Why Does God Use Numbers?

The Lord loves “insider information.” He loves rolling out a mystery to see if we’re committed enough to pick it up and search it out. He loves to say things in ways that only those who seek him will find the answer. He’s funny like that.

God blesses pursuit, so we need to pursue him. Learning to hear his voice through numbers is just one way we can chase down his blessings.

Because everything in the kingdom is relational before it’s functional, only those who are close to him – who are willing to seek him out – will hear the sermon within the story and see the picture within the illustration. The apostle John was one of those people.

A prisoner on the island of Patmos at the end of his life, John – the infamous disciple Jesus loved – is at the end of his life.

While he seems all washed up – pardon the pun – Jesus has one last earth-shaking, life-changing assignment left for his friend who was “in the spirit on the Lord’s day” when a loud voice like a trumpet said:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches of Asia.”

Then John does something amazing. He turns to see the voice and standing there is the glorified Jesus.

Revelation 1:12 – then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lamp-stands one like the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

My friends, there is good reason to believe John was actually blind when he received his great end times revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, I actually went to the island of Patmos and, on my tour, our guide told us Patmos was well known for the practice of poking out the eyes of the prisoners who lived there. That makes John’s turning to see the voice nothing short of incredible.

I want to be like John. I want to turn to see the voice. I want dreams, visions and visitations from the Lord Jesus and so should you. But know this: these prophetic gifts are earned through relationship. Brother Matthew can back that fact up.

Jesus tells us why he uses numbers, and Matthew wrote it all down in the 13th verse of the 13th chapter of the book named after him. If you know what the number 13 means, you’ll understand why he placed that verse at that specific number.

Jesus says, “therefore, I speak to them in parables because in seeing, they do not see; in hearing, they do not hear, nor do they understand.”

My friends, it takes relationship to hear, see and understand. So, how does this all work?

While I am not a mathematician, it is a fact that God is. Literally everything he designs in embedded with a brilliant mathematical code – music, flowers, space – bible numeric appears to be God’s watermark of authenticity. It prevents counterfeiting.

So, if God speaks through numbers in nature, of course he speaks through numbers in his word. One of the greatest books ever written on the subject is “number in scripture” by E.W. Bullinger. In his introduction, Bullinger writes:

“There can neither be works nor words without number. We can understand how man can act and speak without design or significance, but we cannot imagine that the great and infinite creator and redeemer could either work or speak without both his words and his works being absolutely perfect in every particular.”

I like to say that if God made sure there is perfect mathematical design in time and space, in the human body, plants, ocean waves, and in all other things he created, why would his word not be the same? It is!

As we already know, God speaks through numbers, parables, type, and symbol as a way to conceal what he is saying.

He also uses them to reveal what he is saying.

When you don’t know what God says through the type and symbol of certain numbers, you miss what god is saying altogether.

We know this is true in the Jewish culture. In the Bible, God used the local customs to illustrate incredible truth. Unless you study the culture of ancient Israel, you’ll never understand what he was speaking through the napkin he left in the empty tomb or why John the baptist saw the Holy Spirit as a dove.

Unless you study the numeric patterns God uses over and over again, you will never see what God is saying through the 5 stones David picked up, the three stages in the temple, or the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness.

God is speaking. But just because he is speaking, doesn’t mean we recognize it. And just because we recognize God is speaking, does not mean we will understand it. We have to be dependent on him and search out the matter.

Proverbs 25:2 that “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the honor of kings is to search out the matter.”

So, if you have the honor of a king, if you desire to tap into the power of God’s word for your life and are willing to study numbers in scripture to do that, this revelation is perfect for you. It will revolutionize your relationship with Jesus, I can promise you that.

Like this article?

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Linkdin
Share on Pinterest

Leave a comment