THE SYMBOLISM OF NUMBERS
IN THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION
Note: For a study of the symbolic meaning of numbers see W. A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation, Volume 1, pp. 56-84. Study the following materials which give Biblical illustrations of what seem to be symbolic uses of numbers.
ONE UNITY AND INDEPENT EXISTENCE
(Deu 6:4 NIV) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
(Zec 14:9 NIV) The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
(Mark 12:32 NIV) "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.
(Eph 4:4 NIV) There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called--
(Eph 4:5 NIV) one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
(Eph 4:6 NIV) one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
TWO ADDITION, INCREASE, HELP, CONFIRMATION, FELLOWSHIP, STRENGTH, WITNESS, TESTIMONY
(Eccl 4:9 NIV) Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
(Eccl 4:10 NIV) If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
(Eccl 4:11 NIV) Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
(Eccl 4:12 NIV) Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
(Deu 17:2 NIV) If a man or woman living among you in one of the towns the LORD gives you is found doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God in violation of his covenant,
(Deu 17:3 NIV) and contrary to my command has worshiped other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars of the sky,
(Deu 17:4 NIV) and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel,
(Deu 17:5 NIV) take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death.
(Deu 17:6 NIV) On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
(Deu 17:7 NIV) The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of all the people. You must purge the evil from among you.
(John 8:15 NIV) You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.
(John 8:16 NIV) But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.
(John 8:17 NIV) In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
(John 8:18 NIV) I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me."
(Rev 1:5 NIV) and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
(Rev 3:14 NIV) "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
(Mark 6:7 NIV) Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.
(Luke 10:1 NIV) After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.
(Mat 18:15 NIV) "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
(Mat 18:16 NIV) But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ’every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
(Mat 18:17 NIV) If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
(Mat 18:18 NIV) "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
(Mat 18:19 NIV) "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
(Mat 18:20 NIV) For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with hem."
(Luke 24:4 NIV) While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.
(Acts 1:10 NIV) They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
(2 Cor 13:1 NIV) This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."
(1 Tim 5:19 NIV) Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
(1 Tim 5:20 NIV) Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.
(Heb 6:13 NIV) When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,
(Heb 6:14 NIV) saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."
(Heb 6:15 NIV) And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
(Heb 6:16 NIV) Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.
(Heb 6:17 NIV) Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose
very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.
(Heb 6:18 NIV) God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.
(Heb 6:19 NIV) We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
(Heb 6:20 NIV) where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
(Rev 13:1 NIV) And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
(Rev 13:11 NIV) Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.
(Rev 13:12 NIV) He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.
(Rev 13:13 NIV) And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men.
(Rev 13:14 NIV) Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
(Rev 13:15 NIV) He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
(Rev 13:16 NIV) He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead,
(Rev 13:17 NIV) so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.
(Rev 13:18 NIV) This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.
(Rev 19:20 NIV) But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
(Rev 20:8 NIV) and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.
THREE DEITY, DIVINITY
(Mat 28:19 NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
(Rev 1:4 NIV) John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,
(Rev 1:8 NIV) "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
(Rev 4:8 NIV) Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
(Rev 4:9 NIV) Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
(Rev 4:10 NIV) the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
(Rev 4:11 NIV) "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
FOUR THE EARTH AND THE WORLD
(Gen 2:10 NIV) A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters.
(Gen 8:22 NIV) "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
(Isa 11:12 NIV) He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.
(Jer 49:36 NIV) I will bring against Elam the four winds from the four quarters of the heavens; I will scatter them to the four winds, and there will not be a nation where Elam’s exiles do not go.
(Ezek 14:19 NIV) "Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath upon it through bloodshed, killing its men and their animals,
(Ezek 14:20 NIV) as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.
(Ezek 14:21 NIV) "For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments--sword and famine and wild beasts and plague--to kill its men and their animals!
(Rev 6:1 NIV) I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!"
(Rev 6:2 NIV) I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
(Rev 6:3 NIV) When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!"
(Rev 6:4 NIV) Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
(Rev 6:5 NIV) When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.
(Rev 6:6 NIV) Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
(Rev 6:7 NIV) When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!"
(Rev 6:8 NIV) I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
(Rev 7:1 NIV) After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.
(Ezek 37:9 NIV) Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ’This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’"
(Dan 2:31 NIV) "You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue--an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance.
(Dan 2:32 NIV) The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze,
(Dan 2:33 NIV) its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.
(Dan 2:34 NIV) While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.
(Dan 2:35 NIV) Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.
(Dan 2:36 NIV) "This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king.
(Dan 2:37 NIV) You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory;
(Dan 2:38 NIV) in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.
(Dan 2:39 NIV) "After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth.
(Dan 2:40 NIV) Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron--for iron breaks and smashes everything--and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.
(Dan 2:41 NIV) Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay.
(Dan 2:42 NIV) As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.
(Dan 2:43 NIV) And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
(Dan 2:44 NIV) "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.
(Dan 2:45 NIV) This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands--a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces. "The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy."
(Dan 7:2 NIV) Daniel said: "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea.
(Dan 7:3 NIV) Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.
(Dan 7:4 NIV) "The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off and it was lifted from the ground so that it stood on two feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.
(Dan 7:5 NIV) "And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ’Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’
(Dan 7:6 NIV) "After that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
(Dan 7:7 NIV) "After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast--terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns.
(Dan 7:8 NIV) "While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
(Rev 4:6 NIV) Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
(Rev 4:7 NIV) The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.
(Rev 4:8 NIV) Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
(Rev 4:9 NIV) Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
(Rev 4:10 NIV) the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
(Rev 4:11 NIV) "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
(Rev 5:6 NIV) Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
(Rev 5:7 NIV) He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
(Rev 5:8 NIV) And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
(Rev 5:9 NIV) And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
(Rev 5:10 NIV) You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."
(Rev 5:11 NIV) Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
(Rev 5:12 NIV) In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"
(Rev 5:13 NIV) Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
(Rev 5:14 NIV) The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.
(Rev 7:9 NIV) After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
(Rev 7:10 NIV) And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
(Rev 7:11 NIV) All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
(Rev 7:12 NIV) saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"
(Rev 7:13 NIV) Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?"
(Rev 7:14 NIV) I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(Rev 9:13 NIV) The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God.
(Rev 9:14 NIV) It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."
(Rev 9:15 NIV) And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.
(Rev 14:1 NIV) Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
(Rev 14:2 NIV) And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
(Rev 14:3 NIV) And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
(Rev 15:7 NIV) Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.
(Rev 15:8 NIV) And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
(Rev 16:1 NIV) Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth."
(Rev 19:1 NIV) After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
(Rev 19:2 NIV) for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
(Rev 19:3 NIV) And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."
(Rev 19:4 NIV) The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"
(Rev 20:7 NIV) When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison
(Rev 20:8 NIV) and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.
FIVE HUMAN COMPLETENESS
TEN
(Lev 21:16 NIV) The LORD said to Moses,
(Lev 21:17 NIV) "Say to Aaron: ’For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God.
(Lev 21:18 NIV) No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or
lame, disfigured or deformed;
(Lev 21:19 NIV) no man with a crippled foot or hand,
(Lev 21:20 NIV) or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.
(Lev 21:21 NIV) No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the offerings made to the LORD by fire. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God.
(Neh 4:12 NIV) Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."
(Dan 1:20 NIV) In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
(Mat 25:1 NIV) "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
(Rev 2:10 NIV) Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
(Rev 12:3 NIV) Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.
(Rev 13:1 NIV) And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
(Rev 17:1 NIV) One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.
(Rev 17:2 NIV) With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
(Rev 17:3 NIV) Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
(Rev 17:4 NIV) The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.
(Rev 17:5 NIV) This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
(Rev 17:6 NIV) I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
(Rev 17:7 NIV) Then the angel said to me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
(Rev 17:8 NIV) The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.
(Rev 17:9 NIV) "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.
(Rev 17:10 NIV) They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while.
(Rev 17:11 NIV) The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
(Rev 17:12 NIV) "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast.
(Rev 17:13 NIV) They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.
(Rev 17:14 NIV) They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
(Rev 17:15 NIV) Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
(Rev 17:16 NIV) The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
(Rev 17:17 NIV) For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled.
(Rev 17:18 NIV) The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."
SEVEN FULNESS, COMPLETENESS, ACCOMPLISHMENT, REST
(Rev 1:4 NIV) John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,
(Rev 1:20 NIV) The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
(Rev 4:5 NIV) From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
(Rev 5:1 NIV) Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.
(Rev 5:6 NIV) Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
(Rev 8:1 NIV) When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
(Rev 8:2 NIV) And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
(Rev 10:1 NIV) Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.
(Rev 10:2 NIV) He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,
(Rev 10:3 NIV) and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.
(Rev 11:11 NIV) But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.
(Rev 11:12 NIV) Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
(Rev 11:13 NIV) At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
(Rev 11:14 NIV) The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
(Rev 11:15 NIV) The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."
(Rev 12:3 NIV) Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.
(Rev 13:1 NIV) And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
(Rev 15:1 NIV) I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues--last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.
(Rev 15:7 NIV) Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.
(Rev 15:8 NIV) And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
(Rev 17:1 NIV) One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.
(Rev 17:2 NIV) With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries."
(Rev 17:3 NIV) Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
(Rev 17:4 NIV) The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.
(Rev 17:5 NIV) This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
(Rev 17:6 NIV) I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
(Rev 17:7 NIV) Then the angel said to me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.
(Rev 17:8 NIV) The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come.
(Rev 17:9 NIV) "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits.
(Rev 17:10 NIV) They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while.
(Rev 17:11 NIV) The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
(Rev 17:12 NIV) "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast.
(Rev 17:13 NIV) They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.
(Rev 17:14 NIV) They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
(Rev 17:15 NIV) Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.
(Rev 17:16 NIV) The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
(Rev 17:17 NIV) For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled.
(Rev 17:18 NIV) The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."
SIX A SINISTER NUMBER, SO NEAR TO FULNESS, BUT SO FAR AWAY, DARKNESS AND EVIL
(Mat 27:45 NIV) From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
(Rev 13:18 NIV) This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.
THREE AND A HALF OR ITS EQUIVALENT
INCOMPLETE, IMPERFECT, OFTEN DISASTROUS, DREADFUL, AND DISTRESSFUL; BUT BRIEF COMPARED TO 1000 YEARS AND ETERNITY
(Dan 7:15 NIV) "I, Daniel, was troubled in spirit, and the visions that passed through my mind disturbed me.
(Dan 7:16 NIV) I approached one of those standing there and asked him the true meaning of all this. "So he told me and gave me the interpretation of these things:
(Dan 7:17 NIV) ’The four great beasts are four kingdoms that will rise from the earth.
(Dan 7:18 NIV) But the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will possess it forever--yes, for ever and ever.’
(Dan 7:19 NIV) "Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws--the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left.
(Dan 7:20 NIV) I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell--the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
(Dan 7:21 NIV) As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them,
(Dan 7:22 NIV) until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.
(Dan 7:23 NIV) "He gave me this explanation: ’The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it.
(Dan 7:24 NIV) The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings.
(Dan 7:25 NIV) He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.
(Dan 7:26 NIV) "’But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever.
(Dan 7:27 NIV) Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.’
(Dan 7:28 NIV) "This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself."
(Dan 12:5 NIV) Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank.
(Dan 12:6 NIV) One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?"
(Dan 12:7 NIV) The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed."
(Dan 12:8 NIV) I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"
(Dan 12:9 NIV) He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.
(Dan 12:10 NIV) Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.
(Dan 12:11 NIV) "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
(Dan 12:12 NIV) Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
(Dan 12:13 NIV) "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."
(Luke 4:25 NIV) I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.
(James 5:17 NIV) Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.
(Rev 11:1 NIV) I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there.
(Rev 11:2 NIV) But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months.
(Rev 11:3 NIV) And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."
(Rev 11:4 NIV) These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
(Rev 11:5 NIV) If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.
(Rev 11:6 NIV) These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
(Rev 11:7 NIV) Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that
comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.
(Rev 11:8 NIV) Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
(Rev 11:9 NIV) For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.
(Rev 11:10 NIV) The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
(Rev 11:11 NIV) But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.
(Rev 11:12 NIV) Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.
(Rev 12:6 NIV) The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.
(Rev 12:7 NIV) And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
(Rev 12:8 NIV) But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
(Rev 12:9 NIV) The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
(Rev 12:10 NIV) Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
(Rev 12:11 NIV) They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
(Rev 12:12 NIV) Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
(Rev 12:13 NIV) When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
(Rev 12:14 NIV) The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.
(Rev 12:15 NIV) Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.
(Rev 12:16 NIV) But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
(Rev 12:17 NIV) Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring--those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
(Rev 13:1 NIV) And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.
(Rev 13:2 NIV) The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
(Rev 13:3 NIV) One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.
(Rev 13:4 NIV) Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"
(Rev 13:5 NIV) The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.
(Rev 13:6 NIV) He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.
(Rev 13:7 NIV) He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
(Rev 13:8 NIV) All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
(Rev 13:9 NIV) He who has an ear, let him hear.
TWELVE A MULTIPLE OF THREE AND FOUR, GENERALLY USED OF THINGS WHICH HAVE A HEAVENLY COUNTERPART OF THAT WHICH IS EARTHLY; OFTEN THE SUBJECT MATTER UNDER DISCUSSION IS RELATED TO THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, OR TO THE TWELVE APOSTLES, OR TO THE TWELVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR
(Gen 35:22 NIV) While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it. Jacob had twelve sons:
(Exo 24:4 NIV) Moses then wrote down everything the LORD had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
(Exo 28:21 NIV) There are to be twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
(Exo 39:14 NIV) There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.
(1 Ki 4:7 NIV) Solomon also had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year.
(1 Ki 18:31 NIV) Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel."
(Ezra 6:17 NIV) For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel.
(Mat 10:1 NIV) He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
(Mat 10:2 NIV) These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
(Mat 19:28 NIV) Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
(Mat 19:28 NIV) Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
(Rev 7:5 NIV) From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
(Rev 7:6 NIV) from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
(Rev 7:7 NIV) from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
(Rev 7:8 NIV) from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
(Rev 12:1 NIV) A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
(Rev 21:12 NIV) It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
(Rev 21:13 NIV) There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.
(Rev 21:14 NIV) The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
(Rev 21:15 NIV) The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.
(Rev 21:16 NIV) The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.
(Rev 21:17 NIV) He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man’s measurement, which the angel was using.
(Rev 21:18 NIV) The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.
(Rev 21:19 NIV) The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
(Rev 21:20 NIV) the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
(Rev 21:21 NIV) The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.
(Rev 22:2 NIV) down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
ONE THOUSAND A COMPLETENESS GREATER THAN THAT EXPRESSED BY FIVE OR TEN
(Rev 20:2 NIV) He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
(Rev 20:3 NIV) He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
(Rev 20:4 NIV) I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
(Rev 20:5 NIV) (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.
(Rev 20:6 NIV) Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
(Rev 20:7 NIV) When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison
NOTE: ALL OTHER NUMBERS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION ARE MULTIPLES OF ONE OR MORE OF THE ABOVE NUMBERS.
