The number forty-two is a number connected with Antichrist. An important part of his career is to last for 42 months (Revelation 11:2, 13:5), and thus this number is fixed upon him. Another number of Antichrist is 1260, and this is 30 x 42.

Its factors are six and seven (6x7=42), and this shows a connection between man and the Spirit of God, and between Christ and Antichrist:

• Forty-two stages of Israel's wanderings mark their conflict with the will of God.

• Forty-two young men mocked the ascension of Elijah to Elisha, 2 Kings 2:23, 24.

Being a multiple of seven, it might be supposed that it would be connected with spiritual perfection. But it is the product of six times seven. Six, therefore, being the number of Man, and man's opposition to God, Forty-two becomes significant of the working out of man's opposition to God.

There may be something more in the common phrase about things being all "sixes and sevens." They are so, indeed, when man is mixed up with the things of God, and when religious "flesh" engages in spiritual things. See section on the numbers six and seven together.

In Gematria

In gematria it is a factor in the number of Nimrod's name, which is 294, or 42 x 7. It will be often found as a factor in the Antichristian names. See under the number Thirteen.

It does not often appear as a separate number, but when it is thus seen as a factor of another number, it always imparts its significance to it.