What does the number 3 mean in the Bible? Today we will take a closer look into this question and see how the number 3 is used across God’s Word.
There are many numbers throughout the Scriptures, but the number 3 stands out a lot. Just like a name, a number can have meaning too. God is perfect and His intentionality behind using the number three can be seen throughout the Scriptures. A few examples include: the Trinity, three days in the tomb, and Jonah in the big fish for three days. What does the number 3 mean in the Bible? Today we will take a closer look into this question and see how the number 3 is used across God’s Word.
What Does the Number 3 Mean in the Bible?
Hope Bolinger from Crosswalk shares, “Three, shelosh[f.], sheloshah [m.] means harmony, new life, and completeness. The number three appears in the Bible 467 times, fewer than the number seven, but more than most of the other symbolically important numbers. Sometimes three is used as an emphatic Semitic triplet to describe the intensity of something. It’s not just holy. It’s holy, holy, holy.”
God uses the number three similarly to seven in that it symbolizes completeness. At first thought, three directs our minds toward God who is three in one. The concept of the Trinity is one of the greatest mysteries and joys of the Christian faith. God is not just Father, He is not just Son or not just Spirit, He is all three, complete and perfect. God’s Word beautifully points to His existence.
2 Corinthians 13:14 says, ”May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
Bible Study Tools shares, “Other trinities existing in the Bible are body, spirit and soul and the three parts of the consciousness of the mind: conscious, superconscious and subconscious.”
What Are Some Examples of the Number 3 Being Used in the Bible?
The 3 Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel) were known as the three founding fathers of the faith under the covenant with God. Many times you hear about the three together (Exodus 3:6, Leviticus 26:42, Deuteronomy 1:8, Matthew 22:32, Acts 3:13).
3 Crosses on Calvary: Luke 23:32-33 says, “Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.” One of those criminals died in his sin and went to hell. The other criminal confessed his sin to Jesus and Jesus told him that He would be with him in paradise that day (Luke 23:43).
3 Days in the Tomb: Jesus’ body spent three days in the tomb before His resurrection (Matthew 28:1). This was a necessary decision. Jesus technically won the battle the moment that He died on Good Friday and could have raised Himself immediately, but in case there was any question, He waited three days to be officially declared dead. Truth of God shares, “Like Lazarus, Jesus had to remain dead for a minimum of three full days in order to be declared officially dead… In order for His death to be publicly recognized and acknowledged, it was necessary for Jesus to remain in the grave for three nights and three days before He was raised from the dead.”
Jonah and the 3 Days in the Big Fish: Jonah spent three days and three nights in the stomach of a big fish. This was a foreshadowing of Jesus in the tomb, Jonah 1:17.
Holy Holy Holy: The four living creatures cry out three times “Holy, Holy, Holy” in Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8. The triple emphasis enables a greater depth of understanding of the weight of God’s holiness.
3 Main Angels: There are 3 main angels in Scripture: Michael (Jude 1:9, Daniel 12:1, Revelation 12:7), Gabriel (Luke 1:19, Daniel 8:16), and DayStar AKA: Lucifer (2 Corinthians 11:14, Isaiah 14:12-15, Luke 10:18).
3 Closest Disciples: Jesus was very close with Peter, James, and John. The three are mentioned together at the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-38), the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-3), and when Jesus brought Jairus’ daughter back to life (Luke 8:49-56).
Daniel’s Prayers: Even in the midst of a major attack on believers, Daniel fervently prayed to the Lord. Daniel 6:10 says, “Daniel always prayed to God three times every day. Three times every day, he bowed down on his knees to pray and praise God. Even though Daniel heard about the new law, he still went to his house to pray. He went up to the upper room of his house and opened the windows that faced toward Jerusalem. Then Daniel bowed down on his knees and prayed just as he always had done.”
Satan Tempted Jesus 3 Times: Jesus was tempted in three different ways during His 40 days in the desert (Matthew 4).
Esther Prayed and Prepared 3 Days to Go before the King: Esther had the Jews join her in fasting and praying before she approached the king and risked her life on their behalf (Esther 4:16).
Abraham journeyed 3 days to take Isaac to Mount Moriah: When Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac, He obediently took the 3-day journey to Mount Moriah with Isaac. Thankfully all along God had a provision and Abraham proved obedient (Genesis 22:4).
3 Unclean Spirits in Revelation: There are also negative instances for including the number 3. The 3 unclean spirits in Revelation perform miracles and gather kings against God (Revelation 16:13-14).
The Satanic Trinity: The Devil always tries to copy God. Just like there is God the Holy Trinity, there is something known as the Satanic Trinity. Blue Letter Bible shares "The Dragon"-the Anti-GOD. "The Beast"-the “Anti-CHRIST. "The False Prophet"-the “Anti-SPIRIT" (Revelation 16, 19, and 20).
Why Does God Use Certain Numbers to Symbolize Important Things?
Sometimes God uses numbers intentionally, other times it is just a record of an account. It is important not to miss the overall message, but also valuable to understand the meaning behind numbers in the Scriptures to grasp the greater reason why they might be included. With that said, the Lord is purposeful with His Word and all Scripture is God-breathed and useful (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Looking into the meaning of numbers in the original Hebrew for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament enables us to gain a clearer picture of the purpose behind the numbers.
Fun Facts about the Number 3 in the Bible
The number 3 appears 497 times in Scripture.
Very noteworthy events were connected with the number 3.
Jesus prayer three times before being arrested and then was put on the cross at the 3rd hour and died at 3 pm. He then was in the tomb and rose from the dead 3 days later (Matthew 26:36-56, John 19:14, Mark 15:25, and 1 Corinthians 15:4).
The Strand of 3 not Easily Broken: Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” When we think about our earthly relationships and having Jesus in as the third strand, we are more likely to succeed. 3 was used as a term of completion.
It is intriguing to study the meaning behind the numbers in which the Lord created. We can enjoy the process of diving deeper into the Scriptures and gaining clarity as to why certain numbers are mentioned. The number 3 is an amazing number because of the ways in which it is used throughout the Bible. Ultimately, may our desire to learn the numbers motivate a greater love to learn about our God.
Further Reading
What Is the Significance of the Number 3 in the Bible?
What Does the Number 3 Signify in the Bible?
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