Unlocking Bible Symbols Courtesy of Amazing Facts Ministries Why cloak Bible prophecies in Symbols? Luke 8 :10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.’” Many of the apocalyptic prophecies were given while the prophets were in a hostile foreign land. One reason God cloaked the prophecies in symbols was to protect the messages. Animals and their Parts • Horse = Strength and Power in Battle – Job 39:19; Ps. 147:10; Prov. 21:31 • Dragon = Satan or his agency – Isa. 27:1; 30:6; Ps. 74:13-14; Rev. 12:7-9; Eze. 29:3; Jer. 51:34 • Beast = Kingdom/government/political power – Dan. 7:17, 23 • Lamb = Jesus/sacrifice – John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7 • Lion = Jesus/Powerful King i.e. Babylon – Rev. 5:4-9; Jer. 50:43-44; Dan. 7:4, 17, 23 • Bear = Destructive Power / Medo Persia – Prov. 28:15; 2 Kin. 2:23-24; Dan. 7:5 • Leopard = Greece – Dan. 7:6 • Serpent = Satan – Rev. 12:9; 20:2 • Tongue = Language / Speech – Ex. 4:10 • Wolf = Disguised enemies that hunt in a time of darkness – Matt. 7:15 • Dove = Holy Spirit – Mark 1:10 • Ram = Medo-Persia – Dan. 8:20 • Goat = Greece – Dan. 8:21 • Horn = King or kingdom – Dan. 7:24; 8:5, 21, 22; Zech. 1:18, 19; Rev. 17:12 • Wings = Speed / Protection / Deliverance – Deut. 28:49; Matt. 23:37 Colors • White = Purity – Rev. 12:9; 20:2 • Blue = Law – Num. 15:38-39 • Purple = Royalty – Mark 15:17; Judg. 8:26 • Red / Scarlet = Sin / Corruption – Is. 1:18; Nah. 2:3; Rev. 17:1-4 Metals, Elements, and Natural Objects • Gold = Pure Character – Precious and Rare – Is. 13:12 • Silver = Pure Words & Understanding – Prov. 2:4, 3:13-14; 10:20; 25:11; Ps. 12:6 • Brass, Tin, Iron, Lead, Silver Dross = Impure Character – Eze. 22:20-21 • Water = Holy Spirit / Everlasting Life – John 7:39; 4:14; Rev. 22:17; Eph. 5:26 • Waters = Inhabited area / People, nations – Rev. 17:15 • Fire = Holy Spirit – Luke 3:16 • Tree = Cross / People / Nation – Deut. 21:22-23; Ps. 92:12; 37:35, • Seed = Descendents / Jesus – Rom. 9:8; Gal. 3:16 • Fruit = Works / Actions – Gal. 5:22 • Fig Tree = A Nation that should bear fruit – Luke 13:6-9 • Vineyard = Church that should bear fruit – Luke 20:9-16 • Field = World – Matt. 13:38; John 4:35 • Harvest = End of World – Matt. 13:39 • Reapers = Angels – Matt. 13:39 • Thorns / Thorny Ground = Cares of this life – Mark 4:18-19 • Stars = Angels / Messengers – Rev. 1:16, 20; 12:4, 7-9; Job 38:7 • Jordan = Death – Rom. 6:4; Deut. 4:22 • Mountains = Political or religio-political powers – Isa. 2:2, 3; Jeremiah 17:3; 31:23; 51:24, 25; Eze. 17:22, 23; Dan. 2:35, 44, 45 • Rock = Jesus / Truth – 1 Cor. 10:4; Isa. 8:13, 14; Rom. 9:33; Matt. 7:24 • Sun = Jesus / Gospel – Ps. 84:11; Mal. 4:2; Matt. 17:2; John 8:12; 9:5 • Winds = Strife / Commotion / “Winds of War” – Jer. 25:31-33; 49:36, 37; 4:11-13; Zech. 7:14 Miscellaneous Objects • Lamp = Word of God – Ps. 119:105 • Oil = Holy Spirit – Zech. 4:2-6; Rev. 4:5 • Sword = Word of God – Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12 • Bread = Word of God – John 6:35, 51, 52, 63 • Wine = Blood / Covenant / Doctrines – Luke 5:37 • Honey = Happy life – Eze. 20:6; Deut. 8:8-9 • Clothing = Character – Isa. 64:6; 59:6 • Crown = A Glorious Ruler or Rulership – Prov. 16:31; Isa. 28:5; 62:3 • Ring = Authority – Gen. 41:42-43; Esther 3:10-11 • Angel = Messenger – Dan. 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26; Heb. 1:14 • Babylon = Apostasy / Confusion / Rebellion – Gen. 10:8-10; 11:6-9; Rev. 18:2, 3; 17:1-5 • Mark = Sign or seal of approval or disapproval – Eze. 9:4; Rom. 4:11; Rev. 13:17; 14:9-11; 7:2, 3 • Seal = Sign or mark of approval or disapproval – Rom. 4:11; Rev. 7:2, 3 • White Robes = Victory / Righteousness – Rev. 19:8; 3:5; 7:14 • Jar / Vessel = Person – Jer. 18:1-4; 2 Cor. 4:7 • Time = 360 Day – Dan. 4:16, 23, 25, 32; 7:25; Dan. 11:13 margin • Times = 720 Days – Dan. 7:25; Rev. 12:6,14; 13:5 • Day = Literal year – Eze. 4:6; Num. 14:34 • Trumpet = Loud warning of God’s approach – Ex. 19:16-17; Josh. 6:4-5 Actions, Activities, and Physical States • Healing = Salvation – Luke 5:23-24 • Leprosy / Sickness = Sin – Luke 5:23-24 • Famine = Dearth of Truth – Amos 8:11 People and Body Parts • Woman, Pure = True Church – Jer. 6:2; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:23-27 • Woman, Corrupt = Apostate church – Eze. 16:15-58; 23:2-21; Hos. 2:5; 3:1; Rev. 14:4 • Thief = Suddenness of Jesus’ coming – 1 Thes. 5:2-4; 2 Pet. 3:10 • Hand = Deeds / Works / Actions – Ecc. 9:10; Isa. 59:6 • Forehead = Mind – Deut. 6:6-8; Rom. 7:25; Eze. 3:8, 9 • Feet = Your Walk / Direction – Gen. 19:2l Ps. 119:105 • Eyes = Spiritual Discernment – Matt. 13:10-17; 1 John 2:11 • Skin = Christ’s righteousness – Ex. 12:5; 1 Pet. 1:19; Is. 1:4-6 • Harlot = Apostate church / Religion – Is. 1:21-27; Jer. 3:1-3; 6-9 • Heads = Major powers / Rulers / Governments – Rev. 17:3, 9, 10 Numbers • 1 – represents absolute singleness and unity (Eph. 4:4–6; John 17:21, 22.) (We presume readers need no more than these two citations, as most of the biblical information regarding unity and singleness is common knowledge.) • 2 – represents the truth of God’s Word; for example, the law and prophets (John 1:45), two or three witnesses (2 Cor. 13:1), and a sword with two edges (Heb. 4:12). See Mark 6:7 and Rev. 11:3. It is also used 21 times in the books of Daniel and Revelation. • 3 – represents the Godhead / Trinity. The angels cry “Holy” three times to the triune God (Isa. 6:3). See also Matt. 28:19 and 1 John 5:7, 8. • 4 – represents universal truth, as in the four directions (north, south, east, west) and the four winds (Mat. 24:31; Rev. 7:1; 20:8). In Acts 10:11, a sheet with four corners symbolizes the gospel going to all the gentiles. • 5 – represents teaching. First, there are the five books of Moses. Second, Jesus taught about the five wise virgins and used five barley loaves used to feed the 5,000. • 6 – represents the worship of man, and is the number of man, signifying his rebellion, imperfection, works, and disobedience. It is used 273 times in the Bible, including its derivatives (e.g, sixth) and another 91 times as “threescore” or “60.” Man was created on the sixth day (Gen. 1:26, 31). See also Ex. 31:15 and Dan. 3:1. The number is especially significant in the book Revelation, as “666” identifies the beast. “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Rev. 13:18). • 7 – represents perfection, and is the sign of God, divine worship, completions, obedience, and rest. The “prince” of Bible numbers, it is used 562 times, including its derivatives (e.g., seventh, sevens). (See Gen. 2:1–4, Ps. 119:164, and Ex. 20:8–11 for just a few of the examples.) The number seven is also the most common in biblical prophecy, occurring 42 times in Daniel and Revelation alone. In Revelation there are seven churches, seven spirits, seven golden candlesticks, seven stars, seven lamps, seven seals, seven horns, seven eyes, seven angels, seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven thousand slain in a great earthquake, seven heads, seven crowns, seven last plagues, seven golden vials, seven mountains, and seven kings. • 10 – represents law and restoration. Of course, this includes the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20. See also Matthew 25:1 (ten virgins); Luke 17:17 (ten lepers); Luke 15:8 (healing, ten silver coins). • 12 – represents the church and God’s authority. Jesus had 12 disciples, and there were 12 tribes of Israel. In Revelation 12:1, the 24 elders and 144,000 are multiples of 12. The New Jerusalem city has12 foundations, 12 gates 12 thousand furlongs, a tree with 12 kinds of fruit 12 times a year eaten by 12 times 12,000 or the 144,000. (See Revelation 21.) • 40 – represents a generation and times of testing. It rained for 40 days during the flood. Moses spent 40 years in the desert, as did the children of Israel. Jesus fasted for 40 days. • 50 – represents power and celebration. The Jubilee came after the 49th year (Lev. 25:10), and Pentecost occurred 50 days after Christ’s resurrection (Acts 2). • 70 – represents human leadership and judgment. Moses appointed 70 elders (Ex. 24:1); The Sanhedrin was made up of 70 men. Jesus chose 70 disciples (Luke 10:1). Jesus told Peter to forgive 70 times 7.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 03:07:41 +0000