The Meaning of Numbers: The Number 15
The meaning of the number 15 in the Bible is rest. This rest comes after deliverance that is represented by fourteen. The 15th day of the first Hebrew month (Nisan) is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a day of rest for the children of Israel (and for Christians). The 15th day of the seventh Hebrew month begins the Feast of Tabernacles, also a day of rest.
God, as the sun set to begin Nisan 15, informed in a vision that his descendants would end up as slaves in a foreign country (Egypt). They would, however, eventually be set free (Genesis 15:12 - 16).
Many years later in Egypt, God miraculously delivered Israel's firstborn from the death angel just as Passover began after sunset (Nisan 14). Then, 24 hours later (just as the sun was setting to begin Nisan 15), the children of Israel began to leave Egypt (Exodus 12:40 - 41). This night is referred to as the 'night to be much observed' (Exodus 12:40 - 42, Deuteronomy 16:1). God's prophecy of freedom, given to Abraham on Nisan 15, was fulfilled years later on the exact same day.
After dying on the cross, Jesus' body is placed in a Garden Tomb as the sun was setting to begin Nisan 15 in 30 A.D. (Matthew 27:57 - 61, Luke 23:50 - 55, John 19:38 - 42).
Appearances of the Number Fifteen
King Hezekiah, who was near death, prayed that God would remember his works and how he served him with his whole heart. God heard his prayer and told him, through the prophet Isaiah, that he would be healed and granted 15 more years (see 2Kings 20:1 - 6).
The name Pharaoh gave Joseph was Zaphnathpaaneah, a name of fifteen letters.
The book of 1Peter contains material from fifteen Old Testament books.
Two of the top ten most frequently mentioned women in the word of God, Abigail and Miriam, are mentioned 15 times.
The longest words in the King James translation that are not names contain fifteen letters. They include words such as administrations (1Corinthians 12:5), bloodguiltiness (Psalm 51:14), fellowprisoners (Romans 16:7), notwithstanding (Exodus 16:20), righteousnesses (Isaiah 64:6), stumblingblocks (Jeremiah 6:21) and unrighteousness (Leviticus 19:15).
It was in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar's reign that John the Baptist's ministry began (Luke 3:1 - 3).
The Number 15 and Promises
There are at least fifteen promises to Christians listed in the book of Matthew.
1) The Kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3)
2) We will be filled with righteousness (5:6)
3) We shall see God (5:8)
4) We will be called the children of God (5:9)
5) Our names confessed before God the Father (10:32)
6) We will be given rest (11:29)
7) God will consider us part of his family (12:50)
8) We shall become fully converted (18:3)
9) We shall be great in God's Kingdom (18:4)
10) We will be able to receive Christ (18:5)
11) Our requests made with others will be granted (18:19)
12) Christ will be with us (18:20)
13) We will be saved (24:13)
14) We serve Jesus by serving others (25:40)
15) Jesus will always be with us (28:19)
More Info on Biblical Meaning of Number 15
Three and five are factors of 15. Fifteen contains the digits one and five. If we begin at 1 and add all the digits up to and including 5, we arrive at the number (1+ 2 + 3 + 4 + 5).
For Christians, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Nisan 15) pictures rest from their sins, having had them removed by Christ's shed blood on Passover. The 15th day of the 7th month begins the Feast of Tabernacles. For the children of Israel, it pictured rest from the long harvest season. They were to dwell in booths in remembrance of their trek in the wilderness.
Prophetically, the 15th day of the 7th month pictures the coming Millennium when the world will have rest from sin because of the binding of Satan on the Day of Atonement. Under Christ's reign, salvation will then be offered to the world, becoming the great spiritual harvest of God for 1,000 years.