One, Three, and Seven: Sacred and Symbolic Numbers

Title

One, Three, and Seven: Sacred and Symbolic Numbers

Book Title

The Jesus Christ Focused Old Testament: Making Sense of a Monumental Book

Publication Type

Book Chapter

Year of Publication

2022

Authors

Parry, Donald W. (Primary)

Pagination

67-69

Publisher

Book of Mormon Central

City

Springville, UT

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There are three uses of numbers in the Bible:

Conventional. Conventional use relates to the actual counting of people, animals, things, and so on—the conventional use of numbers constitutes the most frequent manner of referring to numbers in scripture.
Rhetorical. Rhetorical use is employed occasionally in poetry and prophecy (e.g., Prov. 30:18–19, 20–23, 29–31; Amos 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13).
Symbolic. In symbolic use, the number means something beyond its conventional value.[1]

This chart deals with the third use of numbers, their symbolism. According to one biblical scholar, “Few doubt that in certain contexts in the Bible numbers take on symbolic overtones. . . . It is not that the number has symbolic meaning every time it appears, but through literary and cultural convention symbolic use is possible in some and without doubt in other passages.”[2]

The numbers one, three, seven, and twelve have symbolic values that are directly related to the lord. One is the principal component of the word atonement (at-one-ment), three points directly to the Godhead, seven is used in dozens of contexts with regard to the lord and His Atonement, and twelve is the number of the lord’s specially empowered disciples—the Twelve Apostles: “And when [Jesus] had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these . . .” (Matt. 10:1–2).

This chart presents several numbers that are used symbolically, together with their possible meanings and some representative passages. Readers of the scriptures should use caution and not attempt to apply symbolic values to all numbers or even to most numbers. As stated above, the conventional use in scriptures is by far the most frequent employment of numbers. Applying a symbolic meaning to a number when none is intended will negatively affect one’s understanding of the scriptural passage that is being studied.

Number	Associated Meaning(s)	Representative Passages
One	At-one-ment, Unity	“That they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11, 21–22; see also Gen. 2:24; Deut. 6:4; John 10:16; Acts 4:32; 2 Cor. 13:11).
Two	Law of witnesses	“At the mouth of two witnesses . . . shall the matter be established” (Deut. 19:15; see also Deut. 17:6; Mark 6:7).
Three	Godhead	“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (1 John 5:7; cf. also three in Jonah 1:17; Matt. 12:40).
Three and one-half	Righteousness is cut short and the wicked dominate	“A time and [two] times and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:25)—three and one-half years that a wicked king will blaspheme God and persecute the Saints (see also Dan. 9:27; 12:7; Rev. 11:2–3, 11; 12:5, 14; 13:5).
666	An inaccurate attempt to counterfeit the number seven; number of the beast	“Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Rev. 13:18).
Seven	Completeness, totality; connected to covenant-making (Hebrew root for seven [sheva] is same as Hebrew verb that means “to take an oath”)	“For in six days the lord made heaven and earth . . . and rested the seventh day: wherefore the lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it” (Ex. 20:11; see also Lev. 13:21; 15:28; 25:4–5; Num. 23:1, 29; Deut. 16:13; Josh. 6:4–15; Matt. 18:21–22; Rev. 1:4, 12, 20; 5:5; 8:6; 15:1; 17:1).
Ten	“Completeness of order”	“The perfection of Divine order.”[3] (Ex. 8–10; 20:1–17; Deut. 23:3–5; Matt. 25:1–14).
Twelve	Governmental perfection; lord’s special witnesses	See Gen. 49:28; Ex. 39:8–14; 1 Kgs. 7:25; 10:20; 18:31–32; Matt. 10:1; 19:28; Rev. 7:5–8; 21:12.
Forty	Period of probation, testing, and tribulation	“A period of evident probation” (Gen. 7:4; Ex. 16:35; 24:18; 1 Kgs. 19:8; Num. 14:33–34; Ezek. 4:6; Matt. 4:2; Luke 4:2).
Seventy	A product of seven and ten, “spiritual order”[4]	“The lord appointed . . . seventy” (Luke 10:1; see also Gen. 10; Ex. 24:1, 9; Num. 11:16; Matt. 18:21–22).
Thousand	A large quantity	“The lord thy God . . . keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations” (Deut. 7:9; see also Ps. 84:10; 90:4; Isa. 7:23).
Ten thousand times ten thousand	A vast number	“Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before” the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:10; see also Rev. 5:11).

[1] E.W. Bullinger, Number in Scripture: Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance, (London, UK: Eyre & Spottiswoode, Ltd., 1921).

[2] Ryken et al., eds., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, 599.

[3] Bullinger, Number in Scripture

[4] Bullinger, Number in Scripture

Table of Contents

Book

The Jesus Christ Focused Old Testament: Making Sense of a Monumental Book

Parry, Donald W.

56 Chapters

Introduction

Parry, Donald W. | pp. i-viii

Prophecies of Jesus Christ’s Mortal Ministry and Atonement

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 1-5

Symbols That Testify of Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 6-9

The Lord Jesus Christ: Conquering Hero

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 10-12

Jesus Christ Is the Lord of History: Nine Major Historical Eras

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 13-16

The Lord Jesus Christ: Potter, Captain, Shepherd, and More

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 17-21

The Lord Jesus Christ Controls the Nations: Book of Judges Case Study

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 22-23

Old Testament Passages Cited by Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 24-28

Messianic Prophecies in the Psalms

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 29-31

Psalm 22 and Its Fulfillment in Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 32-33

Isaiah's Prophecies of the Mortal Messiah

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 34–36

The Messiah in Isaiah 53: Four Recurring Themes

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 37-38

Names, Titles, and Metaphors of the Lord Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 39-43

Lord (Jehovah): The Most Frequently Used [Content] Word in the Hebrew Bible

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 44-47

Equivalent Designations of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old and New Testaments

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 48-50

God: Compound Names

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 51-53

Lord: Compound Names

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 54-56

The Lord Is Our Savior

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 57-59

The Lord (Jehovah) Is Our Redeemer

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 60-61

The Lord Is Our Atoner

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 62-63

Jesus Christ Is the Messiah

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 64

Jesus Christ Is the Lord

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 65-66

One, Three, and Seven: Sacred and Symbolic Numbers

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 67-69

Seven and Sacred Time

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 70-71

Eve: Life and Help: A Type of Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 78-79

Adam: "The Figure of Him that Was to Come"

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 80-81

Prophets and Prophetesses: The Lord's Messengers

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 72-77

Melchizedek: Type of Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 82-83

Isaac: Type and Shadow of Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 84-85

Joseph of Egypt: Foreshadow of Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 86-87

Moses: Type and Shadow of Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 88-89

Elijah: Symbol of Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 90-91

Job: Suffering Servant, A Type of Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 92-93

Hosea’s Family: Symbols of the Lord for Ancient Israel

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 94-95

The Sign of Jonah: Pointing to Christ’s Death

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 96-97

Priests and High Priests: Foreshadowing Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 98-99

The Lord Reveals Cycles of Sacred Time

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 100-101

Striking Blood on the Doorposts: The Passover Anticipates Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 1102-103

The Day of Atonement: Messianic Foreshadowing

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 104-105

"A Feast to the Lord": Sacred and Secular Meals

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 106-107

Parallelisms: Teaching About the Lord Jesus Christ Through Poetry

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 108-110

Chiasmus: Unique Presentations of the Lord’s Word

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 111-113

The Psalms: Praises to the Lord Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 114-115

Lord: Focused Prophetic Speech Forms

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 116-117

Prayers: Mortals Seeking the Lord's Divine Favor

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 118-119

Worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ through Music and Song

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 121-123

Law of Moses: Anticipated Jesus Christ and His Atonement

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 124-125

Manna: Symbol of Jesus Christ

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 126-127

Symbols of Christ in the Tabernacle of Moses

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 128-129

Sacrifices Under the Law of Moses: Six Acts

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 130-131

Sacrifices: Symbols of Jesus's Atoning Sacrifice

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 132-133

Diet Code: Unclean and Clean Animals

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 134-135

God Is a Holy Temple: Temples and Sacred Space

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 136-137

The Atonement-Focused Earthly and Heavenly Temples

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 138-140

Jesus's Royal Ancestry: Rulers of the Kingdom of Judah

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 141-142

Bibliography

Parry, Donald W. | pp. 144-145

Bibliographic Citation

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