Why Certain Numbers Stand Out in the Book of Revelation

Posted on Jan 25, 2018 Topic : Prophecy

Symbolic numbers in the Bible can be fascinating. Not all numbers in the Bible have a special meaning (such as the number of years each king reigned in Israel); many are simply statements of fact. On the other hand, certain numbers seem to appear repeatedly throughout the Bible.

Symbolic and prophetic numbers are especially signiﬁcant in the book of Revelation. However, these are also real numbers that point to real events.

Three

Three is the symbolic number of the Trinity. It is one of John’s favorite numbers, and he constantly expresses himself in triplets: He blesses the one who reads, those who hear, and those who heed the prophecy (Revelation 1:3). Jesus Christ is “the faithful witness, the ﬁrstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth” (1:5 NASB). The Lord God is and was and is to come (1:8).

The number three also ﬁgures prominently in several passages referring to judgment. Revelation contains three main series of judgments: the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls. Judgment consists of basically three elements: ﬁre, smoke, and brimstone. These elements kill a third part of mankind (9:17-18). A third of the earth is burned up, as well as a third of the trees (8:7), and a third of the sun, moon, and stars are darkened for a third of the day (8:12). A satanic trinity, the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet (16:13), oppose Christ’s reign on earth. Finally, Satan suffers a threefold defeat—on earth (12:9), into the abyss (20:1-3), and into the lake of ﬁre (20:10).

Six and Seven

Six is the number of man, who was created on the sixth day. In Revelation 13:18 it represents the most wicked man, the Antichrist.

Seven is the most signiﬁcant number in the Apocalypse. Revelation mentions seven spirits, seven churches, seven lampstands, seven stars, seven lamps of ﬁre, seven horns, seven eyes, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls, seven songs, seven angels, seven thunders, seven “worthys,” seven heads, seven crowns, seven mountains, seven kings, and seven plagues. The frequent use of the number seven is part of the divine signature in the Apocalypse.

Twelve

Twelve is the number of completeness. Israel has 12 tribes, Christ has 12 apostles, and 24 elders (a double 12) are seated around the throne. The tree of life has 12 types of fruit (22:2), the New Jerusalem has 12 gates guarded by 12 angels (21:12), and the city has 12 foundations (21:14). Twelve precious stones adorn the foundation stones and 12 pearl gates (21:19-21).

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John uses these numbers to express the uniqueness and completeness of his prophecy of future events. All in all, the numerical structure of the Apocalypse makes it the most unique book in all of Scripture. The symbolic numbers in Revelation point us to God’s perfect revelation of future events, one item at a time.