Numerical Roots Prove the Spiritual Meaning of Two Numberings of the House of Israel in the Book of Numbers

Author: #77

If we talk about numbers in the Bible, the book of Numbers in the Old Testament could be a book that contains numbers the most. Even Greek, Latin and English translations of the book use words all meaning NUMBERS in each language, different from its original Hebrew name which means “In the Wilderness.”

This book records two rounds of counting males who could fight in battles after the house of Israel left Egypt and wandered in the wilderness for 38 years. Most believers do not have much impressions about these two numberings; if they do have any, they may recall the second count after a great plague that killed 24,000 people. Moreover, believers may recall how David tried to number Israel and Judah and fell into a great sin for doing that, and this brought a pestilence upon whole Israel. These two plagues might become part of the reasons why people fear numbers and use of numbers.

If read the whole book of Numbers carefully, we will know the following facts:

(1) The two numberings of the house of Israel were both clearly initiated by God, not out of any man.

(2) Both numberings counted males from twenty years old and upward and clearly said that they were able to fight as soldiers. The first numbering took place not long after the house of Israel left Egypt while they were still stationed under the mount if Sinai and the total of this count was 603,550. The second numbering happened after the house of Israel were prepared to enter the land of Canaan the second time but right after the great plague in Shittim. The total of this second count was 601,730.

(3) The tribe of Levi were also numbered although they were not numbered among the house of Israel because they were separated out only for the service of the tabernacle. Because of this, Levites were counted by males who were one month and older. Their numbers in the first count were 22,000. Their numbers in the second count were 23,000.

(4) For the house of Israel, the second numbering in fact was the counting of the second generation of Israel, except for Joshua and Caleb. Therefore, Numbers 26:64-65 records this way: “But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.” (American King James Version)

According to the above facts and the principles of the New Testament, we can roughly see the followings spiritual teachings:

Faith means more precious than life on earth! After the first numbering males twenty years old and beyond, the house of Israel had arrived at the edge of God’s promise land – Canaan. Twelve spies representing twelve tribes entered the land and found that it was indeed a land of milk and honey. But they feared the giants and did not believe that God would go with them and fight for them. They resisted to enter to such a point that they wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb who had the faith to enter. As a result they wandered in the wilderness for 38 years till the first generation of people who were counted and led by Moses were all dead in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb. What a tragic lesson!

Students of the Bible almost all agree that, the first generation of Israelites represent the old men in Adam, having not faith from above. They must and have to die thoroughly in wilderness. The second generation of Israelites represents new and regenerated men in Christ who have gone through resurrection after death. Faith of God naturally dwells in these new men and their faith grows along with the new life put into them till they reach a maturity.

I am joyful to find a numerical proof from reading the book “Numbers and Roots of Numbers” that was published by TheoLogos Publications!

Using the “Trinity Root Function” to do some simple calculations, I find that the numerical root of 603,550, the total number of the first count of Israel’s twelve tribes, is (133-55-250), a root representing a vicious cycle of never stopping, never going forward and never jumping out by itself – this is the solid proof for the first generation’s need to die in the wilderness and this applies to the old men in Adam whose sinful nature could never die by itself and the old men will never have faith.

Applying the “Trinity Root Function” five times to 601,730, the number of Israelites in the second count after the plague in Shittim, I find its numerical root is 407, a root that represents being under the grace and mercy of God to walk with the Christ. Is this a coincidence?

In addition, the difference between the two counts is 601,730 – 603,550 = -1,820. Applying the “Trinity Root Function” to this difference six times, I find its numerical root is 371, a root of Jesus!

Moreover, this numerical pattern also shows up in the two numberings of Levites. The numerical root of the total of their first count 22,000 is (217-352-160), another three-element root that speaks of a vicious cycle of never stopping, never going forward and never jumping out by itself. However, the numerical root of the total second count 23,000 is 371 – another occurrence of the numerical root of Jesus! This indicates that Levites were simply a type for God’s servants and they themselves were sinners who also have a sinful nature and who also need God’s redemption. Lastly, the difference between the two counts is 23,000 – 22,000 = 1,000，the numerical root of which is 1 – a number and root of God the Father in the Trinity!

If we put all the above results in a table, the contrast is extremely clear (roots of numbers in brackets):

	1st Count: Numbers & Roots	2nd Count: Numbers & Roots	Difference
Total of the 12 Tribes	603,550 (133_55_250)	601,730 (407)	-1820 (371)
Total of Levites	22,000 (217_352_160)	23,000 (371)	1000 (1)

It is interesting that when I read the message of day 7/21 (month/day) in the sixth book among its “End Times Series” entitled “Nightly Dew in the Desert,” I find that it mentions the use of the numerical root 371 in the numbering of the tribe of Simeon. I quote the full message of this day in the following:

When Moses blessed the twelve tribes of Israel before his death, the tribe of Simeon was not included. The reason why the tribe of Simeon was not named was because of Israel’s joining to Baalpeor and this tribe’s leader Zimri committing adultery openly with a Midianitish woman named “Cozbi” (meaning “lie”).

The standard English concordant word for “Zimri” is “prune.” Unexpected, such a pruning cut off Moses’ blessing to the tribe of Simeon. During the first count of soldiers, the tribe Simeon’s number was 59,300; but at the second count its number became 22,200. The difference between the two counts was exactly 37100 – a number obviously connecting to the numerical root of the Lord Jesus, 371. This means that all those who were missing in the two numberings represent those whose names were erased from the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Among Jacob’s 12 sons, Simeon was the 2nd and the number 2 carries the meaning of “separation”; the meaning of “Simeon” is “to hear.”

This tells us, being separated out to be holy by God is such a serious matter. If we do not hear and believe in God’s words, having our names erased from 371 by God will be consequences that are too ghastly to contemplate.

Thus we can see that, the numerical roots of the two total counts and the roots of the difference of the two counts, plus the difference of two counts for the tribes of Simeon and Levi, all clearly tell us this: the genuine faith in God can bring in the life of God’s Son into our heart and lets us see that God is greater than our enemies and difficulties; without such a faith will cause us to loose the presence of the Lord, only to see “giants” and our environments are greater than God. Isn’t this the same difficulty for man generations after generations?

Numerical roots and their applications in the two numberings of the house of Israel also tell us this: Jesus was “the Angel of the Lord” before becoming flesh in the Old Testament time and He established relationship with Israelites at that time through their faith in Him; Today, the same Jesus who never changes, is willing to establish the relationship of “true vine and its branches” through His blessing of the Holy Spirit. The question is, do we have the genuine faith to join to Him?

I thank the Lord who causes me to see that the numerical roots in the Bible can help me to “seek the root” for many spiritual things so that we have the backing from and footing on “the roots of numbers” for our understandings and walking.

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Note 1: This article was received from a reader after reading the book “Numbers and Roots of Numbers in the Bible” published by TheoLogos Publications. To encourage readers to share more of this type of articles but at the same to allow them to remain anonymous, any reader can choose to use a pseudonym or number to represent him or her.

Note 2: To find out how the unprecedented discovery of the three-element circulating “numerical roots” (133_55_250) and (217_352_160) and the single-element root 371 was made, please read Taichuan Tongs’ new book “Numbers and Roots of Numbers in the Bible” published by TheoLogos Publications.