Many people are aware that the number of the beast or the anti-Christ is 666. This number is found in the Holy Bible, Revelation 13:18. But what is the number of Jesus? The Bible does not explicitly or implicitly give His number. However, through the science of numerology it can be discovered.
In Christian numerology, the number 888 represents Jesus, or sometimes more specifically Christ the Redeemer. This representation may be justified either through gematria, by counting the letter values of the Greek transliteration of Jesus' name, or as an opposing value to 666, the number of the beast.
What is gematria?
Gematria is the practice of assigning numbers to letters to reveal deeper meanings behind words and phrases. Gematria is an art that has been practiced in many cultures and played a quintessential role in helping one understand the hidden meanings of ancient spiritual texts. The Holy Bible is a book rich in numerology, sacred geometry, allegory, symbolism, morality, psychology, philosophy and astrology – but in order to truly grasp the gems that lay hidden between the lines, one would need to read it using gematria. The Bible has been studied using germatria for decades, and other important names have been analyzed as well.
Some things in Scripture are specifically described as mysteries. In various places in the New Testament we find such statements as “He that has ears let him hear,” or “Let him that reads understand” or “Behold, I show you a mystery.” Revelation 13:18 begins with the words ‘This is wisdom.’ Such phrases indicate something hidden, which we must search out by prayerful study and commitment to the Holy Spirit. This is why many have turned to gematria to understand the Bible on a deeper level, and attempt to uncover some of these mysteries.
How is the number of Jesus calculated?
Using the Greek Ionic Ciphered Numeral System, it can be scientifically proven that Jesus’ number is 888. In this system, each letter of the Greek alphabet is assigned a numerical value. The name of Jesus in Greek is spelled: iota, eta, sigma, omicron, upsilon, sigma. Next, you substitute in the Greek numeral system for the equivalent numerical values to each letter in the name of Jesus. Upon adding all of those up, the total is 888. The values of each letter are: iota, 10; eta, 8; sigma, 200; omicron, 70; upsilon, 400; sigma, 200. The sum of 10 + 8 + 200 + 70 + 400 + 200 is 888.
What is the significance of the number eight in the Bible?
The Bible never uses 888 directly, but the number has a great significance in biblical numerology. In the Bible, the number 8 is a number of new beginnings. For example, David was the eighth son of Jesse. Jesus is the "Root and Offspring of David" (Revelations 22:16).
Christ, rising from the dead on Sunday initiated a new creation. Matthew 28:1 says "After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb." Jesus rose again on the Sabbath, and began a new world that is celebrated on the first day of the week. Jesus is the "author and finisher of the faith" (Hebrews 12:2), or the starter of new beginnings.
On the 8th day of the universes creation, God said “let the Church begin, and it began.” The light shone in the darkness and the darkness has not been able to quench it.
At a glance 8 looks like an upright infinity sign. The dictionary defines infinity as boundlessness, limitlessness, and endlessness. These are the characteristics of God. In the Bible, God is revealed by his Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Number 888 is a symmetrical number, meaning it can be reflected, inverted, and have its digits permuted with no change in its appearance. This coheres with God's use of this number when He declared He eternal unchanging nature, saying "I am the Lord, I change not" (Malachi 3.6). Indeed, "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Heb. 13.8).
Some have taken this a step further, and applied it to modern day. For example, Eternity in heaven is a free gift for those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. In the USA now, phone calls with an 888 area code are also free. Romans 10:13 reminds us "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." While this could just be a coincidence, it's interesting to see how this science can be applied even in today's society.
When God created the name of Jesus Christ, He wanted to pass along a message to us. He wanted us to understand the monumental importance of who Christ was on earth, and how we are called to follow Him. Through numerology, we are better able to understand how God has woven mathematical truths into His divine creations.
