Numbers in the Bible

TODAY'S BIBLE READING:

Exodus 39:1–40:38 
Mark 1:1-28 
Psalm 35:1-16 
Proverbs 9:11-12


BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

Proverbs 9:12 "If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer."


REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

The Bible is like no other book ever written!

If you are content to simply take a stroll through your readings each morning, you will be blessed with gold dust on the surface that you can admire and take with you. If, instead, you want to mine deep into the riches of God's Word through aggressive study, you will discover massive veins of gold running throughout the Bible that will bless you in so many ways. One point is clear - no one has ever come close to discovering all of the hidden treasures found within the Scripture's pages.

Let me introduce you to yet another way to look at and study God's Word ...

In this morning's reading, we are told that Jesus was tempted by Satan.

Mark 1:12-13 "The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him."

The truths embedded in those two short verses could keep us busy for a month of Sundays as we mine out their truth. Yet, I want you to focus on 3 simple words: "for forty days."

Did you know that God's Word is so rich that even the numbers are extremely significant? Did you know that virtually every time the number "40" shows up in Scripture, it is talking about a time of testing? It was a time in which someone was able to prove themselves or to show that they were untrustworthy.

Exodus 24:18 - Moses was on Mt. Sinai for 40 days (to test the Israelites' devotion to God).
Numbers 32:13 - The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.
Jonah 3:4 - Jonah warned the people of Nineveh for 40 days.
Mark 1:12-13 - Jesus was tempted by Satan for 40 days.

On and on this list could go. While the number 40 doesn't necessarily always refer to a time of testing, the times in which it does shows that there is definitely something significant about the numbers of the Bible.

In fact, there are so many other numbers in the Bible that are extremely important:

3 - usually signifies "completeness" and sometimes means "Trinity"
6 - usually signifies "man"

So, when you put "6" together "3" times, you have "666." Simply looking at the numbers, we recognize that this is a man setting himself up as God.

Have I peaked your interest?

There are plenty of websites that address biblical numerology. While the Bible may come alive as you begin looking at the numbers, just be careful to keep your 'thinking cap' on. Don't force a meaning onto a text simply because it has a number in it that you think means a certain thing. But, by all means, if a text you are studying has a number, check it out. If it sheds even more light on the text, enjoy the thrill of discovery!