Bereansearching Bible Studies

Introduction

Myriad misperceptions abound on the role of numbers as they are found in the Bible. Nonetheless, it can be observed that God does apply the use of numbers in a consistent and meaningful way, which have the effect of conveying spiritual truths, as this post attempts to show. The numbers in the Bible, just like the words in the Bible (in the original languages), are integral to the Spiritually crafted text in an inerrant, infallible, and consistent manner/pattern. We should also be aware that “numbers” are also unique words in themselves, in that (unlike other words) they are the only means of human communication which can be universally understood. 

Note to the Reader: This post is an excerpt from another longer post entitled: Numbers in the Bible Convey Spiritual Concepts.

The “153” fishes caught in the net by the Disciples highlight the Prime Number “17”

God records the historical account of Jesus appearing to the disciples (post-Resurrection) on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (“Sea of Tiberias“), when Peter, along with other named disciples, were fishing as we read in John 21:1-11, “¶After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he [himself]. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and 

Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the [sons] of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. ¶And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. ¶Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt [his] fisher’s coat [unto him], (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. ¶Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.“

Remember what Jesus said in His first encounter with them after a similar event in Mark 1:17“And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.” (see also Matthew 4:19, and Luke 5:1-10, where in the last verse we read, “And so [was] also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.“). Therefore the fishes spiritually allegorically represent mankind. Jesus said so!  So then what does the number “153” represent?  We can be certain that it is NOT just some random number indicating “a lot” of fish. And God did not tell us “about 150”, the Bible specifically, and precisely, states “an hundred and fifty and three:“!

NOTE: Before proceeding to address the meaning of the number of fishes caught (153) we should remember that fish do not exhibit their free will and volunteer to be caught in any net. They are caught unawares and suddenly and there is nothing that they can do to prevent themselves from being caught. It is therefore useful to remember how consistent this is with respect to the doctrine of Election for those who become saved. They are caught in the “Good” net, but everyone of the non-elect will be similarly be caught in an Evil net. Ecclesiastes 9:12, “For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net (מָצוֹד (māṣôḏ))^H4685, and as the birds that are caught in the snare (פַּח (paḥ))^H6341; so [are] the sons of men snared (יָקֹשׁ (yāqōš))^H3369 in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.“

When we look at the original Greek language translated into English by the King James translators, we find that the number presented as “an hundred and fifty and three” (“153“) is ἑκατόν (hekaton)^G1540 (“100“), πεντήκοντα (pentēkonta)^G4004 (“50“), and τρεῖς (treis)^G5140 (“3“). Each of those numbers has spiritual significance in themselves. 

The “an hundred” (10 x 10) is representative of “totality” (“10” squared).  

The number “fifty” is (5 x 10). The number “five” (“5“) is a prime number representing “Divine Justice“, which brings both God’s “Salvation” and “Judgment“. The multiplication of “5” by “10” is indicative of this being in “totality”. (Please see the Appendix below)

Finally we see the number “three” (“3”). The number “3” represents “the Purpose or Will of God” (as in the Trinity, please see see the Appendix).

So then, using an initial understanding of how God has used these specific numbers in the Bible, we can see that it involves the “Will of God” to, in “Totality”, bring about “God’s Justice” in bringing Salvation to God’s Elect, the Eternal Church, at the end of time (while at the same time being God’s Will to bring about the totality of God’s Just Judgment on those not counted among God’s elect with the Elect being represented by the caught fish)

The Number “17” Is Also in View

But there is more to the spiritual implications of this historical account than that. God instructs us to search out the Word of God like hidden treasure. The number 153 is very significant, but it takes time to search out the otherwise hidden meanings. The Number 153 also breaks down like this:  3 x 3 x “17“. Again, the number “3” represents “the Purpose or Will of God” and the number “17” (a prime number that cannot be divided any further) represents “Heaven” in the Bible.

153 Is a Unique Number Which Also Highlights the Number “17”

Moreover, the number of caught fishes being exactly “153” is itself a very unique number because the prime number “17”, which can be factored from it, is particularly highlighted by the number “153” in a VERY unique manner. If we add 1 +2 +3 +4 +5…..up to and including +17, we find that the sum equals 153!  The number 17 is therefore uniquely highlighted in two different ways that no other number besides 153 will be capable of doing. 

We can see that the spiritual implication that God has incorporated into this historical account, and the insertion of this unique number, is that it was the Purpose and Will of God that the disciples, led by Peter, should become “fishers of men“, and they would be used of God to bring a great number of souls into Heaven in accord with Jesus’ declaration that is recorded in Matthew 4:19 and Mark 1:17.

Scriptural Evidence to show that the number “17” has “Heavenly” or “Completion of Salvation” association/typology:

1. In Genesis 8:4, “And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.” Noah’s Ark resting was a prefigurement of salvation and coming into Heaven. Heaven is prefigured by mountains as we read in Psalm 121:1&2, “¶[[A Song of degrees.]] I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help [cometh] from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” The word for “hills” in the original Hebrew is הַר (har)^H2022, which is synonymous with “mountains”.
2. Joseph (a clear Type” of the LORD Jesus Christ) was seventeen years old when he had the dream that the members of his family would bow before him. Genesis 37:2-10, “These [are] the generations of Jacob. Joseph, [being] seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad [was] with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.” This historical event anticipated the Heavenly realm in eternity when all believers will bow and worship the LORD Jesus Christ as is told to us in Revelation 5:11-14.
3. Jacob lived seventeen years in Egypt under the care and keeping of Joseph who as the second ruler of Egypt had saved him from deadly famine. Genesis 47:28, “And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.” This period again points us to Heaven where all the believers will be under the care and keeping of the LORD Jesus Christ forever.
4. When Judah and Jerusalem was about to go into captivity in Babylon, Jeremiah was instructed by God to buy a field in the land of Israel and pay seventeen shekels of silverfor it. Jeremiah 32:9, “And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, [even] seventeen shekels of silver.” This action anticipated the future return of the remnant of Israel to the promised land, which in turn is the entrance of all believers into Heaven (and Salvation) marking the end of the captivity of their souls.

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