Supernatural Design Through Numbers
Word of God, Books of the Bible,
The Writers, Words in Old Testament

Supernatural Design Through Numbers
Word of God, Books of the Bible,
The Writers, Words in Old Testament

The Word of God

We now come to the Word of God, which is the greatest, and, to us, most important of all God's works. May we not look for, and expect to find, number used not only with the same wondrous design, but, here, with significance also? If there be design, there must be significance. We may not always see the reason for the latter in the works of creation; but we cannot fail to do so in the great work of Divine Revelation.

In Daniel 8:13 we read, "Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation," etc.? Here, a revelation of a certain future prophetic event was made to Daniel, by a certain saint or holy one, i.e., a holy angel; and "another" angel asked a question concerning numbers—"How long," etc.? The name of "that certain saint" is given in the Hebrew, and is placed in the margin, with its meaning. His name is "PALMONI," and it means "the numberer of secrets, or the wonderful numberer."

So that there is one holy angel, at least, whose function has to do with numbers. Numbers, therefore, and their secrets, hold an important place in the words as well as in the works of God. "A wonderful numberer" ("PALMONI") presides over them, and has his place in making known the things of God.

This certainly looks like design; and, if so—if not only the "days" in which revealed events shall take place are numbered, but the words also themselves are numbered— then we shall have a great and wondrous proof of the Divine, verbal, and even literal inspiration of the Word of God.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter" (Prov 25:2). In searching out, therefore, the secrets of the Word of God, we are doing not only a royal, but an honourable work.

"The works of the LORD are great: sought out of all them that have pleasure therein" (Psa 111:2). This is quite different, of course, from trying to find out what God calls His "secret things."

"The secret things belong unto the LORD our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever" (Deut 29:29). Our searching must be confined to what is revealed. With what God has been pleased not to reveal, but to keep secret, not only have we nothing whatever to do, but we are guilty of the sin of presumption in even speculating about it. If a child of God is observed to be much occupied with God's "secret things," he will be found to be one who neglects the study of the things which God has revealed.

We can have neither words nor works without "number." The question which we have to answer is—Is number used with design or by chance? Surely if God uses it, it must be with infinite wisdom and with glorious perfection. And so it is. Each number has its own significance; and its meaning is found to be in moral harmony and relation to the subject matter in connection with which it stands. This harmony is always perfect. Every word of God's Book is in its right place. It may sometimes seem to us to be deranged. The lock may be in one place, and the key may sometimes be hidden away elsewhere in some apparently inadvertent word or sentence.

A volume might be written in illustration of this fact; and it would be a profitable Bible-study to search out these little seemingly unimportant keys.

For example: In Genesis 11 and 12, we see how Abram came out of Ur of the Chaldees, but instead of going on at once to Canaan, he stops a long time in Haran. The explanation of this delay is not given there. It is hidden away in Acts 7:4, where we read, "from thence [i.e. from Haran] when his father was dead." From which we learn that Terah was the hindrance; and we are taught by the fact, thus emphasized, how earthly relationships may sometimes hinder our complete obedience.

Another example is Isaiah 52:4: "My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without case." Here is a very difficult lock. This verse has greatly puzzled commentators, who assume that two oppressions are spoken of, one in Egypt and the other in Assyria. They are therefore at a loss to understand and explain why these two oppressions are mentioned together in one verse, as though they were closely connected, when in fact they were separated by more than seven centuries. The key is hidden away in one little word in Acts 7:18, "There arose another king." The word here translated "another" is not alloV, another of the same kind; but it is eteroV, another of a different kind; showing us that it was a different dynasty altogether: and the monuments now prove that it was a new Assyrian dynasty.*

* The last king of the 18th dynasty, Amenhotep IV, was succeeded by a new race of kings which is called the 19th dynasty, commencing with RAMESES I and his son Seti I, who reigned together, Seti I surviving as the Pharaoh of the "Oppression" (Exo 1 and 2) and dying (Exo 2:23). His mummy is now in the Boulak Museum. He was succeeded by RAMESES II—the Pharaoh of the Plagues and the Exodus, who was drowned in the Red Sea. The change to this new dynasty is clearly seen in the monuments, in the great difference between the round faces, flat noses, and thick lips of the 18th or Egyptian dynasty, and the long face, high cheekbones, and aquiline nose of the Assyrian of the 19th dynasty. Josephus speaks of "the crown being come into another family" (Ant. ii. 9). The same is implied in the words "a new king" (Exo 1:8); not #%dq, but Mw@q. See Deuteronomy 32:17; Judges 5:8; Daniel 2:31, 39, 44, 3:24.

Many other examples might be given to show how a name, or a word, or a genealogy, or a date, may be found, which is seemingly of little or no importance in its context, and yet may throw wondrous light on a passage written elsewhere, and be a key to a difficulty, otherwise, inexplicable. "But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit," whose infinite wisdom is seen inspiring the whole of Divine revelation and securing a uniformity in results which would be absolutely impossible in a work written separately by different writers.

Let us defer for the present the subject of significance, and look at a few facts which show a manifest design pervading the whole Bible, by which various agents, writing at different intervals, and thus separated both by place, and time, and circumstance, are yet made to use certain words a definite number of times.

The actual number depends upon the special significance of the word; for the significance of the word corresponds with the significance of the number of the times it occurs.

Where there is no such special significance in the meaning or use of the word, there is no special significance in the number of its occurrences.

But where there is a general importance in the word, apart from its direct significance, then the word occurs according to law.

All such general and important words—i.e., such words on which the Holy Spirit would have us place special emphasis, or would wish us to lay special stress—occur a certain number of times. These are either—

(1) A square number, or
(2) A cube, or
(3) A multiple of seven, or
(4) A multiple of eleven.

It is interesting to notice why these numbers should be thus associated together. They are significant in themselves, for seven is one of the four so-called perfect numbers, 3, 7, 10 and 12, as we shall see below.

• 3 is the number of Divine perfection.
• 7 is the number of Spiritual perfection.
• 10 is the number of Ordinal perfection.
• 12 is the number of Governmental perfection.

The product of these four perfect numbers forms the great number of chronological perfection, 3 x 7 x 10 x 12 = 2520, the times of Israel's punishment, and the times of Gentile dominion over Jerusalem.

The association of the numbers 11 and 7 connects this arithmetical law with the geometrical, and calls our attention to the phenomena presented by the sides of the four primary rectilineal forms—

In the plane,
The triangle has 3 sides
The square has 4 sides = 7

In the solid,
The pyramid has 5 sides
The cube has 6 sides = 11

The number 18 (the sum of these, 7 + 11) in Scripture and in nature is usually thus divided into 7 and 11, or 9 and 9.

As 7 is to 11, so is the height of a pyramid (whose base is a square) to the length of its base.

As 7 is to 11 expresses also the ratio between the diameter of a circle and its semi-circumference; or between a semi-circle and its chord.

Further, as 18 in Scripture and in nature is divided into 7 and 11, so 7 is divided into 3 and 4 (3+4=7), and 11 is divided into 5 and 6 (5+6=11).

These numbers, 3, 4, 5, and 6, are related by a perfect arithmetical progression, whose difference is unity (1). Their product gives us the well-known division of the circle into 360 degrees (3x4x5x6=360)*. No one can tell us why the great circle of the heavens (the Zodiac) should be divided into 360 parts, instead of any other number, for apart from this it appears to be perfectly arbitrary. This is the number, however, which gives us the great Zodiacal, Prophetic, and Biblical year of 360 days, which was given originally to Noah, and employed by the Babylonians and Egyptians.

* The number 360 is divisible without a remainder by all the nine digits except seven.

It is the multiplication of seven of these great Zodiacal circles, or years, by seven, which gives us the great number expressive of chronological perfection (360x7=2520).

The number 2520 is, perhaps, the most remarkable of all others, for

1. It is the summary of all the primary rectilinear forms.
2. It is the product of the four great numbers of completion or perfection, as shown above (for 3x7x10x12=2520).
3. It is the Least Common Multiple (LCM) of all the ten numbers from which our system of notation is derived; for the LCM of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, is 2520.

Finally, in the musical scale, as we have already seen, we again meet with these numbers seven and 11 as the expression of the seven primary notes and the 11 semitones.

What there is of design or chance in all this we must leave to the judgment of our readers.

It is sufficient for our purpose now, merely to note that these two numbers, seven and 11, have been specially selected to play so important a part;* and that there is such a remarkable relation between them must be due to design.

* Why they should have been so selected we cannot tell. That there must be a peculiar adaptation in certain numbers and certain things is clear, even according to man's usage of them. Man speaks of "three cheers" and "forty winks," but why no other number would do no one can tell.

Why should it be these two numbers seven and 11? Why not any other two numbers? or why two at all? Why not three? We may or may not be able to explain why, but we cannot close our eyes to the fact. We are now merely observing phenomena and noting the working of laws. Let us look first at

The Books of the Bible
The Old Testament

The Authorised Version, and indeed all printed Bibles, contain and reckon 39 separate books in the Old Testament.

The Alexandrian Jews and early Christian Fathers reckoned 22 (2x11) books. This number was arbitrarily and artificially made by putting certain books together in order to make the number of the books agree with the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet.*

* This number 22 they obtained by arbitrarily reckoning Judges and Ruth together as one book, and Jeremiah and Lamentations together, in addition to reckoning the double books as one, and Ezra-Nehemiah as one.

But all these reckonings are of no value, none of them being based on any authority, and all of them being against the authority of the Hebrew MSS, which is all that we have to guide us in the matter. In other words, the number and order of the books of the Bible come to us on precisely the same authority as its facts and doctrines.

In the Hebrew MSS Ezra and Nehemiah are always reckoned as one book, with the one name, Ezra. Each of the double books is reckoned as one book (e.g. 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles), and all the minor prophets are also reckoned as one book. This makes 24 books in all. This is 8 x 3, both factors stamping the number with the seal of Divine perfection. (see under the numbers Three and Eight).*

* For further information on this interesting subject see a pamphlet on The Names and Order of the Books of the Old Testament, by the same author.

The New Testament

The New Testament contains 27 separate books (3x3x3 or 3³).

Of these 27 books, 21 (3x7) are Epistles.

The Writers

If we take the agents employed, we have 28 writers (4x7) in the Old Testament, and 8 (2³) in the New Testament; or together, 36 (6²).

Of the 21 Epistles of the New Testament 14 (2x7) are by Paul, and seven by other writers.

In this we have an argument for the Pauline authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews; an argument which is confirmed by the numbers of verbal occurrences shown below. *

* The following logical reasoning also supports the Pauline agency. There are four steps in the argument:—

1. Peter wrote his First Epistle to the Diaspora, the Dispersion. See 1 Peter 1:1.
2. His Second Epistle was addressed to the same dispersed of Israel. See 2 Peter 3:1.
3. To these same he says (2 Peter 3:15) "our beloved brother Paul...hath written unto YOU."
4. Where is this Epistle if it be not the one which is addressed to "the Hebrews"?

Not only do we find these phenomena in the books and the writers of the Bible, but in the occurrences of important words and phrases.

Words in the Old Testament

• "Mercy seat" occurs 27 times (3³).
• "The candlestick" occurs 27 times (3³).
• The "wave offering"* occurs 28 times (4x7).

  * Only in Exodus and Leviticus the AV does not translate "wave" uniformly.

• The "heave-offering"* occurs 28 times (4x7).

  * In its sacrificial character.

• "Frankincense" occurs in Leviticus 7 times and elsewhere 14 times for a total of 21 (3x7)
• "Tenth deal," 28 times (4x7).
• "Shittim wood," h+@af#$i and My+@i#$i, 28 times (4x7).
• "Living" (yx, Chai):

• Chaldee		7		175 (7x25)
  Hebrew	Leviticus	35	(5x7)
  	Numbers	7
  	Deuteronomy	21	(3x7)
  	Samuel	49	(7x7)
  	Solomon	56	(7x8)

  
  

• "Manna," Nmaf, occurs 14 times (2x7).

• Qoheleth, tleheq&, "preacher," seven, all in Ecclesiastes:

  3 at the beginning (1:1,2,12).
  1 in the middle (7:27).
  3 at the end (12:8,9,10).

• "Little children," P+a:

  In Deuteronomy	7	42 (6x7)
  Rest of Pentateuch	21
  Elsewhere	14

In God's covenant with Noah (Gen 9) the word tyrb@, Berith, "covenant," is used seven times; with Abraham (Gen 15 and 17) 14 times.

• N'ginah (hnaygin:, "a song," etc.):
  

* Seven times in singular:—one in Psalms (61), and six elsewhere. Seven times in plural (Neginoth):—six in Psalms (4, 6, 54, 55, 67, 70), and one elsewhere (Hab 3:19), thus making a double-sevenfold arrangement within another!

• "Chief Musician" (xcnm, M'natstsach):*

  In Psalms	55	(5x11)	56 (7x8)
  Hab 3:19 (RV)	1

  * The verb occurs 9 times (3²) with other meanings.

• "Blessed" (yr#$), ashrey):*

• Psalms	25	(52)	44 (4x11)
  Rest of Old Testament	19

  * This word is masculine plural construct, and means literally, O the blisses of! O the happiness of! It is never used in the singular, to show that God's blessings cannot be numbered. It is translated 17 times "happy" and 27 times "blessed."

• "Vision":

  wzx, Cheh-zev (Chald.)	11		55 (5x11)
  Nwzx, Chah-zon	35	(5x7)
  Nwyzx, Chiz-zah-yohn	9	(32)

• "Branch":

  rcn, Neh-tzer*	4	(22)	16 (42)
  xmc, Tsemech**	12	(3x22)

  * From rcanaf (Nahtsar), to preserve, which occurs 63 (7x9) times.

** Tsemech is used of Christ the Branch 4 (2²) times.

• xsp@, pah-sach, the verb used of the Passover, seven times.
• tntk@, k'thoh-neth, and koot-toh-neth, "coats," 28 times (1st occ. Gen 3:15).
• N#$l, (lish shahn) (Chald.), languages, 7 times—all in Daniel.
• (rz (zeh-ragh), seed, 224 (7x32).