Numerology?

[Nanopants]

I've been curious about biblical/orthodox numerology and what it means, how it was used, and such, in the Bible and basically any other trusted Christian source.

In my digging I ran into this page which claims to know just about everything about numbers and their meaning. It doesn't look very legit, but I'm just wondering where the heck do people like this get their information?

So I'm starting this thread to discuss such things, and some questions for starters would be:

What is the correct meaning of numbers as they appear in the Bible?

How can we go about studying this topic competently?

Should or shouldn't we pay attention to such things in our lives? (for example, I know people who are constantly seeing number patterns showing up in their lives and they interpret these things to be signs with meaning).

 

[MrPolo]

Studying the analogical significance of numbers, such as 7 often representing a "covenant" or 3 and 7 representing completeness, etc... is ok and is reading the text with an eye for the Judaic and first Christian's expression of divine things.

To study numbers with the attempt to predict the future or acquire some kind of psychic knowledge is not Scriptural and is in fact condemned in Scripture as such. For example, Deut 18:10-12.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

The numbers given in scripture, are scripture.

And like any other part of prophecy given in scripture, it can only be discerned by way of the Holy Spirit.

If any man lacks understanding, let him ask of God, who gives to all men freely. But let that man ask in faith.

 

[Optimax]

I would suggest that there are many more profitable subjects to spend one's time in studying.

 

[Nanopants]

Right then. I have a friend who isn't exactly a Christian but he's not exactly a non-Christian. He seems to live in a spiritual no-man's land, dabbling in a little of this and a little of that. One of the things he's really into is numerology, and some of his sources are supposedly of "christian" origin.

I know next to nothing on the subject, and I had hoped that there might be a reliable source on this subject so that I might find some way to meet this friend of mine on common ground for discussion. On the other hand, if there really is nothing to it then I'd rather not delve into that.

 

[Knee V]

I would suggest that there are many more profitable subjects to spend one's time in studying.

I concur!



If we're interested in studying topics like this, it might behoove us to consider why we're interested in them. Is it because they draw us closer to Christ? Or perhaps something else? I would venture to say that it's something more like "I've stumbled across a truth that so few people know anything about." It may also give us a greater sense of power, for if we believe that certain numbers have a great significance, and we look for number patterns in the world around us, we think that we are given insight into the what, why and how of the world around us, and we think that we have an edge in life, both for our own lives and over the lives of those around us.


I would avoid numerology like the plague. Whatever numerical patterns might occur in Scripture, they somehow point us to Christ, and not to some impersonal "spiritual law" that transcends all of existence. Numbers themselves are nothing, but the Christ to whom they point is everything.

 

[Nanopants]

I just explained why.

 

[Knee V]

I just explained why.

If that's at me, I wasn't necessarily trying to convince you of anything... I saw your last post. I was just commenting on the topic in general.