Numerics in the Bible
Have you ever wondered about all of the different numbers in the Bible? That there is a frequent recurrence of certain numbers in the Word of God, no one can doubt (1, 3, 7, 10, 12, 40, 70, etc.).
Numbers have something to do with the function of the universe. Mathematics is an exact science. The planets move at predetermined times and are locked into predetermined orbits. The tides can be predicted with accuracy years in advance. Our earth rotates on its axis once every 23 hours and 56 minutes and revolves around the sun every 365 1/4 days.
Numbers have universal significance, like certain colors and music. Numbers in the Bible fix this significance. God has verbally, and numerically, inspired His Word. Let’s look at a couple different numbers over the next couple of days.
The number ONE equals unity:
The first occurrence in the Bible is found in Genesis 1:9, “And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.”
Our words, unitas, uno, unity, unit, unum, speak of one or a unit.
The number one speaks of something with unity, stability, or strength.
In Deuteronomy 6:4 one is used of God as a plurality united, a oneness of a multiplicity or compound unity. “The Lord our God is one Lord.“
In Genesis 11, “The whole earth was of one language and of one speech… and the Lord said, behold, the people is one and they all have one language… let us go down, and there confound their language.” I see a strength of unity apart from God.
In Ephesians 4:4-6, we see one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God!. I see a strength of unity in Christ!
The number one… pretty fascinating. We will next look at the number, “two”.