Numbers in Creation
How were numbers used to create the Old Testament?

What does the number of Old Testament books symbolize?

"The candlestick" occurs 27 times (33).

The "wave offering" occurs 28 times (4x7).

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

In God's covenant with Noah (Genesis 9) the word Berith, "covenant," is used 7 times; with Abraham (Genesis 15 and 17) 14 times.

"Little children," occurs 7 times in Deuteronomy and 21 times in the rest of the Pentateuch and 14 times elsewhere for 42.

"Frankincense" occurs in Leviticus 7 times and elsewhere 14 times for a total of 21 (3x7)

pah-sach, the verb used of the Passover, 7 times.

"Blessed" used 25 times in the Psalms and 19 times in the rest of the Old Testament for 44 times total.

Which numbers frequently appear in Biblical word counts?

In the same way we may take both Old and New Testaments together, and see how marvelously thirty-six writers so use their words that when all are taken together we find the same law at work! This would be absolutely impossible if "one and the same Spirit works all these things . . ." (1Corinthians 12:11) had not inspired the whole so as to produce such a harmonious result. The instances are very numerous, and the following words and phrases (based on the King James Version Bible text) are given merely as examples:

• "Hallelujah":

  24* in Psalms (22x6)	28 (22x7)
  4 in Revelation (22)

  * Viz., in 7 Psalms, once each; in 7 Psalms, twice each; in one 3 times, making 24 in all. Besides this seven-fold arrangement within the square numbers, the total of the squares yields a seven-fold result (28).

• "Hosanna":

  1 in Old Testament (Psalm 118:25)	7
  6 in New Testament

• "Shepherd," used of God or of Christ:

  12 * in Old Testament (22x3)	21 (3x7)
  (ποιµην, 9 ** in New Testament (32)

  "Jehovah Sabaoth," translated as "the LORD of Hosts," "the God of hosts," etc.

  Old Testament	285	287 (7x41)
  New Testament	2

  
  

• "Corban," an offering:

  Old Testament	82	84 (7x12)
  New Testament (κορβαν , Mark 7:11)	1
  New Testament (κορβανας , Matthew 27:6)	1

  
  

• "Milk":

  Old Testament	44	(4x11)	49 (7x7)
  New Testament (γαλα)	5

  
  

• "Abaddon" (Destruction):

  In Old Testament	6	7
  In New Testament	1

  
  

• Christ spoken of at the right hand of God:

  Old Testament	2	(Psalm 110:1,5)	21 (3x7)
  New Testament	19

  
  

• "After the order of Melchizedek": *

  Old Testament	1	7
  New Testament	6

  
  

  * Psalm 110:4, quoted in Hebrews 5:6,10, 6:20, 7:11,17,21.

• "The stone which the builders refused is become the head of the corner":*

  Old Testament	1	7
  New Testament	6

  
  

  * Psalm 118:22, quoted in Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:40; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1Peter 2:4,7.

• "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself":

  Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18)	1	7
  New Testament	6 *

  * Matthew 19:29, 22:39; Mark 12:31; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8.

• "Uncircumcision of the heart":

  Old Testament	6 *	7
  New Testament	1

  * Leviticus 26:41; Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 4:4, 9:26; Ezekiel 44:7,9; Acts 7:51.

The number 7 and Daniel's prophecy

The half of the important Prophetic period (Daniel's last week, or the last of the 70 weeks, Daniel 9:27) is mentioned 7 times. This, perhaps, ought to be reserved and considered in its significance under the number "seven." The point, however, now is the manner in which this 7 is made up; for though the period is given in 3 different languages, 2 Testaments, and 3 forms (years, months, and days) the number is still 7:

1. Daniel 7:25, Chaldee, "For a time and times and half a time."
2. Daniel 12:7, Hebrew, "for a time, times, and half a time"
3. Revelation 12:14, Greek, "for a time and times and half a time,"
4. Revelation 11:2, "forty-two months."
5. Revelation 13:5, "forty-two months."
6. Revelation 11:3, "they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days,"
7. Revelation 12:6, "one thousand two hundred and sixty days."

What is the SPECIAL relationship between numbers and Old Testament phrases?

The Hebrew word aleh tol'doth, meaning these are the generations, i.e., these are the events that time brought forth to him; or these are the things or persons produced by him. This phrase occurs 14 times in the Bible, 13 times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament.

The first and last are used only of the "first Adam" and of the "last Adam." But these have the additional formula, "This is the book of," etc. (Genesis 5:1 and Matthew 1:1).

While the total number of the phrase "These [are] the generations" is 14, Genesis has 11 of them, which divides the book into twelve sections. The first section being the introduction, and the rest consisting of these eleven "Tol'doth," making twelve divisions in all, in Genesis.

What are the 12 divisions of GENESIS?

The eleven Tol'doth or sections in Genesis (not including the introduction, which makes 12 sections total) are as follows:

1. Genesis 2:4-4:26 - The Heavens and the Earth

2. Genesis 5:1-6:8 - Adam

3. Genesis 6:9-9:29 - Noah

4. Genesis 10:1-11:9 - The Sons of Noah

5. Genesis 11:10-26 - Shem

6. Genesis 11:27-25:11 - Terah (not Abraham's!)

7. Genesis 25:12-18 - Ishmael

8. Genesis 25:19-35:29 - Isaac

9. Genesis 36:1-8 - Esau

10. Genesis 36:9-37:1 - Esau's posterity

11. Genesis 37:2-50:26 - Jacob (not Joseph's)

The Massorah calls attention to the fact that the word Tol'doth, in the Old Testament, is spelled in two ways. The first and the last occurrences (Genesis 2:4 and Ruth 4:18) are spelled with two Vaus, the other eleven are spelled with one Vau. Various fanciful explanations of the phenomena are indulged in by Jewish Commentators. But the simple reason seems to lie in the fact that the spelling of the first and last is called plene, i.e., full or complete; while the spelling of the other eleven is called defective. Thus the eleven which relate to Adam and his posterity (Genesis 5:1 and company) are stamped with defect: while the first, which relates to the heavens and the earth, tells of the perfection in which they were created; and the last, which relates to Pharez (Ruth 4:18), contains the first mention of the name of David, and tells of the Perfect One — David's Son and David's Lord, who shall restore perfection to His people as well as to the new heavens and the new earth.

As a matter of fact, if we take these divinely marked sections, five of them contain both titles (viz., the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 8th, and 11th); four of them contain neither (the 5th, 7th, 9th, and 10th); only the first has the combined title Jehovah Elohim (the LORD God); and only the Introduction has Elohim alone; while "Jehovah" is used by nearly all the speakers, except the Serpent, Abimelech (to Abraham, not to Isaac), the sons of Heth, Pharaoh, Joseph, and his brethren.

Thus, this simple fact to which we are led by the consideration of design in the employment of numbers, entirely explodes the elaborate theories of the so-called "higher critics" concerning the Book of Genesis (counts are based on wording in the King James Version Bible):

• "In all the land of Egypt":

  7	times in Genesis
  13	times in Exodus
  1	time in Jeremiah
  = 21 in all (3x7)

  
  

• "His mercy endureth for ever":

  6	times in Chronicles
  1	time in Ezra
  34	times in Psalms
  1	time in Jeremiah
  = 42 in all (6x7)

  
  

• "A jealous God," 7.

• "The ends of the earth," 14.

• "Behold (or Lo), the days come," 21.

• "Thus saith the Lord GOD (or the LORD)," 126 (7x18).

• "As I live, saith the Lord GOD," 14 (all in Ezekiel).

• "Daughter (or Daughters) of Jerusalem," 7 in singular, 7 plural.

• "The tree of life":

  3 times in Genesis
  4 times in Proverbs
  = 7

• "This is a faithful saying," πιστος ο λογος (pistos ho logos), 7 (in all in Timothy and Titus); 1Timothy 1:15, 3:1, 4:9,12; 2Timothy 2:11; Titus 1:9, 3:8.

• "These things saith . . ." (ταδε λεγει ο...), 7 in Revelation.

• "Children of Israel," 14 times in New Testament.

• "Son of David," used of Christ, 14 times; with slightly different wording,* 7 = 21 (3x7).

  * Matthew 22:42; Luke 1:32; John 7:42; Romans 1:3; 2Timothy 2:8; Revelation 5:5, 22:16.

• "And thou shalt know that I am the LORD" occurs 7 times (1Kings 20:13; Isaiah 49:23; Ezekiel 16:62, 25:7, 32:16, 35:4,12).

We must not, however, multiply these seven-fold occurrences, because they properly come under our head of "significance," and belong to the many illustrations of this number of spiritual perfection. We shall treat them more fully in the section regarding the Biblical meaning of the number 7 (seven).