Numbers in the Word of God
Lesson #3
In the previous lesson we looked at the connections with the numbers five and six. In this lesson we are going to look at the numbers seven, eight, and nine. Remember as you are studying out these simple facts regarding these numbers that the purpose of this study is to help increase our faith in the word of God and the fact that he wrote it and also inspired man to place the chapters and verse numbers as he saw fit and even preserve his word for us today in the King James Bible.
The Number Seven :
The number seven is connected with God and completion. The first occurrence is found in Genesis 5:7. When God completes something the number seven will usually be connected with it. In the creation of the world we live in right now God worked six days and rested on the seventh. The seventh day under the law given to the children of Israel would become a day of rest for them, a day in which no work could be done. It points to the 1000 reign of the Lord Jesus Christ during which the earth will be at rest and there will be peace. Remember that with the Lord one day is as 1000 years and 1000 years as one day (2 Peter 3:8), therefore even though the actual days of the creation in Genesis were literal days of 24 hours one could say that if each of these days represents 1000 years then the seven day would represent the 1000 year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ on this earth.
The very last book of the Bible is Revelations. Since God completes things using the number seven then there should be sevens all through the book of Revelations. Below is a list of some of the sevens found in the book of Revelation, as you will note it is a book filled with sevens.
7 Churches
7 Golden Candlesticks
7 Stars
7 Spirits
A seven sealed book
7 Trumpets
7 Vials
Beast with 7 heads
City on 7 mountains
Lamb with 7 horns & 7 eyes
Dragon with 7 heads & 7 crowns.
It is interesting to note that in the King James Bible the word Jehovah is only found 7 times (Genesis 22:14 ; Exodus 6:3 ; Exodus 17:15 ; Judges 6:24 ; Psalm 83:18 ; Isaiah 12:2 ; Isaiah 26:4). Notice also out of these seven times that the middle one is Judges 6:24 and that is the 7th book of the Bible. In a King James Bible you will find 31,102 verses. Note that 3+1+1+0+2=7, God really knew what he was doing when he inspired those men to put in the verses because most of the modern day translations will leave out a verse or two and that mess that number up so that it does not add up to 7. Note also that King James commissioned the translation of the King James Bible in 1604 and it was finished in 1611 that is 7 years, God is just simply amazing.
In the book of Leviticus you will find 7 feasts unto the Lord that the children of Israel were to offer. You will also find that the Lord Jesus Christ spoke 7 saying from the cross of Calvary. The word of God is filled with sevens and when God completes something it is done with the number 7.
The Number Eight :
The number eight is connected with something new or new things. The first occurrence is in Genesis 5:4. With the number 7 we saw completion therefore when we see the number 8 it will usually have to do with something new. For instance the 8th day is actually the 1st day of a new week.
There were 8 people on the ark (1 Peter 3:20) and when they got off the ark they started new again with the earth. According to the Old Testament (Genesis 17:12) a male child was to be circumcised on the 8th day. There are 8 main covenants in the bible and the 8th one is called the “new covenant” (Hebrews 8:8) note chapter 8 verse 8.
Jesus was raised on the first day of the week (Luke 24:1) which could actually be called the 8th day. As a result of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ the new birth is possible (1 Peter 1:3). In John 3:3-8 the Lord Jesus Christ is talking with Nicodemus about the new birth and although it has not come yet it is interesting that in those verses the word “born” is used eight times. Nothing God does is without significance.
The Number Nine :
The number nine is connected many times with fruitfulness but this may not be as consistent as the others. The first occurrence is found in Genesis 5:5. Abraham was 99 years old when Sarah conceived. This is of great note because Sarah had been barren and never had a child and Abraham considered his flesh dead in that he could not father a child. But Isaac was the seed that was promised to Abraham and the seed denotes something fruitful.
In Genesis 3:15 we see that God told the serpent (satan) that he would put enmity between the woman and him and between her seed and his seed. Now it is interesting that the woman is said to have a seed here. The woman has no seed. In reproduction the seed comes from the man. Therefore what you have here is the first prophesy of the Lord Jesus Christ being born of a virgin and note that the chapter and verse number adds up to nine (3+1+5=9). Also in Genesis 9:9 we see that God is establishing a covenant with Noah and his seed after him. Once again the number nine is connected with a seed and a seed is connected with bearing fruit.
In John 12:24 Jesus says “that except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” This is interesting because the chapter number and verse number add to 9 (1+2+2+4=9) but also because Jesus was speaking of his own death and in Matthew 27:46-50 we see he died at about the 9th hour. His death burial and resurrection has brought forth more fruit than can be numbered.
In Galatians 5:22-23 we see that there are 9 fruits of the spirit. This is interesting because Galatians is the 9th book of the New Testament. Galatians has 9 letters and 5+2+2=9. Along these lines it is interesting to note that the words “Holy Bible” have 9 letters. The words King James has 9 letters and 1611 the year the King James Translation was first printed adds up to 9 (1+6+1+1=9). Now this is not just a coincidence because still today 400 years later that book is still a best seller and is still producing fruit when all many other modern translations have faded away.
By now it should be very clear that not only did God inspire his word but he preserved it for us in a King James Bible and clearly you can see God’s hand in it which means that we can trust it and also live by what it says with assurance in what it says.
Numbers in the Word of God
Lesson #3 : Handout
1) What do we know about the number 7 in the word of God? Give references and examples.
2) What do we know about the number 8 in the word of God? Give references and examples.
3) What do we know about the number 9 in the word of God? Give references and examples.