I think that since history began, mankind has used numbers on a regular basis.
We keep track of how old we are and what year, month or day it is. We keep scores at games. We use numbers to keep track of the time of day and the money we make. The real question, though, is does God care about numbers? If numbers had no significance, then why are they used throughout Scripture? There even is an Old Testament book called Numbers.
When we get to the New Testament, numbers are used to illustrate how great the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 with only two fish and five loaves of bread was. The book of Acts shows the church starting with 120 people; then we see 3,000 added to their number, and then the number of 5,000 men is given, not including women and children as pertaining to believers.
I believe the reason numbers are important in Christ’s kingdom is because every number represents a soul that is eternal by nature. In other words, every person will end up either in heaven or hell.
The Scripture makes it pretty plain that the determining factor to where a person ends up if they have chosen to be a follower of Christ. Acts 4:12 supports this when it says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
What should we do? First, if you are not a follower of Christ, choose to be today. You are not just a number, but part of the great number of people who need to do so. If you are a believer, ask the Lord to give you a passion to pray and help lead others to the right path.
May the Lord use numbers to help us see the overwhelming need around us.
Make yourself more than a number
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