Meaning of Numbers: The Number 2
The English word "two" for the number 2 is recorded 835 times in 703 King James Bible verses. This breaks down to 696 occurrences in the Old Testament and 139 times it appears in the New Testament.
Timeline of Peter's Life and Ministry!
The word "twice," meaning on two or a second occasion (and not double something) occurs twelve times in twelve King James verses. A good example of twice meaning a second time is Jesus' famous warning to Peter that he would deny him before the cock crowed two times.
And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. (Mark 14:30, KJV).
The number 2 conveys the meaning of a union, division or the verification of facts by witnesses. A man and woman, though two, are made one in marriage (Genesis 2:23 - 24). There is also a union of 2 between Christ and the church (see 1Corinthians 12).
The Old Testament writings that use 2 (two) the most are the book of Exodus (112 times) then Numbers (77) then 1Kings (55). The New Testament books that use the word the most are Matthew (36 times) followed by Luke (28) then the book of Acts (19).
And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female (Genesis 6:19, KJV).
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon (Revelation 13:11, KJV).
Appearances of the Number Two
The word "God" appears in all books except 2. These are the Song of Solomon and Esther.
The shortest verse in the Bible, which is "Jesus wept" found in John 11:35, contains just 2 words.
The testimony of God is divided into two Testaments (Old and New). His agreements with mankind are divided into Old and New Covenants. In addition, though 2, God the Father and God the Son (Jesus Christ) compose a single Godhead.
Adam, the first man, sinned and brought death and destruction into the world. Jesus, however, as the second (or last) Adam brings the hope of the resurrection and eternal life.
For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive (1Corinthians 15:21 - 22, HBFV, see also verses 45 - 49).
Those who ultimately refuse to repent and obey God will be put to death forever by being thrown into the lake of fire, which is called the second death (Revelation 21:8). This act will eternally divide those who are righteous from those who practiced evil.
But the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death (Revelation 21:8, HBFV).
The testimony of at least 2 people was needed in the Old Testament to convict someone of a crime or sin. The validity of this teaching was confirmed by the Apostle Paul. The need for two people to confirm what is true is one of the reasons why Jesus' trained his disciples by sending them out in pairs (Luke 10).
Do not receive an accusation against an elder, except on the testimony of two or three witnesses (1Timothy 5:19, HBFV).
After the first and second admonition, reject a man who is teaching heresy (Titus 3:10, HBFV).
The Two Witnesses, in the End Time, will appear on the world scene to testify and uphold the truth of God against the Beast and the False Prophet.
And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth (Revelation 11:3, HBFV).
The number 2 can also convey comparison and contrast. The Old Covenant was based on physical blessings for obedience while the New is based on those that are spiritual. In the Old Testament, physical circumcision was required so that a person could qualify to be part of God's people, while the New requires circumcision of the heart. God formerly required obedience only to the "letter" of his laws but now calls upon man to obey their spiritual intent.
Biblical History and Two
Jesus was (highly likely) born on Saturday, September 2 in 5 B.C. This date is special because it is the first day of the Hebrew civil year. It is also a double high Sabbath, with both the weekly Sabbath and the high Holy Day of the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) occurring at the same time!
Saul, who would later become the Apostle Paul, was likely born around 2 A.D. His birth took place in the city of Tarsus to an Israelite family of the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5).
On September 2 in 26 A.D. Jesus turned thirty years old. This is, by far, the most important birthday of his life as a human! A Levite had to be at least 30 before he could carry out his priestly service (Numbers 4:3, 23, 47). This was also the age when a man was believed to have reached maturity in both body and mind.
Jesus, shortly after his 30th birthday, was baptized by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13 - 17). He then began his ministry by allowing himself to be tempted by Satan the devil for 40 days and nights (Matthew 4:1 - 11, Mark 1:12 - 13, Luke 4:1 - 13).
It was on April 2, a Sunday in 30 A.D., that Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders had their greatest (and last) confrontations before the crucifixion (Matthew 21 - 23, Mark 11 - 12, Luke 20).
April 2 was also the day the Lord revealed his well-known Mount of Olives prophecies (Matthew 24 - 25, Mark 13, Luke 21:5 - 36). These prophecies contain warnings to believers and reveal the events to take place prior to, and during, the end time before Christ returns.
It was shortly after midnight on April 5 that Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested by religious authorities. He then was subjected to not one but TWO trials carried out by the Jews.
Jesus is first sent to be tried before part of the Jewish Sanhedrin at approximately 2 a.m. False witnesses are used against him, with the High Priest and those in attendance arriving at the verdict of the death penalty (Matthew 26:57 - 66, Mark 14:53 - 65). His second trial, held at approximately 5 to 6 a.m., was little more than an automatic approval of the first trial's decision (Matthew 27:1 - 2, Mark 15:1, Luke 22:66 - 23:1, John 18:28).
Precious Gem Foundation
The second wall foundation in New Jerusalem, which will be created by God, will be made of sapphires.
And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst (Revelation 21:19 - 20, KJV).
Usefulness of the Number 2
There are eight Biblical writings that are distinguished in their name by using a 2. These include 2Samuel, 2Kings, 2Chronicles, 2Corinthians, 2Thessalonians, 2Timothy, 2Peter and 2John. The only book distinguished by 3 is 3John.
Where there is two (a second) epistle in the New Testament it is contrasted to the first through, in part, its discussion of an enemy. Hence, one subject of the book of 2 Corinthians is the devil (2:11, 11:14, 12:7).
In 2 Thessalonians we have a number of titles and references given for Satan the devil. They are the "man of sin" and "son of perdition" (2Thessalonians 2:3), the "mystery of iniquity" (or lawlessness in 2:7) and that "wicked one" (2:8). In 2Peter we have an End Time rejection of God and the truth foretold (2Peter 3:3 - 7). John warns us in 2John about deceivers whom he also refers to as antichrists (1John 1:7).
Parable Repetition
Two of Jesus' famous parables are repeated on three separate occasions. The salt of the earth parable was first given during his Sermon on the Mount in the middle of 27 A.D. (Matthew 5:13). It was then taught in late 29 A.D. while Christ was in Capernaum (Mark 9:50). It was finally offered in early 30 A.D. after he left Capernaum for the last time (Luke 14:34 - 35).
The second parable offered three times is the light of the world. It was first given during the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:14). It was next taught (likely) in late 28 A.D. while the Lord was preaching to a crowd gathered on a shore (Mark 4:21). Its third appearance was in late 29 A.D. while he was in Capernaum (Luke 11:33).
Two Training Missions
Jesus, on 2 separate occasions, sends a group of his disciples on a training mission.
The Lord, roughly 2 years after his ministry began, first sends his hand-selected twelve disciples on a short mission to preach the gospel. They are sent out in pairs near the end of 28 A.D.
And He called the twelve to Him and began to send them out, two by two; and He gave them authority over unclean spirits . . . (Mark 6:7, HBFV).
Near the end of 29 A.D., as he is traveling south of Galilee, Jesus again sends out his disciples, this time seventy of them, on a training mission. Their purpose is to prepare the way for him in cities he will soon visit (Luke 10:1 - 24). These seventy do not include the original twelve disciples who trained in 28 A.D. Like the first training exercise, however, they are sent out 2 by 2.
Now after these things, the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them two by two before His face, into every city and place where He Himself was about to come (Luke 10:1, HBFV).
Unique Father and Son Burial
Two of the Kings of Judah, when they died, had their bodies buried in their home gardens! The first was King Manasseh of Judah, whose rule of 55 years (696 to 642 B.C.) was the longest of any sovereign over either Israel or Judah. He was also one of the worst kings to serve God's people. Upon his death his body was buried in the garden of his private home in Jerusalem (2Kings 21:18).
The second ruler buried in a garden was Amon, the son of Manasseh, who succeeded his father to the throne. His rule was cut short, however, when he was assassinated by his servants after serving only 2 years. He was buried in the same garden as his father (2Kings 21:26).
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 2
The second of the three great divisions of the Old Testament are referred to as "the Prophets" (Luke 24:44).
During Creation week God made two great lights, one to rule the day (sun) and a lesser one to rule the night (moon - Genesis 1:16).
The number 2 is the first and smallest prime. Primes are greater than one and only divisible by one and themselves. The next several primes are 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17 and so on.
Jesus' second appearance after his resurrection from the dead was to 2 men traveling to the city of Emmaus (Luke 24:13 - 33). After walking and talking with them for quite a while he agrees to eat a meal with them. The moment the Lord broke the bread they were to eat his miraculously vanished from their eyes!
The Greek word Agabos, Strong Concordance #G13, occurs only 2 times in the New Testament. The word is translated as the name "Agabus." Agabus was consider a New Testament prophet.
And one from among them, named Agabus (Agabos), stood up and signified by the Spirit that there would be a great famine throughout the whole world, which also came to pass under Claudius Caesar (Acts 11:28, HBFV).
Another person named only 2 times in the New Testament is called Agar in Greek (Strong's #G28). Translated as the name "Hagar," she was Abraham's concubine who produced his son Ishmael.
Which things are allegorical, because these are the two covenants. The one from Mount Sinai, which is Hagar (Agar), is engendering bondage . . . (Galatians 4:24, HBFV).
God commanded Moses to speak to a rock in Kadesh so that the Israelites could have water. Instead of doing so, however, he strikes a rock two times which focuses the people's attention on him and Aaron and not God. His error costs him the privelage of entering the Promised Land!
And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them" (Numbers 20:12, HBFV).
God's word only reveals the names of three angels. They are Gabriel (Daniel 8:16, Luke 1:19), Michael (Daniel 10:13, Revelation 12:7) and Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12). Of these the first 2 remain righteous and loyal to God. The third, Lucifer, turned himself into perfect evil and became God's enemy.
Jesus, in 29 A.D., miraculously fed 5,000 men, along with an unknown number of women and children, with only 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread (Luke 9:10 - 17). The amount of food that was leftover filled twelve baskets!
Of the ten shortest books in the Bible in terms of chapters in the King James translation, sixth ranked Haggai has only 2 chapters. The shortest, however, in terms of chapters are the books of Obadiah, Philemon, 2John, 3John and Jude which each contain only one. The only chapter that has 2 verses is Psalm 117.