The Meaning of Numbers: The Number 96
The possible meaning of the number 96 is derived primarily from Biblical history as well as facts from the Scriptural text.
Gideon is discussed in Judges Chapters 6 through 8 while Samson is discussed in chapters 13 through 16. The Biblical record related to Gideon is 100 verses long totaling 3,234 words, while Samson's is 96 verses long for 3,229 words.
Thursday, April 6 is day 96 (31 + 28 + 31 + 6) of Roman year 30 A.D. It is the First Day of Unleavened Bread, a High Holy Day commanded to be kept by God. It is the day Jewish religious leaders visit Pontius Pilate to request guards be used to secure Jesus' tomb. The leaders are afraid that the Lord's disciples will steal his body then claim he was resurrected from the dead. Pilate rejects their request but allows them to post their own guards at the tomb (Matthew 27:62 - 66).
Only two Old Testament and three New Testament words are recorded 96 times in the Bible's original language. The Hebrew chamor (Strong's #H2543) is used to refer to a male ass. Yaan (#H3282) is a root word which means, "pay attention" or "because of."
In the New Testament Greek, the word Enopion (Strong's #G1799) is used to designate an occupied place and is commonly translated as "before." The word Peripateo (#G4043) is used to denote someone walking. The last word to show up 96 times is Tithemi (#G5087) which means to place something and is often translated as "put", "laid" or “laid aside."
Number Ninety-Six and the Psalms
Psalm 96 is full of joyful praise for the Eternal. The Psalmist calls on all the nations to sing to the Lord for his love toward us. The Psalm closes with a reminder that the Lord will soon come to judge the earth and bring God's Kingdom to humanity.
O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth . . . Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all people, for the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods . . .
Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it; then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord; for He comes, for He comes to judge the earth; He shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with His truth (Psalm 96:1, 3 - 4, 12 - 13, HBFV).
Number 96 and the Last Apostle
Roman Emperor Domitian ruled the empire from 81 A.D. until September in 96. Two years before his death, in 94 A.D., he indulges in a violent campaign of persecution against Christians. One of the many victims of his unwarranted attacks was the Apostle John, the last surviving member of the original twelve apostles. John is banished to the Aegean Sea island of Patmos in 95 A.D.
Emperor Domitian dies in September of 96 A.D. The Apostle John, prior to the emperor's death, recorded what he saw in multiple visions to create the book of Revelation. Nerva becomes the new emperor the same month as Domitian's death.
Nerva releases John from Patmos shortly after becoming Roman ruler. John, in late 96, immediately begins the task of canonizing Scripture from Ephesus.
"Although Paul and Peter had canonized their writings before they died, the official canonization with the final arrangement of the books of the entire New Testament was accomplished by the apostle John in 96 - 99 AD.
"As one of the last living apostles and the last living eyewitness of Christ’s transfiguration, John was uniquely qualified and chosen by Jesus to canonize the entire New Testament in its final form" (Holy Bible a Faithful Version, 2nd Edition, Chapter 10).
John completes the God-given work he received and dies around 100 A.D.
More Info on Biblical Meaning of 96
Laodicea is one of the seven churches found in the book of Revelation. Located at the junction of several important trade routes, it was 77 kilometers (48 miles) from the city of Philadelphia (Alasehir) and 155 kilometers (96 miles) from Ephesus.