The Number Six in Scripture

Six is seven minus one.

Seven is perfection — spiritual perfection.

Seven minus one is imperfection.

Six is that which comes short of spiritual perfection; that which is imperfection; the human number, the number of man as destitute of God.

We arrive at the significance of this number through its first occurrence. On the sixth creative day God created man. Thus, from the first reference to six, the number stands connected with man. Wherever we find the number six in Scripture, it uniformly stands in this connection, either having to do with man's labor, his imperfection, sin, rebellion against God.

On account of the curse the number six tells not only of man's labor, but of his sorrow and independence of God.

Six marks the history of sin until it is culminated in the man of sin. Rev. 13:18 gives us a combination of three sixes, and says: "It is the number of a man." This number will be borne by the man of sin, the antichrist.

THE DISPENSATIONS PREFIGURED

Six days were appointed man as the days of his labor. (Ex. 20:9). Man was brought into being on the sixth creative day. The seventh day brought rest. Each one of these days is typical of the seven dispensations of human history. The history of man is prefigured and the dispensations declared. Six days indeed will man toil and labor under the load of sin, before the seventh day of rest — the millenium comes. We are living in the fifth day, the day of grace. The sixth day is yet ahead of us — the day of the climax of human sin in the man of sin, the antichrist. But, thank God, a seventh day follows. There will be no rest for man during the six days of human sin and Satan's rule. "There will be no rest until the seventh day, or the sabbath of millenial rest. Then the earth will put off her work- day clothes and put on her glad sabbath-day garments.

SIX WORDS USED FOR MAN

In the Scripture there are six different words used for man. This is not an accident, but shows the agreement of the Word. The six words are:

1. Ah-dahm, or man as a created being (Gen. 1:26).

2. Ish, or man as strong and vigorous (Psa. 39:11).

3. Enosh, or man as weak and mortal (Psa. 8:4).

4. Gehver, a strong man (Zech. 13:7, Jer. 17:5).

5. Anthropos, Greek equivalent of ah-dahm (Matt. 4:4).

6. Aner, Greek equivalent of ish (Matt. 7:24).

THE DESCENDENTS OF CAIN

Cain's descendents are given only as far as the sixth generation (Gen. 4:16-24). They come short of the perfection of human destiny, and are tjrpical of all those who are in the "way of Cain."

ABRAHAM'S SIX-FOLD INTERCESSION

Six times Abraham interceded for Sodom, and he failed before the seventh. Here we see the imperfection, faithlessness and short-sightedness of man in prayer (Gen. 18:22-23).

THE BURNT OFFERING OF GENESIS 22

In Genesis, chapter 22, the words "burnt offering" are mentioned six times. The seventh is the offering which God provided. All that man has to offer comes short of perfection. God must provide a lamb.

MATTHEW'S GENEALOGY

Sixty-six names are given in Matthew's genealogy. This is no accident for in it the Seed of the Woman is traced down through the human generations, and we are taught that Jesus was the seed of Abraham and took on flesh like a man. More significant still is the fact that "Jesus" is the sixty-seventh man in the list. Six is the number of man. Seven is the number of divine perfection. The combination of these numbers sets forth Christ in human form perfectly fulfulling the requirements of the most exacting test possible — the prophetic test of the Old Testament.

ANTICHRIST AND HIS TYPES

The prophecied antichrist will be marked by the number six. He is called the "man of sin," and it is therefore that the number six marks him and his followers. Some of his types are also marked by sixes.

The champion of the Philistines, Goliath, is a type of the antichrist, and he was marked by three sixes. He was six cubits high. He wore six pieces of armor, namely: helmet, coat, greaves, target, shield and spear. His spear had the weight of six talents (1 Sam. 17:4-7).

Nebuchadnezzar, because of his defiance of God, became a type of the antichrist. He built a great image which was sixty cubits high and six cubits wide. Six instruments were used in the worship of it (Dan. 3:1, 5).

During the sixth dispensation, the great tribulation, man's power, independence of God, wickedness, and rebellion reaches its climax in the man of sin. The man of sin will be characterized by the number 666, a trinity of sixes (Rev. 13:18). All of his followers will bear this mark.

OTHER OCCURRENCES OF SIX

Six times was Jesus charged with having a devil (Mk. 3:22, Jn. 7:20, 8:48, 52, 10:20, Lu. 11:15). Man's enmity to the person of Christ was branded with man's number.

At Christ's trial and crucifixion, six persons bore testimony to His innocency. They were (1) Pilate, Lu. 23:14; (2) Herod, Lu. 23:15; Judas, Matt. 27:3; (4) Pilate's wife. Matt. 27:19; (5) The dying thief, Lu. 23:41; (6) The Centurion, Lu. 23:47.

For unintentioned or accidental murder, six cities of refuge were set apart, whereunto the slayer might flee (Num. 35).

The throne of Solomon' temple had six steps (1 Ki. 10:19). The weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents (1 Ki. 10:14). Solomon's kingdom could not come up to perfection, therefore there were no sevens.

The little Book of Jude, which is the door-step to the big Book of Revelation, is a book which distinctly describes the apostasy of man — that apostasy which will reach its climax in the great tribulation, the sixth dispensation. The key expression in the book is: "there are certain men." This book has six main divisions, as follows:

1. Introduction. "Sanctified and preserved," V. 1-2.

2. Exhortation. "Contend earnestly," V. 3.

3. "Certain men." False teachers exemplified. "These." V. 4-11.

4. "Certain men." False teachers prophecied. "These." V. 12-19.

5. Exhortation. "Keep yourselves in love." V. 20-23.

6. Conclusion. "Preserved and sanctified." V. 24-25.

It will be noticed that these divisions answer to one another, as 1 to 6, 2 to 5, and 3 to 4.

Is it any accident that a book describing rebellious and apostate men should be marked by man's number? God's Word is perfect!