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Saint Augustine's Arithmology
by Theologian Father William G. Most
The Mystical interpretation by
many Fathers of the Church of various Numbers
found in Holy Scripture generally
receives today Unsympathetic Attention, if any attention at all. Not only many non-Catholics, but many Catholics as well, often agree
to quickly brush aside all such speculations as mere Pythagoreanism in the air. It is our purpose here to examine to
what extent such positions are justified.
We find that Mystical use
of Number Symbolism was in vogue in the Old
Testament itself, long before the Pythagoreans (Pagans) first appeared. It was also
cultivated by most of the Early Fathers of the Church, several of whom openly state that they are not merely
imitating Pythagoras. Saint Ambrose, commenting on the
Number Seven in relation to the Seventh Day
of God's Rest, adds that the
Number Seven is
"Good", but that he does not treat it as
"Good" in the manner of
Pythagoras and other Pagans, but in relation to the
Seven-Fold Gifts of the
Holy Spirit as given by the Prophet Isaiah.
However, the purpose of this paper is to treat not all the Fathers, but only
Saint Augustine, who is probably the Chief Exponent of Number Symbolism
. We shall endeavor to see the Deeper Foundations of his interest in
Numbers.
It is a Truth acknowledged by all
sound Philosophers, that the Truths of Mathematics are of
a High Order of Abstraction. In his dialogue De Libero Arbitrio, Augustine goes through his famous
Ascending Process by which he shows the Existence of God.
Starting from the Lower Orders of Reality, he endeavors to lead the searcher step-by-step, rising ever higher, above the things of
the Body, above the
Mind and Soul Itself,
to God. In the course of this process, he notes that there
are some things that are necessarily True. We recognize
their Truth, he says, not from
Sense experience, but in a Higher Way, for they do not merely happen to be
True, but are Necessarily and Eternally
True. Among these Truths
are the Truths
of Numbers. A knowledge of this
Science of Numbers is useful, he thinks, for the man who
grasps it will be able more easily to understand the most Profound Truths
of Philosophy and Theology.
Sacred Scripture contains many
Numbers. The thoughtful man cannot escape being aroused to wonder why it is that Moses
and Elias, and Our Lord Himself Fasted
Forty (40) Days. Ignorance of the Principles of
Numbers will mean that a man will fail to understand many things in
the Scriptures.
This knowledge of Numbers can help
explain apparent discrepancies in Numbers given in
Scripture. For example, the Hebrew and the Septuagint differ in
the Number given in Jonah 3:4. The one says the Prophet
threatens the Destruction of Nineveh in Forty (40) Days, the other
in Three (3) Days. But, Augustine shows at some length, these
Numbers are really Symbolic. Hence the difference is only apparent.
The same method might be properly applied to many other instances of this sort. Augustine admits that he himself may not always succeed
in finding the correct Mystical Interpretation of a
given Number.
But the Attitude found in some today, of Ridiculing all attempts at this Type of Interpretation would be
quite incomprehensible to Augustine; for, he says, no one would be so Foolish and Inept as to say there is no reason for these
Numbers in
Scripture. He claims the backing of the Authority of the Teaching of the
Church as handed down by the Fathers, the
example of the Scriptures, and the Science of
Mathematics.
Augustine himself claims that his ideas on the Symbolism of
Numbers are rooted in Scripture
itself, as well as in Tradition and sound Philosophy. In more than one passage he shows us on which Scriptural
Statements he will ground his claims. For, he says, it is not without reason that
God is praised thus in the Book of Wisdom (11:21): "... but Thou
hast ordered all things in Measure and Number and Weight". This is only the beginning, there are other passages, and
more elaborate development of the Theory to be found in other Works of Augustine. In his Ascending Process of
leading a Soul to recognize the Existence of
God, Augustine speaks of some
Truths as Eternal and Necessary, and above our very
Minds.
Augustine has noted the Association of
Number and Wisdom in
Scripture. He knows many men who are skilled in
Numbers, but few who are skilled in
Wisdom. Augustine marvels on this matter. He does not
understand why men consider Number commonplace, though
they highly prize Wisdom. He says, since Wisdom
8:1 tells us that Wisdom "reacheth from end to end
mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly", perhaps the Truth
is that the Power by which Wisdom
reaches everywhere is Number, while that which orders all
things sweetly is Wisdom in the strict sense, for both
functions belong to one and the same Wisdom. Perhaps the
reason why few prize Number is that even
Bodies have
Number, while only Rational Souls
have Wisdom. The situation might be
compared to that of a fire; for a fire has both Light and Heat. These two are, as it were, of the same substance
(consubstantialis). Things near to the fire receive both Light and Heat:, things farther removed receive Light only, and
not Heat also. Similarly, while Wisdom reaches to
all things, only Rational Souls are capable of sharing in
it in the full sense of the word; they receive both Light and Heat. But Irrational Beings are incapable of
Wisdom; their participation is in
Number alone. If we cannot determine whether
Number is in or from Wisdom,
or even the Reverse, yet it is beyond all doubt that both Number
and Wisdom give
Truth, Immutable Truth.
Augustine's thought carries him still further; he has already noted that
God has arranged all things in Measure and Number and Weight. He
asks if these Three were anywhere before Creation,
and replies that they were in God. Not that
God is these in the Material Sense. But in another sense,
insofar as Measure imposes a Measure on all things, and Number
imposes Species on all, and Weight brings all to Stable Rest; in this sense
God Himself is all Three
of these, for He Bounds all things,
He Forms all things,
He Orders all things. Hence when Scripture
says that He disposed all in Measure
and Number and Weight, it means that He disposed all things
in Himself. Few can rise above all that can be measured to
the Measure without measure; few can rise above all that can be numbered and reach the Number without number;
few can rise above all that can be weighed to the Weight without weight.
It is Number which gives Beauty
to things, and not only that. It is not merely Superficial Beauty that is under consideration. Augustine speaks of
the Formae of each thing. In other words, Pulchrum appears to be a Transcendental, which is interchangeable with Being itself.
Therefore things are Beautiful insofar as they are. Beauty, too, is related to Unity. The more Balanced the parts of a Body are, the
more it imitates the Unity that is God. This is the
measure of its participation in Being.
To sum up, then, what we have seen; Augustine rightly sees that the
Truths of Mathematics are not merely above the
Senses, but even above our
Minds, for they are Eternal. Creative
Wisdom, which is Being Itself,
gives to all Created Beings a participation in itself. To Rational Beings
is given Wisdom in the full sense of
the word. To Irrational Beings is given Number, which is
probably to be considered as Consubstantial with Wisdom,
or at least as having the same source. In any event, this is the Ontological Illumination of every Being, comparable to the Illumination
of Minds by the Divine
Light and of Wills
by Grace. By it, every Being insofar as it has Being, also
has Beauty, Form, and Order. Through these, though it has Parts, a Body imitates the Unity
that is God,
Who is Being Itself.
This same Power of God, though Resting on the
Seventh Day, yet produces New Individuals of each Species,
unfolding the Inchoative Creation of the Six Days through
the Operative Numbers of the Rationes Seminales.
These are the deeper Philosophical and Theological foundations of Augustine's respect for
the Truths of
Number. The Numbers he finds
in Scripture, though lying more on the surface of things, are
still part of this Whole Picture. They are the Effects of the Divine Wisdom
which reaches into all things. He knows this from Scripture,
from the example of the Fathers and the Sensus Ecclesiae, and from Sound Reasoning. Though he may not always find
the Reasons of Fittingness (and let us not forget that Fittingness is a Part of Order, and a thing is insofar as it has Order) which
Providence had in
Mind in placing each Number
in Scripture, yet he is sure they
are there. He himself has seen the Hand of Providence working
very openly in his own life (as seen in the Confessions) and also in the World as a Whole (as set down in the
City of God). It is no wonder that he can see the Hand of God
even in Number Symbolism. It is
True, these instances are, even in his
Mind, not the greatest examples of the Infinite Care of
God. But they are part of the Whole Picture. They contribute to stimulating his
Admiration of God.
Now any Psychologist knows that Admiration is one of the steps
to Love. It is perhaps partly because men have lost some of their
ability to admire the Works of God, admiring instead the
Sacred Cow of Natural Science, that "the Charity of many shall grow cold". If so, Augustine has
much to offer us. And even though, as he himself admits, he does not always succeed in finding the really fitting reasons, yet his
meditation on Number may make some small contribution to
our Love of the All-Pervading Care of
Providence, and to our understanding of
Scripture.
Numbers are Part of the Whole Picture of God
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Number
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Significance
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1
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One God; a Unity (1) of Three (3) Divine Persons: Father, Son & Holy Spirit
One Mother of Jesus
One Spouse of the Holy Spirit
One Daughter of God the Father
One Savior; One Redeemer; One Intercessor between God and Man
One Holy, Catholic & Apostolic Church; One Church instituted by Christ
One Way to God
One Origin of the One Church; One Kingdom of God
One Head of the One Church, Jesus Christ
One Soul of the One Church, the Holy Spirit
One Mystical Body of Christ, the One Church
One Communion of Saints
One Pope; One Visible Vicar of Christ on Earth; One Sovereign Pontiff
One Baptism, One Source of Sanctifying Grace and Initiation into the Church
One Priesthood, according to the Order of Melchizadek
One Bread, One Body
One Perfect Sacrifice for the Forgiveness of the Sins of Mankind
One Will of God. Also, God has One (1): Substance, Nature, Essence, Being, Power, Intellect, Knowledge, Love, Mind,
Godhead, Divinity, Consciousness, Wisdom, Holiness, Majesty
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2
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Two Stone Tablets of Law (Ex 24:12)
Two Great Commandments (Love of God, Love of Neighbor)
Two Winged Creatures protected the Ark of the Covenant (Ex 25:18)
Two Persons, Mary and Joseph protected the Child Jesus
Two Natures in Christ: Human and Divine
Two Types (Actual and Sanctifying) of Grace
Duality of Day (Light) and Night (Darkness)
Duality of Heaven and Hell
Duality of the God of Mercy, and the God of Justice
Duality of Good (True) and Evil (False)
Two Witnesses are required to establish Truth (Dt 17:6; Jn 8:17; 2 Co 13:1)
Jesus sent out His Disciples Two by Two (Mk 6:7)
Two Heavenly Witnesses (Moses & Elijah) to Transfiguration (Mt 17:3)
Jesus was Crucified between Two Thieves (Witnesses to Israel's Cruelty) (Jn 19:18)
Two Witnesses (Rev 11:3)
Both Water and Blood flowed from Jesus' Pierced Side
(Witnessed by John & Mary) (Jn 19:34)
Old and New Testaments
Two Covenants [Sinai (Broken) and New Covenant (Eternal)]
Body and Soul
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3
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Trinity of God - Three Divine Persons in One God
Christ's Triple Office of Prophet, Priest and King.
Three Levels of Ordination: Deacon, Priest, Bishop
Trinity of Family (Man, Woman and Child)
Trinity of Body, Soul and Spirit
Number of Days Jonah Spent in the Belly of a Whale (Jonah 1:17)
Number of Days to walk through Nineveh (Jonah 3:3)
Number of sons Adam had (Cain, Abel, Seth)
Number of sons Noah had (Shem, Ham, Japhet)
Number of Testimonies of Jesus in NT by God (Mt 3:17; Lk 9:35; Jn 12:28)
Number of Disciples Witnessing the Transfiguration (Mt 17:1; Mk 9:2; Lk 9:28)
Number of Disciples during the Agony in the Garden (Mt 26:36; Mk 14:32; Lk 22:39)
Number of people raised to life by Jesus (Lazarus; Daughter of Jairus; Son of the Widow of Nain)
Number of times Jesus prayed during the Agony in the Garden (Mt 26:44)
Number of Religious Trials of Jesus:
1- First Religious Trial (Jewish): Annas, Jn 18:12-14…
Decision: "Go" signal given to kill Jesus.
2- Second Religious Trial: Caiaphas, Mt 26:57-68…
Decision: Death Sentence, charge of blasphemy, because Jesus proclaimed Himself the Messiah, God the Son.
3- Third Religious Trial, Sanhedrin, Mt 27:1-2, Lk 22:63-71…
Decision: Death sentence made legal.
Number of Civil Trials of Jesus:
1- First Civil Trial (Roman): Pilate, Jn.18:28-38…
Decision: Not guilty.
2- Second Civil Trial: Herod, Lk.23:6-12…
Decision: Not guilty.
3- Third Civil Trial: Pilate again, Jn.18:39-19:6…
Decision: Not guilty, but given to the Jews to be crucified (Mt.27:26).
Number of Hours Jesus hanged on the Cross (Mt 27:45-50)
Number of Centuries of Persecution of Christ's New Church.
Number of Nails used to Crucify Jesus
Number of Times Jesus Fell on the Way of the Cross
Number of Times Peter Denied Jesus
Number of Times Peter affirmed his Love of Jesus at Tiberias
Number of Days Jesus spent in the Tomb
Number of Witnesses to Jesus (Spirit, Water, Blood) (1 Jn 5:8)
Hour of Divine Mercy (3:00pm)
Number of Magi
Number of Years in Jesus' Ministry
Number of Journeys of Saint Paul
Number of Visions by Peter (Acts 11:5-10)
Number of Altars built by Abraham: Shechem, Bethel, Hebron
Number of Jewish Temples built in Jerusalem: Solomon, post-Babylonian, Herod.
Number of Fallen Angels from Revelation 12 (One of Three;1/3)
Three Great Festivals (Ex 23:14)
Three States of Matter (Gas, Liquid, Solid)
Three dimensions in space (LxWxD)
Third Planet from the Sun is Earth
Three basic colors (Red, Yellow, Blue)
Three basic components of Matter (Proton, Neutron, Electron)
Three times (Past/Present/Future)
Three types of Truth (Ontological, Logical, Moral)
Three Powers of the Soul (Will, Memory, Understanding)
Three stages of Spiritual Life (Purgative, Illuminative, Unitive)
Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity
Minimum Number of Legs on a Stool to Maintain Stability (God authored both the Laws of Physics and
the Holy Word. All of God's Laws are Harmonious with each other. Only Man disrupts that Harmony.)
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4
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Number of Gospel Writers: (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)
Four Main Acquired Virtues: Prudence, Justice, Temperance, Fortitude
Four Gospels
Four Living Creatures (Rev 4)
Number of Seasons
Number of Winds
Number of days Lazarus was in the tomb. (Jn 11:39)
Number of points of the compass (North, South, East and West)
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5
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Five Wounds of Christ: (Side (1), Hands (2) and Feet (2))
Number of Joyful Mysteries
Number of Sorrowful Mysteries
Number of Glorious Mysteries
Number of Luminous Mysteries
Number of Human Senses: (Sight, Hearing, Taste, Touch, Smell)
Number of Stones chosen by David to slay Goliath (1 S 17:40)
Number of Wise Virgins (Mt 25:2)
Number of Foolish Virgins (Mt 25:2)
Five Books of the Old Testament, which give the History of Man's Fall from Grace
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6
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Six Holy Days of Obligation
Number of Days God spent creating the Universe (Gn 1)
Number of Stone Jars that Jesus turned to Wine (Jn 2:6)
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7
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On the Seventh Day God stopped working (Gn 2:2)
Seven priests blew seven horns seven times on the seventh day at Jericho (Js 6:8)
Number of Nations in Canaan (Acts 13:19)
Sevens locks of Sampson's hair were shaved off by Delilah (Jg 16:19)
Seven of Jesse's sons were brought before Samuel (1S 16:10)
Seven years were required for Solomon to build the Temple (1K 6:38)
Seven times did Naaman wash in the Jordan River (2K 5:14)
Seven Pillars of Wisdom (Pr 9:1)
Jesus performed Seven Miracles on the Sabbath:
1- Healing of the crippled man, in Jn 5.
2- Healing of the man blind from birth, in Jn 9.
3- Healing of the man with an unclean spirit, in Mk 1:21-2.
4- Healing of the mother-in-law of Peter, in Mk 1:29-30.
5- Healing of the man with the dried-up hand, in Mk 3.
6- Healing of the woman crippled by a spirit for 18 years, in Lk 13:10-17.
7- Healing of the man suffering from dropsy, Lk 14:1-6.
Jesus performed Seven "sign" miracles:
1- The conversion of water into wine at the Cana Wedding, Jn 2:1-11.
2- Healing the Nobleman's son, Jn 4:46-54.
3- Healing the paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda, Jn 5:1-39.
4- The feeding of the 5,000, Jn.6:1-14. The only miracle reported in all 4 Gospels: Mt 14:13-21, Mk 6:32-34, Lk 9:10-17.
5- Walking on the sea, Jn 6:15-21; also in Mt 14:22-36, Mk 6:45-56.
6- Man blind from birth healed at the pool of Siloam, Jn 9:1-41.
7- Raising of Lazarus, Jn 11:1-44.
John's Gospel lists Seven Witnesses:
1- John the Baptist: "This is the Son of God" (1:34).
2- Nathanael: "You are the Son of God" (1:49.
3- Peter: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (6:69).
4- Martha: "You are the Christ, the Son of God" (11:27).
5- Thomas: You are "My Lord and my God" (20:28).
6- John himself: "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God" (20:31).
7- Christ himself: "I am He, the Messiah" (4:26), "I and the Father are one"
(10:30, and Jn.17, 4 times), "I am the Son of God" (10:36), "He who sees Me sees the Father" (14:9).
Seven demons were cast-out from Mary Magdalen (Lk 8:2)
Seven Sacraments
Seven Blood Sheddings of Jesus
1- The Circumcision
2- The Agony in the Garden
3- The Scourging
4- The Crowning with Thorns
5- The Way of the Cross
6- The Crucifixion
7- The Piercing of His Heart
Seven Sorrows of Mary
Seven Feasts of Mary
Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Seven Musical Notes
Seven Infused Virtues (Perfected by the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit)
Seven Vices
Seven statements by Jesus on the Cross
Number of Disciples at Tiberias
Seven Angels with Seven Plagues (Rev 15)
Seven Churches/Gold Lampstands (Rev 1)
Seven Spirits of God (Rev 4)
Seven Seals (Rev 6)
Seven Trumpets (Rev 8)
Seven Bowls of God's Anger (Rev 16)
Seven Heads of the Red Dragon (Rev 12)
Number seven is used 55 times in Revelation. It usually means fullness or completeness as in seven days of the week.
God rested on the seventh day.
Seventh Year and Seventh Day (Exodus 23:10)
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8
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Eight Beatitudes: Blessed are - - - - (Mt 5:1)
Eight Woes (Mt 23:13-33)
Number of sides of a Baptismal Font.
In the Old Testament, Circumcision was always performed on the eighth day.
The son that David had through his Sin with Bethsabee died on the Seventh Day. The first Seven Days
were Symbols of the Bonds of Sin; hence, the Eighth Day represented the Breaking of those Bonds and
the Liberation from them.
The Resurrection took place on the Eighth Day, or the day after the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday).
Eight speaks of Eternity. The Seven Days of the Week signify Natural Completion of Time, so Seven-plus-One embodies the First and
never-ending day of the Fulfillment beyond Time.
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9
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10
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Ten Plagues on Egypt (Ex 7-11)
Ten Commandments (Ex 20)
Ten Horns of the Red Dragon (Rev 12)
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11
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Number of Apostles who remained Faithful (Mk 16:14)
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12
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Number of Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Total Number of Apostles (Lk 6:12; Mt 10:1; Mk 3:13)
Traditional number of years the Apostles were instructed to Preach in Jerusalem after His Death,
before preaching to the gentiles.
Number of Tribes of Israel (Nu 1)
Crown of Twelve Stars (Rev 12)
Twelve Gates of New Jerusalem (Rev 21:9)
Twelve Foundation Stones (Rev 21:19)
Twelve Points of Belief in the Apostles Creed
Twelve Hours of Light; Twelve Hours of Dark in a day
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13
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14
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15
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16
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17
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19
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20
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21
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22
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23
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24
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Number of Elders (Rev 4)
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25
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26
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27
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28
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29
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30
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Age of Jesus when He began His Ministry
Age of David when he began his Rule (2 S 5:4)
Number of Pieces of Silver Judas received
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31
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32
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33
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Age of Jesus at His death
Number of Doctors of the Church
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34
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35
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36
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37
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38
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39
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40
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Number of days of rain during the Great Flood (Gn 7:4)
Age of Isaac when he married Rebekah (Gn 25:20)
Age of Esau when he married Judith (Gn 26:34)
Number of years Israel ate Manna in the desert (Ex 16:35)
Number of days Moses stayed on the Mountain of God (Ex 24:18, 34:28)
Number of years the Israelites wandered in the desert (Dt 34:7)
Number of years Moses lived in the Palace of Pharaoh (Acts 7:23)
Number of days the Israelite spies searched Canaan (Nu 13:25)
Maximum number of lashes allowed by Jewish Law (Dt 25:3)
Age of Caleb when he spied on Canaan (Js 14:7)
Years of Peace granted by God (Jg 3:11; 5:31; 8:28)
Number of Abdon's sons (Jg 12:14)
Number of years God punished Israel (Jg 13:1)
Number of years Eli judged Israel (1 S 4:18)
Number of days Goliath taunted Israel (1 S 17:16)
Number of years Saul ruled (Acts 13:21)
Age of Saul's son when he began to rule (2 S 2:10)
Number of years David ruled (2 S 5:4)
Number of years Solomon ruled (1 K 11:42)
Number of Days Elijah fasted and walked to the cave (1Kings 19:18)
Number of years of peace granted by God (2 K 12:1)
Number of years Egypt was punished by God (Ez 29:12)
Number of days Nineveh was given to repent (Jon 3:4)
Number of days Jesus spent in the wilderness (Mt 4:2)
Number of days of Lent
Number of days of Purification by Mary after Jesus' birth.
Number of days from Jesus' birth to His Presentation in the Temple.
Number of days Jesus remained on earth after His death. (Resurrection to Ascension)
Number of years from the death of Jesus to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus
Forty Hours Devotion.
Number of hours Jesus spent in the Tomb. (Good Friday to Easter)
Number of weeks in Human Gestation Period. (A period of time to achieve perfection!)
Number of weeks Jesus spent in Mary's Womb.
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41
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42
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43
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44
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45
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46
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47
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48
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49
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50
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Infinity
(∞)
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This Chart is a living document and will be updated/revised as further research dictates.
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