Do numbers have some special meaning? Numerology There is a lot of confusion about the use of numbers in the book of Revelation. Do numbers have some special meaning?

Letter / Number Relationships We use numbers / letters / words or symbols Early childhood books A = apple; B = ball; C = cat The 4th letter = D = dog In early alphabets letters were used for numbers. The first 9 letters (1-9) The next letters (10-90); then (100-900)

Letter / Number Relationships In early cultures they did not have numerals. They used their alphabet. Here is the Greek alphabet and numbers

Letter / Number Relationships Try this in English A=1 B=2 C=3 D=4 E=5 F=6 G=7 H=8 I=9 J=10 K=20 L=30 M=40 N=50 O=60 P=70 Q=80 R=90 S=100 T=200 U=300 V=400 W=500 X=600 Y=700 Z=800

Letter / Number Relationships We are more familiar with the system of Roman numerals where letters stood for numbers.

Addition of letter equivalents The second step in the process was to add up the letter values. CAT = 3 + 1 + 200 = 204 MANLY = 821 JESUS = 10 + 5 + 100 + 300 + 100 = 515 When under persecution one might have said, “We met at 515 and had a good discussion.” Translation: “The church met and learned about Jesus.”

Addition of letter equivalents Here there has been a lot of spiritual calculations trying to create a theory Take a Latin name – give each letter its value in Hebrew alphabet – and come up with an American name. The most famous is the number – 666 in Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

Number Symbolism Numbers also came to represent concepts and ideas. 1 = unity, independence, alone 2 = strength, energy, courage 3 = God (trinity), triangle, divine power 4 = world (4 directions, 4 corners) this world and where we work, live and die 5 = Completeness, well-rounded, all members intact (5 fingers, 5 toes)

Number Symbolism 7 = is thought to be a perfect number, perfection, completeness, the total of combining 3 (man) and 4 (God) Multiply – Next came the multiples of numbers 10, 70 = multiples to emphasize the single digit Matthew 18:22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Number Symbolism Numbers and the calendar The early calendars had equal 30 day months In Revelation – 3 ½ years = 42 months = 1260 days – all refer to the same length of time Some numbers seem to be important.

Conclusions Don't play with your spiritual calculator Some numbers seem to have some importance and connection Think about the number 40 in OT and NT Think about the number 7 in Revelation Think about how we use numbers to represent ideas – He did a 180 in the road. The 4 corners of the earth. I told you a million times.