A significant portion of the images and messages found in Revelation are accompanied by various numbers that often seem to be figurative or symbolic in some sense: seven, twelve, a thousand, 144,000, etc. These numbers are often greeted with a grimace. How to interpret? Literal or figurative in meaning? What to make of it all?
Maybe we can lighten up a bit on this topic. Rather than seeing this rather extensive array of numbers as a barrier to hurdle, we can perhaps welcome it as a beacon to light our path. What can these numbers tell us about the book we are confronting (while embracing)? I think it is a lot. But we need to start with looking at the big picture.
Various Figures
Before tackling the various numerical figures found throughout Revelation, we need to acknowledge the widespread presence of literary features, including figures of speech, that permeate not only the book of Revelation but the entire scope of Scripture. A deep dive into a book like Revelation is best accomplished when attention is paid to the presence of figurative language and its implications. The study of how we interpret the Bible, the study sometimes referred to as hermeneutics (from the Greek messenger god Hermes), is an important component in the process of learning God’s Word. Sadly, differences of opinion on matters of interpretation can become divisive at times. The more carefully we strive to come to a clear understanding of the historical and cultural background, linguistic features, and literary practices of a given text, the better chance we have for accurate interpretation. Warning: two-to-three-thousand-year-old texts can be challenging. Who could think otherwise?
Want to dig deeper? Try Mark E. Moore, Seeing God in HD (2008), and William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, et al., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, Third Edition, 2017.
The Old Testament contains hundreds of examples of figures of speech, including the use of symbolic or figurative numbers. This complicates things somewhat since the book of Revelation contains several hundred Old Testament allusions or references, some of which utilize various numbers. While many numbers in historical contexts in the Old Testament should be viewed as literal, others need to be taken as metaphorical or symbolic. Another expression for symbolic might be qualitative. Some numbers in the Bible should be viewed as quantitative, others qualitative.
“Some numbers in the Bible should be viewed as quantitative, others qualitative.”
The Ubiquitous Number Seven
The so-called “divine number,” the number seven, is best viewed as a number denoting perfection or completeness. Used extensively to describe things pertaining to God and worship, seven is also used in a broad range of contexts. It is found in frequent references outside the Bible, e.g., in Egyptian, Canaanite, Babylonian, and Sumerian literature, often in the sense of “all,” or “complete.”
Within the parameters of the Mosaic system, we find seven in reference to sacrificial regulations, lengths of feasts, the Sabbath Day, Sabbath Year, and Year of Jubilee (a fiftieth year following a seven-times-seven cycle). Among historical narratives we find Jacob serving seven years for Rachel (Genesis 29:20 ff.); seven years of plenty and seven years of famine in the time of Joseph (Genesis 41:53-54); seven sons of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:10); and seven sons of Saul (2 Samuel.21:6). Naaman the leper dipped seven times in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:10); Jericho was encircled seven days, seven times on the seventh day, with seven priests carrying seven trumpets before the ark (Joshua 6:4). Cain’s murder would be avenged seven-fold (Genesis 4:24). We are told silver refined seven times in the furnace is pure (Psalm 12:6), while God is praised by the psalmist seven times a day (Psalm 119:164). Other examples of qualitative numbers from poetic texts could be cited.
But what makes the number seven itself symbolic, representing the idea of being full or complete? The simplest answer is that it points to the seven-day cycle of a week. This week is grounded in the order of creation revealed in the opening chapters of Genesis. The seven-day week reaffirms God’s completed work of creation and serves to mark a recurring cycle.
“The seven-day week reaffirms God’s completed work of creation and serves to mark a recurring cycle.”
The distribution of numbers in the book of Revelation supports the view that the book is filled with figurative language and that physical or literal fulfillments are not always to be sought.
The range of the use of seven, for example, helps us to understand that the book contains a series of cycles describing events that are not necessarily sequential, but that are in fact at times concurrent or repetitive. We find seven seals opened (Revelation 5:1–8:1), seven angels with seven trumpets (Revelation 8:2–11:15), seven peals of thunder (Revelation 10:3), seven angels with seven plagues in which the wrath of God is finished (Revelation 15:1), seven golden bowls of wrath (Revelation 15:7), and a scarlet beast with seven heads (Revelation 17:3). Judgment scenes conclude chapters 11, 14, 19, and 20. These are each followed by a new cycle or scene depicting God’s redemptive purposes. At the end of Revelation 11, the seventh angel sounded (verse 15) and judgment was rendered to the righteous and unrighteous (verse 18). This is immediately followed in chapter 12 by the scene of the woman (Israel) giving birth to Christ and Satan’s attempts to destroy her son while He was still on earth. The dragon (devil, Satan) then attacks the woman (now the church) after Christ’s ascension to the throne of His Father (Revelation 12:1-17).
“We find seven seals opened, seven angels with seven trumpets, seven peals of thunder, seven angels with seven plagues in which the wrath of God is finished, seven golden bowls of wrath, and a scarlet beast with seven heads.”
The use of the number seven permeates the opening scenes of the book. The seven churches of Asia (Revelation 1:4), although specific, literal congregations (Revelation 2-3), clearly serve to represent God’s church universal. Seven golden lampstands represent the seven churches, while seven stars Christ holds in His right hand are the “angels” (messengers/preachers?) of the seven churches (Revelation 1:16, 20). The qualitative use of seven is evident in the designation of the Holy Spirit as “the seven spirits who are before his throne” (Revelation 1:4; we see a clear Trinitarian expression in verses 4-5). The seven spirits are later depicted as seven lamps of fire burning before the throne (Revelation 4:5). As well, the seven spirits of God are described as being the seven eyes of the Lamb that are sent out into all the earth (Revelation 5:6—drawing on imagery found in Zechariah 1:10, 11; 4:10, which in turn derived from the famous royal patrols of the Persian Empire). The Lamb standing between the twenty-four elders and the throne is also depicted with seven horns (Revelation 5:6).
The Number Twelve
Along with seven, the (cyclical) number “twelve” bears a heavy load in the progression of Revelation. Not surprisingly, uses of twelve are primarily attached to the imagery involving Israel and its twelve tribes, but the nature of twelve as a cyclical number stands out as well: the twelve months of the year at Revelation 22:2 (also note Jesus’ reference to the twelve hours in the day at John 11:9.) The notions of a cycle and completion go hand in hand.
The woman in Revelation 12 who gives birth to the Messiah is depicted with a crown on her head containing twelve stars. She is portraying here the Old Testament people of God. Yet once her man-child (Christ) is born and then caught up into heaven (Revelation 12:5), she becomes the symbol of the New Testament saints, a church persecuted by the dragon and his followers (Revelation 12:6-17). The woman’s twelve stars offer parallel imagery to the enumeration of twelve tribes in Revelation 7.
Within the discussion regarding the symbolic nature of twelve, the extended numbers 12,000 and 144,000 stand out. Also, not to be ignored are the twenty-four elders on twenty-four thrones (Revelation 4:4, 10; 5:5, 8, 14). They seem to represent the faithful of both dispensations as do the twelve apostles and twelve tribes mentioned in Revelation 21.
“Uses of twelve are primarily attached to the imagery involving Israel and its twelve tribes.”
At Revelation 7:3-4, the 144,000 are described as bond-servants of God sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. The tribes from which 12,000 each were sealed are then listed. This scene gives way to the picture of the New Testament saints as “a great multitude that no one could number” (Revelation 7:9) whose pure white robes had been washed in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:9, 14). They have come out of the “great tribulation” and are now protected and provided for by the Lamb on the throne (Revelation 7:14-17).
One significant clue to the non-literal nature of the tribe imagery here is that the actual twelve tribes are not listed here. We know from the Old Testament that Jacob had twelve sons, including Levi and Joseph. In the later enumeration of the twelve tribes as they settled the promised land, however, these two are excluded and replaced by Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh. So which occurs here in Revelation 7—the sons of Jacob, or the tribes of Israel? The answer is neither! This, I believe, speaks strongly to the figurative quality of the entire description. We find Levi and Joseph included, but Ephraim and Dan excluded. The exclusion of Ephraim is striking since Manasseh is mentioned. Ephraim was the prominent tribe of the Northern Kingdom, so much so that the prophets frequently designated the Northern Kingdom as “Ephraim” (especially Hosea). The apostate nature of Ephraim may have been a consideration in its omission here. Also the tribe of Dan received a measure of bad press in the Old Testament stemming from its idolatry (Judges 18; 1 Kings 12:25-33).
“This scene gives way to the picture of the New Testament saints as ‘a great multitude that no one could number.'”
It is quite possible that the multitude from various nations and the 144,000 “Israelites” are the same group of people (Revelation 7). Those protected (or “sealed”) from God’s wrath in judgment still must experience tribulation at the hands of Satan and his followers. The language in Revelation 14 (and 15) would suggest a connection between the 144,000 and the church as a whole. The 144,000 “follow the Lamb” while those who have “conquered the beast” sing “the song of Moses” and “the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4; 15:3).
The description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 utilizes the number twelve and various extensions of twelve: 12, 12×12, 12×1,000 imagery. John describes the New Jerusalem in length, width, and height as 12,000 stadia (KJV, ASV “furlongs”). The Greek stadion approximated the English furlong. (A furlong eventually measured 660 standard English feet. The mile, eight furlongs, is 5,280 feet.)
The likely cube imagery in Revelation suggests perfection and surely points back to the Holy of Holies in the Mosaic system, also a perfect cube, 20x20x20 cubits (1 Kings 6:20). The notion that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem instead describe a pyramid is less likely. The question to be answered is whether the dimensions of the city are to be taken as literal or figurative. Descriptions of the New Jerusalem suggest the latter.
“The description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 utilizes the number twelve and various extensions of twelve.”
Several clues exist in Revelation 21 to support the view that measurements involving “twelve” are representative of spiritual realities. We find twelve gates in the city walls, each described as “pearls” (verse 21), with the names of the “twelve tribes of the sons of Israel” written on them (verse 12). The wall has twelve foundation stones on which are written “the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (verse 14). The city itself is described as “the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (verse 9). In one sense, the city houses the people of God (verse 27), but in another real sense, the city itself represents the people of God. God Himself is the temple (verse 22). This being the case, the 12,000 / 12×12 imagery involving the city walls seems to reinforce the concept that God’s people are being portrayed, not topographic measurements.
Much of Revelation’s usage of the number twelve and its extensions relates to expressions involving the people of God. However, the final usage of the “twelve” imagery in Revelation adds a twist to the discussion. The Bible’s account of God’s dealing with man begins and ends in connection with “the tree of life.” We read at Revelation 22:2-3:
“…also on either side of the river. the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed….” (Revelation 22:2-3, ESV)
“No longer will there be anything accursed.”
Here we are reminded of the cyclical nature of the symbolism stemming from twelve even as the theme of completeness or perfection is brought home again in the depiction of the sustenance and healing of the nations. The “twelve” imagery denotes completeness with respect to provision, duration, and recipients, and fills out the symbolic imagery involved with this number in describing the New Jerusalem. But I have a question….
Translation Troubles
A basic question that follows here is how should translators render various measurements from ancient times: with the ancient measurement designations themselves or with their modern equivalents? Which is it, cubits or feet? (A cubit [Hebrew ammah] is about a foot and a half, the distance from the elbow to fingertips.) Is it stadia or miles (a stadion [Greek] being approximately 600 feet)? The issue becomes particularly difficult if symbolic numbers possibly are involved.
In place of 12,000 stadia we find some modern translations and paraphrases substituting distances like 1,400 miles, 1,500 miles, or 2400 kilometers (!), while for 144 cubits we find 72 yards, or about 200 feet or even 216 feet. The problem is obvious. Once conversions like the above are done, any potential symbolic value of the original numbers involved disappears.
In Revelation, as noted above, we find the measurement 144 cubits (Revelation 21:17) and also 12,000 stadia (Revelation 21:16). The modern equivalents would be 72 yards and roughly 1,500 miles. But if we are dealing with figurative language (and here I most definitely believe that we are), the numerical representations are clues to the symbolic nature of things. The mention of 12,000 whatever is significant; 1,500 whatever probably is not. The number 144 (12×12) speaks louder than the number 72. Are you hearing me?
“Once conversions like the above are done, any potential symbolic value of the original numbers involved disappears.”
I confess that I do not have a great solution here. On the whole, I would prefer to see the ancient units of measurement retained when numbers are involved, especially potentially figurative or symbolic numbers. I would suggest that the ancient terms themselves should generally be used, with marginal explanatory notes or footnotes as needed. In essence, translations that convert numbers and units of measurement into modern equivalents are stating that there is no special literary value to the numbers themselves. In doing so, they are dismissing or ignoring possibly important clues to the meaning of texts: the potential value of the numbers themselves.
Other Cyclical Numbers
The symbolic utilization of numbers like seven, twelve, and thirty, and even forty, was most likely due to the cyclical nature they possessed. It may sound too simple, but at the core of things there are seven days in a week, twelve months of the year, thirty days in a month, and forty years in a generation (at least regarding a Wilderness Wandering generation).
Regarding thirty, the number can mark the completion of a set timeframe as well as inclusion into a specified, limited group. A month of thirty days provides the basic cycle or time span. Age thirty was significant for manhood, priestly ministry, etc. Joseph was thirty when he stood before Pharaoh (Genesis 41:46); David became king at age thirty (as did possibly Saul); thirty shekels was the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32); Israel wept thirty days for Aaron (Numbers 20:29) and for Moses (Deuteronomy 34:8). Prayer in Babylon was prohibited for thirty days (Daniel 6:7, 12); Esther had not been summoned for thirty days before approaching the king (Esther 4:11).
At times thirty seems to connote membership or community. Samson had thirty companions at his feast (Judges 14:11) while David had his select group of thirty chieftains (2 Samuel 23:13), etc. Interestingly, the listing of David’s “thirty chief men” ends with the summation, “thirty-seven in all” (2 Samuel 23:39). The “thirty” designation here apparently had already become a special classification, not a literal grouping.
The number forty functions as a complete period, stemming from its connection to the concept of a “generation,” although that specific connection in Scripture is pretty much limited to the Wilderness Wandering period. For readers of the book of Genesis, the phrase “forty days and forty nights” should come to mind as well.
“At the core of things there are seven days in a week, twelve months of the year, thirty days in a month, and forty years in a generation.”
Assorted Others
Other symbolic numbers in Revelation that can only be noted in passing include “four” (four living creatures, four angels at the four corners of the earth, four winds of the earth); “ten days” (Revelation 2:10); “five months” (Revelation 9:5, 10); “one half hour” (Revelation 8:1); “one tenth” (Revelation 11:13); “one third” (extensively used of destruction— Revelation 8:7, 8, 10, 12; 9:15, 18); “7,000” (Revelation 11:13); “twelve” with multiples; “a thousand” and multiples of a thousand. Of the above, perhaps the most puzzling is the mention of torment caused by terrifying locusts for “five months.” Many commentators suggest that this duration refers to the life cycle of the locust.
The Troublesome One Thousand
In the next article, the teaching from Revelation 20 on the millennium (a thousand years) will come into focus as we identify the “first resurrection” and related topics. It is somewhat surprising, based on what has been discussed above regarding numeric symbolism, that not a few Bible scholars would insist on a literal understanding of the number a thousand in this particular context. Within the various shades of premillennialism there is a common tendency to interpret language regarding Israel and its future status in a more literal way than one might attempt in dealing with other topics in other contexts. Ironically, the very passage that is supposed to focus upon a future Israel-centric kingdom says nothing about Israel or Jerusalem or an earthly kingdom. Strange indeed.
The single passage that provides the most controversy regarding the number “one thousand” is Revelation 20:1-6, where Satan is bound and Christ and the saints reign for a thousand years. Before examining that key text, we need to acknowledge the numerous qualitative uses for the number a thousand throughout Scripture.
“We need to acknowledge the numerous qualitative uses for the number a thousand throughout Scripture.”
The number thousand and its various extensions (7,000, 10,000, 12,000, 144,000) play a significant role in the book of Revelation as they do throughout the Bible as a whole. Moses asked that God increase Israel “a thousand-fold” (Deuteronomy 1:11), the God who keeps His covenant and loving kindness to “a thousandth generation” (Deuteronomy 7:9; cf. 1 Chronicles 16:15; Psalm 105:8). With God’s help, one Israelite could put a thousand enemies to flight (Deuteronomy 32:30; Joshua 23:10; cf. Isaiah. 30:17). God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), and a day in His courts is better than a thousand outside (Psalm 84:10). Regarding Psalm 50, no one wonders about the cattle on “hill 1,001”! We all get it….Also, we read that a thousand years in His sight are like yesterday when it passes by, for a day with the Lord is like a thousand years (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8). What does it matter if a man lives a thousand years twice (Ecclesiastes 6:6)? A wise man among a thousand can be hard to find (Ecclesiastes 7:28).
And so it goes. In view of such diverse figurative references, it is quite natural to understand the “thousand years” (Latin millennium) is Revelation 20 as a large qualitative number, especially since to take it literally or quantitatively is to create a thousand-year period nowhere else specifically delineated in Scripture. There is more to come in the next installment regarding Revelation’s “thousand years” in connection with what John labels “the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:5, 6).
The Thought-Provoking “Three-and-a-Half”
Ironically, one of the more perplexing measurements in Revelation may prove to be a helpful guide for the interpretation of the book as a whole. The use of numerical imagery in the book involves the temporal quantity of three-and-a-half years. Although Revelation never actually uses this precise designation, it expresses the equivalency three separate ways: “forty-two months” (Revelation 11:2; 13:5), “1,260 days” (Revelation 11:3; 12:6), and “time, times, and half a time” (Revelation 12:14; also Daniel 7:25; 12:7). The expression found in Daniel 7:25 and 12:7 is “time, times, and half a time” in which “times” is understood as a dual form, therefore “two times.” This expression occurs at Revelation 12:14 and is parallel to the nearby designation “1,260 days,” being the equivalent of three-and-a-half years of 360 days (Revelation 11:3; 12:6). These expressions in turn are parallel with “forty-two months” (Revelation 11:2; 13:5). 
As half of seven, the various equivalencies of “three and a half” seem to convey the notion of persecution and perseverance along with the idea of God’s protection throughout that experience. The Daniel references seem to involve predictions of future persecution of God’s people at the hands of Gentile rulers, perhaps including the Roman conquest of the Jewish nation and destruction of the temple (AD 70) and the persecution at the hands of the Romans of God’s “new Israel,” the church. Some would also point to the persecutions under the Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes in the second century BC. The negative connotation of three and a half years is reinforced by the mention in Scripture of the three and a half years of drought and famine in the days of Elijah (1 Kings 17:1 [without the specific time frame stated]; Luke 4: 25; James 5:17).
“As half of seven, the various equivalencies of ‘three and a half’ seem to convey the notion of persecution and perseverance along with the idea of God’s protection throughout that experience.”
In Revelation 11, a chapter that many feel gives a highly figurative depiction of the early years of the church, including the apostolic preaching of the gospel and the fall of Jerusalem, we encounter abbreviated, highly symbolic descriptions of the early days of the life of the church. These descriptions include the prophesying of “two witnesses” clothed in sackcloth and the miraculous activity through those witnesses, including the kinds of things that Moses and Elijah once did: turning the waters into blood, withholding rain from the sky, and unleashing plagues upon the earth. We also see the suffering of these witnesses at the hands of evildoers in the environs of Jerusalem (the supposed “holy city” but also the city called “Sodom” and “Egypt”).
God’s two witnesses are killed by their enemies but are raised back to life “after three and a half days,” and they ascend into heaven (Revelation 11:11). This is the only place in Revelation where the actual number “three and a half” is used and it is used of days, not years. Jesus’ time in the tomb (three days and three nights) may be a connecting point, although these martyrs are left unburied by their enemies, exposed to the elements until resurrected and removed to heaven. A great earthquake destroys the city (Jerusalem) and seven thousand are killed. This is probably the same great earthquake mentioned at Revelation 16:17 involved with the fall of “Babylon” (likely Jerusalem?). It has been suggested that the 7,000 slain is a kind of “remnant in reverse.”
“It has been suggested that the 7,000 slain is a kind of ‘remnant in reverse.'”
In Revelation 11, the “three-and-a-half-year” experience involves the proclamation of the gospel and the persecution of its messengers even as it coincides with a time when Jerusalem and its temple are trampled down (Revelation 11:2). The parallel language at Luke 21 found in Jesus’ Olivet Discourse stands out:
“They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24, ESV)
A time of proclamation of the gospel and persecution of those messengers also results in the judgment that Jesus had predicted: the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans within a single generation.
The language in each of the “three-and-a-half-year” equivalencies in Revelation could naturally and, in fact, quite precisely be applied to the experiences of the early church, and indeed to the experiences of the persecuted church throughout the church age. The crucial take-away from how Revelation deals with the symbolism is to recognize that the “three-and-a-half-year” time segment describes the church age as a whole, not a short timeframe following the church age. It appears that the three-and-a-half years begin with the ascension of Jesus into heaven (Revelation 12:5) and are characterized by the church’s being nourished throughout this time of tribulation and testing.
“It appears that the three-and-a-half years begin with the ascension of Jesus into heaven and are characterized by the church’s being nourished throughout this time of tribulation and testing.”
Revelation 12:5-6 is critical here. The three-and-a-half-year period does not follow the supposed rapture of the church or the second coming of Christ. Instead, it follows the ascension of Jesus into heaven following His crucifixion and resurrection. This then fits well with that same time frame being also a reference to the time when Jerusalem is trampled down by the Gentiles (Revelation 11:2) and the time when the beast arises from the (Mediterranean) sea and attacks the church, slaying many (Revelation 13:1-10).
This period is marked out by the early apostolic witness involving supernatural signs and wonders (Revelation 11:4-6, 11-12). If this same time frame features the Satan-prompted arrival and hegemony of the beast, some of the main elements found in the book of Revelation can be better understood. Recognizing the number three-and-a-half for what it is, an important symbolic measure of the church’s experiences, not a literal end-times segment of the calendar, makes a great difference in framing the message and purpose of the book of Revelation.
We have not forgotten the most perplexing number of all: “666”! That will be covered in connection with a later article dealing with the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 13). Surprises await.
To check out Dr. Larry Pechawer’s book Unraveling Revelation: Hope, Wisdom, and Mystery in John’s Apocalypse, click here.
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Unraveling Revelation: The Numbers in the Book of Revelation
By Larry Pechawer | Bio
Larry Pechawer served as a professor of Bible and Biblical Languages for nearly forty years combined at Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary, Central Christian College of the Bible (now Central Bible University), and Ozark Christian College. While at Central he also served as Academic Dean. In addition to preaching ministries in Kentucky and Missouri, Dr. Pechawer made eighteen overseas teaching trips on behalf of Seminary of the Nations.
Larry attended The Ohio State University and graduated from Cincinnati Bible College and Seminary (BA, MA) and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (PhD). His doctoral emphasis was on ancient Semitic languages, especially Hebrew and Aramaic. He has authored several books including Unraveling Revelation: Hope, Wisdom, and Mystery in John’s Apocalypse. He and his wife Julie, a retired elementary school teacher, live in Joplin, Missouri.
A significant portion of the images and messages found in Revelation are accompanied by various numbers that often seem to be figurative or symbolic in some sense: seven, twelve, a thousand, 144,000, etc. These numbers are often greeted with a grimace. How to interpret? Literal or figurative in meaning? What to make of it all?
Maybe we can lighten up a bit on this topic. Rather than seeing this rather extensive array of numbers as a barrier to hurdle, we can perhaps welcome it as a beacon to light our path. What can these numbers tell us about the book we are confronting (while embracing)? I think it is a lot. But we need to start with looking at the big picture.
Various Figures
Before tackling the various numerical figures found throughout Revelation, we need to acknowledge the widespread presence of literary features, including figures of speech, that permeate not only the book of Revelation but the entire scope of Scripture. A deep dive into a book like Revelation is best accomplished when attention is paid to the presence of figurative language and its implications. The study of how we interpret the Bible, the study sometimes referred to as hermeneutics (from the Greek messenger god Hermes), is an important component in the process of learning God’s Word. Sadly, differences of opinion on matters of interpretation can become divisive at times. The more carefully we strive to come to a clear understanding of the historical and cultural background, linguistic features, and literary practices of a given text, the better chance we have for accurate interpretation. Warning: two-to-three-thousand-year-old texts can be challenging. Who could think otherwise?
Want to dig deeper? Try Mark E. Moore, Seeing God in HD (2008), and William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, et al., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, Third Edition, 2017.
The Old Testament contains hundreds of examples of figures of speech, including the use of symbolic or figurative numbers. This complicates things somewhat since the book of Revelation contains several hundred Old Testament allusions or references, some of which utilize various numbers. While many numbers in historical contexts in the Old Testament should be viewed as literal, others need to be taken as metaphorical or symbolic. Another expression for symbolic might be qualitative. Some numbers in the Bible should be viewed as quantitative, others qualitative.
“Some numbers in the Bible should be viewed as quantitative, others qualitative.”
The Ubiquitous Number Seven
The so-called “divine number,” the number seven, is best viewed as a number denoting perfection or completeness. Used extensively to describe things pertaining to God and worship, seven is also used in a broad range of contexts. It is found in frequent references outside the Bible, e.g., in Egyptian, Canaanite, Babylonian, and Sumerian literature, often in the sense of “all,” or “complete.”
Within the parameters of the Mosaic system, we find seven in reference to sacrificial regulations, lengths of feasts, the Sabbath Day, Sabbath Year, and Year of Jubilee (a fiftieth year following a seven-times-seven cycle). Among historical narratives we find Jacob serving seven years for Rachel (Genesis 29:20 ff.); seven years of plenty and seven years of famine in the time of Joseph (Genesis 41:53-54); seven sons of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:10); and seven sons of Saul (2 Samuel.21:6). Naaman the leper dipped seven times in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:10); Jericho was encircled seven days, seven times on the seventh day, with seven priests carrying seven trumpets before the ark (Joshua 6:4). Cain’s murder would be avenged seven-fold (Genesis 4:24). We are told silver refined seven times in the furnace is pure (Psalm 12:6), while God is praised by the psalmist seven times a day (Psalm 119:164). Other examples of qualitative numbers from poetic texts could be cited.
But what makes the number seven itself symbolic, representing the idea of being full or complete? The simplest answer is that it points to the seven-day cycle of a week. This week is grounded in the order of creation revealed in the opening chapters of Genesis. The seven-day week reaffirms God’s completed work of creation and serves to mark a recurring cycle.
“The seven-day week reaffirms God’s completed work of creation and serves to mark a recurring cycle.”
The distribution of numbers in the book of Revelation supports the view that the book is filled with figurative language and that physical or literal fulfillments are not always to be sought.
The range of the use of seven, for example, helps us to understand that the book contains a series of cycles describing events that are not necessarily sequential, but that are in fact at times concurrent or repetitive. We find seven seals opened (Revelation 5:1–8:1), seven angels with seven trumpets (Revelation 8:2–11:15), seven peals of thunder (Revelation 10:3), seven angels with seven plagues in which the wrath of God is finished (Revelation 15:1), seven golden bowls of wrath (Revelation 15:7), and a scarlet beast with seven heads (Revelation 17:3). Judgment scenes conclude chapters 11, 14, 19, and 20. These are each followed by a new cycle or scene depicting God’s redemptive purposes. At the end of Revelation 11, the seventh angel sounded (verse 15) and judgment was rendered to the righteous and unrighteous (verse 18). This is immediately followed in chapter 12 by the scene of the woman (Israel) giving birth to Christ and Satan’s attempts to destroy her son while He was still on earth. The dragon (devil, Satan) then attacks the woman (now the church) after Christ’s ascension to the throne of His Father (Revelation 12:1-17).
“We find seven seals opened, seven angels with seven trumpets, seven peals of thunder, seven angels with seven plagues in which the wrath of God is finished, seven golden bowls of wrath, and a scarlet beast with seven heads.”
The use of the number seven permeates the opening scenes of the book. The seven churches of Asia (Revelation 1:4), although specific, literal congregations (Revelation 2-3), clearly serve to represent God’s church universal. Seven golden lampstands represent the seven churches, while seven stars Christ holds in His right hand are the “angels” (messengers/preachers?) of the seven churches (Revelation 1:16, 20). The qualitative use of seven is evident in the designation of the Holy Spirit as “the seven spirits who are before his throne” (Revelation 1:4; we see a clear Trinitarian expression in verses 4-5). The seven spirits are later depicted as seven lamps of fire burning before the throne (Revelation 4:5). As well, the seven spirits of God are described as being the seven eyes of the Lamb that are sent out into all the earth (Revelation 5:6—drawing on imagery found in Zechariah 1:10, 11; 4:10, which in turn derived from the famous royal patrols of the Persian Empire). The Lamb standing between the twenty-four elders and the throne is also depicted with seven horns (Revelation 5:6).
The Number Twelve
Along with seven, the (cyclical) number “twelve” bears a heavy load in the progression of Revelation. Not surprisingly, uses of twelve are primarily attached to the imagery involving Israel and its twelve tribes, but the nature of twelve as a cyclical number stands out as well: the twelve months of the year at Revelation 22:2 (also note Jesus’ reference to the twelve hours in the day at John 11:9.) The notions of a cycle and completion go hand in hand.
The woman in Revelation 12 who gives birth to the Messiah is depicted with a crown on her head containing twelve stars. She is portraying here the Old Testament people of God. Yet once her man-child (Christ) is born and then caught up into heaven (Revelation 12:5), she becomes the symbol of the New Testament saints, a church persecuted by the dragon and his followers (Revelation 12:6-17). The woman’s twelve stars offer parallel imagery to the enumeration of twelve tribes in Revelation 7.
Within the discussion regarding the symbolic nature of twelve, the extended numbers 12,000 and 144,000 stand out. Also, not to be ignored are the twenty-four elders on twenty-four thrones (Revelation 4:4, 10; 5:5, 8, 14). They seem to represent the faithful of both dispensations as do the twelve apostles and twelve tribes mentioned in Revelation 21.
“Uses of twelve are primarily attached to the imagery involving Israel and its twelve tribes.”
At Revelation 7:3-4, the 144,000 are described as bond-servants of God sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. The tribes from which 12,000 each were sealed are then listed. This scene gives way to the picture of the New Testament saints as “a great multitude that no one could number” (Revelation 7:9) whose pure white robes had been washed in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:9, 14). They have come out of the “great tribulation” and are now protected and provided for by the Lamb on the throne (Revelation 7:14-17).
One significant clue to the non-literal nature of the tribe imagery here is that the actual twelve tribes are not listed here. We know from the Old Testament that Jacob had twelve sons, including Levi and Joseph. In the later enumeration of the twelve tribes as they settled the promised land, however, these two are excluded and replaced by Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh. So which occurs here in Revelation 7—the sons of Jacob, or the tribes of Israel? The answer is neither! This, I believe, speaks strongly to the figurative quality of the entire description. We find Levi and Joseph included, but Ephraim and Dan excluded. The exclusion of Ephraim is striking since Manasseh is mentioned. Ephraim was the prominent tribe of the Northern Kingdom, so much so that the prophets frequently designated the Northern Kingdom as “Ephraim” (especially Hosea). The apostate nature of Ephraim may have been a consideration in its omission here. Also the tribe of Dan received a measure of bad press in the Old Testament stemming from its idolatry (Judges 18; 1 Kings 12:25-33).
“This scene gives way to the picture of the New Testament saints as ‘a great multitude that no one could number.'”
It is quite possible that the multitude from various nations and the 144,000 “Israelites” are the same group of people (Revelation 7). Those protected (or “sealed”) from God’s wrath in judgment still must experience tribulation at the hands of Satan and his followers. The language in Revelation 14 (and 15) would suggest a connection between the 144,000 and the church as a whole. The 144,000 “follow the Lamb” while those who have “conquered the beast” sing “the song of Moses” and “the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 14:4; 15:3).
The description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 utilizes the number twelve and various extensions of twelve: 12, 12×12, 12×1,000 imagery. John describes the New Jerusalem in length, width, and height as 12,000 stadia (KJV, ASV “furlongs”). The Greek stadion approximated the English furlong. (A furlong eventually measured 660 standard English feet. The mile, eight furlongs, is 5,280 feet.)
The likely cube imagery in Revelation suggests perfection and surely points back to the Holy of Holies in the Mosaic system, also a perfect cube, 20x20x20 cubits (1 Kings 6:20). The notion that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem instead describe a pyramid is less likely. The question to be answered is whether the dimensions of the city are to be taken as literal or figurative. Descriptions of the New Jerusalem suggest the latter.
“The description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 utilizes the number twelve and various extensions of twelve.”
Several clues exist in Revelation 21 to support the view that measurements involving “twelve” are representative of spiritual realities. We find twelve gates in the city walls, each described as “pearls” (verse 21), with the names of the “twelve tribes of the sons of Israel” written on them (verse 12). The wall has twelve foundation stones on which are written “the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (verse 14). The city itself is described as “the bride, the wife of the Lamb” (verse 9). In one sense, the city houses the people of God (verse 27), but in another real sense, the city itself represents the people of God. God Himself is the temple (verse 22). This being the case, the 12,000 / 12×12 imagery involving the city walls seems to reinforce the concept that God’s people are being portrayed, not topographic measurements.
Much of Revelation’s usage of the number twelve and its extensions relates to expressions involving the people of God. However, the final usage of the “twelve” imagery in Revelation adds a twist to the discussion. The Bible’s account of God’s dealing with man begins and ends in connection with “the tree of life.” We read at Revelation 22:2-3:
“…also on either side of the river. the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed….” (Revelation 22:2-3, ESV)
“No longer will there be anything accursed.”
Here we are reminded of the cyclical nature of the symbolism stemming from twelve even as the theme of completeness or perfection is brought home again in the depiction of the sustenance and healing of the nations. The “twelve” imagery denotes completeness with respect to provision, duration, and recipients, and fills out the symbolic imagery involved with this number in describing the New Jerusalem. But I have a question….
Translation Troubles
A basic question that follows here is how should translators render various measurements from ancient times: with the ancient measurement designations themselves or with their modern equivalents? Which is it, cubits or feet? (A cubit [Hebrew ammah] is about a foot and a half, the distance from the elbow to fingertips.) Is it stadia or miles (a stadion [Greek] being approximately 600 feet)? The issue becomes particularly difficult if symbolic numbers possibly are involved.
In place of 12,000 stadia we find some modern translations and paraphrases substituting distances like 1,400 miles, 1,500 miles, or 2400 kilometers (!), while for 144 cubits we find 72 yards, or about 200 feet or even 216 feet. The problem is obvious. Once conversions like the above are done, any potential symbolic value of the original numbers involved disappears.
In Revelation, as noted above, we find the measurement 144 cubits (Revelation 21:17) and also 12,000 stadia (Revelation 21:16). The modern equivalents would be 72 yards and roughly 1,500 miles. But if we are dealing with figurative language (and here I most definitely believe that we are), the numerical representations are clues to the symbolic nature of things. The mention of 12,000 whatever is significant; 1,500 whatever probably is not. The number 144 (12×12) speaks louder than the number 72. Are you hearing me?
“Once conversions like the above are done, any potential symbolic value of the original numbers involved disappears.”
I confess that I do not have a great solution here. On the whole, I would prefer to see the ancient units of measurement retained when numbers are involved, especially potentially figurative or symbolic numbers. I would suggest that the ancient terms themselves should generally be used, with marginal explanatory notes or footnotes as needed. In essence, translations that convert numbers and units of measurement into modern equivalents are stating that there is no special literary value to the numbers themselves. In doing so, they are dismissing or ignoring possibly important clues to the meaning of texts: the potential value of the numbers themselves.
Other Cyclical Numbers
The symbolic utilization of numbers like seven, twelve, and thirty, and even forty, was most likely due to the cyclical nature they possessed. It may sound too simple, but at the core of things there are seven days in a week, twelve months of the year, thirty days in a month, and forty years in a generation (at least regarding a Wilderness Wandering generation).
Regarding thirty, the number can mark the completion of a set timeframe as well as inclusion into a specified, limited group. A month of thirty days provides the basic cycle or time span. Age thirty was significant for manhood, priestly ministry, etc. Joseph was thirty when he stood before Pharaoh (Genesis 41:46); David became king at age thirty (as did possibly Saul); thirty shekels was the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32); Israel wept thirty days for Aaron (Numbers 20:29) and for Moses (Deuteronomy 34:8). Prayer in Babylon was prohibited for thirty days (Daniel 6:7, 12); Esther had not been summoned for thirty days before approaching the king (Esther 4:11).
At times thirty seems to connote membership or community. Samson had thirty companions at his feast (Judges 14:11) while David had his select group of thirty chieftains (2 Samuel 23:13), etc. Interestingly, the listing of David’s “thirty chief men” ends with the summation, “thirty-seven in all” (2 Samuel 23:39). The “thirty” designation here apparently had already become a special classification, not a literal grouping.
The number forty functions as a complete period, stemming from its connection to the concept of a “generation,” although that specific connection in Scripture is pretty much limited to the Wilderness Wandering period. For readers of the book of Genesis, the phrase “forty days and forty nights” should come to mind as well.
“At the core of things there are seven days in a week, twelve months of the year, thirty days in a month, and forty years in a generation.”
Assorted Others
Other symbolic numbers in Revelation that can only be noted in passing include “four” (four living creatures, four angels at the four corners of the earth, four winds of the earth); “ten days” (Revelation 2:10); “five months” (Revelation 9:5, 10); “one half hour” (Revelation 8:1); “one tenth” (Revelation 11:13); “one third” (extensively used of destruction— Revelation 8:7, 8, 10, 12; 9:15, 18); “7,000” (Revelation 11:13); “twelve” with multiples; “a thousand” and multiples of a thousand. Of the above, perhaps the most puzzling is the mention of torment caused by terrifying locusts for “five months.” Many commentators suggest that this duration refers to the life cycle of the locust.
The Troublesome One Thousand
In the next article, the teaching from Revelation 20 on the millennium (a thousand years) will come into focus as we identify the “first resurrection” and related topics. It is somewhat surprising, based on what has been discussed above regarding numeric symbolism, that not a few Bible scholars would insist on a literal understanding of the number a thousand in this particular context. Within the various shades of premillennialism there is a common tendency to interpret language regarding Israel and its future status in a more literal way than one might attempt in dealing with other topics in other contexts. Ironically, the very passage that is supposed to focus upon a future Israel-centric kingdom says nothing about Israel or Jerusalem or an earthly kingdom. Strange indeed.
The single passage that provides the most controversy regarding the number “one thousand” is Revelation 20:1-6, where Satan is bound and Christ and the saints reign for a thousand years. Before examining that key text, we need to acknowledge the numerous qualitative uses for the number a thousand throughout Scripture.
“We need to acknowledge the numerous qualitative uses for the number a thousand throughout Scripture.”
The number thousand and its various extensions (7,000, 10,000, 12,000, 144,000) play a significant role in the book of Revelation as they do throughout the Bible as a whole. Moses asked that God increase Israel “a thousand-fold” (Deuteronomy 1:11), the God who keeps His covenant and loving kindness to “a thousandth generation” (Deuteronomy 7:9; cf. 1 Chronicles 16:15; Psalm 105:8). With God’s help, one Israelite could put a thousand enemies to flight (Deuteronomy 32:30; Joshua 23:10; cf. Isaiah. 30:17). God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), and a day in His courts is better than a thousand outside (Psalm 84:10). Regarding Psalm 50, no one wonders about the cattle on “hill 1,001”! We all get it….Also, we read that a thousand years in His sight are like yesterday when it passes by, for a day with the Lord is like a thousand years (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8). What does it matter if a man lives a thousand years twice (Ecclesiastes 6:6)? A wise man among a thousand can be hard to find (Ecclesiastes 7:28).
And so it goes. In view of such diverse figurative references, it is quite natural to understand the “thousand years” (Latin millennium) is Revelation 20 as a large qualitative number, especially since to take it literally or quantitatively is to create a thousand-year period nowhere else specifically delineated in Scripture. There is more to come in the next installment regarding Revelation’s “thousand years” in connection with what John labels “the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:5, 6).
The Thought-Provoking “Three-and-a-Half”
Ironically, one of the more perplexing measurements in Revelation may prove to be a helpful guide for the interpretation of the book as a whole. The use of numerical imagery in the book involves the temporal quantity of three-and-a-half years. Although Revelation never actually uses this precise designation, it expresses the equivalency three separate ways: “forty-two months” (Revelation 11:2; 13:5), “1,260 days” (Revelation 11:3; 12:6), and “time, times, and half a time” (Revelation 12:14; also Daniel 7:25; 12:7). The expression found in Daniel 7:25 and 12:7 is “time, times, and half a time” in which “times” is understood as a dual form, therefore “two times.” This expression occurs at Revelation 12:14 and is parallel to the nearby designation “1,260 days,” being the equivalent of three-and-a-half years of 360 days (Revelation 11:3; 12:6). These expressions in turn are parallel with “forty-two months” (Revelation 11:2; 13:5).
As half of seven, the various equivalencies of “three and a half” seem to convey the notion of persecution and perseverance along with the idea of God’s protection throughout that experience. The Daniel references seem to involve predictions of future persecution of God’s people at the hands of Gentile rulers, perhaps including the Roman conquest of the Jewish nation and destruction of the temple (AD 70) and the persecution at the hands of the Romans of God’s “new Israel,” the church. Some would also point to the persecutions under the Greek ruler Antiochus Epiphanes in the second century BC. The negative connotation of three and a half years is reinforced by the mention in Scripture of the three and a half years of drought and famine in the days of Elijah (1 Kings 17:1 [without the specific time frame stated]; Luke 4: 25; James 5:17).
“As half of seven, the various equivalencies of ‘three and a half’ seem to convey the notion of persecution and perseverance along with the idea of God’s protection throughout that experience.”
In Revelation 11, a chapter that many feel gives a highly figurative depiction of the early years of the church, including the apostolic preaching of the gospel and the fall of Jerusalem, we encounter abbreviated, highly symbolic descriptions of the early days of the life of the church. These descriptions include the prophesying of “two witnesses” clothed in sackcloth and the miraculous activity through those witnesses, including the kinds of things that Moses and Elijah once did: turning the waters into blood, withholding rain from the sky, and unleashing plagues upon the earth. We also see the suffering of these witnesses at the hands of evildoers in the environs of Jerusalem (the supposed “holy city” but also the city called “Sodom” and “Egypt”).
God’s two witnesses are killed by their enemies but are raised back to life “after three and a half days,” and they ascend into heaven (Revelation 11:11). This is the only place in Revelation where the actual number “three and a half” is used and it is used of days, not years. Jesus’ time in the tomb (three days and three nights) may be a connecting point, although these martyrs are left unburied by their enemies, exposed to the elements until resurrected and removed to heaven. A great earthquake destroys the city (Jerusalem) and seven thousand are killed. This is probably the same great earthquake mentioned at Revelation 16:17 involved with the fall of “Babylon” (likely Jerusalem?). It has been suggested that the 7,000 slain is a kind of “remnant in reverse.”
“It has been suggested that the 7,000 slain is a kind of ‘remnant in reverse.'”
In Revelation 11, the “three-and-a-half-year” experience involves the proclamation of the gospel and the persecution of its messengers even as it coincides with a time when Jerusalem and its temple are trampled down (Revelation 11:2). The parallel language at Luke 21 found in Jesus’ Olivet Discourse stands out:
“They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24, ESV)
A time of proclamation of the gospel and persecution of those messengers also results in the judgment that Jesus had predicted: the destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans within a single generation.
The language in each of the “three-and-a-half-year” equivalencies in Revelation could naturally and, in fact, quite precisely be applied to the experiences of the early church, and indeed to the experiences of the persecuted church throughout the church age. The crucial take-away from how Revelation deals with the symbolism is to recognize that the “three-and-a-half-year” time segment describes the church age as a whole, not a short timeframe following the church age. It appears that the three-and-a-half years begin with the ascension of Jesus into heaven (Revelation 12:5) and are characterized by the church’s being nourished throughout this time of tribulation and testing.
“It appears that the three-and-a-half years begin with the ascension of Jesus into heaven and are characterized by the church’s being nourished throughout this time of tribulation and testing.”
Revelation 12:5-6 is critical here. The three-and-a-half-year period does not follow the supposed rapture of the church or the second coming of Christ. Instead, it follows the ascension of Jesus into heaven following His crucifixion and resurrection. This then fits well with that same time frame being also a reference to the time when Jerusalem is trampled down by the Gentiles (Revelation 11:2) and the time when the beast arises from the (Mediterranean) sea and attacks the church, slaying many (Revelation 13:1-10).
This period is marked out by the early apostolic witness involving supernatural signs and wonders (Revelation 11:4-6, 11-12). If this same time frame features the Satan-prompted arrival and hegemony of the beast, some of the main elements found in the book of Revelation can be better understood. Recognizing the number three-and-a-half for what it is, an important symbolic measure of the church’s experiences, not a literal end-times segment of the calendar, makes a great difference in framing the message and purpose of the book of Revelation.
We have not forgotten the most perplexing number of all: “666”! That will be covered in connection with a later article dealing with the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 13). Surprises await.
To check out Dr. Larry Pechawer’s book Unraveling Revelation: Hope, Wisdom, and Mystery in John’s Apocalypse, click here.
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