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Chapter 2: God Uses Numbers in Prophecy

#1: A Jewish child’s first prayer “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one God” (Deut. 6:4). This is the opening of the shema prayer, the most important prayer in Judaism.


#2: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor, for if they fall, one will lift up his fellow” (Eccl. 4:9-10).


#3: The simplest compound unit of mathematical science. God is one God in 3 persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is the number of the Godhead. Man has a 3-fold nature: body, soul, and spirit. Israel would be given to the Jewish people 3 times. God gave Abraham 3 “I wills.” 3 temples in Israel are called for in Scripture; the 3rd temple will be built during the 7-year Tribulation period (Matt. 24:15-212 Thess. 2:1-4Rev. 11:1-2). The Bible says there will be a 3rd world war at the end of the 7 year Tribulation period (Armageddon).


#4: The number of the created world. There are 4 seasons, and 4 points on the compass, north, south, east and west. There are 4 power blocs of the world in the latter day wars: Kings of the North, South, East, and the Western Alliance.


#5: There were 5 Levitical offerings, Jesus used 5 loaves to feed 20,000 and there were 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins in the wedding feast in Matthew 25.


#6: The number of man; it falls short of perfection (7). In 6 days God created the world. Man was created on the 6th day. Goliath had 6 fingers and 6 toes. His spear weighed 600 shekels of iron. His height is recorded as 6 cubits and a span. Jesus was crucified on the 6th hour of the 6th day of the week. The numbers 666 represent the antichrist, the spiritually incomplete man multiplied 100 times over.


#7: The number reserved for God. The number 7 represents the combination of the divine number 3 and the world number 4. 7 represents spiritual perfection and rest.

The number 7 is used more frequently than any other number in Scripture. There are 7 colors in the light spectrum and 7 notes in music.

7 is the complete number of God. There are 7 days of creation: in six days God created the world, on the 7th day He created the Sabbath and He rested.

Enoch was the 7th from Adam. Job had 7 sons and there were 7 days of grace after Noah entered into the Ark. 7 feasts were given to the Israelites through Moses on Mt Sinai.

Under Old Testament Law, an animal must be at least 7 days old before it can be sacrificed. The feast of Unleavened Bread lasts 7 days. A male child could not be circumcised until 7 full days had passed. Jacob served 7 years for Rachael. There were 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine in Egypt. The land of Israel was to rest in the 7th year.

The Savior spoke 7 times from the cross.

The number 7 is used 52 times in the book of Revelation. The book addresses the 7 Churches of Asia Minor. There are 7 stars representing 7 angels who represent 7 churches. In Revelation 3:1 Jesus is identified as having the 7 spirits of God. There are 7 seals, 7 thunders, 7 trumpets and 7 bowls judgments of the Tribulation period.

The Tribulation period will last 7 years (Dan. 9:27). 7 days make up the 4 quarters of the moon.

The earth will rest on the 7th millennium from creation.


#8: The number of new beginnings. Noah was the 8th person in the Ark. The first-born was to be given to Yahweh on the 8th day (Ex. 22:29-30).

Hebrew circumcision was to be performed on the 8th day.  The Jewish Menorah has 8 candles which commemorates the rededication of the Jewish temple on Hanukkah.


#10: One of the perfect numbers, 10 is made up of the sum of 4 (world) and 6 (man).

The decimal system is based on 10, suggested by the 10 digits of the hands and feet. 10 begins an altogether new series of numbers.

Noah completed the antediluvian age in the 10th generation from God. The 10 Commandments contain all that is necessary, and no more than is necessary, both as to their number and their order.

The 10 plagues were representative of the complete circle of God’s judgments on Egypt (Ex. 9:14).

The northern kingdom of Israel had 10 tribes.

Antichrist’s world power is comprised in the 10 kingdoms, symbolized by the 10 toes on the feet of the image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan. 2:41), and by the 10 horns of the fourth beast of Daniel’s vision (Dan. 7:72024, etc.; Rev. 12:313:117:3712).

The Lord’s Prayer is completed in 10 clauses and there are 10 I AM’s of Jesus in John 10.


#12: In context, the number 12 refers to the Chosen of God as well as to the perfection of divine government.

The year is divided into 12 months and the day into (12×2) 24 hours.

Jacob had 12 sons representing the 12 Israelite tribes. There were 12 righteous judges before a king arose.

There were 12 Apostles whose names are inscribed on the 12 foundations in the New Jerusalem, with 12 gates and 12 foundations guarded by 12 angels.

The 144,000 of Revelation Chapter 7 are 12 thousand from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.


#14: The Bible specifically says there were 14 generations from Abraham to David; 14 generations from David to the Babylonian captivity, and 14 generations from the Babylonian exile to Christ (Matt. 1:17).

14 is seven doubled. The Passover is on the 14th of Nisan, and 14 lambs are offered on each of the 7 days of the Feast of Tabernacles.


#40: Represents a time of testing.

The waters fell on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights during the global flood.

Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness and was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights with the Lord when he received the 10 Commandments.

Israel spied on Canaan 40 days, followed by the Jews wandering in the wilderness 40 years.

Jonah was in Nineveh 40 days and Ezekiel lay on his side for 40 days to symbolize 40 years of Judah’s transgression.

Jesus was tempted for 40 days and was seen by His disciples for 40 days after the Resurrection.

There were 40 years from the crucifixion of Jesus to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.


#70: The number specially connected with Jerusalem.

The number 70 is combination of two of the perfect numbers, 7 and 10, 7 x 10, and signifies perfect spiritual order carried out with all spiritual power and significance.

Both spirit and order are greatly emphasized.

The table of 70 nations in Genesis 10 (post flood) is the first recorded list of the descendants of Noah: Shem, Ham and Japheth, which provides the genealogy of the nations known at that time.

70 elders furnished Israel’s great Tribunal, (Exodus 24:1Numbers 11:16) afterwards called the Sanhedrin.

The Jewish people kept the Sabbaths 70 years, while they were in the Diaspora (Babylonian Captivity) (Jer. 35:11).

70 sevens were determined upon Israel to complete its transgression and bring in everlasting righteousness (Messiah) for it, (Dan. 9:24).

“The days of our years are three score years and ten (70); and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Ps. 90:10).

The destruction of the second Jewish Temple took place in AD 70.