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The Numbers in Scripture!
by
Robert E. Schoenle
It is impossible to understand any parable and the
truth being
illustrated unless one knows what and who the symbols used in it
represent! In the case of "The Parable of the Ten
Virgins",
for example,
it is also necessary to know what the numbers used in it signify. In
order to do this we must know what the fundamental thought is for each
of the significant numbers used in Scripture.
In his classic seven volume work entitled, "The Numerical Bible,"
that was
most recently published by Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., in 1974, Mr. F.W.
Grant declared the following, "In each number there is ...a central
thought, derived from some natural significance, and from which all
other meanings take their rise."1 In other words, each number
used in
Scripture has a definite meaning!
This should not surprise anyone "...when...," to again
quote Mr. Grant,
"...you remember how all the natural sciences in the present day are
ranging themselves under arithmetical law; when, as Herschel says, every
law of nature tends to express itself in terms of arithmetic....2
Why
should not a law of numbers pervade Scripture also, and link God's work
and His Word together,----or show His Word also to be His work? 3 We
must now look, though briefly, at the symbolical meaning of the numbers
themselves....4 As there are seven notes in music, and the eighth is
but the octave---the beginning again of the series in another key, so
there are seven numerals which are alone fundamental in
Scripture---symbolism.... All other significant numbers derive their
meaning from these, which combine in some way to produce them."5
In our desire to be concise, only the fundamental thought, for the
following numbers used in Scripture will be given. The fundamental
thought for the number One is - "Exclusiveness." The fundamental
thought
for the number Two is - "Difference or Division." The fundamental
thought
for the number Three is - "Fullness or Completeness." The fundamental
thought for the number Four is - "Weakness." The fundamental thought for
the number Five is - "Whole responsibility under God." The fundamental
thought for the number Six is - "Manifestation of evil." The
fundamental
thought for the number Seven is - "Perfection." The fundamental
thought
for the number Eight is - "New Beginning." The fundamental thought for
the number Ten is - "Natural responsibility to God." The fundamental
thought for the number Twelve is - "Manifest Sovereignty." The
fundamental thought for the number Forty is - "Full testing according to
the whole responsibility."
The above information explains why the Lord Jesus used the numbers
ten
and five in "The Parable of the Ten Virgins." The
virgins, because
of their numbers, represent individuals, each of whom is wholly
responsible both naturally and spiritually to God. The fact that
there
are two groups of people described in this parable also reveals that
they are different from each other and therefore divided from each
other.
F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible: Genesis to Deuteronomy (Loizeaux
Brothers, 1974).
1. p. 12
2. p. 10
3. p. 11
4. p. 11
5. p. 12
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