, as another way of His to describe this most evil of men. The meaning of the number six hundred sixty-six [666] is simply, “Complete manifestation of evil.”

The fundamental thought for the number “three” is “Fullness” or “Completeness.” The “Bible Book of Threes” would include: Three distinct “Personalities” in one God are named. 1. Father 2. Son 3. Holy Spirit. Three sons of Adam and Eve are named. 1. Cain 2. Able 3. Seth. Three angels are named. 1. Lucifer 2. Michael 3. Gabriel. Three sons of Noah are named. 1. Shem 2. Ham 3. Japheth. Three miracle births are told of. 1. Isaac 2. John the Baptist 3. The Lord Jesus Christ. Three arks are described. 1. the ark of Noah 2. the ark of Moses 3. the ark of the covenant. Three patriarchs of Israel are named. 1. Abraham 2. Isaac 2. Jacob. Three disciples in the “inner circle.” 1. Peter 2. James 3. John. Three places where human beings may be found. 1. Heaven 2. Earth 3. Hades. These are but a few of the hundreds of other “threes” that wait to be discovered in the Holy Bible. Is it logical or rational to think that all of these “threes” are simply a coincidence?

The life of Moses consists of “three” parts of “forty” [full testing according to the whole responsibility] years each (Acts 7:18-36). Moses sent “twelve” [manifest sovereignty] men to search out the land of Canaan for “forty” days (Num. 13:1-25). They learned of “six” [manifestation of evil] different families of people who lived in that land (Num. 13:26-29). The fear of “ten” [natural responsibility to God] of the men (Num. 13:31-33) caused the people of Israel to refuse to obey the LORD and their disobedience caused them to wander in the wilderness for “forty” years as judgment for their failure to trust the LORD [self-existant one] (Num. 14:11-19, 26-34). It was during this same “forty” years that the people in the land of Canaan continued their sinful ways and were also judged by the LORD for them (Lev. 18:19-30; Josh. 2:1-11; Heb. 11:31). Saul, David and Solomon each reigned for “forty” years over a united Israel (2 Sam. 5:4; 1 Ki. 11:42; Acts 13:21). Are we to believe this is simply another coincidence?

The earth was judged by the LORD for “forty” days (Gen. 7:4-12, 17; 8:6). The people of Israel rebelled against the LORD during the “forty” days Moses was on Mount Sinai (Ex. 32:1-8, 15-35; Dt. 9:7-17). This caused Moses to plead before the LORD for another “forty” days and “forty” nights that He might forgive them (Dt. 9:18-29; 10:10). A judge may cause a wicked man to receive up to “forty” stripes (Dt. 25:1-3). When the number “forty” is multiplied by “three” [fulness or completeness] the total is “one hundred twenty” [120], which was the number of
(2)
years Noah warned of the coming judgment of God upon the entire world for their sin (Gen. 6:1-7, 11-13). The Lord Jesus Christ “fasted” for “forty” days and “forty” nights before being “tested” by Satan (Mt. 4:1-11; Mk. 1:12-13; Lk. 4:1-13). The Lord Jesus Christ ate, spoke and taught for “forty” days after His bodily resurrection from the dead (Acts 1:1-3).

God will “reward” or “judge” each man and woman based upon their obedience to His revealed “will.” The “will” of God has been revealed by way of the only source of truth on the earth and that is the Holy Bible – the written “Word of God.” Knowing the “fundamental meaning” of the numbers used in the holy Scriptures can only enlighten and edify the serious student of the Holy Bible! There can be no doubt that each and every word recorded in the Holy Bible is there for a specific purpose and must be considered to learn all that God would have each of us to know. It is also extremely helpful to know the “fundamental thought” for each of the “significant” numbers used in the Holy Bible when attempting to fully understand certain “parables” where numbers are used to “illustrate” the truth being taught (1 Tim. 4:13-16; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:14-17).

F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible: Genesis to Deuteronomy (Loizeaux Brothers, 1974).
1. p. 12
2. p. 10
3. p. 11
4. p. 11
5. p. 12