The following is a brief outline of numbers as used in the Bible. As you study, notice how the actual events confirm over and over again the meaning of these numbers.
- No significant meaning
- Man apart from God…. left in his humanity.
- Divinity… the “number of God.”
- The number of universal things. Understood to include the whole
- Half of ten… May represent a “human level” of completion.
- Man’s number.
- Perfection, completion, wholeness.
- No significant meaning.
- No significant meaning.
- Completion… can’t count past ten till you have to start over.
Several obvious examples for explanation: 40 is a popular number in the Scripture. From the numbers above, we would recognize that it is 4 X 10. A complete, universal event or thing.
- Flood – rained 40 day and nights.
- Moses – 40 years in the desert.
- Jesus – tempted of the Devil 40 days and nights.
Israel was in Egypt for 400 years. This was the time until the “wickedness of the Amorites (Canaanites) was fulfilled.” 4 X 10 X 10 – the two multiples of 10 would seem to indicate a completion of their human efforts and sin apart from God. Jesus told Peter to forgive 70 X 7 times. While His statement was definitely a play on words, the numbers represent exactly what Jesus was saying… a complete, perfect, full forgiveness without reservation.