Is it okay to study “Biblical numerology?” I’ve been asked this question so many times by beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, that I decided it would be best to consolidate my answer into one article here that I could share.
When dealing with this subject, there’s a lot of common questions that come up, and I’ll do my best to answer them all here so that there isn’t any misunderstanding on my personal position towards this subject. Please understand, these are my personal viewpoints. Others who study Bible numerics may have other viewpoints that disagree with mine.
Are numerics important to know for someone who wants to study the Bible?
No. And they are no substitute for studying God’s word. I will NEVER put numbers in a place where they alter, add to, or diminish from the words of holy scripture.
What purpose does it serve to show off numbers from the Bible?
Before I answer that, let me say what I believe Bible numerics should NOT be used for:
- A guide for the way I live and the choices I make
- Predicting future events
I believe revealing patterns of numbers in the Bible has the following purposes:
- Verifying God as the Author; building faith in fellow believers by revealing the extraordinary patterns and mathematically impossible incidents that frequently occur in the most important places of scripture. We could all use an extra dose of encouragement, especially in the authority and sovereignty of God’s holy scripture.
- Showing lost souls that God’s Book is supernaturally inspired. While the lost person cannot come to know Christ through numbers (because the gospel 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 has nothing to do with numbers), they can at least be encouraged to meditate on God’s word.
Why do you spend so much time looking into numbers?
After realizing there are real patterns that defy random chance, I’ve grown quite fascinated in the way God has designed His Book. I hope He is able to encourage you through the discoveries He helps me find.
Do you try to predict future events with numbers?
Nope. I’ve never found anything- nor do I look for it.
Not all Bibles say the same thing, so doesn’t that throw off the numbers depending on which version you’re reading?
If not all Bibles say the same thing, then not all Bibles contain the inspired words of God. God cannot lie and God promised to preserve His words – Psalm 12:6-7. Along with millions of other believers in the world today, I believe modern Bible versions are Satan’s attempt to hide the inspired words of God in English that are contained in the Authorized Version / King James Bible. Beloved, I highly recommend you take the Bible Believer’s Quiz and do some serious diligence on this subject before making any judgment. I highly recommend watching this video and reading this book.
Is Gematria bad?
The Greek text that the King James uses actually uses gematria (Greek numerics) for the reading in Revelation 13:18 that gives us 666 (χξϚ), as well as the number 144 (ρμδ) in Revelation 7:4
Those are Greek letters, not numbers. Each letter is equivalent to a number.
You may have heard from your pastor that Jesus in Greek Numerics = 888. That’s the same thing as Greek gematria, just a different name for it.
Gematria is the same thing as alphanumerics: Each letter has a numeric value assigned to it. For example…
A = 1, B = 2, C = 3 … Z = 26 (English Ordinal)
I must warn: Gematria, if used improperly, can be used to convince anybody of anything.
I almost always use alphanumeric sums from the text of the Bible itself.
Are you practicing divination / are numbers evil?
This is probably the most often asked question I receive. I like to point out that the 4th book in the Bible is titled ________. And then I like to point out that God uses specific numbers over and over again in His word, such as 3, 7, 12, 40, etc. Just look at the life of Moses, which is divided into three distinct periods of 40. Obviously, numbers have some sort of hefty significance to God. If God didn’t number things perfectly, He would be the author of confusion. By His very nature, He is infinitely mathematically minded.
As for me, I only research numerical facts that exist in the Bible itself. The book that my Saviour authored. I don’t use any other source. Nor do I try to predict future events, nor put a blessing / curse on somebody else. If somebody is using numbers from mystical sources, or for fortune-telling / curses / spells / enchantments / any other ill purpose, then yes… that’s a case of divination. Run away from that quickly. I don’t play with that stuff. I just research & fact-check what’s in the Bible that God gave us, and that’s all. There is nothing unbiblical about counting or searching for things God has concealed. Anything I show can be looked up by anybody, anywhere. I simply present observable facts that exist in hundreds of millions of Books around the world.
If a number is showing up constantly in my life, what does it mean?
I don’t know. Sometimes it’s just a coincidence. Pray for discernment with a heart that desires truth and wisdom from Jesus Christ. Seeking wisdom anywhere outside of Jesus Christ leads to darkness and obscurity.
Do certain numbers have more significance than others?
The most significant numbers in the text of the Bible, seem to be:
7, 3, 40, 12
A few significant numbers in finding patterns related to God’s word seem to be:
Triple sevens 777 or more, 26/62, 37/73, 39/27/66, 119, 206/373/654, 754/925/2368, 888, 1611, 411