Symbolic
numbers
The following passages illustrate the symbolic use of numbers.
‘To
the angel of the assembly in Ephesus write: “He who holds the seven
stars in his right hand, he who walks among the seven golden lampstands
says these things”’
(Rev 2:1, WEB)
“He
will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of
Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four
corners of the earth.”
(Isa 11:12, WEB)
Jewish tradition placed symbolic
significance on certain numbers. A similar use of numbers also occurs
in
early Christian writing. Multiples of symbolic numbers, such as seventy
times seven or 666, were sometimes used
to emphasize their symbolic significance.
The symbolic uses of numbers include:
- Two - certainty (especially of witness)
- Three - completeness
- Four - comprehensiveness
- Six - imperfection
- Seven - perfection
- Twelve - often indicates one for each of the 12 tribes
- A Thousand - too many to count
In neither Hebrew nor Greek are there separate numeric characters, so
in both languages numbers are
represented by the letters of the alphabet. Hence, words have numeric
counterparts, for example that for the name David is fourteen. The study of biblical numbers in search of hidden meanings is
known as Gematria. Whilst the practice of Gematria might validly reveal
symbolic significance that authors have embedded in their work, it can
easily be taken to extremes, as in the occult-mystic branch of Judaism known
as Kabbalah.
References
Birch, B. C. 1986. Number. Pages 556-561 in vol. 3 of
ISBE.