Meaning of Numbers: The Number 25
The English phrases "twenty and five" and "five and twenty," used for the number 25, is recorded 41 times in 37 King James Bible verses. The Old Testament writings that use the phrases the most are Ezekiel (25 times) followed by 2Chronicles (6) then 2Kings (4). Only the New Testament book of John has the phrases occur just once.
Timeline of Peter's Life and Ministry!
The number 25 symbolizes in the Bible "grace upon grace." It is composed of 20 (meaning redemption) and five (grace) or grace multiplied (5 x 5).
And the Word became flesh, and tabernacled among us (and we ourselves beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten with the Father), full of grace and truth . . .
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 16 - 17, HBFV).
In 1947 scrolls were discovered in the Dead Sea region of Israel. Among all the scrolls found over the years, 25 copies of Deuteronomy have been identified.
Appearances of Number Twenty-Five
The Chaldee word babel, Strong's Concordance #H895, is recorded 25 times in 21 Old Testament original language verses. It is found only in the book of Daniel (16 times) and Ezra (9). The word, which means "confusion" (by mixing) is translated as the name "Babylon" in the King James.
But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon (babel), the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon (babel) (Ezra 5:12, KJV).
King Jehoshaphat, considered a good king of Judah, ruled for 25 official years (24 actual years, 1Kings 22:42).
In 750 B.C. Jotham began to co-rule the Kingdom of Judah when he was 25 years old (2Kings 15:33). Righteous King Hezekiah was also this age when he began to reign (2Kings 18:2), as was King Amaziah (2Kings 14:2).
Of the top five New Testament books that contain the most material from the Old Testament, the book of Acts has material from twenty-five books.
Wicked King Jehoiakim (2Kings 23:33 - 37), at the age of 25, was placed over Judah as a puppet king of Egypt. He was one of the last few rulers before the kingdom was conquered by Babylon's Nebuchadnezzar.
The apostle John, in vision, saw 24 elders sitting around God's throne for 25 total thrones seen in heaven (Revelation 4:1 - 4).
The Temple and Number 25
Levities were required to be at least twenty-five years old before they could begin their service at the temple (Numbers 8:24). This minimum age requirement seems to have dropped to twenty from the time of David forward, likely due to the increasing amount of work required at the temple (1Chronicles 23:24, Ezra 3:8).
The number 25 plays a prominent role in Ezekiel's visions of the temple, which he saw in the twenty-fifth year of Judah's captivity (Ezekiel 40:1). There are at least five measurements within the prophetic temple that are twenty-five cubits long (40:13, 21, 25, 29 - 30).
Ezekiel is shown, in vision, 25 temple priests who are standing in the inner court of Jerusalem's temple. These men, with their backs to the temple, are performing the abominable act of worshipping the sun as it rises in the east (Ezekiel 8:15 - 17)!
Ezekiel, in a later vision, is shown the eastern gate of Jerusalem's temple. He sees twenty-five princes, who were possibly civil magistrates, whom the Lord reveals gives wicked advice and deceives the people into thinking the city is not in peril of being destroyed (Ezekiel 11:1 - 3).
Missing Just One Letter
Ezra 7:21 in the King James Bible contains 25 of 26 letters of the English alphabet. Only the letter "j" is missing!
And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily. (Ezra 7:21, KJV).
1Chronicles 4:10, in the King James, also contains 25 of 26 English alphabet letters. Only the letter "x" is missing!
And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested (1Chronicles 4:10, KJV).
Lastly Daniel 4:37, in the KJV, contains 25 of 26 English letters. In this case, only the letter "q" is missing!
Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase (Daniel 4:37, KJV).
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 25
There are 53 words and phrases in the Bible's original languages that are recorded exactly 25 times.
The Greek word leukos, Strong's #G3022, is used 25 times in 23 Greek New Testament verses. It is found the most in the book of Revelation (16 times) followed by Matthew (3). The word, which refers to light or something that is bright or brilliant, is translated as the color "white" in the King James.
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white (leukos) or black (Matthew 5:36, KJV).
And I saw, and behold a white (leukos) horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer (Revelation 6:2, KJV).
25 is the product of 5 x 5 (5 squared). 5 is a prime number.
25 is the sum of the first five positive odd numbers or 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9.
The book of 2Kings contains 25 chapters in the KJV.
Both the New Testament books of Philemon and Jude have only 1 chapter that is composed of 25 verses.
In the Old Testament, the Biblical chapters of Genesis 2, Exodus 2, 7, 19, Numbers 24, Deuteronomy 6, 23, Judges 7, 13, 21, 1Samuel 12, 26, 28, 2Samuel 5, 24, 2Kings 2, 13, 2Chronicles 33, Job 12, 24, 29, Proverbs 13, Isaiah 7, 19, 22, 42, 45, 65, Jeremiah 3, 10, Ezekiel 11 and 45 contain 25 verses in the King James Bible.
In the New Testament, the chapters Matthew 1, 4, John 2, 21, Acts 12, Romans 4, 7, Colossians 3, 2Timothy 5, Hebrews 13, 1Peter 1 and 2 have 25 verses in the KJV.
In early 29 A.D., a short time before Passover, Jesus miraculously feeds 5,000 people near Bethsaida on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee (John 6). At sunset the disciples, after Jesus decides to stay and pray, get in a boat to journey to Capernaum. Rowing at night, a "great wind" begins to buffet the ship and causes it, in spite of the disciples' best efforts, to be pushed near the middle of the sea (John 6:18, Mark 6:47 - 48)!
Jesus, knowing his disciples are struggling in the middle of Galilee, begins to walk on water toward the ship! Around 3 a.m. (Mark 6:48) the disciples, at a distance of 25 to 30 furlongs (3.1 - 3.7 miles or 5 - 6 kilometers) from where they left, see Christ walking toward them. The moment the Lord gets in the ship it is miraculously transported to their destination (John 6:21)!