Meaning of Numbers: The Number 69
The meaning of number 69 is derived from its references to Jesus Christ. Psalm 69, one of the many Old Testament sections that are referenced in the New Testament, foretold of his zealous defense of holy worship.
For the zeal of Your house has eaten Me up, and the reproaches of those who reproached You have fallen upon Me (verse 9 of Psalm 69).
The above verse was remembered by Jesus' disciples, in John 2:17, when they witnessed him cleansing the temple and throwing out the moneychangers for the first time. Immediately following this, the Lord gave a prophecy that after he was killed by the religious leaders he would be resurrected from the dead (verse 19).
Prophecy and Number 69
Psalm 69, written by King David, prophesizes fascinating information concerning the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
You have known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor; my enemies are all before You. Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for sympathy, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none (verses 19 - 20, fulfilled in Matthew 26:55, 66).
They also gave Me gall for My food; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink (verse 21 fulfilled in John 19:29 - 30).
The unmerited hatred the Lord endured during his ministry was foretold in verse 4 of Psalm 69.
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; those who would cut me off are mighty being wrongfully my enemies (verse 4 of Psalm 69).
Verse 4 of the Psalm was fulfilled in John 15:25.
Verse 25 of Psalm 69 is used by the Apostle Peter to Biblically justify replacing Judas Iscariot, who committed suicide, with another disciple (Acts 1:20). The Old Testament verse states, "Let their encampment be desolate; let none dwell in their tents."
Number Sixty-Nine and Chaos
The Roman Empire, after Nero became the first emperor to commit suicide on June 9 in 68 A.D., is thrown into civil war. His death ushers in a period of chaos and confusion known as the year of the four emperors.
In January 69 Galba, who had ruled for only a few months, is murdered by the Praetorian Guard. Emperors Otho and Vitellius also quickly come and go. Vespasian is finally declared emperor by the senate in December.
Vespasian's son, General Titus, is left to deal with the Jewish rebellion in Judea by himself when his father becomes emperor in late 69. It will be Titus who, in 70 A.D., burns and levels both Jerusalem and its temple in fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy (Luke 19:41, 43 - 44, 21:5 - 6, see also Matthew 24:1 - 2 and Mark 13:1 - 2).
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 69
69 is the product of 3 x 23, both of which are prime numbers.
No Bible chapters number 69 verses. Each of the four gospels has at least one chapter with more than sixty-nine verses. Eleven chapters in God's word contain more than 69 verses.
The English word "ship" appears 71 times, in 69 verses, in the King James Bible. It is recorded the most in the book of Acts (22 times) followed by Mark (18) and then Matthew (13). The word's first New Testament use is when Jesus, shortly before giving the Sermon on the Mount, calls James and John to be his disciples.
And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him (Matthew 4:21 - 22, KJV).
Out of Scripture's 69 books, found in most modern translations, only the book of Psalms houses more than sixty-nine chapters.
Gideon produced seventy-one sons after God used him to overcome the Midianites. Seventy of these sons were produced by his many wives and one son, Abimelech, came from his Shechem concubine (Judges 8:30 - 31).
Abimelech grew up to be a vain individual who thought he deserved to rule over the people. Using money he conned out of the people of Shechem, he had 69 of his brothers murdered in cold blood! Only his youngest brother Jotham survived the bloody purge (Judges 9).