Meaning of Numbers in the Bible

Meaning of Number in the Bible
in Bible Studies Meaning of Numbers in the Bible
Let’s take a brief look at the most common numbers and their biblical meanings.
Number 1: Symbolic of unity (Deuteronomy 6:4). God is one, Jesus and the Father are one, etc.
Number 2: Symbolic of a witness (Exodus 25:22; Matthew 26:60; Luke 10:1). Christ sent his disciples out two by two, and wherever two are gathered in His name He is present, etc.
Number 3: Symbolic of perfection and completion (John 2:19; Matthew 12:40; Luke 13:7). The three Persons of the Holy Trinity is the best example of this.
Number 4: Symbolic of the Earth (Daniel 7:3; Matthew 13: Isaiah 11:12). Four directions, four seasons.
Number 5: Symbolic of grace (Leviticus 1-5; Genesis 43:34; Matthew 14:17). Five types of offering in Leviticus, the Book of Psalms is divided into five sections, five books of the Law. The Tabernacle contained five curtains, five pillars, five sockets, five bars, and the altar was five cubits by five cubits, etc.
Number 6: Symbolic of humanity (Genesis 1:31; Revelation 13:15-18). Man was created on the sixth day, man labors six days, slaves served only for six years, etc.
Number 7: Symbolic of spiritual perfection (Genesis 2:2; Psalm 12:6; Matthew 18:22) . Thus, we see seven churches, seven spirits, seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc.
Number 8: Symbolic of a new beginning (Genesis 17:2; Mark 16:9-11; Genesis 7:13). Christ appeared eight times after His resurrection, God saved eight people from the Flood, newborns were circumcised on the eighth day.
Number 10: symbolizes earthly government (Ruth 4:2; Exodus 20:1-17; 1 Kings 11:31-35). Ten lost tribes, ten commandments, and a tithe being a tenth of our earnings.
Number 12: symbolizes spiritual authority (Matthew 10:2-4; Revelation 7; 10:2-4). Twelve tribes, twelve apostles, Jacob had twelve sons, God ordered that twelve loaves of unleavened bread be present in the temple each week, etc.
Number 30: symbolizes dedication to a calling (Numbers 4:3; Luke 3:23; 2 Samuel 5:4). Aaronic priests were initially dedicated at 30 years old. Christ began His public ministry at 30 years of age, David was 30 years old when he began his reign over Israel.
Number 40: Symbolic of trials (Genesis 7:4; Exodus 24:18; Numbers 14:33; Matthew 4:2). Moses lived 40 years in the desert, 40 years in Egypt, and was on Mount Sinai for 40 days, Jonah preached in Nineveh for 40 days, Ezekiel slept on his right side for 40 days, etc.
Number 70: Symbolic of judgment (Numbers 11:16; Ezekiel 8:11; Jeremiah 29:10). God provided 70 priests for Moses in passing judgment. For seventy years, the Israelites were kept in Babylonian captivity.
Perhaps the most notorious number found in Scripture is that associated with the Anti-Christ: 666.
The Church Fathers noted several other instances wherein the number six featured prominently.
For example:
“Fittingly, therefore, will his name possess the number six hundred and sixty-six, since the Anti-Christ sums up in his own person all the mixture of wickedness that took place previous to the deluge, due to the apostasy of the angels. For Noah was six hundred years old when the deluge came upon the earth...Furthermore, that image which was set up by Nebuchadnezzar had indeed a height of sixty cubits, while the breadth was six cubits...This, then, the six hundred years of Noah...indicate the number of the name of that man in whom is concentrated the whole apostasy of six thousand years” (Irenaeus).